40 days a Vegan
I recently realized it may be slightly hypocritical of me to write about Vegan living while not being a Vegan myself; so I decided to be Vegan for lent this year. I considered myself "mostly Vegan" before lent eating only dairy and eggs in a few select products (coffee creamer, ice cream, the occasional cookie, and salad dressings). I figured by swapping out these few products my transition would be easy. I was also out on maternity leave, so I would be home to prepare meals and wouldn't be tempted by "treats" in the workplace. Boy was I mistaken! Here's what I learned during my 40 day challenge...
...going out to eat isn't easy! I'd researched Vegan options at restaurants before; however I allowed myself to eat small amounts of dairy and eggs in my meals. Without my Caesar dressing on the side, salads became boring lettuce with vinegar.
...when you don't ask...you don't know! My husband and I went out to Ruby Tuesdays for the unlimited salad bar (which was much more exciting until I realized the above) and zucchini sliders with French fries. I thought about asking whether or not the fries were cooked in the same fryer as the meat, but bit my tongue not wanting to be a pain. After eating the fries and zucchini sliders, I felt unsatisfied and "dirty".
...you're extremely limited. Dairy and eggs crept into many more products than I'd thought. Even at home I found myself craving a cookie, chips and candy. While I found substitutes for most foods, they didn't always satisfy my cravings.
...social situations are HARD! It's extremely uncomfortable to go over to a friends house for dinner and not be able to eat what they've prepared. I'm fortunate enough to have friends who tried to accommodate my diet; however they overlooked a few things and dinner ended up containing dairy. I was left with the choice...do I offend them by not eating the food they're thoughtfully prepared or cheat on my diet/beliefs?
After being 40 days vegan I have a newfound appreciation for all you Vegans out there! While I knew it was hard, it was much different experiencing it for myself. I realized that being 100% vegan is not for me right now. I hope to eventually build the tolerance and willpower to completely eliminate meat, eggs and dairy from my diet. For now, I'll continue to support all of you who can!
