Want to make the transition from a meat-based diet to a plant-based one but don’t know where to start? Here are some tips to help you out
Over time, the vegan lifestyle went from a seemingly impossible challenge to a readily accessible one with old hurdles like a lack of variety, high costs, and imbalanced nutrition steadily being overcome. It helps to raise awareness for this way of life and create steady change for the people who partake in it when huge Hollywood celebrities, for example, would speak openly about it. Now, even local celebrities are making the switch and are painting the vegan lifestyle in a positive light, such as Nadine Lustre.
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If you’re considering becoming a vegan yourself but don’t know how to even begin, this is for you. Here are some tips to help make the transition as smooth as possible.
Know your why
Becoming a vegan is essentially a life-altering decision. Doing so would mean letting go a lot of your favorite comfort foods that are, a lot of the time, cultural, too. There’s the nutrition aspect of being a vegan as well, and you’d have to put in a lot of research beforehand to know if you’re eating enough nutrients with all the fruits and veggies. Because of that and more, this decision should not be made lightly. Whether it’s a health-related decision or a financial one, understand first why you’re making it and if it’s worth it in the long run.
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Start slow
You don’t have to become a vegan overnight. Instead, you can start out slow by going the pescetarian route first to cut off red meats like beef and pork. Afterward, go vegetarian. Vegetarianism is typically seen as the easier format to a plant-based diet, too, since there are a lot more allowances for things like eating desserts made with real dairy or roasted potatoes cooked in animal fats. All in all, don’t beat yourself up too much for not getting it “right” right away. Feel the process out and go from there.
Go for plant-based alternatives
You’ll find a lot of vegan content creators getting flack for their meat-presenting recipes online for this, but plant-based alternatives are ultimately great. Cooked well and spiced correctly, tofu can actually taste like fried chicken just as well as a vegetable can taste like bacon. While this may seem counterproductive, the point is that the food you’re eating is still vegan. Plant-based alternatives to meat-heavy dishes are also great for those who still want to eat cultural foods, so this is especially relevant to the Filipino who’s afraid of giving up meals like tocino or sisig. We promise you, plant-based alternatives can taste like the real thing.
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Experiment with recipes
There’s no right or wrong way to be a vegan, and you don’t have to stick to the tried and tested recipes in old cookbooks. Experiment as much as you need to at home to find the meals that are right for you, your lifestyle, and your health. But don’t forget that plenty of restaurants and meal delivery services are at your disposal if you’re feeling stumped on what to cook next.
