Be a Part-Time Vegan
By Sara Butler
Real talk: The prospect of going vegan can be daunting. Intimidating, even. There’s this idea that any type of lifestyle change has to be jumped into head first -- you either go 100 percent vegan or you don’t go vegan at all. The truth is that you don’t need to be a full-time vegan to reap the benefits. In fact, there are plenty of health gains to be had from trying a vegan lifestyle part-time. Here are some steps to help you dip your toe into veganism.
Go Meatless One Day Per Week
If you’re used to eating animal products, then going cold turkey (pardon the expression) can be tough. Plus, there are animal products in some places you may not expect. So, acquaint yourself with veganism by doing it once a week.
On this day, make sure everything you eat is free from animal products such as eggs, milk, and butter. Once you’ve got one day down pat, tack on another day during the week. Eventually, you’ll learn to avoid the things you can’t eat and embrace the things you can.
It’s Plants Over Protein
A lot of people labor under the impression that if they don’t eat meat, they’ll feel tired and be malnourished, but that’s simply not true. Protein doesn’t have to come from an animal to give your body what it needs to function optimally. Everyone, whether vegan or not, should fill half of their dinner plates with vegetables to start.
When you start out, you’ll probably need to eat more vegetables in order to feel full, but as your body grows used to a plant-based diet, it’ll adapt and so will you!
Experiment
Speaking of protein, you should experiment with the array of plant-based proteins available to you to see which you like best. Go for chickpeas, tofu, black beans, lentils, and seitan in place of meat in your favorite recipes. Lentil sloppy Joes, anyone? Also, look into cashew cream when you need something creamy to add to your recipes -- it’s divine.
Expand Your Palate
People often get stuck in food ruts, eating the same things every day. Going part-time vegan is a great way to get out of that rut and expand your palate. Try to eat vegetables you’ve not been a huge fan of in different ways, like roasted or steamed. Over time, you may be surprised to find some new favorites!
You can embrace part-time veganism a little easier than go whole (meatless) hog, so give it a try!
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