37. Are My Kids Vegan? + Tips on How to Get Started On A Vegan Journey with Kids

A few weeks ago someone asked whether or not my 3 sons (14, 12, 11) are vegans.
Even though my kids eat vegan meals at home....they are not vegans. 

Does this surprise you?

It sure surprised the lady who asked that question.

In my latest podcast episode, I talk about why my kids aren't vegan and share some tips on how to eat more vegan meals with your own kids.

Listen here.....

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As always, it's so important to do what works best for your family situation. It doesn't have to be all or nothing to get started on a vegan journey.

Do your best every. single. day. and I promise it will get easier...even with picky kids (and spouses lol).

Tips:

  • Add a daily green smoothie to your kids' diet

  • Start by transitioning to vegan breakfast & snacks I wrote a blog post with recipes and tips for vegan breakfast here

  • Get the kids involved in meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking

  • Keep calm - A balanced lifestyle will make for a long-term vegan life 

 

Have your already started a vegan journey with your own kids? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.

36. Tips on How to Go Vegan This Year

Since I know many of us are thinking about our goals for work, health and life during this time of year, I want to give you some specific strategies on how to start your vegan journey in the new year. 

In the latest podcast, I give you 11 tips on how to do just that.

Listen here.....

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Here's a quick recap of those 11 tips from the episode: 
*Determine your why
*Make the decision to go vegan
*Always be ready, so you don't have to get ready when it comes to meal planning, eating out, etc.
*Don't restrict yourself more than you have to
*Take time to get comfortable in the kitchen
*Find a supportive community
*Explore your grocery store/farmer's market in a new way
*Make a vegan version of your favorite dishes
*Realize that it doesn't have to be all or nothing
*Focus on what you can eat and not what you "can't eat"
*Progress over perfection -- always!

I wrote a more detailed posted on this topic here

Resources mentioned:

35. 2 Key Steps You Must Take If You Want to Be A Vegan

Before you think about meal planning, grocery shopping and eating out as a new vegan, there are 2 key steps you must take to start your journey.

Listen here.....

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

Skinny Bitch - book that motivated me to become a vegetarian

Sistah Vegan - book that motivated me to become a vegan 

 

34. How to Be Vegan During the Holidays | A Conversation with Tracye McQuirter

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The holidays are coming, so I had to invite Tracye McQuirter on the podcast to talk about how to navigate a vegan lifestyle during this season.

Tracye is a 30-year vegan, national best-selling author, public health nutritionist, international speaker, and vegan trailblazer. She was named a national food hero changing the way America eats for the better by Vegetarian Times, and her national best-seller, By Any Greens Necessary, was the number one recommended vegan book on The Huffington Post. For 25 years, she's been teaching people throughout the United States and abroad how and why to go vegan for better health. She's been featured in more than 100 media outlets, including CBS News, Fox News, The Huffington Post, and The Washington Post. Tracye has a master's degree in public health nutrition from New York University.

Listen here....

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Her tips:

  • Be gentle with yourself and others - RELAX!

  • Never talk about veganism at the Thanksgiving dinner table

  • Bring enough food for yourself and others

  • It's okay not to eat traditional Thanksgiving meals...even though you sure can do that! 

 

Notable Quote from Tracye: "Liberate your mind and your mouth will follow."

 

Other topics we chatted about:

  • The importance of determining your why when you're going vegan

  • Why community is essential to a long-term vegan life

  • How veganism is a black movement

 

How to Reach Tracye:

Buy her book

Website

Twitter

 

Resources mentioned:

Meetup.com - to find vegans in your area

Sistah Vegan book

Natives Cafe

PETA.org

Daiya cheese

 

33. How to Put Together Your Vegan Meals & Still Get Protein

I answered this question several months ago in this blog post but wanted to put in with a podcast episode because it's so important.

How in the heck do you plan meals without meat being the center of the meal?

Some people think you can only get protein from chicken, beef, fish, eggs, etc. but this isn't the case at all. There are sooo many plant-based options that can easily replace the meat on your plate.

Listen to the full episode here...

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The best way to approach vegan life when you're getting started is to think about what you're already eating and how you can make a vegan version of that meal.

In this episode, I used vegan fried chicken, taco salad and chili as examples of how this would look.

Try not to overthink your meal planning, be gentle with yourself and I promise it will get easier once you're consistent.



Resources mentioned:

Vegan fried chicken recipe

Gardein Vegan chicken patties

Mac & cheese recipe

Walnut taco salad recipe

Chili recipe

Options for vegan crumble for the chili - Beyond Meat & Gardein