{Catching up? See the Introduction, Part 1: Making the transition (this post), Part 2: Replacing Dairy Milk, Part 3: Homemade Oat Milk, Part 4: Homemade Almond Milk, Part 5: Ten Tips for eating out as a vegan}
After seeing your comments and emails pour in on Monday and Tuesday, I’m so thankful I took the plunge with my new Vegan How To series. What a great way to kick off 2013. We’re already starting conversations about important topics. While I can’t promise to have answers to all your questions, I can share my experiences with you and encourage you to do the same. There are many things we can learn from each other so let’s talk, share, and get inspired!
Today’s topic is about making the transition to a vegan diet. What I’ve written below is what has worked for me, so take this with a grain of salt – everyone’s experience will be different (and I’d love you to share yours below!). It’s also worth repeating that I’m not a nutrition/health professional and my opinions/experiences should not be substituted for medical advice. Always consult your doc before making any diet/lifestyle changes.
How I made the transition to a vegan diet (in a somewhat condensed nutshell, but not really because I’m chatty):
1. Slow and Steady
I’ve never been the type of person who rushes into anything. Eric and I dated for 8 years before we got hitched. I’m turning 30 this year and I don’t feel close to being ready for motherhood. It took me a year to finally start this how-to series. You get the point. It doesn’t help that Eric is the exact. same. way. We can barely decide what laundry detergent to buy let alone make major life decisions. On the bright side, the decisions I do make are often long-lasting and my transition to a vegan diet was no different. I was in recovery for an eating disorder and looking to make some positive changes to my diet. After all, I had lived off of processed, fat-free, artificially-sweetened diet foods for years and I knew it was taking a toll on my health. I suffered from IBS and other digestive issues, so per my doc’s suggestions I experimented with reducing my consumption of meat and dairy to see if it would make a difference. When I started to shift away from all that dairy I was eating, I felt better, my skin started to clear up, and many of my digestive issues decreased. I was never a huge meat eater to begin with, so that part wasn’t as difficult for me, although it was still a challenge. Overtime, I really had no reason to go back to my old diet, even though giving up certain foods like cheese proved to be very difficult (more on this in a future post). When I’m asked what worked for me, I always say baby steps. Yes, it’s a cliché, but small changes really add up over time!
This isn’t to say that going cold-turkey won’t work for you – many people go cold-turkey with diet/lifestyle changes and are successful with it. That just wasn’t my approach. I think it comes down to your personality and what you think will work best for you.
2. Stock your pantry
A well-stocked pantry is one of the keys to success, especially in the beginning. We need options and fuel! And by options and fuel, I don’t mean the dry lettuce and tomato salads that restaurants often try to entice me with. How about fresh produce, legumes, herbs/spices, quinoa, rolled oats, edamame, and almond milk to name a few. I wrote a post a while ago called “My Vegan Pantry“, listing the most common foods I have stocked in my cupboards from dried beans to vinegar and everything in between. I do need to update the post, but I still hope it’s helpful for you. Keep in mind that some of the items are my baking ingredients and not what I would consider “necessities” by any means.

When I first made the transition I stocked my fridge with mock meat and dairy products like Tofurkey slices, vegan sour cream, and TVP crumbles. Yes, if you go back in time on my blog, you might come across the odd Tofurkey sandwich! The truth is, I had no idea how to eat a fulfilling, vibrant, and healthy diet on my own without these substitution foods. I wasn’t wrong for eating them, I just didn’t have all of the knowledge I needed at the time. I didn’t feel great eating these products, or at least, I didn’t feel as great as I did without them. Eventually, I discovered how to thrive on a vegan diet without relying on them, but I do recognize they were helpful for me in the early stages.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that a big bowl of lentils and tomato sauce was much more satisfying than mock deli meat from a box. Once I made this connection, it got easier and easier.
3. Be your own teacher
If you think that I grew up learning to cook and bake, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Four years ago, I had no idea how to cook dry lentils or so much as roast a batch of root vegetables. I could barely dice an onion for the life of me! This meant I had to teach myself how to prepare almost all of the foods I now enjoy. I did a lot of reading, Googling, watching cooking shows, devouring cookbooks, and searching You Tube for how-to videos. Little did I know, this girl who used to survive on diet foods would soon find a passion in food and cooking like never before. So can you.
