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.
Great post, Katie! I love hearing everyone’s path to veganism and what has tricky or not for them.
For me, I came to my place b/c of food allergies and intolerances. I was always a vegetarian, from childhood on. But in my early/mid 20s became vegan b/c I cut out all dairy and eggs. Not that I was eating much of them (never really liked them) but once they were gone, I just naturally went from veggie to vegan. I actually just posted 2 days ago about my food allergies, also going GF, the whole bit. I talk a bit of my own journey there.
But anyway, I never liked meat. Ever. In my entire life, so “giving that up” was a no brainer and I never even buy the fake meat substitutes. Didnt like meat, dont need those anyway! And dairy/ice cream, not a big ice cream girl. What do I love? Cookies and cakes! Making those vegan and GF has been my own personal challenge in the kitchen, which has been fun to undertake 🙂
Haha you sound just like me! Who wants smelly, bloody meat when you can have sweet, chocolatey cookies/cake/dessert?!?
I agree!!!! Yuckkk.
Hi Katie!
I have question, a little of the topic, but in someways related… you say you don’t really have a sweet tooth, so did you ever have one and healthy eating just made it “fall out” or did it dissipate over time because of your healthy choices. I really don’t prefer processed sweets anymore- but I will always like a sweet treat!!!!
Thanks 🙂
Ooh fun question :). I actually never had much of a sweet tooth. My mom said I got three chocolate teeth instead. Come Halloween, my sister and I would trade: I’d give her all the sweet tarts and nerds, sprees, twizzlers, skittles, and other candy I LOATHED. She’d give me the chocolate. It’s all I ever cared about!
I *sometimes* miss real chicken. Not because I crave it, but because eating out would be a heck of a lot easier if I ate chicken. It’s in everything- salads, sandwiches, soups..
I’ve been vegetarian for the past 5 or 6 years now and haven’t craved anything really until this year. In recent months I’ve been thinking of fish, nice, oily, fishy fish, all sort of flaky and slippery and with lemon juice squeezed over the top… I feel like gollum. I even half wish I was stranded on a desert island so I could eat fish without troubling my conscience. It’s weird. Maybe I should eat more avocado to keep up my omega 3s?
Lol I wish I could help you… I never liked fish (aside from fish sticks, oddly enough).
I agree! I don’t crave any of those things anymore, and I’ve been vegan for about two months now? I’d been vegan before, but I gave in to some of the peer pressure I received, but regretted it after the side affects kicked in. It’s definitely a hard transition. I know I craved ice cream, as katie said, “like no body’s business,” but after I continued to read about what was in milk and own up to the fact that I felt so much better after eating “Peanut Butter Banana Ice ‘Cream'” and it was JUST as good, I definitely knew this was a permanent thing. I’m learning so much everyday and am also starting to try out my own recipes, as hard as that is when you first start out. I find non-vegan food disgusting too. (: But, I totally agree with the faux meat/cheese thing. It’s better to stick to naturals before you go fake. It could make or break it for a beginner. (:
Interesting facts/ideas here. I am not vegan, but I think it’s fascinating how far the vegan diet has come! Thanks for sharing.
That’s so right and thanks for the reminder to us veggies out there, Miss Katie 🙂
When I first went vegetarian, bbqs were one hard event for me to attend. The smell of cheeseburgers were so strong, strong enough that I almost, *almost*, wanted to eat one. Not really though 🙂 Others include chicken-pesto sandwiches, tuna, etc.
I have found complete satisfaction in the abundance of wholesome, but yummy foods I consume now. They’re WAY more nutritious and my taste buds and tummy are a lot more happy, as am I 🙂
I had really strange cravings when I first went vegetarian–I wanted tuna and hot dogs. I didn’t even eat those that often when I ate meat, so who knows what the story is there. Obviously, I came to find substitutes (my tuna salad with chickpeas) and veggie dogs until ultimately I didn’t even crave them anymore.
Going vegetarian wouldn’t be a problem at all. Falafels and zucchini fritters can perfectly replace meat for me and I actually like the soy substitutes. But I don’t think I could ever become a vegan. I just love dairy too much.
sweets… freaking sweets. cake, cookies, doughnuts. you name it, i miss it. don’t get me wrong. i only buy vegan sweets and at home i make vegan sweets. it’s when i’m out and about where i get in trouble. i’ve been veg off and on for years and pretty solidly vegan for a year. but sometimes, the sweets get to me. in fact, i caved and had ice cream the other day even though i could have chosen the sorbet. but i’m glad i did it because i felt like crap and had some, er, bathroom issues for a couple days. so i made a pledge right then to really remember how i was feeling and why i quit eating animals in the first place. the next day at work i could tell the universe was testing me. i work at a restaurant where i rarely eat the food (think dead animals on the walls) but sometimes the desserts and breads call to me. well one of the cooks is taking a baking class and he brought in a tray full of baked goods the class had made!! eeeeeek!! and then another of the cooks said, “we’ve changed our biscuit recipe. here, try one!” eeeeeeek!! but i just said no thanks. i’m vegan. and it was easy. and now i’m on fire with some of my own cooking. last night i made lemony sticky buns with lemon cream cheese glaze… VEGAN!! and it tasted sooooo much better than that ice cream did. i think i’m home free 🙂
Oh my word, those sound good. I’ve been craving sticky buns/cinnamon rolls for the longest time, but I’m just too lazy to make them. I think your comment might’ve pushed me over the edge, though. I NEED to get my butt in gear!