I went vegan for a week and it didn’t suck

I was thinking of healthy diets to start off the new year, so I thought, why not try being a vegan?

Although I knew what a vegan was, I had to find a clear cut definition that would help me explain my change in diet to family and friends.

This is the one I stumbled across on good old faithful Wikipedia.

“Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A follower of veganism is known as a vegan.”

To sum it up it means.

• No consumption of meat
• No dairy/eggs
• No animal products consumed whatsoever (marshmallows, jello, and gummy snacks)
• No animal products worn (true veganism)

That sounds pretty hard, and I’m not going to lie I racked my brain long and hard before I compiled a meal plan for the week that I ended up throwing out the window.

Disclaimer: Do not try veganism without research and some form of B-12 supplement.

This is what happened.

Sunday

I forgot to go grocery shopping for my little experiment and ended up at Whole Foods on an empty stomach. I would not recommend that to anyone.

As I was browsing the aisles, smells of cheese and prepared meats tempted me. I was not prepared. I held in there and picked up a few meals for the week.

On Sunday I drank a smoothie, ate some fruit, chowed on some rice and beans, and called it a day.

Monday

I got a little more creative with my menu. Coffee with almond creamer, oatmeal, a banana, and for lunch tofu filled ravioli.

Had I just eaten the ravioli plain, I would have been rather disappointed.

Instead I sautéed some mushrooms and spinach and added a couple tablespoons of roasted garlic tomato sauce from Trader Joe’s, and I felt like I was in vegan Italy.

Despite enjoying this meal, I won’t be making the switch from cheese ravioli’s after this little experiment.

Tuesday

I attempted to drink another cup of coffee with almond creamer, it was absolutely disgusting.I later discovered that almond milk is 1000 times better than almond creamer.

For breakfast it was good old faithful oatmeal again, for lunch split pea soup with a vegan stamp of approval.

I wasn’t quite a fan of the bland lightly salted aspect of this ham free split pea soup, but with a dash of salt and pepper I wasn’t disappointed.

Wednesday

After drinking a smoothie and munching on my leftover ravioli, I decided to give vegan baking a try and made banana muffins.

For those of you who love baked goods, here are some delicious homemade mini vegan banana muffins.

While I only committed myself to going vegan for seven days, I am considering transitioning to veganism in the future.

The things holding me back aren’t my love for bacon and steak which I find rather delicious, or the need to wear leather.

Thursday

After eating more boring variations of fruit and oatmeal I decided to take myself out for a vegan lunch.

Anyone who knows me knows I love food and particularly enjoy going out to eat. Thankfully I live near a vegan restaurant and after my experience there I’m definitely paying another visit.

Black bean burger with all the vegan fixings with a side of tortilla chips and vegan queso. Delicious, but perhaps a little too nutritious.

Friday/Saturday

No need to bore you with the mundane details. I ate some fruit and leftovers from throughout the week. I was getting pretty sick of my vegan staple foods.

The truth is, being a vegan can be expensive. If I survived solely off rice, beans, and canned vegetables for the rest of my life I could do it but I wouldn’t be happy.

Luckily this week my parents funded my little vegan experiment, but I’m sure they’d get sick of my meal variations after a few weeks.

I will be slowly transitioning to a Pescetarian. This means I’ll be eating eggs, dairy products, and fish but cutting out all other meat. Veganism on the other hand may take a while for me to fully embrace.

If you want to find out more about veganism check out  Kalel, a YouTuber who breaks it all down.