Since going vegan over two years ago, I get a lot of questions about how I did it, what I eat, etc. So, I thought I’d share my top 5 tips for new vegans.  For the purposes of this post, I am using vegan as an umbrella term. I know there are those who eat vegan, meaning no animal products, for ethical and environmental reasons. Others follow a way of eating that is referred to as Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) that seeks to eat very little to no processed foods, as well as avoiding all animal products. This is done mainly for the health benefits. Although, I like to think they care about the ethical and environmental impacts as well. I don’t like to get hung up on labels. I tell people that I am vegan because that is the simplest way to communicate my eating preferences. I try to eat a Whole Food Plant-Based diet but I am definitely not perfect.

Disclaimer – I am not a nutritionist or health professional of any kind. In this post I am simply sharing my experience with you and the tips I have given my friends who have wanted to pursue a plant-based diet.

Without further adieu, here are my top 5 tips for going vegan.

1. Beware of vegan junk food

Upon informing one of my former colleagues that I eat vegan, he said something about how he felt a lot of vegan food was really just overly processed, and isn’t that unhealthy?  He’s right….in a sense. As I mentioned above, there are differnet ways of “being vegan.” Which leads to my first tip about being aware of vegan junk food. If you are going vegan for health reasons, you’ll want to be careful. There are lots of foods that are technically vegan, but are NOT good for you. A little quiz for you – What do these 3 things have in common?

Potato chips

Oreos

Red Vines

Yup, you guessed it….they are all considered vegan. Meaning, they do not contain any animal products. I think we can all agree however that these are obviously not healthy. But what about other less obvious foods?  When you go to your local grocery store, you may have noticed a lot more vegan products lately. This is great! But, to overindulge in some of these products might be a mistake. I remember when I first gave up all animal products, I found a yummy vegan cream cheese. It was so good! Then after a bit, I read the label. Trans fats!!! What??? I thought this sh*t was supposed to be good for me!

I get it. When first giving up animal products, we naturally seek replacements to our old favorites. Consuming processed vegan foods such as frozen meatless meatballs, vegan sausage, vegan cream cheese, etc. can be an effective way to transition to a plant-based way of eating. But, don’t get stuck there. Make sure you read labels and know what you are eating. Some people need to avoid soy and a lot of vegan foods are made with highly processed soy products. The goal is to transition to a way of eating that is based on REAL FOOD.  But, it’s not easy. After a week of salads, I myself might choose to indulge in a Beyond Burger. Remember, it’s not about being perfect, just being aware of what you’re putting in your body. So, remember just because it is technically vegan, does not mean it is healthy.

2. Don’t Overthink It

Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated. There are very basic things you can eat for each meal that won’t require you to do a lot of research or prep. For example

Breakfast – Oatmeal, blueberries, nuts

Lunch – Salad

Dinner – Rice & Beans with salsa

Now, of course, this is not the most exotic menu. But, it’s easy and gives you a variety of foods. If you have other dietary restrictions then you may have to get a little more creative. For example, if you’re trying to keep your carbs in check, you might replace the oatmeal with noatmeal.  If beans make you feel bloated you might have to opt for lentils or peas over a high lectin bean like kidney beans.  More on beans and lectins below.

3. Talk to Other Vegans

I realize this might seem super obvious. But, talk to your vegan friends or friends of friends. Everyone can get into a food rut, vegans especially since we have fewer ingredients to work with. It helps to see what others eat at an everyday practical level. For example, a good friend of mine recently decided to move to a plant-based diet, based on a recommendation from her doctor. She called me up for some advice. I invited her over. She checked out my pantry and fridge. We planned a meal and went shopping together. Then we made a super simple dinner. Vegan tacos!

I even got some ideas indirectly from my mother-in-law’s hairdresser. We planned to visit my in-laws for Thanksgiving. Knowing I am vegan, my MIL wanted to make sure there was food in the house I could eat. Which was super nice of her! Side note: as a vegan, I ALWAYS plan to bring some of my own food if I am staying at someone else’s house. Anyhoo, my MIL asked her vegan hairdresser for some advice on what to keep around the house. She bought dried fruit like dried figs and apricots and nuts. I always eat nuts but dried fruits not as much. So that was a nice treat. She also cooked up a batch of green beans, a batch of butternut squash, rice, lentils, etc. so I could mix up a quick lunch or meal whenever I was hungry. It was super tasty and filling. All were ingredients I, of course, had eaten before but never prepared as separate ready-to-eat dishes like that.

4. Pinterest is Your Best Friend

Have you created a vegan board yet on Pinterest? If not, what are you waiting for? Remember, Pinterest is a search engine and as such, a treasure trove of vegan recipes! I have several boards. 

Vegan/Vegetarian Recipes (for main dishes)

Vegan Breakfast

Vegan Dessert

Vegan Keto

Yes, vegan keto is a thing. It’s not an easy thing but it can be done. My favorite source for low carb vegan recipes is www.meatfreeketo.com. 

If you’re not sure what to make for dinner, just type in your ingredients and add the word “vegan” and you’ll get lots of inspiration. Seriously, going vegan would not have been nearly as easy if I didn’t have Pinterest to keep things organized. 

5. Eat a Variety of Foods

Once you go vegan, suddenly everyone is very concerned about your nutrition. Ugh! It really should be the other way around.. Someone why relies mainly on animal products for nutrition is someone I would worry about! But, because going vegan can feel drastic and even limiting, it is important to remember all the things you can and should eat.

One of my friends who chose to go vegan wasn’t sure what to eat so she ate a lot of bread. The result – 10 lbs weight gain. When my nutritionist suggested I avoid soy (bye tofu!) because of my history of breast cancer, I started eating beans every day. Let’s just say the digestive side effect was not pleasant. I learned I needed to mix things up a bit. So, one day I might make quinoa stuffed peppers, the next I would make taco “meat” out of lentils and red kidney beans. The day after that might be soup with farro and vegetables.

The important thing is to pay attention to how you feel when eating certain foods. Everybody is different so focus on the plants that give you energy and eat less of those that send you to the restroom every 5 minutes.

You might be wondering about supplementation. Yes, I do take supplements based on a nutritional evaluation done by my doctor. Check out my blog post on immune-boosting practices for more info.