Ever wondered what it would be like to ditch the meat and hitch the veggies? This week’s HCND Campus Celeb Shannon Sheehan knows a thing or two when it comes to the vegetarian and vegan lifestyle.
Just recently, Shannon jumped across the pond to London, England for summer study abroad. In light of her travels, she created an amazing vegetarian/vegan food blog titled Girl Eats World, where she takes her readers on a journey through all her vegan eats while traveling across Europe.
Check out my interview with Shannon below to find out more about this veggie vixen!
Name: Shannon Sheehan
Hometown: Saint Louis, MO
Year: Junior
Dorm: Pasquerilla West (AKA The Dub)
Major: Sociology, Gender Studies
Help a sister out. What exactly is the difference between being vegetarian and being vegan?
You would be surprised how many people don’t know exactly what a vegan is/eats. I am constantly asked if I only eat lettuce. Basically, a vegetarian doesn’t eat actual meat, some eat eggs, some eat fish, most eat cheese, but the definition is a personal one. I like to tell people that I don’t eat anything that poops, or came from something that poops. Technically, a vegan eats a plant based diet and refrains from all animal products. The biggest things are meat, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs. Some vegans don’t eat honey (I do).
For me, being vegan means making a conscious decision every time I eat to do what is kind for my body and the planet, which generally means refraining from animal products and processed foods. Everyone has slip ups (namely with dessert — how can one go to Italy and not eat a cannoli?!), but I wouldn’t eat a slice of cheese pizza or anything with meat or meat products.
When did you become vegetarian? When did you become vegan?
Since middle school, I have had a passion for nutrition, a love for animals and a big fan of sustainability. I gave up meat for lent in 6th grade and then gradually stopped eating meat. I realized in 8th grade that I hadn’t had a cheeseburger in two years, and that I was essentially a vegetarian. Throughout high school I would describe myself as mostly vegetarian; I avoided meat but would eat fish almost every night and would occasionally eat poultry (turkey on Thanksgiving etc.). I became vegan on May 1st, 2013 – the day after the Yacht Dance my freshman year.
What made you want to become vegetarian and then vegan?
I stopped eating meat because I really didn’t enjoy eating it and thought vegetarianism offered a more humane and healthier lifestyle. I didn’t understand the ecological benefits or health benefits an entirely plant based diet boasted until I started researching veganism freshman year. Coming to college forced me to radically change how I ate, as navigating NDH was pretty intimidating and making healthy choices without knowing exactly what was in the food I was eating or how it got to my plate didn’t sit well with me. I fell into a pattern of eating where I ate a lot of oatmeal, KIND bars and greek yogurt, drank way too many skinny vanilla lattes and maybe used 7-9 dining meals a week. I thought I was being as healthy as possible but looking back I just felt gross, it was challenging to keep up with training for the Holy Half when I wasn’t eating the right types of whole foods. Second semester, I started to do more research into health and nutrition and realized that the buzz word “vegan” and “plant based” seemed to pop up in all of the books, journals and documentaries.
I was also taking social problems with Prof. McClintock at the time, her experiences with veganism encouraged me to look more into the possibility of pursuing a vegan lifestyle. Recommendations for anyone who is interested include:
Documentaries – Fork Over Knives; FoodInc; Hungry for Change; Food Matters; Vegucated; Ingredients; Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.
Books – “Fast Food Nation”; “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs and Wear Cows”; “Pandora’s Lunchbox”; “Veganist”; “The China Study”; “The Kind Life”.
Blogs – “The Tolerant Vegan”; “Oh She Glows”; “Happy Healthy Life”.
I basically read as much as I could about different healthy diets and the positives and negatives of becoming vegan until all I could really see myself doing was trying to become vegan. I remember calling my dad, who is really into nutrition and fitness (not vegan sadly) and asking him what he thought. He was really accepting once he heard how much research I had done. I decided I would just jump right in with a few weeks left in freshman year. If after a month I wasn’t happy, I would go back. Turns out I fell in love with my new lifestyle. The single best decision I have made thus far. I started out as an experiment and I cannot say what the future will bring but ideally I would love to stay vegan for the rest of my life.
