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I Survived the Vegan for a Week Challenge

Published on February 13, 2011 By Emily. Updated on February 13, 2011

A week ago, I started the Vegan for a Week Challenge, vowing to give up meat, eggs, milk, and butter for 7 days.  Here’s my thoughts, in summary:

The Good

  • Everything I ate this week was really tasty-who says vegan has to be boring?
  • My body felt good and I had energy.  Which is to say, I felt normal.  Not awesome, just normal.
  • I tried some new foods including agave, Ezekiel bread and seitan.  Agave and Ezekiel bread may join the list of regular purchases for our household.
  • I gave a lot of thought about what my food contains, which I think is always a good thing.
  • My lunches were awesome.  I really need to work harder towards making hot meals for myself for lunch.

The Bad

  • Eating out was hard! We couldn’t just stop at Dunkin’ Donuts for a snack or coffee (we don’t do black).
  • I really missed my morning tea with milk and sugar.  Almond milk and agave just aren’t the same.
  • No cheese.  ‘Nuf said.
  • Label reading can be exhausting.  It was hard work to double check everything I wanted to put in my body.
  • People looked at me like I was nuts when I told them I was going vegan for the week.  Why would someone give up animal products?!

Conclusions:

Veganism isn’t right for me.  In order to make such a drastic change in my diet, I’d really have to feel strongly that it was the right thing to do.  I don’t feel that way.  I believe there are serious issues with our industrial food system, I believe homemade is better than store bought and I believe that we don’t need to consume meat or animal products at every meal to be healthy.  But I don’t believe that consuming animal products is fundamentally wrong.  I don’t think that animals are on the same level as people and I’m okay with eating meat occasionally, especially if I know where it came from.  Maintaining a vegan lifestyle with no emotional/moral/intellectual conviction is simply not feasible.

I have a lot more respect for vegans than I did a week ago.  I used to think that going vegan would be easy: a simple matter of getting rid of butter, eggs, milk and cheese but there are animal products in so many things.  Being vegan is work.  This week wasn’t too bad because I only had to plan a week’s worth of meals, we ate a lot of leftovers and I was too busy to think too much about snacking.  But if I was going to become a full time vegan, my pantry would need to undergo some serious changes.  I think I’d have to spend a lot more time cooking and spend more money on substitutes in order to keep some of the flavors I enjoy in my diet.

All that said, I really appreciate the awareness the past week has provided me.  I’m going to try to continue thinking carefully about what I’m eating and including more vegan options in my diet.

Related Posts

Pizza without Cheese (Vegan, Days 3 & 4)
How I Rehydrate Dried Beans
“What’s the Point of Vegan Brownies?&#...
Dining Out Vegan (Vegan, Days 5 and 6)
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Filed Under: life Tagged With: vegan, vegan challenge

« Dining Out Vegan (Vegan, Days 5 and 6)
I’m Not Dead! »

Comments

  1. Carrie (Moves 'N Munchies) says

    February 14, 2011 at 4:23 am

    it sounds like it went rly well for you! and that you learned from the experience, which is most important!

  2. Jessica @ Black Cat Kitchen says

    February 19, 2011 at 12:12 am

    I totally agree. I’m doing it for the month for health reasons – basically an elimination diet – so I’m focusing more on cutting out dairy & eggs than anything else. Personally, I don’t like replacing something like butter, which I know where it comes from and can buy locally and organic, with a processed substitute. It’s a really hard balance. I will definitely eat more vegetarian/vegan meals though. :)

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It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it t It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it to our second annual strawberry picking at @mountainviewfarm413, which included E's first tractor ride (she was very excited). We picked about 9 pounds of strawberries and I'm looking forward to eating them! 🍓
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I don't have clear words to express my feelings ab I don't have clear words to express my feelings about the state of the world lately. As a teacher and a mother, it has been extra difficult this week to be fully present in my roles without thinking about innocent lives that should have had longer on Earth. How what has happened in each of the many mass shootings this year can happen anywhere. If you are feeling sad and frustrated too, you are not alone.

I don't have answers, but I'm trying to take care of myself and my biological and school families. I'm saying "I love you" a lot to my children and my students. I'm closely following and sharing the work of @everytown while contacting my state and federal representatives and the president. I'm going for walks and getting fresh air and trying not to overload on news. I'm sharing good resources in my stories as I see them.
UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @aloh UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @alohr3!

 @thelazygenius' second book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, is finally here and I'm so excited! I don't purchase many books, but I pre-ordered this last July because I knew it would be right up my alley and then I pre-ordered a second copy because I knew that I'd want to give one away.

Author Kendra Adachi has been one of my favorite voices in recent years. Her principles (shared through her first book, The Lazy Genius Podcast and her Instagram) have helped me focus my priorities and give myself more grace. 

This book is NOT a cookbook (it has just 2 recipes), it is a kitchen guide - to help you "have what you need, use what you have, and enjoy it like never before". It is beautiful (full color!) and thoughtful.

I'm very excited to send this book to one of you.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below with one of your greatest kitchen struggles. 
I'll draw a winner at 8 pm on Friday, May 6.
This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or The Lazy Genius, Kendra Adachi.
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This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berk This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berkshire Teacher and Social Worker Appreciation Day free admission. After enjoying the student Art Invitational exhibit, the 4 of us took in several of the other galleries. Mass MoCA always impresses and it was delightful to be able to be out in the world with my kids.
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One of my favorite things to do is bake from scrat One of my favorite things to do is bake from scratch.
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