Food. Everyone has a different relationship with it and many college-aged people struggle to establish a healthy relationship with food. Some people decide to go keto, gluten-free, pescatarian, vegan, or none of the above. Recently though, celebrities have popularized vegan diets. I have also decided to go vegan recently. My studies in biology have exposed me to new knowledge about the harmful environmental effects of eating meat, the mistreatment of domesticated animals, and the diseases that often travel between domesticated animals and people. As a result, I have decided to avoid all animal products. The journey has been hard so far, and I slip up all the time. But it is a work in progress and I am proud of the changes I have made. I want to share a list of products you can easily slip in to your current diet if you want to avoid some animal products or even become completely vegan eventually.
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Oat Milk and Almond Milk – Two percent milk was probably the animal product I consumed most since I am an avid coffee drinker. I drink at least one cup a day and two to three cups on most days. Skim milk never really worked for me, but almond milk and oat milk did. Almond milk still has a creamy taste (and when you add vanilla it has a sweet one too) so it gives the most milk-like experience. Oat milk is also great, it doesn’t taste like milk but it definitely lightens the bitter taste of coffee (which is the purpose of milk and creamers) and I find that it’s really helpful when your coffee tastes too sweet as it can mute the taste of too much sugar.
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Oreos – Vegan cookies are very hard to find, at least in my experience. That’s why it’s so convenient that America’s favorite cookie (at least mine) is vegan! Oreos of all flavors are vegan. My favorite flavors are mint, plain, and birthday cake. Also, Oreos are pretty low-calorie making them a delicious sweet snack that is also not too bad for you. Indulge away!
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Burritos and Burrito Bowls – I wanted to include something that you can get at the Bison (or even better Chipotle). To make my burritos or burrito bowls vegan I get brown rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, hot salsa, mild salsa, black beans, corn, fajita veggies, tofu (or sofritas if your at Chipotle), lettuce, a side of chips, and a LOT of hot sauce on the side. I do not recommend topping it with vegan cheese or queso as a beginner as those are the hardest products to find a good vegan version of.
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Pasta – At Bada Basil and at restaurants, pasta is my FAVORITE thing to order. My pasta meals might not be completely vegan, but I am getting there. I love getting vegetable penne with pesto. Veggie pasta is new for a lot of people but it is delicious and has a bold taste if you can get past the funky color of it! For pasta toppings, I like mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, squash, and peppers and of course, I love getting red pepper and garlic as my spices. My vice is getting parmesan on top (especially if I am at Nido), but one step at a time.
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Stir Fry – Stir fry has recently become a favorite of mine because of how delicious and easy it is. You can choose all your favorite veggies and get some tofu, rice, and soy sauce. If you are at the Bison, many of the soy sauce variations they offer are vegan! Stir Fry only takes a couple of minutes and you have a warm, delicious plant-based meal. I highly recommend it.
Food. It nourishes us, supports us, and gives us energy. Food is beautiful. I still struggle with my relationship with it, but I’ve realized that it will be a lifelong journey. At this point in my journey, I’m trying plant-based eating and you might like it yourself. If you don’t decide to go completely plant-based, these are some ideas for simple food and meal substitutions you can make! Now go cook!