Along the same lines, it’s good to research the nutritional aspects of a vegan diet. There are many books out there now with this information to help guide you. I also recommend checking out Forks Over Knives for an inspirational documentary on the benefits of a plant-based diet.
4. Focus on what you add, not take away
As I mentioned in my first post, I eventually learned that a vegan diet is really about what I add and not what I take away. The more I focused on all the new foods I was trying, I really didn’t feel like I was missing out at all. My diet used to be so limited and boring, lacking in colourful produce, and inspiration. I was pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of foods I can eat on a plant-based diet. If you are feeling stuck in a rut, challenge yourself to try one new food a week and pick a recipe to make with it. There are so many recipes and tutorials available online that make cooking new foods a breeze. Or better yet, start a food blog to document your new journey! Having accountability online is a great motivator and you get to meet other like-minded friends.
5. Don’t expect perfection
I have slipped up on my vegan diet just like many of you have. Guess what? We are human! My advice is to focus on all the amazing choices you’ve made to date instead of that time when you slipped up. No matter what kind of diet you eat, every time you chose plants over animals you are making a difference. For me, this journey has been easier and easier as the years go by. The cravings I once had are much, much less. Instead of craving the old foods, I now crave the new foods that I eat. It’s amazing how the taste buds can adapt when you give them a chance.
6. Get support
Find friends who want to take this journey with you. I didn’t know any vegans until I met many friends online through reading other blogs and going to meet ups. It’s important to have a support system. Join clubs, recipe groups, meet ups, and attend conferences. I’m going to my first vegan conference (Vida Vegan Con) in May and I’m so excited to meet new friends in this community.
7. Pack food
When I leave the house for long periods of time, I always pack snacks or meals with me. Whether it’s an afternoon out or a few days at the in laws, I plan ahead and bring food. You can always find a couple energy bars in the bottom of my purse on any given day! Most days I don’t need them, but I feel great knowing I have a healthy snack on me in case the hunger monster strikes.
Well, I could go on and on, but since this is already quite wordy I will pass it over to you!
What’s your approach when making a change – slow and steady or cold-turkey?
How did you make the transition to a vegan or vegetarian diet? What strategies worked for you?
Have you read any books or watched any movies that helped you with the transition?
Are you making changes to your diet right now? What are you doing to make the transition easier?
For Part 2, see Replacing Dairy Milk
I started my vegan journey back in April. I was doing research for a vegetarian character I was writing about, and I stumbled upon a PETA video about how dairy cows are treated. Over the next several months, I ended up watching Earthlings and Forks Over Knives and Vegucated, as well as reading a couple of cheap vegan books I found on Amazon. I tried to jump to vegan straight away, but I ended up slipping back to vegetarian for a while, with the occasional bit of chicken if a craving hit hard and there was nothing else around.
Right now, everything that I make is vegan, though I’ll eat dairy and eggs when I’m out and vegan options aren’t available. My ultimate goal is 100 percent vegan, but I’m trying to get there at a reasonable pace. I’ll occasionally have cheese if someone at home orders a pizza, but for the most part I’m sticking with a healthy, mostly unprocessed vegan diet. I still have slip-ups sometimes, but I’m excited about the new food that I’m trying. :)
Love this! Oh She Glows was one of the things that introduced me to so many creative foods, that the transition to going vegan was a piece of (vegan, hehe) cake. I absolutely adore this series and hope you continue to inspire many more to come!
Brand new vegan here! Went cold turkey about a week and a half ago. Cut out sugar, dairy, meat and diet soda. Watched the documentary Fat, Sick and Tired for inspiration as that is how I was feeling most of the time. I’m thin, but don’t exercise and have gained 20# in the last year or so at the start of menopause. I’m 48 years old. Also have been struggling with IBS symptoms ever since I had my gallbladder out five years ago.
