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Im curious if you or your followers have thought about solutions for sleeping bags for backpacking. I am going on a first solo backpacking trip and need everything to be as compact as possible. When shopping for a sleeping bag, I learned that down is about 100% more compressible than synthetic materials for the same level of cold protection. I told the salesmen I wasnt comfortable buying down, but he eventually sold me on a bag made with recycled down from old pillows. When considering the environmental impact of new plastic vs. Recycled down, and also the practicability since there is no vegan option that is as suitable, i decided to buy the recycled down one even though I am still feeling uncertain about it. Ive been vegan for 12 years and I rarely feel like there just isnt a vegan option that is as good as the nonvegan one. A photo for reference, the orange is synthetic and definitely could've been compressed more but you get the idea.

I don't know anything about sleeping bags so I will just assume it is true that there isn't a synthetic option which is as compressible, but maybe my followers know of some other options that are similar in that respect?

Whether this is one of those cases or not, I do think that there are some items where the vegan version is just not as good for a specific purpose. Usually though, it is at least "good enough" with some minor inconvenience. In this case, I'd have probably gone for a larger, synthetic sleeping bag, or if I really did need it to be that small, I'd have considered buying a second hand one or borrowing one from an outdoorsy friend.

We all have to draw our lines somewhere, it sounds like you put some thought into it and did what you thought was right. Personally, I think that a second hand option would have been better purely because of no demand being created and being environmentally better than both options, even if it was real down, so that may be something to consider for next time, but there is some nuance there.

Good luck with the trip anon, I hope you have an amazing time!

#ask #vegan problems #down #backpacking

Advice for being a vegan while still living at home? My family eats meat for just about every meal and have been very unsupportive towards me in my efforts to cut out animal products from my diet and try to guilt me into eating with them often. I already buy almost all my own groceries, which helps, but even things like holidays they refuse to make accomodations—even our Thanksgiving stuffing has turkey juice in it. Is the best solution to just make all my own food even if it causes strife? Or am I going about talking to them about it the wrong way?

My advice is usually to try to make things as easy for your family as you can, buy your own groceries, prepare your own food etc. but it sounds like you are already doing all of that.

If I were you, I'd continue to make your own food, eat that food with them where possible, but don't make any apologies for where your boundaries are and insist that they aren't crossed. If you're sitting in a restaurant with them with no food, and they ask, tell them they have chosen somewhere you can't eat anything. If you aren't eating any of the Thanksgiving dinner with them, tell them why not. Them feeling a little bit awkward may just be the kick they need to work harder to include you, if they want you to be part of these events.

I think you're doing the right thing, and once they figure out that this isn't a passing phase and isn't something you're going to compromise on, they will learn to adapt. What you absolutely must not do is allow them to guilt you into doing anything you are not comfortable with. If you bend or break your rules once, they will expect you to keep doing so. It is as helpful for them as it is for you to insist on firm, clear boundaries.

#ask #vegan #vegan problems

The vegan experience of having to nod your way through someone smugly explaining what they think is an original anti-vegan argument… Despite the fact that you could have predicted the entire speech almost word for word halfway through the first sentence because you’ve heard the exact same thing about a hundred times.

#vegan #vegan problems #anti-vegans #original

This is maybe a silly thing to be worry about, but as someone who is completely ethically vegan but due to extremely restrictive food allergies can't go 100% vegan in my diet, I always feel like I'm not allowed to call myself vegan or talk too much about veganism. It's probably irrational but I always have this fear that people are going to laugh in my face for advocating a lifestyle/diet that I can't even follow perfectly myself

I think that feeling is understandable and not silly at all, but honestly I'd love it if we heard from more people like you. All we ever hear is "I cant eat 100% plant-based so I'm not even trying to reduce the amount of animal exploitation I am funding in any other way." People treat it as some sort of all or nothing, and to be fair I think vegans framing it that way is partly to blame for that.

That is why we need to hear more from people who are not eating fully plant-based but are still avoiding animal exploitation in every other way that they're able to, because most of them feel like you do, and so they just don't really talk about it. I wholeheartedly support people who still have to eat some animal products advocating for veganism and teaching others how to navigate the things you can control, while accepting that you can't be 100% plant-based just yet.

People need to know that we should all be doing our best, sometimes that means eating plant-based completely, sometimes that means just doing what you can. I'd encourage you to be open and honest with people about your situation if you're able to, because you may show someone else in a similar situation that they don't have to just give up trying entirely just because they can't be completely vegan.

#ask #vegan #vegan problems

as someone who successfully went vegan with ARFID (i was eating <10 individual foods before going vegan), my best advice to anyone else who wants to make the transition is to take it slow and focus first on swapping out your current safe foods for identical/near identical plant based replacements. it probably took me 6 months from making the first replacement to transitioning to a fully plant based diet, but for some people it may take longer. you also really have to be in the right mental/physical state to begin making the switch: if the thought of trying new things is too dreadful, or your nausea/gag reflex is too bad to keep anything down, you should hold off on transitioning your diet until you’re in a better spot so as to not burn yourself out or make yourself ill

Thanks for the advice, I'm sure people in a similar situation will find it helpful!