What’s it like to be vegan at Notre Dame? What are your typical meals like at the dining halls?
This is a tough one to answer. Notre Dame is most definitely not a vegan friendly school (PETA gave them a C on their College Dining Hall vegan/vegetarian friendly report card which is pretty accurate). However, the amount of food available in the dining hall makes it possible to be vegan. With a little creativity and a weekly trip to Whole Foods, it is completely manageable, I just wish their was more effort put into labeling food and offering specifically vegan options.
Typically, I can’t eat breakfast in the DH (Eggs, bacon, dairy, not a very vegan friendly meal) but for lunch I generally eat a super salad, piled high with greens, quinoa, tofu (which I microwave with some hot sauce, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar for about 30 seconds, and lots of beans. I eat a lot of Mexican themed salads and I bring my own salad dressing, avocados, almond butter and other such items to make meals more interesting. For dinner, I eat a lot of veggie patties (sans bun to avoid the nutrient void enriched flour) with hummus, tomatoes, and other toppings. I eat a ton of vegetables, trying to get a balance of cooked and uncooked foods. I also mix it up when they have sweet potato bars, vegan soups, asian entrees, or lighter side entrees that are vegan. I keep things interesting by hitting up Greenfields, making yummy wraps, and the occasional chickpea salad sandwich. It’s certainly easier to be vegan when I am shopping and cooking for myself at home, but you learn to appreciate the beauty of a salad bar in terms of not having to chop up all the vegetables yourself.
What was the hardest part of the switch?
I ate eggs pretty much every morning before I became vegan, and I drank skim milk in some form everyday as well, either in a latte or in my greek yogurt. I was really worried about giving up eggs and yogurt the first month. I missed them a lot, but as I adjusted to a vegan lifestyle, discovered new foods (coconut yogurt is heavenly) and my taste buds totally changed. It became easier and easier, now I rarely miss either.
What’s the most difficult part about being vegan?
Traveling, especially when we were stuck in the Pisa airport for five hours and I couldn’t eat anything. Let me tell you, ice cream and gelato looked really, really tempting. Traveling is really, really challenging; I have to learn to be flexible and content with being hungry and/or eating strange combinations of food. I basically always carry around protein bars, nuts, and apples to avoid getting stranded somewhere without any food. Eating out can also be difficult. It’s extremely frustrating to open a menu and see that my option is a $6 bowl of iceberg lettuce, but even more disheartening is when a server tells you something is vegan and it arrives covered in cheese or with cream in it. I learn to read labels aggressively, go to places where I know there is a decent vegan option (Chipotle and Moes are life savers on road trips), and ultimately prepare to be disappointed if I’m eating at a new place.
What are the positives of becoming a vegetarian or a vegan?
There is no way I can do this answer justice, but I can attempt an abridged version. Becoming vegan is like coming out of a fog you never knew you were in. The long term benefits are supposedly even more impressive, but since I’ve only been vegan for a little over a year I can only feel the amazing short term effects of my life style. Imagine saying goodbye to essentially all headaches, stomach aches, body pains, digestive issues, and weight fluctuation. Everything gets brighter; workout recovery is so much less painful and faster.
When I made the switch, I noticed a huge improvement in my endurance on long runs within a week, and my digestive system, which had been out of whack ever since getting really sick when I went to Uganda my senior year, has not given me problems since. My immune system is so much stronger – I used to get sick all the time and I haven’t been sick a day (other than strep before geting my tonsils out) since becoming vegan. My hangovers are so much better. My energy level is higher than I could have ever imagined. I sleep better and wake up without an alarm almost every morning. I love coffee but caffeine is not necessary anymore (except sometimes in 3 hour classes). My allergies and sinuses improved, my skin cleared up, and my muscle tone increased without changing my exercise routine.