Also started juicing. I’ll tell you what helped me the most…..My husband asked for a juicer for Christmas so I bought him one. I had absolutely NO intention of ever tasting the juice he made. Blech! Well, the first juice he made had celery, carrots and apples in it. OMG!! It was so freaking delicious, I never looked back and am juicing way more then my husband. Today, I watched Forks Over Knives that just reinforced my decision to eat a plant based diet. I’m hoping my husband will be as inspired as his blood pressure has been creeping up over the last year or so. He’s in excellent shape at 46 years old…bicycles around 90 miles on the weekends and uses our elliptical during the week, but I think he’s really benefit from a plant based diet.
Thank you, especially for the recipes and ideas. I’ve always been a “foodie” and a pretty good cook, so being creative and trying new things comes naturally!!
…..and now to enjoy a dessert of your oat bars w/ a bit of maple cinnamon almond butter!!
Dear Angela, i have been reading your posts and making your recipes for a couple of months now i can say that YOU are the strategy that worked for me. Just by reading your stories, you got me on track. I first heared about superfoods about 10 months ago and realised that a diet could never exist out of superfoods alone. I love you for teaching me great things about whole foods, the plant based diet, your creativity and the way you approach life. This dutchie is getting healthier every day!
Thank you Anne, I appreciate it! All the best to you.
Hi there!
Love your blog. After watching Vegucated, and then Forks Over Knives this winter, me and my boyfriend are making the move to a vegan diet. I do see it as a process, and one of the hardest parts for me is not the food, but the people! I find when I mention my new food preferences, people want to argue about it! Why can’t they just let me eat what I want? Some people on the other hand, are very accepting, or curious.
Thanks for your posts, I love your recipes! No one even knew my pumpkin pie was vegan this year ;)
P.s. As a fellow Canadian, any idea how to make a vegan caesar? Bloody Mary’s are so not the same thing!
Hey Samantha! Lovely to meet you, thanks for your nice comment!
I do have a vegan cocktail like a bloody mary – does this help? http://ohsheglows.com/2012/02/20/homemade-vegan-caesar-cocktail/ now I want one!
Ha! Amazing! You’ve already been there and done that! I will give this one a go. Thanks so much! Nice to meet you too :)
I love this series, and I’m not vegan or vegetarian and I don’t plan on changing that any time soon. BUT I love your approach (and your recipes and your hilarious writing and your leopard looking kitty cat) and I think this series is beneficial for anyone who is trying to transition into any sort of healthier lifestyle. Whether it be vegan, vegetarian, clean eating, paleo, or anything in between, I truly believe this is great advice!
Oh..going vegan. I’ve been wanting to make the change for awhile. Then I remind myself I won’t be able to eat those delicious cheesy mushroom tacos at my favorite Mexican restaurant or I won’t be able to eat my favorite chocolate chip cookies anymore. No Kit Kats or frozen pizzas. Mostly it’s my favorite junk foods that keep me from going vegan. Also eating out with friends, or sharing ice cream in the summer time. The thing is I know it’s bad for me, but it’s so good and I’ve eaten it all my life I just don’t care. :( I want to care! I want to eat healthy and treat my body as the temple that it is. I’m vegetarian now. I made the switch when I read the book skinny bitch. Something clicked in my head and from that day I never ate meat again. I then started watching forks over knives and following anyone and everyone vegan I could on facebook for inspiration and recipes. I’ll admit I’m afraid to try new things. I’m not sure why going vegetarian broke me out of my shell like loving black beans! I used to say I hated them. One day I just said you will eat them and like it. Why can’t I do that going vegan? I would definitely need to practice baby steps in the case. I just looove chocolate and their is this amazing chocolate shop by me I love to visit. I can do this. Anyone can. I guess I should try incorporating more vegan meals into my life slowly. Which a lot of the stuff I do prepare is vegan. Occasionally I’ll find something really yummy with cheese in it. Or again I love my sweets. One of my goals is to cut more sugar out of my life. I crave it when I’m stressed. Not good. So I think I just need to start slow and realize what I’m doing to my body and how healthy I will be. Now if only I can get my husband to eat better!
