What does it mean to be vegan? Growing up with a vegetarian aunt, I thought I knew what being vegan meant. Vegans don’t eat meat, plain and simple. They’re just like super vegetarians. Boy, was I wrong.
Vegans are quite like super vegetarians, but being vegan is not as simple as making the decision to refrain from eating meat. Veganism surpases the meatless lifestyle: it encompasses the idea of refraining from any and all animal products.
Now, if you’re like me, you’d be wondering what this evasion of animal product really means. Animals are not used just for meat, but for clothing, dairy products, eggs, and in the case of bees, honey. Provided, not all vegans are strict enough to avoid leather shoes or their sweet fix of honey in their tea, but you get the point.
For about a year now, I’ve followed Twitter accounts like PETA and Vegan Outreach. PETA, with the help of my aunt, sparked my interest in animals’ rights and our societally acceptable food quality. After researching the nutritional benefit of eating meat and animal product, I made a very rash decision to try being vegan for one week. My uncensored accounts are as follows:
Day 1: Having had meat last night, I feel fueled and confident that this week will breeze by. To prepare for my week, I decided to call on my vegan friend, senior Gabi Munoz. She helps me shop for vegan-friendly foods at Mariano’s off of Milwaukee Ave. I eat my cereal with soy milk for breakfast instead of my normal 1 percent cow milk. The taste is not bad, just different and maybe sweeter than normal milk.
Day 2: Still feeling pretty satisfied, I’m optimistic as what this new day holds. Again, my day is started with a bowl of cereal with soy milk. I feel slightly hungry still after my certified vegan Larabar third hour, so I decide to indulge in a date dipped in peanut butter. I’m craving string cheese.
Day 3: Switching it up, I eat a grainy bread with a natural peanut butter spread for breakfast. I had to be careful choosing my bread, as many loaves harbor hidden animal products like whey protein – which is a milk derivative. Dinner consists of some good ole’ pasta with veggies, seasoned with oil and garlic (no, I did not put cheese on it as much as I wanted to). I treat myself to a vegan muffin from Libertyville’s local Hansa Coffee Roasters for my willpower. Despite my late start, I feel groggy today.
Day 4: Hunger begins to set in as I scarf down my Tofurky sandwich for lunch. Easily, I could down twice the size of the lunch I packed today. For dinner, I gorge myself on soft corn tacos filled with rice, beans, and Sofritas at Chipotle. Sofritas are a relatively new option at Chipotle, a flavorful tofu option for those that choose to not eat meat. Yes – Chipotle can be vegan friendly!
Day 5: Caving into my cheese craving today, I go out and buy vegan cheese, which ends up in my trash. Maybe after a year without normal cheese, vegan cheese would taste good. But not to me, not today. I venture to Heinen’s grocery store in Lake Bluff, where I’m pleasantly surprised by their plethora of vegan snacks. I grab some chia-squeeze drinks, which I read give you the nutrients you need and help keep you feeling full.
Day 6: I make a pilgrimage to the heart of Chicago, where — gasp — there are vegan restaurants. No longer do I miss meat, when establishments like Native Foods Cafe provide vibrantly flavored dishes with meat substitutes. Their Baja Blackened Tacos are made with Tempeh, a soy product with the consistency of a meat patty. No, it is not as gross as it sounds. My deeply devout meat-lover of a dad orders a meat-free Reuben to entertain me. He claims it’s the best Reuben he’s ever had!
Day 7: Ah, the final day has finally come. My body seems used to not having meat anymore, and I’m not as tired. To celebrate, I make pancakes using an instant mix – solely the powder and water. Adding in peanut butter and banana, my pancakes satisfy me for brunch. For dinner, I eat a large, baked sweet potato and a salad with light vinaigrette dressing. Later, in my last hours as a vegan, I choose to gorge myself on vegan desserts. Muffins, cupcakes, and cookies alike ring victoriously on my palate. Who needs animal products like butter in cake anyway?
While being vegan is possible, it was unimaginably harder for me than I thought it would be. Giving up milk wasn’t too hard, but leaving cheese forever? No thank you. Shopping became much harder too because whey shows up everywhere in packaged goods. Now, I’m not saying that being vegan is too hard to stick with, it’s just too hard for me.
Diet itself is a very subjective, individualistic decision. While some people are allergic to eggs, others may need them for vital muscle-packing protein (six grams per egg, to be exact). While at first I felt tired and hungry, the feelings began to fade as I forged on in an animal-free diet and lifestyle. Being vegan takes time and effort, something many people in this day and age lack. Yes, I loved succeeding in being vegan for a week, but I do not think I’ll be vegan for life.
