If you’ve been following our 7 Days to Veg! closely, you may have noticed that quite a few days have elapsed between day 6 and day 7. What can we say: Some New Year’s resolutions are destined to fail (like ours: Blog. Every. Day. Ha!).
Here’s one promise to yourself we have all the faith in the world that you can keep, though: Following a plant-based diet.
We know you can do it because the term “plant-based diet” is basically subject to your definition. It has no specific restrictions or regulations. In our opinion, all it means is that you’re making an effort to eat more plants. Eating less meat and other animal foods (not to mentioned over processed stuff) comes as a side effect.
See? You’re doing it already!
Of course, if you’re looking to step up the plant-based eating game, it may take a little more than trying. The mission for today that will help you get there:
Go vegan for a day.
First and foremost, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what it means to be vegan: A person who follows a vegan diet eats no animal products whatsoever—no beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, and honey. Many vegans also subscribe to a vegan lifestyle in which they also don’t wear leather or silk, or take pills that use gelatin in their processing, as those materials come from animals.
Now, we think that vegan diets can be great. But we don’t believe that you need to be vegan to make a difference in your health or the planet. Listen clearly: Every. Step. Counts.
That said, a person who is vegan—if they are focusing on whole foods and not loads of uber processed fake meats and vegan candy—is at one end of the spectrum, making loads of health-promoting and environment-supporting decisions each day (more, many would say, than someone who is a part-time vegetarian or a dairy-and-egg-eating one). And we think that even if you don’t plan on being vegan in the long run, you can learn a lot from the way they eat.
Here are a few lessons you might take home by dabbling in veganism:
1. A vegetarian sandwich doesn’t need to have cheese on it (avocado, hummus, grilled tofu, and almond butter are all great alternatives).
2. Herbs and spices can add loads of flavor to meals.
3. Nutritional yeast is a great alternative to butter or grated parmesan cheese on freshly popped popcorn.
4. Flax seeds and chia seeds make easy alternatives to eggs in baking.
5. Nuts can turn into amazing cream sauces.
The more you learn some vegan tricks, the more plant-powered your diet will become every day!
What are your favorite vegan food techniques?
Thanks for following all seven days of our “7 Days to Veg” series! What else do you want to know about vegetarian/plant-centric eating?