It was only a matter of time before I ended up starting a blog. I intend to use this space to share projects, recipes, thoughts, experiences and so forth. One can expect a healthy jumble of scientific nerdiness, craftiness and lefty opining. Let the shenanigans begin.
For my first post, I thought I would share my own take on some common myths about veganism. Most of them are less myths and more opinions.
1. I like food too much to be vegan/Veganism is too limiting.
First and foremost, the math on this concept is all wrong. Think of the animals that you eat. For most people it is cows, chickens, pigs and fish. For the more daring, you may add crustaceans, sheep, rabbits and a few others. Add in dairy and eggs and I would bet that the list is less than 20 food products. I can guarantee that my diet consists of one hundred times that many foods.
Some of my favorites include: raspberries, french fries, burritos, risotto, mushrooms, kale, quinoa, waffles, ice cream, pie, avocados, asparagus, peaches, mashed potatoes with gravy, Pad Thai, tacos, cherries, sweet potatoes, pizza, mangoes, pineapple, lasagna, salsa, tomato sandwiches, popcorn, grapes, melons, pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, etc.
As a vegan, I still enjoy practically all of the types of foods I used to. They may be modified slightly, but for the most part the change is not noticeable. The times it is, I remember why I make that sacrifice. I love food so much, I have to be vegan. Otherwise, I would feel too guilty to enjoy the huge bounty of food I am lucky enough to enjoy.
2. Veganism is too expensive.
Before talking about issues of resources and their relationship to food, I feel it necessary to state that I have a whole lot of privilege that I am aware of. I am privileged enough to have food to eat when I am hungry, not to mention all of the times that I eat to pass time/feel better/not hurt someone's feelings. I am privileged to get to choose what food I eat when I am hungry. The fact that I get to permanently eliminate foods from my diet is a huge privilege. I am also aware that, due to governmental subsidy, the most affordable foods in this country are often animal products. There are many people in the country and others that have to pick what meals to skip and live hungry. I do not mean to imply that veganism is affordable or reasonable for all sectors of humanity.
That said, there are many groups of privileged people that can make food choices. Most of the people that tell me that they cannot afford to eat vegan food have iPods, cars, tattoos, cable and other items that demonstrate access to resources. They eat fast food and happily spend $5 on candy/alcohol/cigarettes/junk food rather than purchasing plant based food products that would be better for animals, the planet and their own bodies. This is the group of people I wish to speak to when I speak of the affordability of a vegan lifestyle.
If there is such thing as a vegan foodie, I am one. I love pure chocolate, small batch coffees, heirloom produce, fresh ground spices and other such luxuries. I spend a lot of money on food. However, I have also been on a very tight food budget as a vegan and managed to feed myself, plus a number of friends/roommates/traveling kids, quite well. It is a matter of planning for meals, buying in bulk, finding the most affordable stores in your area, making things yourself and yes, sometimes rocking the old cliché of rice and beans. There are too many resources and too many good reasons to be vegan to use money as an excuse anymore.
3. I don't want to alienate people when I travel or go to their homes.
I have done some significant traveling in my life and go to a solid gamut of social functions. Allow me to reassure you, vegans do not alienate people, self righteous and rude jackasses do. If a person politely expresses a dietary need, be it based on ethics, religion, allergies or preference I cannot think of a reason for anyone to be offended. All it takes is a little tact.
For example, every Sunday I go to my parents' house for family dinner. When I first went vegan, they were a little nervous about trying to accommodate me. Instead of giving my parents a huge list of things I couldn't eat, I gave my mom lists of vegan foods easy to find in stores, places to find vegan recipes and offered to help out.
When I go to other peoples' homes, I say, "I am vegan, so how about I bring a dish that I can share?" If a host offers to try to provide some vegan options and asks for advice, I suggest easy items that most people like such as salads and pastas. I try to bring a fabulous dessert to show how great vegan food can be.
When I travel, I bring snacks and figure out what I'll be around. If I am offered dinner at a home, I make the same offering I do when I am at home. Being courteous, honest and willing to answer questions goes a lot way. If I am somewhere that I know people do not have a lot of resources, I try to offer to cook or help cook to ensure that there is food I can eat. Sure, this wouldn't work if I was moving to Somalia for an extended period of time, but it has certainly worked in my national and international travels.
4. I just can't give up...
Chances are, many of the foods that people are afraid they will lose in a vegan lifestyle will still be available. Many desserts, side dishes, sauces and similar items are easily converted vegan with minimal adjustment. Even recipes for marsala, picatta, curry and so forth calling for meat are great using tofu, tempeh or meat substitutes. A shift to veganism is not one of deprivation, it just means a little change.
I remember when I was first going vegan I was a little sad to give up certain food items that I knew could not be replicated. Créme brûlée and my grandmother's crab cocktail are among them. For me, it was easiest to cut the foods out and remember why I did not want to eat those foods.
A friend that went vegan told me she could not give up a special family dessert, so she ate it on special occasions and was vegan otherwise. In her case, she eventually lost the need to have the dessert as she adapted more to vegan food. Even if she didn't, veganism is a choice that should be made out of personal commitment and fulfillment, not the need to live up to standards created and imposed by someone else. Vegan police will not strike you down should you bend the rules for a special occasion.
5. Plants have to die for you to eat them, too.
The point of veganism is to eat a diet that is the least harmful for animals, the planet and people. Some people are vegan for health or environment. Most of the people I know, myself included, do it primarily for animals. I don't want animals to die and be tortured for my consumption. If I could help it, I would not kill anything to stay alive. Unfortunately, I have not found a modality for this. However, rather than plants dying to feed animals that die to feed me, I would rather minimize the amount of death that is required for my life. It isn't the best, but it is the best I can do.
On that note, I will close my premiere blog post. Come back real soon now!
