Veg Talk Fridays - It's okay to start off as vegetarian

Created via fotor.com

Hooray for Friday! Let's kick off the weekend by talking about vegan and veg-friendly topics.

If this is the first post of mine that you've read, yes I am vegan. I've been vegan for almost 2 years now and vegetarian for 3 years before that. My journey started with a frozen package of fish. I looked at the ingredients and wondered what all the extra additives were. One thing led to another and for a month and a half I started doing more research about what was in meat, where it came from and what exactly was factory farming. The results and findings turned my stomach. After I figured I did enough research, I decided to act. I cut out different meats in 2 week intervals replacing them with protein alternatives until I was completely meat free. I still ate eggs and dairy even though my body would advise me not to. It wasn't until a year and a half later when I thought about going vegan. I was worried that I had to give up my favorite meals like mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, cookies, cakes, french toast, ice cream, etc. So I reluctantly stayed with being a vegetarian. (Well, you know the end of the story) I eventually decided to go vegan after trying new recipes, finding new ways to prepare my favorite dishes, and continually doing my research.

It took me a few years to get to the point where I wanted to go vegan and I didn't have any qualms about it. People ask me if I miss meat, eggs or dairy and I simply answer, "no". With what I know now about the meat, egg and dairy industry, I don't miss it nor do I want to put my money towards it. Had I stopped cold tofu, then my answer would've been different. When I see a piece of meat or a dish laden with dairy, I don't see food. I see a being that wanted to live.

What I'm saying is, if you want to go vegan but, like I was, you're too apprehensive or too addicted to meat, eggs or dairy, it's okay to be a vegetarian first. You've acknowledged that your end goal is to go vegan and that's what counts. In the mean time, actively look for vegan recipes for some of your favorite dishes. *hint - try Pinterest* Find a group whether it's a local animal rights group or a friendly Facebook group for vegans. It's all a lot easier than what people think.