Difficulties/Frustrations With Being Vegan

Good evening.

I decided it is time to do a post on difficulties and the like with being vegan.  After becoming vegan five months ago, I knew I would run into some difficulties.  This transition is, after all, a major life change, and what kind of life change would be without its frustrations?

One of the most common issues I have encountered is going out to dinner.  Eating out is not commonplace with us anymore and hasn't been for a while, but there is usually an issue with choosing a restaurant where I am able to order something besides a salad.  This also puts me in a place where my options are limited and fearing that enjoying a dinner with friends might happen less often due to my restricted choice of restaurants.  With all that in my mind, I decided a while ago to allow myself to eat anywhere and to just order something and alter it to fit my diet.  I really do enjoy eating out with friends, and I don't want my dietary restrictions to inhibit us from getting together for a fun meal.

Due to my openness to eat at any restaurant, I've become much less apprehensive about the task of choosing a place to eat at on Friday or Saturday evening.  Yes, a salad has become more of a staple when we out.  Not every restaurant has something that can be altered to be vegan.  The oil used to cook the fries may also be used to cook up the chicken fingers - you just have to ask.  If I am in a situation where nothing on the menu can be "veganized", I order a vegetarian option and eat half of it at most and take the rest home for my partner to eat.  Acclimating is a part of this transition.  I know that some vegans would be shocked at to read that, but I consider myself 99% vegan & 1% vegetarian.  I have to do what is comfortable for me, and for me to keep my sanity, I allow myself this option.

One of the things that bugs me the most is that the salads on restaurant menus usually have a meat (usually chicken) on them and are priced as such.  I believe I blogged about this when I wrote about a trip to Applebee's.  What about the vegetarians and vegans?  Do we have to pay that price even without the chicken?  I find it to be simpler to just ask your server if there is a lower price without the meat because you are vegetarian/vegan and shouldn't be charged for the meat.  It is still annoying though.  :)

Another issue is the prices of fresh produce.  When we create our dinner menu and the grocery list for the week, a good chunk of it is usually fresh produce.  You can combat this with buying canned and frozen items.  Frozen broccoli, spinach & corn (among others) are cheaper.  Also, the spinach is already cooked down for you, alleviating a cooking step!  The frozen broccoli is already chopped into smaller pieces, also eliminating a step in your recipe!  I haven't noticed a difference in taste with the frozen items.  Plus, the frozen fruits & veggies retain their vitamins & minerals when frozen.  Another bonus!  Not every fruit or vegetable can be found frozen, so you just have to pick and choose what fits what you need.

Canned items are great because you save money as well and aren't forced to use them nearly as quickly for fear of spoilage, like with fresh produce.  Another way to cut down on fresh produce costs is to buy vegetables, like carrots, individually and not a whole bag.  At Whole Foods, there is an option to buy exactly the # of carrots you need for what you are making.  That way, you aren't wasting any and throwing any out (thus creating an expensive ingredient), especially if you wouldn't have finished that bag of carrots anyway.

Cutting down on costs is a difficulty for a vegan.  Eating as a vegan can be a healthier way of eating, especially with the massive reduction, if not the total elimination, of dietary cholesterol.  And people equate eating healthy with high grocery bills.  This doesn't have to be the case.  In addition to the produce advice from above, purchasing ingredients from the bulk section of your grocery store helps to save some $$.  For example, buying rice and nuts can help you keep some of that hard-earned dough in your pocket.  Plus, you can buy only what you need for the week or buy as much as you want for dinners down the road.  Keeping bread & buns in the freezer helps to preserve them for much longer and will help save $ by not having to throw them away due to mold.


I know this has also turned into a "let's cut down our grocery bill" entry, but grocery costs are a major frustration with being vegan.  Some of the ingredients for baking are rather expensive.  I buy the regular all-purpose flour and granulated sugar, not the organic ones, same with powdered sugar, vanilla and other baking ingredients.


Aside from the potential problems eating out and grocery bills, being vegan has had many positive effects - my HDL cholesterol has gone up and my LDL has gone down.  I have also enjoyed other benefits, such as weight loss (not that I needed to lose any), a clearer face (MUCH less acne) and more energy.  A transition such as becoming vegan requires discipline and focus.  Yes, you may slip up and eat some dairy-based cheese or a bit of roast beef, but you will experience your body acclimating to the new diet.  And if you slip up after your body has adjusted, you will feel the effects soon enough.  Trust me.


If any of you have any difficulties that you would like to share, please do so.  I mainly talked about my top two - restaurants & grocery bills.  I hope this helps some of you that may be entertaining the idea of becoming vegan, be it for health reasons and/or animal rights.


'Til next time.