Hi everyone ♡
Are you thinking about eating (mostly) plant-based, but don't know where to start? Does it seem too difficult to completely cut out meat, fish and dairy? I remember in the beginning I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and confused about what I could and couldn't eat anymore. Now I feel like becoming vegan has been one of the greatest decisions that I've ever made. After having been vegan for almost 3 years now, I thought I would share these 6 tips that worked for me while making the transition to eating fully plant-based.
Start with 'Meatless Monday'
It might work well for some people, but most people can't change their eating habits overnight. I would suggest you start eating plant-based once a week and slowly increase that to multiple days a week until you eat plant-based every day. This will make the transition easier and less overwhelming.
Find inspiration/recipes online
Luckily, these days you can find tons of vegan inspiration online. I personally recommend using Pinterest to find lots of different kinds of delicious plant-based recipes and also to follow vegan accounts and/or hashtags on Instagram. Especially if you don't personally know anyone that's vegan, it's a great way to get to know and to get inspired by other vegans. I also recommend using TripAdvisor and HappyCow to look for restaurants/cafes that are completely vegan and/or at least have vegan options.
Replace animal derived products with plant-based ones
There are currently a lot of plant-based alternatives that you could use instead of animal derived ones. This way you could still eat a lot of things that you ate before by replacing (some) ingredients with the vegan version. Choose soy yoghurt instead of regular yoghurt, go for almond milk with your coffee instead of regular milk or eat a vegan burger instead of a regular one.
Focus on all the things that you can eat
When I first started eating plant-based, I was a little bit worried that there would be a lot of things that I wouldn't be able to eat anymore. Turns out I was wrong! You can basically make any meal vegan by replacing (some) ingredients. Think of burgers, pizza, burritos, curries, pastas, ice cream etc. You name it and there's a plant-based alternative. As mentioned earlier, there are also a lot of plant-based alternatives that you could use as replacements.
Remember why you decided to switch to a plant-based diet
Reminding yourself of your own personal reason to become vegan is a great way to keep yourself motivated. Especially in the beginning, when it can feel a bit overwhelming and/or too difficult. Whether it's for your health, for the animals or for the environment, all of those are valid reasons to change your diet to a plant-based one. Personally, I find knowing that your actions have a positive impact on the planet very motivational and it definitely helped me during those moments where I was having some doubts about my choice. I'd also recommend watching documentaries about veganism such as What The Health, Cowspiracy and The Game Changers. After watching these, I was convinced that I made the right choice to switch to a plant-based diet.
Don't worry about making 'mistakes'
It can be quite overwhelming to switch to a completely plant-based diet. Especially if you ate a lot of meat, fish and/or dairy products before. I'd been a vegetarian for a long time, but I was still struggling a bit. There are also quite a few products that contain animal derived ingredients of which you would have never guessed it. That's why I think it's really important to not be too hard on yourself when, for example, you accidentally buy bread that contains milk powder or spaghetti that contains eggs. Everyone makes these 'mistakes', especially in the beginning. After being vegan for a while, you'll know exactly what you can and can't buy.
Most importantly, be proud of the change you've made and keep doing your best.
You'll get there ♡
I hope these tips are helpful!
Do you have any more important tips?
With love,
Lysanne
PS. Even if eating a 100% plant-based seems too difficult, keep in mind that you're already making a difference by eating less meat/fish/dairy products.