A Typical Day of Eating as a Vegan
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Pizza, grilled cheese, frappucinos, and french fries were all a part of my diet beginning in childhood through my college years. I was a vegetarian since age 7 because I disliked meat. My choice had nothing to do with being healthy or saving the animals. No joke, cheese was the main ingredient in every meal I ate.
You could imagine I had a long list of side effects from eating this way. With the lack of fiber, I was constipated. With the high intake of sugar, I had bad acne and non-stop blood sugar spikes and crashes. The list goes on and on.
About 5 years ago, I decided to do an elimination diet to get down to the bottom of my constant stomach aches. I started with gluten and had no results. Next, I tried removing dairy and ta-da, that was the culprit. My stomach issues were gone, my acne completely cleared up, and my bowel movements became perfectly regular. That is when I started my so-far 5-year journey as a vegan.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Would it be hard to come up with interesting meals? Would it take more food to get full? What would people think? Would I be able to live without cheese? Would I cave in and have dairy when I had cravings? Would vegan food be offered at every restaurant and social gathering? I had a lot of questions but was willing to give it my all despite the unknown. I can proudly say, I have not looked back since.
Before going into what I eat on a typical day, I am going to answer some common questions I had and you may have before coming a vegan. Let’s dive right in.
Is it hard to come up with interesting meals?
I definitely think it helps that I love to cook. Being creative in the kitchen results in delicious meals. (At least most of the time, lol). Even if you do not like to cook, or know where to start, we can thank Pinterest for the unlimited recipes. That’s where I head to when I am lacking motivation.
There are thousands of vegan ingredients, hundreds of sauces and dressing ideas, and many types of cuisines you can design your meals off of. It’s really easier than you think to come up with creative dishes. You just need a little time to plan them out.
Do you eat more food to get full?
This was a huge question I had at the beginning. From my experience, yes, I do find myself eating a higher portion size at my meals to get full. For example, I always eat two servings of dinner. And, around 2:00-3:00pm, I am genuinely hungry for a hefty afternoon snack.
At the same time, there are filling vegan options. If I eat an Acai bowl with protein powder, peanut butter, and hemp seeds for lunch, that will keep me completely full until dinner.
What do people think of a vegan?
Honesty, I don’t care and you shouldn’t either. I feel like everyone at some point in their life has followed some sort of diet plan. (Atkins, low-fat, Jenny Craig, etc. Can you relate)?
We should all lift each other up based on what feels good and works best for our bodies. By no means do I believe a vegan diet is right for everyone. If your body craves meat, go for it. But, mine does not so why would I let someone’s negative opinion about what works for my body change what I do? No way!
A little side note, though. I try not to be an annoying vegan. When I am at a social gathering, I try to fend for myself. If there is a salad with chicken chunks available, I simply do not eat the chicken. It’s as easy as that.
Can I live without cheese?
Ha! This was my biggest worry when I became a vegan. I could live without eggs and milk but cheese was the one dairy product I absolutely loved.
Here’s the deal. When I finally realized that my digestive system was much happier without it, and I had daily bowel movements with no issues. Without constipation-causing cheese, I started looking at cheese as a negative food. That helped me steer clear of my old love.
Let’s be real for a moment. If my girls have leftover cheese pizza, I certainly take a bite every now and then. Yes, I am still a vegan, no that doesn’t hurt my body. (I do not serve myself cheese of any sort, though. This is just a random thing I do when it comes to my girl’s leftovers and specifically pizza. Can you tell pizza is my favorite food? LOL).
Do you ever cave in and have a bite of dairy? Is that okay?
As I stated above, I do not order food with dairy nor do I make myself meals with dairy. Like ever. But, I do occasionally have one bite of my family’s leftovers. Other than pizza, nothing really appeals to me anyways.
You will be just fine having a bite every now and then. It won’t mess up your digestive system by having one bite of anything, news flash.
But, it is important to be consistent as a vegan and stick to a routine. You certainly cannot call yourself a vegan but put cheese on your sandwich every day. Or ranch on your salad. If that’s the case, you can do what a lot of meat-eaters I know do. Go meatless and dairy-free a few times a week. What a wonderful concept!
Is it easy to find vegan meals at restaurants and social events?
It couldn’t be easier to find vegan food when I am out and about. Social gatherings are fairly easy because I always bring a big hefty salad so I can guarantee I have something I enjoy. That’s my biggest tip.
I also like to have a protein-filled snack before I go somewhere so that in the rare case there is no option for me, I will make it until I arrive home. The last little tip is to pack a little protein bar in your purse or pocket. It has saved me many times.
