Why My Kids Aren't Vegan

One of the questions I get quite often is whether or not my hubby & kids are vegan.

In this video, I share that answer and some tips on how to start a vegan journey with your family.

Click below to watch....

When we started this journey back in 2010, I wanted everyone to be vegan.

I remember being conflicted because my two older kids would go to their dad's house on the weekends, so it was hard for them to maintain there.

These days, my kids eat vegan at home and have the option to eat what they choose while dining out.

I know this may not be the most popular way to do it, but we all have to do what works best for our family situation.

 

Tips on how to get your kids to eat more vegetables and vegan meals:

• Add greens to your kids' smoothies--perfect with breakfast and as a snack. Spinach is a great start because you don't taste it.
• Add an extra vegetable to the dinner plate to help crowd out some of the meat and dairy.
• Make a vegan version of some of their favorite meals, so it doesn't feel like you're making a huge sacrifice. 
• Get your kids involved in meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking --Kids are less likely to reject something they helped put together.
• Be clear about why you're going vegan -- Have a conversation with your family and watch documentaries together.
• Be gentle with yourself and your family as your transition to vegan life -- It's a process and takes time to get adjusted to this amazing new lifestyle. You can do it!

Resources mentioned in the video:

Store bought vegan chicken nuggets are the Gardein brand -- you can find their products in the frozen section at most grocery stores.

The homemade vegan chicken recipe is here 

Is everyone in your house vegan or is your approach similar to mine?

Leave me a comment

How to Be Vegan for Life

Earlier this year, I had dinner with a lady who said she finds herself going back and forth with vegan life.

She has no problem staying vegan while doing an online challenge or as a group with her church, but goes back to a standard American diet once the challenge or Daniel Fast is over.

She asked what I think the issue is....


I believe the reason she can't move is that she isn't very clear about her why after the challenge is over.

Here's what I mean: Her only goal is to get to the end of those 30 days; not to truly embrace a vegan lifestyle. 

Your why is sooo important! It is the foundation of your vegan lifestyle.

Related: Two Key Steps You Must Take If You Want to Be Vegan

 

Tips on How to Be Vegan for Life

(1) Get clear about your why  

Why do you want to become a vegan?  Take a moment and think about it. Do you want to do it for your health? The health of your family? To protest factory farming? Do you want to protect our planet's precious resources?

Visualize what your life will look like when you transition to a delicious and long-term vegan life with your family. Take a few minutes and write down these reasons. Keep this writing on hand, so that you can refer to it when things get tough.

 

(2) Put as much of the lifestyle on autopilot as possible  

The less thinking you have to do the better. Establish easy go-to vegan recipes and keep your breakfast and snacks as simple as possible. 

Snacks and breakfast are the easiest time of the day to keep things simple...so do just that. :-)
 

(3) Always be learning & be open to experimenting  

It's not necessary to read or watch a vegan documentary daily, but it is important to stay connected with new information, recipes, and products as you move forward. Watching documentaries and reading new vegan books will motivate you to keep going and have fun in the kitchen experimenting with ingredients and cooking techniques. I have several tips on how to get confident in the kitchen on this blog post. 

(4) Find a community  

The Internet makes it sooo easy for us to connect with people from all over the world. Get inspired by like-minded people on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. Also, meetup.com will help you find local vegans to connect with as well.

Related: Where's Your Vegan Community?


 

(5) Be gentle with yourself  

Please please please be gentle with yourself as you move forward on your vegan journey.
Do you see all this Boyz II Men 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.

One of my favorite podcast episodes is my interview with Gail Roddy, who has been vegan for over 25 years. If you're struggling to stay on this lifestyle, check out that episode for more encouragement and tips.

>> Listen here <<

 

Share your own tips in the comments :-)

If you're brand new to vegan life, check out my previous post with tips on how to start your journey here.

4 Reasons You Should Ditch Dairy & Eggs

Folks always say to me, "I would go vegan but there's no way I can give up cheese or scrambled eggs."

I get it!

Since dairy & eggs are so prevalent in a standard American diet, it's hard for many of us to imagine living without these foods.

When I started my own journey in 2010, I wasn't sure if I could do it long-term because I loved ice cream and baked macaroni & cheese so much.

These days, it's easier than ever to embrace a vegan lifestyle without feeling deprived of your favorite dishes!

