Going Vegan

mkw122680

I went vegan (or as I prefer to say, "plant based") about 3 weeks ago. I went cold tofu and just made up my mind one day to make a lifestyle change for my health. I have found a lot of useful information reading and recipes at Happy Herbivore and Straight Up Foods.

When I switched, I stocked up on:

beans (canned, dry and lentils)
Almond Milk
vegetables (both fresh and frozen)
fresh in season fruits
leafy greans (especially kale!)
a few different varietys of whole grain pastas
whole wheat flour
spices! Especially chili powder (chipotle is my fav), cumin, paprika (smoked is good as well), garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and basil.
Nutritional yeast (you can get it online, I found it at my local health food store)

Happy Herbivore has a few different cookbooks of easy to make recipes that don't take too terribly long. She also has a good selection of recipes from her cookbooks online for free, so you can see if you'd like any of them before you spend money on a book. I tend to make 2 dishes over the weekend, portion those out for the week and eat those, along with plenty of fresh fruits, veggies and greens.

I was always a big pasta eater before I went vegan, so I thought that's what I'd eat the most of with the switch. Surprisingly (and good for me) pasta is a very small portion of what I eat, with beans being my big protien source. I also eat a huge salad with either lunch or dinner, or sometimes both.

I do have a frozen package of vegan veggie burgers in my freezer, in case the craving for meat strikes. I've only had one time where I wanted to go back to my old ways, but I wasn't craving meat or dairy...I wanted junk food, fast food. I just talked it out with my hubby, called my mom (who's also plant based) for support and made a vegan fried rice witih no oils or salt to satisfy my craving for something tasting like it was take out. I never go hungry, I feel good with my decision and I'm happy! It's not for everyone, but for me, it works.

EvelynBfly78

You have to examine your motives for going vegan. Is it for health, to lose weight or humane reasons? Many years ago I went vegan to be healthier. I eventually gave that up. For about 20 years I was flexitarian (eat chicken & fish). Then about 2 years ago I became a "cheating" vegetarian. Every once in a while I would have some chicken. But, this last year I have chosen to go completety vegetarian trying eventually to go vegan. This time it's for health & humane reasons. I can't stand to think about those innocent animals living in cramped conditions & then being slaughtered. Would you eat your pet dog, cat or bird?
No matter what your reasons are do a gradual transition first to vegetarian. Practice it for more than just 2 weeks. Research vegetarian websites. Check out recipes & see if you could stick with it. Read labels. Be prepared when you go out to eat. Check out the restaurant's menu if they are online.
Make small changes to your diet. You'll know when you are ready to take the next step to vegan.
Friend me if you want the support.

Sunny_fit4life

Your grocery list will depend on how you want to eat, but I would start by stocking your pantry with the right dry goods: Dry beans, Lentils, and Whole-grain brown rice, and maybe even quinoa are a good place to start. Also, if you can find dried TVP (textured vegetable protein) it should be pretty cheap and can provide you some extra protein if you feel the need as well as help you make some recipes that are similar to the foods you are familiar with (ex, vegan chili, vegan tacos, veggie burgers, etc...)
Nutritional yeast is a good thing to have for supplementing certain vitamins (such as B12) that are harder to get on a vegan diet. I buy flax seed as well and put it in dairy-free smoothies with almond milk. Most of this you can get at your regular grocery store, though depending on where you live you might have to go to a health food store for things like nutritional yeast and TVP.
I make a lot of things with Tofu (ex. Tofu scramble with bell pepper and mushrooms for breakfast). You can also try Seitan which has a different consistency... it's tougher.

Other than that, fruits, veggies, nuts... whichever ones you like...
I don't eat canned veggies, but if you want to go with some frozen fruits & veggies just check the ingredients on the back to make sure there isn't anything but well... fruits and veggies in there.
Then of course it's great to eat as many raw, fresh fruits & veggies as you can.
Avocados are good place to get your fats if you like them. They are high in calories, but so good for you in moderation.

katied37

I eat a mostly vegan diet, but I'm not perfect. I have seafood once or twice a month and will occasionally have a taste of cheese or chocolate. I prefer to use the term plant-based lifestyle, rather than vegan. I've found grocery shopping and planning ahead to be such an important part of this lifestyle change. That being said, I'm also living on a budget and, while I'd love to stock my kitchen with an entire rainbow of organic fruits and veggies, I can't always afford it. Here are my kitchen staples:

Veggies:
Tons of leafy greens (I mostly buy kale and spinach, pre-washed for convenience)
Carrots and celery for snacking
Mushrooms (super low calorie and also have a ton of important nutrients)
Broccoli (cruciferous veggies are thought to have cancer-fighting properties)
Onions
Bell peppers

Fruits:
Organic apples (I try to buy organic on foods where you eat the skin!)
Bananas
Berries (fresh or frozen, depending on the season)
Clementines in the winter!
Medjool dates (amazing by themselves, or blended into recipes as a sweetener)

Canned:
Diced tomatoes (no salt added)
Beans (I mostly buy garbanzo beans and black beans, also no salt added)

Other:
Unsweetened almond milk
Nutritional yeast (adds cheesy flavor)
Raw unsalted almond butter (Trader Joe's sells the cheapest jars that I've found)
Steel cut oats
Quinoa
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Lemon juice
Tea (I usually go for green, chamomile, or cinnamon)
Chia seeds!!!!!

Enjoy!