There have been a few random outings where I have been left with no food. For example, a hot-dog-themed party. You know a spread that would typically consist of hot dogs, buns, relish, ketchup, mustard, BBQ baked beans, chips, and mac-n-cheese. Absolutely nothing for a vegan to munch on.
I do love my best friends who intentionally make sure they have a little vegan dish for me. That’s why they are my best friends, right? And, somewhere like a concert or baseball game where nachos, burgers, and hot dogs are the only options.
Restaurants are very accommodating these days and I am so thankful. Most of them provide a “lighter”, “vegetarian”, or “vegan” section which makes me so excited. Otherwise, simply ask your server for their vegan options and 99% of the time, they’ve got 1-3 dishes that aren’t listed on the menu. I would just avoid meat-based restaurants such as BBQ joints.
Eating looks different each day for me. I enjoy a few regular meals but I also like to change them up because veganism can get boring if you eat the same salad every day. Let’s take a look at what I usually eat within a day.
Morning
To be honest, I am not much of a breakfast person. It leaves me feeling heavy, tired, and with stomach aches when I eat in the morning. I have found my coffee and green smoothie are just what my body needs.
I include the following in my daily smoothie: frozen blueberries, frozen pineapple, frozen spinach, frozen kale, a banana, micro-sprouts if I have them, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, homemade elderberry syrup, a liquid multi-vitamin (I love this brand), probiotic/prebiotic powder (I love this brand), coconut water, and grape juice.
I eat a protein snack after my workout around 10:30 am. I love “No Cow” protein bars. Find them here! Snack time usually consists of a protein bar, apples, and peanut butter, hummus and veggies, berries and almonds, or a protein smoothie.
By the way, I get asked all of the time what protein powder I recommend. Truvani all the way. You can find it here!
Afternoon
Salads are the perfect lunch option. You can get many servings of vegetables, legumes, and fruits in one meal. I find that if I do not have a salad for lunch, I do not end up getting as much fiber as I would like.
Also, it is really important to get as much diversity in your meals as possible. This helps strengthen the gut which is the powerhouse of your health! That means, staying away from a simple two-ingredient meal like toast and avocado. Instead, add in tomatoes, sprouts, hemp seeds, lemon juice, fresh garlic, pickled onions, etc. The more variety the better.
I learned all about the concept of diversity and the need for fiber in a life-changing book called Fiber Fueled. I highly recommend that every human reads it. Find it here!
Some of my favorite salad recipes:
Lemon Asparagus Couscous Salad
Green Goddess Creamy Cabbage Salad
There are days when I do not have the time to throw together a salad. Some other quick lunch options include hummus with a variety of veggies, avocado toast with veggies, a protein smoothie, or leftovers from the night before’s dinner. When I eat out, I try to shoot for a salad or an Acai bowl.
Evening
Dinner is my favorite meal of the day. I love to get creative in the kitchen. Sundays are always my planning and meal prep day. Here is our typical dinner schedule.
Sunday: Make a big casserole. Here’s one of my favorite casserole recipes.
Monday: Leftover casserole from Sunday.
Tuesday: Mexican night. Usually lentil or black bean bowls. I love these pressure-cooker black beans!
Wednesday: Pick from my favorite recipes. This warm couscous and vegetable salad is on repeat!
Thursday: Try a new recipe I typically find on Pinterest.
Friday: pizza night
Saturday: Dine-out for dinner.
What does it mean to be a vegan?
A vegan is simply someone who follows a diet free from dairy, meat products, or anything derived from animals like honey. It could be motivated by dietary reasons, health reasons, or animal welfare and moral values.
Many vegans believe that all animals have the right to life. Many are passionate about protecting the environment because they believe that our current environmental issues are caused by animal agriculture because of the greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, land usage, waste, etc.
Health benefits of veganism
I believe the biggest reason people become vegan is for the health benefits. There are certainly many benefits that come with eating a vegan diet. They are:
- disease fighting nutrients
- anti-inflammatory nutrients
- high fiber
- low sugar
- promotes good gut bacteria
- healthy good fats
- promotes weight loss
- lower cancer risk
- lowers cholesterol
Final thoughts
Whether you choose to be a vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore, the evidence is clear. Eating plant-based is a healthy diet plan. Incorporating a few meatless and dairy-free days within your week could simply change your health for the better. That is my encouragement to you. Not to turn you onto full-time veganism but to integrate vegan meals into your nutrition plan.
While high-quality meats may be right for you and your health, research shows that not every meal should be filled with meat. Research also shows that increasing your vegetable intake can drastically improve your health.
Try out a variety of diets and see what works best for you. Look for meals that make you feel full and energized, keep you regular, make you feel good, taste good, are filled with color, include a lot of vegetables, and are benefiting your life.
XOXO
Michelle
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