I’ve been vegan for a few years now. There are lots of things that have bugged me as a vegan. There have been a lot of struggles and eye rolls and throwing up my arms in the air. These are the questions I ask myself as a vegan on a daily basis.
1. Why Do I See Meat Ads All The Time?
I don’t get it. I know that ad creators get to target specific audiences, especially on Facebook. And, I am a part of vegan groups and have a strong interest in veganism, yet I see ads for meat services all the time, like the following one I saw today. Are they trying to sway me to meat? I don’t get it.
2. Why Can’t People Accept That I Like Vegan Food?
The other day I saw someone talking about how she tried to eat vegan for a year, but she nearly starved to death. 🙄 She finally had to eat a meat burger because she was starving.
I think stories like that make people who have never tried to eat a vegan diet think that we are missing a whole bunch of stuff from our diets. The truth is, we are not – at least, I’m not!
I’m not hungry. I’m not missing any nutrients. And, yes, I love the taste of vegan food. I like vegan cheeses and vegan bacon. My husband likes vegan salami and ham, and all kinds of other vegan meats. And, we don’t feel like we are missing out on anything.
We make vegan versions of all our holiday favorites and our comfort foods.
I honestly like vegan food way more than I ever liked non-vegan food, and that’s a fact. But, some of my friends and family, as well as strangers I talk to about veganism, insist that I can’t like vegan food as much as I say I do.
3. Why Do People Get Annoyed When I Talk About Being Vegan?
I listen to my dad talk about meat all the time. He has a supper schedule, and he will tell me every single supper he’s having for the next two weeks, and it’s all just meat. Ribs, chicken, steak, etc.
But god forbid I try to talk about eating vegan food or being vegan. He loses interest or changes the subject.
NEWSFLASH: I’m vegan! It’s a huge part of my life, so it’s one of those big things I’m going to talk about when I do talk about my life.
Why is it not OK for me to talk about my vegan habits, foods, and thoughts?
4. Why Do People Think Vegans Are Weird?
I think vegans are awesome.
They have a level of compassion and insight that I respect.. They tend to care about the planet, animals, and people in general.
They tend to have a strong sense of self and aren’t influenced by media or commercials on how they should behave or what they should eat.
And, they are innovative and creative!
In fact, I have found that during this pandemic, when I don’t really want to go out shopping much, I can easily make milk or cheese out of a few different things I have in the pantry. Oat milk, rice milk, nut cheese, and potato cheese are just a few of the things I’ve created when Miyoko’s and Silk are not an option.
5. Why Do People Think Vegan Food Is Gross?
If you show my friend’s kid a vegan food, and he doesn’t know it’s vegan, he will try it and he usually likes it. But, if you tell him it’s vegan, he won’t even try it. He and his dad will say “gross!” anytime they see or hear about vegan food.
WTF?
If they don’t know it’s vegan, it’s fine.
If they know that it’s vegan, it’s NOT fine.
Same food but two different reactions based on one word.
It doesn’t make any sense!
I can honestly say that most vegan food is amazing. Yes, there are some vegan foods that are not good, just like there are some non-vegan foods that are not good!
I can make spicy food, comfort food, warming food, and crave-worthy food, and it’s all vegan.
Just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s gross.
6. Why Do People Think It Costs A Lot To Be Vegan?
Beans, lentils, rice, and vegetables do not cost a lot. You can buy all these things in bulk at low prices and they go a long way. They can make meals that last for days and keep in the freezer for later.
Canned foods don’t cost a lot.
Frozen foods don’t cost a lot.
Vegan packaged foods cost just as much as non-vegan packaged foods.
Spices, flours, oils, and nuts can cost a little more, but they aren’t out of this world expensive.
I don’t get it when people use the excuse that they could never be vegan because it costs too much. I spend just as much as I did when I wasn’t vegan.