Due to food sensitivities found by bloodwork with a Naturopath – I am working on being vegan and gluten free – also can’t tolerate any beans or lentils and few nuts! Would
Love to see some recipes that I can try – I will work with adapting yours – thank you!
Perfect timing with this post. I’ve been vegetarian for almost 10 years and with the exception of the occassional processed food that contains dairy or my habit of topping some of my meals with cheese I don’t think I have far to go to transition to a vegan diet. But it can be overwhelming at times so I’m really looking forward to this series.
Hi Angela! I just have been a long time reader of your blog and all of your recipes continue to look delicious. I have been contemplating going Vegan because of the health benefits. Recently I saw the documentary Vegucated (I have already seen Food Inc. and Forks Over Knives). It just broke my heart to the point where I cried at some points. Only now has it really hit me how horrible animals are treated and how the animal industry will continue to take a huge toll on our planet. I decided that there wasn’t really a good excuse to continue to eat in a manner that goes against what I had always believed in. So. Thank you for writing your blog. It makes Veganism seem like a normal thing and not too scary. And thank you for putting out a guide for those of us who have decided to take the plunge.
Thanks for sharing Alexa! I’ve been wanting to check out that movie forever now. You just gave me the nudge to finally do it. As hard as they can be to watch, it’s a good reminder why to stay on this path. goodluck to you!
I just want to say thanks for this post! I went vegetarian cold-turkey when I was five years old, and I’ve been an on and off (mostly off) vegan since I was 13. I’ve been thinking of giving up lately and just remaining a vegetarian, but with the new year came a deluge of resolution-inspired information on going vegan. I’m moving out next month, and I will have my very own kitchen, the clean slate I need to push myself to be fully vegan. It’s great knowing I can count on wonderful bloggers like yourself to keep me motivated! So again, thank you for this series (and your vegan pantry post!)
Hi Angela!
Very Cool post about your vegan journey! I was just curious as to whether your husband is vegan as well? If not is it hard making meals together?
Angela,
I’ve been reading your blog for about six months and I read it like a book, from start to finish. I found it at a time when the stress of what I was putting into my children’s bodies was really taking a toll on me. I grew up in an overweight family and we ate fast food at least three times a week. When I had my first child I told myself that I wouldn’t allow my child to grow up without knowledge of good nutrition and the ability to enjoy unprocessed healthy foods. It is my belief that knowledge is power, if my child grows up enjoying wholesome food then it is my hope that it will be his lifestyle as an adult as well. We still ate meat but my kids have had a very healthy diet. When I came across your blog I had just found out about the pink slime they put in meat and I was so fed up! I couldn’t in good conscience put that poison in my kids bodies. Reading your blog changed my entire families lives. I’ve been vegetarian for six months now and I love it. Its not without its challenges as my family comes from cattle farmers and they all think I’m nutso! My daughter hates meat so it has been an easy transition and my son is getting there. My husband wants to go vegan in the next three months as well. I can’t thank you enough for your blog.
Thank you so much for your comment Dainey! I am so happy to hear this news, congrats to all of you for the changes you are making!
Angela, love this posting! I went vegan cold-turkey 3 years ago, and relished in the new flavours, recipes, and most of all in how I felt! My transition started when I developed endometriosis, and after lots of research and consulting with my doctor, realized that eliminating meat and dairy could help my “attacks” I endured, which was affecting my daily life. I also had many IBS problems. It was unbelievable what a difference it made changing my diet! I have to say, however, that in the last year my diet has faltered a bit (new house, new job, new puppy, and engagement), but with the new year, I am back to my vegan habits again, and this posting is a great refresher to me in keeping with healthy eating. Thank you!
Love your website and your journey- everyone i know has received your link from me in their emails at one time or another! We made the complete transition after reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer!!!!
