When I was in college in the 80’s, I attempted to be vegetarian. I remember reading about the horrors of the chicken industry and something clicked. I had finally made a connection between living, sentient beings and what I was choosing to put in my mouth.
It didn’t last long though. Ultimately it was easier not to be vegetarian and I went back to full omnivore. (So, if you are conflicted or finding it difficult, I GET IT!)
After college I stopped eating red meat. (It wasn’t for health reasons as much as I had a hierarchy of animals that I didn’t want to eat, and cows were at the top.)
Years later I dropped eating fowl. Then around 2014 I stopped eating fish and was vegetarian.
The terms vegan or plant-based weren’t on my radar. It seemed so fringe and weird and difficult.
Then in 2018 I decided to go for it. Milk was easy to forego, though I did miss cheese. (Sound familiar?) Eggs were tough at first. I had been eating a lot of eggs because I thought my body needed the protein. I was getting a little sick of them actually and was happy to have the break. The only thing that tripped me up was desserts. Ordering a plant-based meal in a restaurant was easy enough by 2018, but what was I to do when my friends ordered dessert and I couldn’t partake? So, I was a convenient vegan for about a year.
Then I stopped eating all dairy and eggs including desserts. I learned how to bake or find plant-based desserts when I wanted them (which is much less frequent now than in the past).
For me, eating plant-based means ONLY choosing plant-based foods.
For other people, eating plant-based means usually choosing plant-based foods but still consuming animal products from time to time or even regularly.
In my perfect world everyone only eats plants. There is no reason for us to harm animals or the earth for our eating pleasure. Plus, knowing what I know from studying plant-based nutrition through Cornell, a whole food plant-based lifestyle is the healthiest option. Whole food plant-based is a healthier version of eating plant-based which can still include processed foods.
And even though we don’t discuss it too often at What’s Plant-Based Cooking Good Looking?, going fully vegan means not purchasing any animal-based products, like clothing, accessories or household or cosmetic products. It requires reading labels, but in the end, it’s worth it.
Some people watch a film and that’s it. They’re done eating meat, dairy and eggs because they are horrified by what they learn either about animal agriculture or their health.
How did I do it? It was a slow process for me. Years! Decades! I kept justifying. Until I couldn’t justify any longer.
And now I sleep at night and trust that I am consuming the best possible foods for my health.
Where are you in the process? Please let us know what kind of support or words of encouragement you may need. We are here for you!