I promise once you find a replacement that works for you, it will be less challenging to move away from harmful & unnecessary animal products.

Here are 4 reasons you should just say NO to dairy and eggs:

• For your health -- high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol & certain cancers risk is higher for people who consume animal products.

• Dairy products aren't meant for humans -- Cow's milk is made for a calf..not for us. Have you ever thought about why we eat & drink the secretions of another species? It just doesn't make sense! Plus, dairy is just fat and designed for a calf to go from about 80 lbs at birth to over 400 lbs in just 8 months.

• Protest factory farming and animal cruelty -- Even if you're not an animal lover, the suffering of animals raised for food might be the most offensive and heinous of all animal farming. Read more about this industry here and here

• Environmental concerns -- Animals raised for food are huge contributors to global warming & pollution.

With so many awesome replacements for every dairy and egg recipe out there, there's no better time than now to embrace a healthier and more compassionate vegan life.

Go vegan for your health.

Go vegan for the animals.

Go vegan for the planet.

Q&A: What's the Easiest Way to Put A Vegan Meal Together?

A question from my Instagram....

I remember those days of struggling to put meals together!

Vegan meal planning felt so different from the way I was already eating, so the thought of not having chicken/beef as the center of the meal was overwhelming.

It is a different way of eating but not nearly as much as we hype it up in our heads.

For dinner (the area most of us struggle with), think of your meals in this combination....

 

Protein + grain/starch + 1-2 vegetables = Vegan Dinner

Example of what this looks like...

Plant-based protein

Lentils, black beans, walnut meat (used in recipes like this taco salad) vegan sausage, tofu, etc.

Grain/Starch

Rice, quinoa, pasta, bread, etc.

1-2 Vegetables

Broccoli, eggplant, mushrooms, etc.

Here's how that will look using a simple meal like stir-fry...

Plant-based protein  

Vegan sausage

Starch/Grain

Rice or quinoa (not shown)

Vegetables

Broccoli, bell pepper, onion

Instead of chicken, steak, etc. as the center/protein of your meal, you will now enjoy plant-based options.

Try not to overthink your meals and I promise it will become easier!

I hope this helps :-)

Here's the full recipe for the stir-fry

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This Tip Will Help You Go Vegan With Your Family

Every.single. meal. was a debate when we started our vegan journey back in 2010. Even though my husband thought it was a great idea for me go vegan, he still wanted chicken, beef and cheesy pizza on his own plate.

My son, Elijah (the pickiest eater of the 3 boys), only wanted chicken nuggets and french fries.

He didn't even want vegetables on his plate....

I already wasn't the most confident about cooking this new (vegan) way, so listening to chatter from the peanut gallery made me even more insecure.

I won't lie, there were times when I just wanted to give up.  

Change can be hard for so many of us.  

Fear of the unknown, not being sure what to eat, and dealing with complaints can have you even more discouraged.

I promise when you're consistent and persistent the transition will get better!

Our family is living proof of this.
 

TIP ON HOW TO GET STARTED ON A VEGAN JOURNEY WITH YOUR FAMILY....
 

~Replace ingredients to make their favorite meals vegan~

Instead of feeling like you can't eat certain foods anymore, replace them with compassionate and healthier plant-based alternatives.

With my son Elijah, I replaced his love of chicken nuggets with Gardein vegan chicken tenders and roasted his potatoes instead of buying them at a drive-thru.

Here's a very familiar vegan meal you can introduce to your family tonight...
I love spaghetti because it's delicious, filling and inexpensive.
*Ingredients*
-Spaghetti in the box (most of the pasta in your grocery aisle is vegan-be sure to check ingredients)
-Marinara sauce (saute onion, garlic, and dry oregano to add more flavor to your sauce)
-Add vegan crumbles from a brand like Beyond Meat (found at Target and many other stores) into the sauce. You can also use cooked lentils and sautéed mushrooms
Cook and serve like normal and I doubt your family will even question it!

If you need more info on how to make a vegan version of spaghetti, check out my previous blog post and video.

Think about some of your family's favorite meals and how you can make those meals vegan. 

Be gentle with yourself and your family as much as possible as you move forward. Sometimes it can feel like a roller coaster ride, but I promise the transition will get better as get more consistent.

If we can do it, I know you can, too! 

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