Forks Over knives was very influential also. Your incredible recipes and gorgeous photographs have really taken the intellectual aspect and made it easy to now apply practically- and deliciously!!!
have 1 question that we were wondering if you might be incorporating with the new year- and that is the addition of acknowledging substitutions sometimes geared toward alkaline eating when making choices about alkaline versus acidic for healing as a lifestyle? Luv u-xoxoo
Angela I am loving this new series! So great for info, inspiration and support! And along with some others, I can definitely understand the motherhood thing- my fiance and I are just a year younger than you and are in no rush at all either!
My sister introduced me to your blog over a year ago, and you were the first blogger/cook that I ever looked to for vegan recipes. Feb 2012 I thought I’d give up “land meat” (still ate some white fish) for lent to see how it went, and like you, I’ve never been a big meat eater. And to my surprise it’s been almost a year and I don’t miss meat at all. So that part was easy for me. Switching to almost milk was also easy. I started by using it in cereal, as it’s a little hard to tell the difference, and now I can drink a glass of milk and I think it tastes amazing. However, I also have a LOVE for cheese, and that is something I have just the hardest time giving up.
But my goals this year is to become officially vegetarian (no seafood) and work on the cheese part. I do know when I stay on the vegan diet, I feel amazing. My mood gets better, I have more energy, my skin looks great, and I just feel great on the inside as well. For me personally, its definitely been a transitional process for me, but bloggers like you and all your readers who comment are a great support, and thank you for being so open about your journey as well. Oh and Forks Over Knives is great to watch- every now and then I will watch it again just for support and to remind myself why I like this lifestyle. (Food Inc is also a favorite- it’s not plant-based or vegan, but it will definitely change your mind about eating meat and processed foods).
oops—*almond milk, not almost milk ;)
I highly recommend Jack Norris’s book (Vegan for Life) & websites for info on vegan nutrition.
http://jacknorrisrd.com/
http://www.veganhealth.org/
He goes into great detail on many, many topics.
I’m vegetarian going on 8 months with the occasional bout of veganism. I ate less and less meat over the years and after watching Forks over Knives I ate vegan for a month. It also coincided with making an effort to learn to cook for our family. Can’t let my wife have all the fun. I only cook from vegan cookbooks and find the food so interesting. You’re right, it’s all about what you’re adding. It’s not about subtraction!
On a serious note, I also read Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation to help solidify some of my convictions. On a much less serious note, part of becoming vegetarian was laziness – I always hated cooking meat….the cleanup….wondering if it’s done yet….
Also, I wanted to link a great .99 kindle book – The Ultimate Vegan Guide
http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Vegan-Guide-ebook/dp/B00520DB7M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1357652094&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Ultimate+Vegan+Guide
I’m so glad I found this. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about 10 (15 years now) and the transition to that was super easy. My dad was a vegetarian, and he did most of the cooking, and food shopping so there was never meat in the house. For the past few years I’ve wanted to test out a vegan diet, even for just a month to see how I feel and if I can do it. I love pizza, and mac and cheese so much! A friend decided she wanted to do it this month, so I joined her. It hasn’t been terribly hard…but I’m finding out how many vegetarian things have egg products in them (Morningstar Farms!!) I also can’t cook or bake, and am very reliant on the imitation easy stuff, like Tofurky (just bought some more last night actually lol). And one more confession…I cheated last Saturday at a friends house for dinner (what can I say, I love dessert). Anyways…I can’t wait to keep reading this series and what you have to say and how you transitioned. I’ve used your recipes before and their great. I don’t know if sticking with vegan will be for me. But I do need to eat healthier…and would love to get used to cutting way back on dairy products. Thanks again!
I am so glad I found your blog. I went vegetarian a year ago after watching Forks over Knives, and this year have decided to go vegan after watching more documentaries, and to really start reading labels, even on “healthy” items. (thank you for the info on carrageenan) My two children are also willing participants in this journey to better health, but are having a hard time giving up cheese. Many recipes I am finding use nutritional yeast to provide a “cheese” flavor. But in researching other names for MSG I am finding conflicting information on whether or not nutritional yeast contains MSG. I would really appreciate your input or info your followers have discovered on this. Thanks!
I am so thankful to have read your website. How refreshing to hear from someone who had real struggles and overcame them with success. Your site is bookmarked on my IPad and computer. Love it!