Being Vegan is Actually Pretty Easy
It’s not really complicated at all.
“So what do you eat?” My dad asked while wearing a sidearm in his own kitchen.
“Plants. I eat plants,” I said.
It really is that simple.
Over the holiday season, I faced many questions from many people regarding my eating habits. These people all know I’ve been vegan for two years and was vegetarian for a year and a half before that.
I even got the typical “Where do you get your protein?” question. But hey, I can’t really fault people for not knowing anything about the food they do or do not put in their bodies.
And just to get that question out of the way: 1) there’s protein in so many plants…like probably all of them, and 2) you don’t need as much protein as protein powder manufacturing companies say you need.
I could never give up (fill in the blank)
Usually, the blank is filled up with cheese. And I get that. When I was a meat-eater and even the entire time I was a vegetarian, string cheese was my go-to snack. I would eat three or four sticks at a time. I put cheese on almost everything.
Until I didn’t.
It doesn’t really matter what your thing is that *can’t* give up. For many it’s cheese. For some, it’s bacon, or cereal with cow’s milk (note that these are humans, not cows).
If you want to eat a healthier diet, just stop eating those things you think you can’t live without. If you want to go vegan, but can’t give up cheese, just stop whining and do it.
Nobody who likes the taste of cheese can live without it until suddenly one day they’re living without it and it’s no big deal and you don’t understand why you were whining about it so hard to your mom.
It’s really just super easy if you’re not a baby.
So am I just supposed to eat raw kale and be all granola now?
You can eat raw kale if you want, but I prefer it cooked. Do you have any vegetables you know you like?
When learning how to eat healthier, it can feel overwhelming. In my experience, the easiest way to go about it is to start with what you know.
For example, I like to eat beans and rice and know how to cook that dish up all tasty-like. I’ve been eating that dish for decades. I also like onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, bok choy, green onions, and fruit. I knew I liked those plants and could eat them in large quantities. I learned how to cook a few dishes with those ingredients and I had quite a variety of meals.
I like nuts. Peanut butter and jelly. Coffee (black, of course).
Start with what you know you like and branch out from there. If you really like burgers, find some buns that don’t have milk or eggs in them, and cook some beyond burgers from the grocery store.
This is so easy it’s basically child’s play.
What about cravings for cakes, donuts, ice cream, and so on?
Indulging in decadent desserts is actually one of the easiest parts of eating a plant-based diet. There are delicious vegan options all over the place. Even rural stores are getting them, so Whole Foods in big-scary-cities isn’t your only option.
About a mile and a half from my house sits this really delicious vegan and gluten-free bakery. Cakes. Donuts. Muffins. Fruit tarts. It’s all so tasty, and if you look, you can probably find something like that near you. Even if you can’t the internet is full of recipes for when you’re feeling adventurous.
When you want ice cream, head to any chain grocery store and grab some non-dairy Ben & Jerry’s.
See how easy I’m making this for you? Vegan is easy.
Are you a baby, or are you not a baby?
Adopting a healthy, plant-based diet boils down to one simple question. Are you a baby or not?
Eating plants is not hard.
Eating plants is not complicated. In fact, it simplifies meal planning.
Nearly every restaurant has plants you can eat. There are even Impossible burger patties at Burger King. There’s a chain of plant-based restaurants called Veggie Grill in some parts of the country (writing from America).
With the world making it so easy for you to eat plants, maybe it’s just a matter of you putting on your grown-up pants and stop making excuses.
I have a diet that is wide in variety and deep in deliciousness, and so can you.
Being vegan isn’t hard at all. It’s simple, straightforward, and healthy. Do it.
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