Going vegan for a week in the South

Food is one thing that is not taken lightly here in the South. It’s part of our culture just as much as our values. We deep fry our vegetables, put butter on every dish and make our sweet tea so sweet you almost taste the diabetes. We full-heartedly believe in the quote from our hero:

“Food is essential to life, therefore make it great.” -Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A (who was actually my great-uncle)

Like many Southerners, I’d never truly deprived myself from good food, except for my “diets” that consist of Zaxby’s/Shanes salads.

This gave me the bright idea to go through with the most non-Southern diet of all: VEGANISM.

Day 1

Breakfast

For breakfast, I usually have oatmeal, scrambled eggs or avocado toast. Luckily I had the avocados, so I made the toast and had a banana. Piece of cake. If that cake were vegan, obvs.

Lunch

A bowl from Moe’s, a burrito chain much like Chipotle (with queso). It was Moe’s Monday which means you can get a burrito the size of a small dog for $5. It was a good sized bowl with rice, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, guac, and…tofu.

I shoveled each bite to mask the rubbery texture of it. I don’t think I chewed at all.

Dinner

Enjoyed a nice, filling meal of spaghetti squash with homemade marinara and sautéed mushrooms. Also, an asian cabbage salad with tofu. Tofu is not the move.

Thoughts

Positive day. I felt energized and eager to be productive. At least I can have sweet tea.

Day 2

Breakfast

Go-to oatmeal with peanut butter and bananas. Good, but still craved eggs. (Jorja was not as picky.)

Snack

Starbucks iced coffee with coconut milk as creamer and half of my brother’s Chick-fil-A fries.

Lunch

Salad and vegan pizza at a Southern pizza chain, Mellow Mushroom. By far the best food I ate all week. The vegetables gave it so much flavor and the restaurant even had its own vegan/vegetarian side of the menu so I didn’t feel outcast.

Dinner

Luckily, I had plenty of leftovers that hit the spot after my run. “Try it guys! It’s so good!” My mom forced a “mmm!” as she nibbled a bite.

Thoughts

Feelin’ great and healthy. Still felt energized and never felt guilty after eating. Maybe I could actually do this! At least I still have sweet tea.

Day 3

The day I thought I was going to break.

Breakfast

Oatmeal, again. And fruit.

Lunch

Wasn’t able to get my workout in so I huffed back inside and threw together a rice bowl with black beans and avocados. Not bad, but I was in a rush and my attitude was full-blown.

Dinner

Went to a concert in Atlanta and met some of my family in the CNN center for dinner before the show – I watched as everyone devoured their pizzas, cheese fries and Chick-fil-A as I had the same exact bowl from Moe’s in front of me.

I sat in my seat annoyed and impatient. Until I saw the cotton candy man. I quickly Google searched: “Is cotton candy vegan?” and waved him down to splurge on the small $5 bag. Worth it. So worth it.

After the show, my dad calls Waffle House to place a to-go order.

“I’ll have a double patty melt, hashbrowns scattered and covered, a Coke and a pecan pie (which Waffle House doesn’t even carry). Do y’all want anything?”

I have never passed up a Wa-Ho chocolate chip waffle before in my life. But I was too strong to break now. I then reminded him of my diet constrictions.

“Are you kidding me? This is so un-American. That’s what you need to write. This is BS and being vegan is un-American.”

Thoughts

My dad might be right. But I still have sweet tea.

Day 4

Breakfast

I slept as long as I could to make the days go by fast. I woke up at 11am and ate a banana.

Lunch

Went to Japanese and had avocado sushi and tofu noodles. I ate all the noodles including my brother’s and came home and napped.

Dinner

Leftover noodles and a banana strawberry ice-cream smoothie/ice cream with frozen bananas and strawberries – it revived me.

Thoughts

Terrible day. I feel weak. I have to sleep or take pics of my dog like every vegan’s Instagram account to pass the time. I just want a chicken sandwich. Plz. Sweet tea, too.

Day 5

Breakfast

This Insta-worthy oatmeal with strawberries and PB.

Lunch

I was feeling inspired by my breakfast bowl and every Southerner knows presentation is EVERYTHING, so I made this teriyaki “chick’n” salad with avocados and apples.

Looks were so deceiving. The smell of soy-based food (tofu) was enough to make me sick. I just ate the apples and went along with my day.

Dinner

We went to Mellow Mushroom again as a family. They all ordered meat-filled subs and I was excited to get the vegan pizza again. Our food took longer because apparently vegan “cheese” takes longer to cook.

We got the bill and my dad exclaims: “TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS? FOR THAT PIZZA?” The waitress comes over and explained they have special dough that was shipped.

Thoughts

It became clear to me that being a vegan in the South could be divisive. You inconvenience everyone you’re with and you spend loads of money on these specialized products. Everything is so monetized and companies take advantage of vegans, no doubt. Sweet tea, on the other hand, is quick and cheap to make.

Day 6

Breakfast

Bowl of oatmeal. Anotha one.

Lunch

We went galavanting with my grandma to south Georgia to see some sights, go antiquing and to the Whistle Stop Cafe, home of the movie Fried Green Tomatoes. When I told the waitress I was vegan, her eyes widened in horror. As my brother ate fried chicken and mac and cheese next to me, I had a vegetable plate with rice, greens, fried mushrooms, and fried okra. (NO EGG WASH DON’T WORRY.)

And of course, fried green tomatoes.

Dinner

The rest of my $25 pizza. Also a plate full of fries after my run.

Thoughts

ONE MORE DAY. Also, somehow sweet tea always taste better in a mason jar.

DAY 7

Breakfast

Guess.

Lunch

Spaghetti sauce with mushrooms and marinara. One of my favs.

Dinner

A banana with peanut butter. And binge-watching Netflix until 12am. At midnight, I went with my grandma to the Southern holy grail of breakfast food, Waffle House. Of course I got the All-Star special with my hashbrowns capped and covered, eggs scrambled with cheese, bacon, a side of grits with butter and a chocolate chip waffle. AND chocolate milk.

“You just ordered half the menu,” my grandma said. It was the best moment of my life…then all the heavy food basically put me in a food coma.

What I learned

I was definitely less guilt-free after every meal and I had energy. The days that I chose not to eat the tofu or have any other protein were the worst days. If I had to prepare myself for a special event or fit into a certain outfit, I might do it again.

But life without the three C’s isn’t the life for me – chicken, chocolate and cheese.

Tips for being vegan in the South

• Baby steps. Start off with one day of the week, and incorporate until you’re fully vegan, or else you will burn yourself out.
• Google everything just to be sure.
• Cook all your meals so you have more control and it is cheaper.
• Have people challenge you and tell you you can’t do it as motivation.
• Move. The land of butter is not conducive for this lifestyle and it would be much easier to find more vegan friendly options literally anywhere else.
• And finally, don’t. Just don’t.