Finding tasty food that’s meat, dairy and egg free is getting easier and easier. The dining halls, and many of the food joints around campus, now offer some great vegan options.
Vegan products like Beyond Beef, the VeganEgg and Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy flavors are constantly entering supermarkets. There are also countless “accidentally vegan” foods like Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, Chex Mix and Sour Patch Kids. Even though it’s an adjustment to give up old food choices, you might also find it’s an exciting opportunity to explore the new!
From the ground up: Uncover your inner vegan chef with Southwest quinoa delight
College is a time when a lot of us are still learning how to be independent adults. Meeting nutritional needs is a common concern people ask me about, yet there are also many well-documented health advantages to a plant-based diet. One important thing for a new vegetarian or vegan is to make sure you’re eating enough in general, and not just having salads all day. You can use sites like Cronometer to track the nutrients in what you’re eating and learn a lot about vegan health online.
And now for the most obvious tip in the world, take advantage of the internet. It can be such a great source of knowledge and motivation for making this change. Simply watching a documentary on Netflix — such as Cowspiracy or Forks over Knives — can make the difference between being mildly veg-curious and actually feeling motivated and empowered to try it. There are countless vegan YouTubers who offer what-I-eat-in-a-day videos, recipe demos, Q&A’s and more. You’re bound to find someone whose style and personality you enjoy.
Don’t worry about getting it perfect. As college students, we already put enough pressure on ourselves when it comes to grades, exams and assignments. Food should be a source of fun and pleasure, not more stress, am I right? Take it one day at a time, and enjoy the positive choices you’re making that are helping animals, the environment and your health!
Claire Clark ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in math. She is the Activism Chair of the Nature and Animal Lovers Association.
