What Do Vegans Eat???

Image credit: "Healthy Fruits and Vegetables" by Photokanok via Freedigitalphotos.net

One of the most frequently asked questions vegans get (after "Where do you get your protein?") is,

"What do you eat?"

I can't help but, smile and chuckle at this question because the answer is so vast. If I rattled off all the foods we can eat, they'll probably want to tape my mouth shut. The sad thing is, some people still envision vegans sitting around eating plain salads and something that closely resembles cardboard. Trust me, our food isn't boring nor does it center around salad. (In fact, I don't think a lot of vegans eat salad on the reg.) However we do eat foods like...

Image credit: VegNews Daily | Vancouver Vegans

And... 

Image credit: Chowhound | Vegan comfort food

As well as...

My first attempt at making vegan mac and cheese

Are you drooling yet?

But, before I get deeper into that, allow me to define what is a vegan (in food terms).

Vegan | 'vēgǝn | noun
A person who does not eat meat, eggs, dairy, or ingredients that come from animals

That means no meat (fish are animals too), no eggs, no dairy, no honey. If you think that sounds too restrictive, then here are some examples of the foods that we do eat (and drink)...

Bananas, apples, oranges, limes, lemons, kale, collards, mustard greens, spinach, black beans, garbanzo beans, rice, quinoa, barley, couscous, pears, peaches, wheat, black eyed peas, broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, strawberries, almonds, peanuts, cantaloupe, grapes, onion, bell peppers, pumpkin, squash, cucumber, carrots, pineapple, beets, radish, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, watermelon, avocado, tomatoes, honeydew melon, jackfruit, corn, oats, grits, millet, spelt, kamut, amaranth, pasta (egg-less), almond milk, cashew milk, vegan cheese, vegan mayo (I LOVE Just Mayo), peanut butter, fruit jam, soy milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, soy yogurt, vegan-friendly chocolate, coffee, garlic, olive oil, canola oil, egg plant, lettuce, celery, vegan sandwich slices, nutritional yeast, mushrooms, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, flour, sugar, raisins, asparagus, sprouts, bulgar, buckwheat, peas, artichoke, cauliflower, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, apricots, tangerines, grapefruit, plum, mangos, papayas, figs, tofu, tempeh, vegan-friendly breads, vegan-friendly crackers, vegan-friendly cookies (like Oreos), hummus, lentils, coconut oil, coconut, kiwifruit, dragonfruit, starfruit, cabbage, herbs, edamame, hot peppers, unsweetened cocoa powder, vegan marshmallows, Bee Free Honey, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, jelly, pickles, ketchup, mustard, peanut oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, tea, applesauce, chocolate almond milk, vegan-friendly pancakes, vegan-friendly waffles, maple syrup, agave nectar, vegan pepperoni, chia seeds, vegan-friendly beer and wine... and so much more!

Still with me?? With so many options out there, we're not missing out on anything (taste or nutrition) nor do we miss eating animal derived products. And don't even get me started on recipes and vegan baking! Eating vegan doesn't have to be expensive either. Buying foods in season, on sale and from certain stores can help keep the bill low.

Overwhelmed? Yeah, I was too when I started out as a vegetarian. But I started off small, made small goals, found easy recipes on Pinterest, found a community of like-minded people, and made Google my friend. Now, I get excited when I find out about new vegan foods and recipes.

If you could live in a way that caused the least amount of harm, why wouldn't you? So, I have a little dare for you. I double dare you to try going vegan this month. You can try the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart or go to Brown Vegan for tips and advice. I encourage you to seek community and don't beat yourself up if you stumble. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. I'm rooting for you! Do it for: your health, for the animals, for the planet, and for the people.