Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [22]
Knowing what you’re going to make for dinner on Wednesday (or any other particular day of the week) helps you plan your daily schedule better so you’re sure to have enough time allotted to cook at the end of the day. It also saves you and your family from bickering and deciding on takeout or veggie burgers yet again. Keep in mind that it’s often easier to plan for bigger cooking projects on the weekend, because you’ll have more free time and fewer obligations to worry about. And if you cook enough on the weekend, you can have leftovers to make the next week that much easier.
Purging nonvegan products from your life
Some of the nonvegan foods you’ll be avoiding are pretty obvious: cheddar cheese made from cow’s milk? Chuck it. Steaks in the freezer? Give ’em to the meat eater down the hall, or throw them away. Most vegans start avoiding these foods immediately once they set their minds to it.
Other ingredients aren’t as easily avoided. You may find out a few days into your new vegan diet that your favorite crackers have honey in them or that the skin cream you love is made with goat’s milk. Sitting on your leather sofa or car seats may gross you out after you comprehend their origins.
Go easy on yourself when you make your decisions about what to throw away and what to use until it’s gone. If you can’t afford to buy all new beauty aids this month, use what you have and replace each bottle of shampoo or lotion with a cruelty-free brand when the old one is gone. Perhaps you don’t have anyone you can give your dozen eggs to and you don’t want to waste them — maybe it’s better to eat the rest of the package, say a prayer and blessing for the chickens, and buy some tofu next week instead.
You can stop using every nonvegan item today, or you can take your time. It’s up to you, and no one should judge your decisions. You’re already making more conscious actions, and you’ll continue to improve as time goes on.
Getting to know your new community
Reach out and touch the faithful — vegans, that is. By joining a local vegan potluck group (or even a vegetarian one if that’s all you can find), you’ll meet like-minded people who have similar values to yours. Getting to know others who see the world as you do can help you feel connected and as if you’re a part of something bigger. The folks who belong to these groups know where to buy the food you need, can share strategies with you, may teach you new recipes, and can even point out possible pitfalls. They also can help you find that fabulous vegan outfit you need for your high school reunion.
Local vegan groups may be involved in political actions or animal rescue work, which can bring a new level of meaning to your vegan lifestyle. Get involved and educated about the issues in your community so that your new theoretical lifestyle will have a real-world impact. Getting involved also shows the people around you how the ethics of your diet play out in everyday life. Many people are won over by the upstanding moral code of veganism after they see the passion and dedication their friend or family member pours into a local environmental or animal rights cause.
Focusing on the fun and adventure of being a vegan
Eating can become a mundane chore if you aren’t careful. By focusing on the celebration of life, as displayed in a well-planned meal, vegan dining offers you the chance to return to honoring nature’s bounty. Focusing on the fun and joy of real, natural, cruelty-free food can turn every meal, no matter how elaborate or simple, into a party.
The fun of sharing food together and searching out the new and different menus available for vegans is one of the best parts of adopting this lifestyle. A new world of tastes, products, and guilt-free meals awaits you. Make it your intention to