People ask me all the time: Are you ever tempted to eat non-vegan food?
For the first month after I became a vegetarian, meat cravings definitely hit! In fact, I can remember one specific time where I had my nose right up to a hamburger, thinking “Maybe I should just give in and eat it. It smells so good.” But I knew that no matter how good that one burger would taste, I’d regret it later. (In other words, the enjoyment I’d have gotten from eating it wouldn’t have trumped the sadness I’d later feel from having given up my vegetarian values.) So I persevered. And, as the first month came to an end, something amazing happened. Suddenly, my mind perceived that once-appealing burger to be grotesque; the last thing I’d wish to consume. No longer was I enticed by the smell. In fact, the opposite was true: I didn’t like the smell at all! I’d survived the first month of being a vegetarian, and I knew it was going to be smooth sailing from there.
Same thing when I became a vegan. At first I craved ice cream like it was nobody’s business. And I had it harder than my vegan friends here in the US, because I became a vegan whilst living in China, where there was no such thing as So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream! (Of course, they also eat very little cheese in China, so at least I didn’t miss that all too much; I’d not been eating much of it anyway. Actually, my accidental situation with not eating much cheese right before becoming vegan is a piece of advice I often give to newbie vegetarians or vegans: Do NOT replace the meat or cheese in your diet with veg substitutes right away. Your mind will want to compare what your eating to its non-vegan version. And if your mind wants a steak, it won’t be satisfied by Lightlife chick’n strips. That’s like eating a cocoa-dusted rice cake and expecting it to taste like chocolate mousse pie. It just isn’t going to happen! Instead, look to naturally-vegetarian foods that taste nothing like the steaks/fish/cheese you remember.
More on my personal story here: My Path To Veganism.
At first, look to naturally vegetarian foods, such as fruits, beans, and vegetables. Once you stop craving the animal products (or when you forget what they taste like), then you can try those fake meat and cheese products if you want. Chances are you won’t even want to, because you won’t crave these foods at all anymore. An exception to the above advice is vegan ice cream, baked goods, and non-dairy milks. They make such good vegan substitutes nowadays that you can easily find foods to satisfy your dairy cravings!
Or you can make your own vegan substitutes, as is the case with this PB Banana Ice Cream.
Nowadays there are so many amazing non-dairy ice creams on the market that it’s easy to satisfy one’s ice-cream craving and live cruelty-free at the same time. Soy not your thing? No problem—you can buy ice cream made from a base of ricemilk, almond milk, oatmilk, or even coconut milk! And if you’re not big on the first brand you try, don’t give up; the tastes (and flavors) of these non-dairy ice creams are as varied as the customers who buy them. I did miss squirt whipped cream for the first few years after going vegan. But now, thanks to Soyatoo, we vegans can have our whipped cream and eat it too!
Do I miss other non-vegetarian products? Honestly, the first month was hard. I had huge hamburger cravings! But you know the saying “28 days to break a habit”? It really seems to be true, because suddenly the thought of eating meat became revolting to me. Same thing with cheese after I’d been a vegan for about a month. Now I can’t even stand the smell of cheese.
Interesting posts all around! I have not had red meat for over 20 years and have been pretty much a “strict vegetarian” for at least 4 years (I cannot call myself vegan since I do wear animal products such as wool, silk and leather shoes.). I had a sports doctor actually recommend I stop dairy (I hadn’t had milk for at least 10 years by that time, but still ate cheese) to deal with a stomach issue. I was so amazed by how much better I felt after couple of weeks that the cravings didn’t outweigh the joy of not feeling icky after I ate. Ended up, I’m allergic to caesin (milk protein) which is used in tons of veggie “meat” products, so I ditched all the fake stuff, too. I think that all “diets” take time, but over the years I’ve become a firm believer in the mental and physical benefits of a plant based diet, so much so that I don’t miss the other no matter how good it may smell or look.
As an aside, my biggest obstacle, refined sugar! I’m not a chocolate girl, but I love sugar bombs, like candy corn! This will be my first Halloween without my beloved candy corn pumpkins ~ let’s just say that I’m making a lot of raw energy balls (versions of your babies ;))! I’m better for it since I suffer from low blood sugar anyway and it went crazy last year with all my pumpkin stashes!
Just to clarify that I’m not a food saint ~ organic popcorn with nutritional yeast, chili pepper, Braggs and fresh lime juice is my crutch! Not terrible for ya, but not a health food either! One big reason I could never go raw!
Wow, over 20 years?! That’s seriously awesome. And lol I’ll give you all my candy/popcorn if you send the chocolate my way ;).
Lol~ I was going to try to delete my post as it is sooo long, but you’ve already been kind and replied! As for 20 years, not such a feat when close to 40! 😉
Are you kidding? Long comments, where people really share about themselves, are the best! Makes me feel a little less silly for sharing so much of my life with strangers ;).
Hey Katie,
I love your blog and your recipes. I’m from Germany and things like larabars are not sold here- thanks to you I can now enjoy them 😉
I want to ask you one thing: You seem to use soy whip from soyatoo a lot. How do you store it? Because anytime I put mine in the fridge i have to throw the can away, because nothing comes out anymore. Do you store it somewhere else?
Thanks a lot
Sarah
Aw thanks, Sarah!
Unfortunately, those mean old soyatoos do the same thing to me! If you read the instructions on the back of the container VERY carefully and do EVERYTHING it says EXACTLY, you have a better chance of them working after the first time. So, in other words, take the bottle out 10 minutes before trying to spray, wash the nozzle as soon as you spray, etc. Read the directions and follow them to the letter.
But I can’t say I don’t still have trouble every once in a while. Actually, I rarely even buy the stuff anymore. The one in my fridge now is a few months old. (Hmmm… perhaps I ought to throw that out lol!) And every now and then, even if I follow the instructions religiously, it still refuses to come out. That’s when I return it to the store. Hey, those things aren’t cheap!
Good luck :).
I never had any meat cravings period, oddly enough. I did however suffer through some extreme icecream craving/binging, which eventually stopped, and as of now I’m animal product consuming free for 3 months 🙂
I have accidentally eaten things that I didn’t realize had dairy in them because it was hidden in the “natural flavors,” of the ingredients. Ugh 🙁
I just realized though that I kind of gradually weaned myself off meat over a few year period though, just subconsciously through the process of selecting foods that made me feel healthier, before really deciding I might as well be vegetarian (and was starting my passion for the environment in this time period). So it’s not like I stopped “cold turkey” and suffered no cravings!! Just thought I would clear that up 🙂
Honey. We have a friend Who has bees Who make the best honey. That honey is “home” for me. And I missed yogurt, and pavlova, and cream. And fish!
All the substitutes for milk and cream where SO EXPENSIVE, there was no way I could have gone on. Now I just minimized the intake of meat to once monthly, and milk produce once weekly. All organic and local.
If I went veg, I’d definitely miss milk and cheese. I like oatmeal (with milk) and I really like melted, stretchy mozzerella cheese.