I find that when I talk to people about veganism, they have some serious reservations about making the switch. Which makes sense, since it’s quite a different habit than they’ve been practicing all their life this far.
However, I’ve also noticed that most of their concerns really don’t hold water when you’re looking at the usual vegan experience. And I want to highlight this. Because I truly believe that if more people knew that the stuff they’re worried about really doesn’t end up being as big of a deal as they think, they might be free to make an easier switch to veganism.
So listen, all of you who are interested in veganism but still holding off: It really isn’t as bad as you think it’s gonna be.
It’s not confusing
The philosophy of not using animals for your consumption is actually really simple. And it’s able to be applied consistently by refraining from the consumption of animal products and everything else that commodifies animal lives.
There are many applications of this value within life. That’s true. But when you understand and align with the root value of it all, it’s not the least bit confusing.
It doesn’t take long to learn
It’s true that veganism comes with a learning curve to it. You go from being largely unaware of how animals are being used and abused for your lifestyle to being shocked. And then you feel a little behind the eight ball. Because you need find alternatives to products and activities that you used to not find anything wrong with.
And you are going to make mistakes. In the beginning and forever—you’re human. But all in all, learning how to avoid using and consuming animals doesn’t take that long. After a few weeks, you’re good to go for most situations in your daily life.
Your food won’t be disgusting
I know a lot of people that seem absolutely convinced that vegan food cannot taste good. And that going vegan means resigning yourself to a life of disgusting or bland food. But it doesn’t have to be anything like that.
In fact, my food has only improved since going vegan. I’ve found so many new foods that I had never tried before and learned about so many new ways of cooking that I eat better than I ever did.
The truth is, if you know how to cook good food, that won’t go away just because the food is vegan. Seasonings will truly solve all your qualms about vegan food being not as good. If you’re used to dinner being a hunk of meat with some potatoes on the side, it’s true, you’re going to have to learn what to replace that with. But that doesn’t mean that your food will be gross all of a sudden.
It’s not the end of your favorite meals
And speaking about what you’re used to. I’m actually quite encouraged by all of the vegan food innovations that we’re seeing these days. Whether it’s recipe blogs or vegan restaurants or new options in the supermarkets, there are so many new things coming out to make life easier for the vegans and vegan interested.
It’s at the point where most of our favorite foods can be found in vegan versions in big cities all over the world. And I only see this improving with time. I’m so proud of the people who take risks in the kitchen and learn about food science in order to make these products. I truly believe that this is making veganism more accessible to people and will continue to do so as time goes on.
I remember back when I first went vegan, the options in the supermarkets were very few. The online recipes were all super weird, with specialty ingredients and ended up tasting well, not like you were hoping. There really was a feeling of “oh, well obviously this is vegan.” And now it’s just not like that anymore. We’ve got vegan food that good, not just “good for vegan food”. Now vegan cake is just cake and vegan cookies are just cookies in terms of taste, and I am totally here for it. And, as I said, it’s only getting better with time. How awesome that we can now have our favorite foods and still be vegan through it all? What an exciting time.
You’re not sitting around missing things
So obviously this one is an offshoot of the last two. But I really wanted to address this one specifically since people ask me all the time “but don’t you miss x?” And the simple answer is no. I really don’t.
As I said, we’re in a time with all sorts of vegan replacements cropping up around us. And if you know how to make food good, well, your vegan food will be good. But more specifically, I really don’t miss things that much either.
You do get cravings sometimes. Like when you think about a memory tied to a recipe or experience that you now know isn’t vegan. And in fact, I’ve written a post all about vegan cravings which you can find here. But more than anything, what I can tell you about cravings is that they pass. After veganism becomes a habit for you, you’re not going to just be sitting and thinking about that nice steak you had that one time and pining for it for days on end. It’s more of a passing memory, a fleeting feeling in the moment. And that’s doable.
We often forget the strength of our habits and the kind of power (or lack thereof) that they can lend us. I’ll always remember my childhood and young teen years eating meat and never having heard of veganism. And some of the memories are fond, even though now I would never participate in them. You don’t lose that once you go vegan. And sometimes, you’ll look back on the nonvegan things and think “I was happy then”, but it doesn’t mean you’re not happy now.
I truly believe that everyone should look after their health. However, I think that it is more important for vegans, so we don’t ruin our health and then blame it on veganism in the future. The fact is, restrictive diets are bad for your health, regardless of if they’re vegan or not. And if you were a generally healthy person before going vegan and then you went for an extreme vegan diet, it’s very likely that you would look back and feel longing for that time. But with good nutrition, you’re not going to lose out on health. And for that reason, if you’re happy healthy and satisfied, you really don’t have to worry about that aching feeling of longing you figure you’re going to feel after going vegan. Instead you’ll feel vibrant and excited about your new lifestyle.
No, it’s not as bad as you think
The truth is, I’ve never regretted my decision to go vegan. I know that people like to highlight stories of ex vegans who say they got sick or they just couldn’t do it after trying for a week. And I know those people exist. But so many of us don’t go back.
So many vegans find emotional peace as well as thriving health and satisfaction in their vegan lifestyle. It is possible, and you can likely do it. Especially if you prepare well. Truly, it’s not as bad as you think.
Thank you for reading my thoughts. If you’re interested in going vegan or are looking for more vegan related content in your life, then consider subscribing to the blog to be informed when new posts go live. And as usual, have a terrific day!