We started our vegan journey as a family back in 2010.
Before 2010, I was the queen of Hamburger Helper, those frozen Voila bagged dinners and hitting up a drive-thru on the way home from work.
I used to think eating healthier would require too much time and I honestly wasn’t in the mood to hear complaints from my family.
I'll be the first to admit going vegan as a family wasn't easy for us.
My kids weren't interested at all, and even though my husband was supportive (with me doing it alone lol), he still wanted me to cook meat and potatoes.
Being consistent and patient made all of the difference in the world for us!
Instead of making my family feel like they "had" to be vegan, I focused on making a vegan version of their favorite dishes and asked them to help me grocery shop and cook. :-)
Here are some tips to go vegan with your fam....
*Replace ingredients - This is very important! Instead of feeling like you can't eat certain foods anymore, replace them with vegan alternatives.
For instance, instead of dairy milk, use almond, cashew or soy milk. And instead of pork or beef sausage, you can use a vegan sausage like Field Roast (made out of wheat and vegetables).
*Start with breakfast and snacks - If you prefer to take a baby step approach, breakfast and snacks are perfect because there isn't as much of a difference in what you're eating.
For breakfast: You can still eat toast (just check to make sure there are no eggs). Instead of dairy butter, you can use Earth Balance vegan margarine, jelly/jam, smashed avocado, etc. smoothies, grits, oatmeal, and tofu scramble, or JUST Egg instead of chicken eggs.
*Get clear on your "why" and have a candid conversation with your family about it. Is it for health? Is it for the animals or the environment? Be specific and loving. :-)
*Find your community. The Internet makes it sooo easy for us to connect with people from all over the world. Find and get inspired by like-minded people on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
*Watch documentaries and read vegan books - They will motivate you to get started and keep going. I like Sistah Vegan, Diet for A New America, and What the Health?
*Put as much of the lifestyle on autopilot as possible - The less thinking you have to do the better. Establish easy go-to vegan meals such as spaghetti & tacos.
*Don't beat yourself up - It takes time to get comfortable with a vegan lifestyle....especially with a family. Be patient and keep playing in the kitchen. :-)
Please please please be gentle with yourself as you move forward in your vegan journey.
Do you see all this Keith Sweat begging I'm doing right now? Seriously!
This is a process, so don't give up if it doesn't feel comfortable or when you don't feel like you're "doing it right"
There's a lot to learn (and unlearn), so don't expect everything to be perfect.
Progression over perfection...always.
MY CHALLENGE TO YOU:
I want to encourage you to start meal planning today.
Even if you're only adding ONE vegan meal to your meal plan this week, I promise taking this first step counts!
You don't have to be a gourmet chef every night.
Keep your meals simple, so that you can gain the confidence to move forward.
Progression over perfection…always.