Most notably I am so incredibly happy. It sounds weird, but my happiness level skyrocketed as soon as I became vegan. While researching veganism, I learned that a plant based diet and hour of cardio per day are better than any prescription antidepressant. It’s really as though every day I am getting extra boost of dopamine, because I feel like I am on a constant endorphins high. My close friends and family have noticed the huge change over this past year and as my brothers and mom put it best they “never want you to stop being vegan because you are literally always so happy. It’s weird but awesome”, I wish that everyone could experience my level of happiness to understand just how amazing you feel when you eat a whole foods, plant based diet. I know my body so well that even just a few days of eating extra bread or processed food (i.e. our trip to Italy this weekend) makes me feel slightly off track. I can feel my body telling me to put down the baguette and pick up some Kombutcha with a giant green salad. It’s amazing how easy diet, exercise, weight control and life become when you start eating real food. It’s difficult to sort through the ridiculous food advertisements and misrepresentation of information presented by the food industry but once you do the benefits are so worth it.
Those are just the personal benefits. A huge part of why I’m vegan is because of the ecological benefits it offers. I save more water by not eating a pound of beef than by not showering for 6 months (which would be pretty disgusting) and I reduce my carbon footprint more by being vegan in a year than I would by not driving. Cattle farming is the biggest cause of deforestation worldwide, and the world’s fisheries are heavily depleted, all of our ecosystems are in danger due to the high demand and consumption for meat worldwide. For more facts check out Veganism and The Evironment Fast Fact Sheet here.
Lastly, our food system is pretty abysmal. In refraining from animal products and reducing my consumption of processed food I am taking a small stand against a food system I disagree with on nearly all levels.
What’s your favorite vegetarian/vegan dish?
That’s a tough one… It depends on my mood. My all time favorite vegan food is a deep dish pizza with vegan cheese from the most amazing place in St. Louis, Pi Pizzeria called The Berkeley. It’s delicious but obviously not something I would eat everyday. I also love anything with sundried tomatoes, cannellini beans, and a good arugula, balsamic, tomato salad.
Of course, I’ve gotta ask you: Favorite veggie?
I don’t discriminate when it comes to vegetables, I will literally eat any of them. I’m a huge believer that kale and avocado can make any dish better. Tomatoes are technically a fruit, but salted tomatoes are positively perfect, close to the top of my list. Kalamata olives, Portobello mushrooms, and perfectly steamed broccoli are up there as well.
Studying abroad and cooking homemade meals is as difficult as it gets for many college students. How do you handle being vegan in a foreign country? Has it been easier or harder for you?
It is way easier to be vegan in London than anywhere in the midwest. (California and the West Coast are even better than London). I was really worried before coming to London, but there are veg options literally around every corner, and as I discover more places to buy fresh produce and vegan protein sources it’s only becoming easier. I love to cook so that part has been really fun for me. It’s going to be difficult going back to the Dining Hall next semester after such an awesome experience with the food over here, it’s just all around better in the UK – less preservatives, more real food, even in the big city. Read my blog for more details!
What made you decide to start your blog Girl Eats World?
I’ve been wanting to start a blog about food for awhile, but a blog about the dining hall would be pretty boring. I figured since people are so curious about what I eat in general, making my travel blog about my adventures with food would be a fun way to keep my friends and family updated about what I’m doing and eating while abroad! I think the experiment has been successful so far. (:
Do you think you’ll continue blogging about your vegan eats when you return to the States?
Definitely! It will probably slow down over the school year but hopefully some of the family meals we cook in London will continue next semester at people’s places off campus! I would love if Girl Eats World continued into my senior year and graduate school when I’ll be cooking completely for myself.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your study abroad experience so far? Do you recommend studying abroad to Notre Dame students?
I’m not one for pinning down the “best” of anything (as you can probably tell from my answers above) especially since I’m only slightly over half way through the LSP. So many of my experiences thus far have been valuable and impactful beyond simple explanation. I have made friendships I never expected, visited some of the most beautiful places on earth, learned a fair amount of random facts, and all around been having the time of my life for the past three weeks. I most definitely think that if you have the opportunity, studying abroad is a unique experience that almost anyone can benefit from. I feel incredibly blessed to be here in London, the experience has exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait for the adventures, with food and beyond, the next weeks will bring.
All of us here at HCND look forward to reading more posts from your blog, Shannon! Safe Travels!
XO, HCND
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Images provided by Girl Eats World blog