#ARFID #vegan #vegan problems

Since you’ve received asks about ARFID before I think I will share some advice as a person with ARFID who wants to go vegan but has issues with it. This advice is mostly directed towards other people with ARFID but it can be any similar condition. Be very careful about who you tell that you want to go vegan. Because in my experience it has only gotten more difficult for me to fully commit or try to find new safe foods because of the people around me. They make fun of the fact that I want to go vegan because I’m so picky, and whenever I don’t eat something vegan (because I have ARFID and it’d be dangerous to change my diet so drastically) they always have to mention it. They think this is light hearted joking, but it makes it more difficult for me to eat. I don’t want to eat in front of anyone anymore, and I can’t ever talk about my issues with animal agriculture because well I am still dependent on it. I’m trying to find vegan alternatives but my roommates make me so self conscious I just don’t have that much motivation anymore. I can’t wait till I live alone and can commit fully without my roommates on my ass.

I'm sorry anon, that sounds incredibly difficult! I don't have ARFID so I can't imagine what it is like to navigate that, but I do have a good amount of experience dealing with people's mockery about veganism and all that comes with that, so all I can do is offer you advice on that specifically.

I've always found that a good method is to take the laugh out of the joke entirely. Make it awkward enough when they make these jokes that they are uncomfortable, and won't do it again. There are plenty of ways to do this. Just a dead silence and a blank expression is often enough. A simple, calm and completely neutral tone saying simply: "I don't think that's funny" is a real mood killer. Similarly, you can just do a sort of confused frown, or a silent eyebrows raise. This sounds super obvious and pointless to say but social cues like these and the embarrassment they cause are actually quite hard to push past for most people, which is why it is so effective. They're also non-confrontational and unlikely to seriously damage your relationship with someone.

It depends how you want them to feel, though. Personally I've always found it helpful to be able to laugh at myself and crack the same jokes, it sort of disarms people from being able to use those jokes themselves. I have lines and I won't accept jokes at the expense of animals, but I often make jokes about how I've never eaten any protein in my life, about being a level 5 vegan who won't eat anything that casts a shadow etc. This has always been the best thing for me because it is very disarming, but I am naturally very sarcastic so it really depends on your disposition and how comfortable you are with these kinds of jokes.

You could also try to talk to them directly about the topic. Just telling that that you appreciate they're just joking and you know they're not trying to upset you, but you find these jokes to be really discouraging and awkward. Trying to go vegan or at least reduce is important to you and you'd appreciate their support. If you have a good relationship with them, you often won't need to employ any of these tactics to diffuse, if they care about you then they should listen to you and stop.

Good luck navigating your transition to veganism either way, anon. That you're trying so hard given your restrictions is really amazing, it is more than most people who don't have ARFID are doing! Don't let yourself forget that, veganism is not about perfection, it is about doing your best and it sounds like you are absolutely doing that.

#ask #ARFID #vegan #vegan problems

The number of people I know who send me jokes/memes/skits making fun of vegans and fully expect me to laugh and enjoy it as if they're not actively making fun of me is astounding

To be honest I appreciate a good vegan joke when they’re funny, the trouble is that it’s usually the same four or five jokes based on lazy stereotypes or just an outright misunderstanding of what veganism is…

My favourite thing to do is just say “seen this” to every single one of them regardless of whether or not you have, which is usually enough to take the fun out of it for them…

#ask #vegan problems

As someone new to being vegan the thing I'm struggling the most with is travelling and situations where I'm expected to eat with a group of people. As an example my family does an annual weekend get together where about 8 or 9 of us meet up at a very touristy beach town (east coast US for context) where there are virtually zero vegan options (at least not at any restaurants the rest of my family would willingly eat at), and I have no idea how to handle it without just excluding myself

This is one of the biggest challenges when you're new to veganism, social outings and such are just quite tricky to navigate when everyone isn't used to it yet.

I think at this stage, it is just about navigating the situation as best you can, while being firm in your boundaries. If you're having to join in a meal somewhere that has no vegan options, I'd just grab something to go before the meal, or after, or even go somewhere you can eat by yourself and meet them after. This will be awkward, but it may be what is needed to show them that they need to keep vegan options in mind when they're choosing somewhere, if they want to keep you involved.

I spent a fair amount of time on the East coast when I was younger and in my experience it was pretty good for vegans, so I think if they put in the effort they could find somewhere that both you and they could have a meal that you'd all enjoy. If not though, don't be afraid to insist on your own needs rather than just bowing to theirs.

Sometimes you'll just have to put up with getting a drink while they're all eating, but that shouldn't be the expectation the entire trip, and if they care about you then they should be willing to make compromises and accomodations. You just sitting there in a restaurant with no food is often an awkward enough experience for everyone involved to give them the impetus to try a bit harder next time to include you as well. Politely asking the staff for their vegan options, then them having to tell you there are none and you just can't order anything, can also help show restaurants that it is in their interests to make some effort, too.

All that said, you can often find vegan items at places that don't appear to have much, even if it is just sides. Calling the restaurant ahead of time can be good, as often they will have accomodations they can make that are not on the menu. It is not very common anymore to find a restaurant that truly has nothing we can eat, even in the US.

If you're interested, I've got a whole FAQs post on navigating this here: