Just a Vegan Girl, Living in a Non-Vegan World
Just a Vegan Girl, Living in a Non-Vegan World
By: Megan
Being vegan is not the easiest thing in the world, especially when the world is not made to accommodate vegans. New struggles arise every day and I have learned tips and tricks on how to get around them. Here are a few struggles I have faced while being vegan.
One of the biggest struggles that I face every day is acceptance. There is a surprisingly large amount of people who believe that vegans are in a cult and are being brainwashed. A lot of people are very against veganism. This is a struggle mainly when I go out to eat because some people are cruel enough that when you order a vegan option or say “I'm vegan” they purposefully put animal products in it. There are many stories where restaurants have been saying a product is vegan and using meat products for it because it is cheaper. This is very inconsiderate and irresponsible. This is extremely harmful for people like me because animal products are very detrimental to me and many others. Nowadays, there are so many vegan options at restaurants which is great, except for the fact of uncertainty about the validity of a vegan product. To help avoid egg or dairy being put into my food, I have said “I am allergic to egg and dairy products” because restaurants do not mess with allergies.
Another struggle I face is people not knowing what veganism even is. I went to Olive Garden for one of my first times eating out as a vegan, which is a very easy place to eat vegan (fun fact: their breadsticks are naturally vegan). I asked the waitress if there was a nutritional menu or if she knew the vegan options; She responds with “we have gluten-free noodles.” This was absolutely no help to me whatsoever because their gluten-free noodles have eggs in them. I understand that every waitress should not have to know every vegan option, however, they all usually know at least a couple of gluten-free or keto options and I do not see what I eat to be any different in terms of necessity. I need vegan food just as much as someone with Celiac disease needs gluten-free food. One thing I have learned to do to help ease the stress when eating out is to do the research first. There are tons of websites that are readily available giving vegan options at most restaurants and fast food places.
A struggle I still face is going to parties/events where food is involved. I hate telling people I am vegan because I feel like there will be endless questions or that I am inconveniencing someone. For a long time, I would eat before I went to parties, but I would always end up really hungry with no food. Eventually, I learned probably the most important hack of vegans ever. I learned that when going to parties, make one or two dishes that are vegan and take them. The majority of the time people do not even realize that they are vegan. It is also good to tell people you're vegan because, for the most part, they are willing to make accommodations. I have also learned to always keep snacks with me wherever I go. I always keep Larabars and crackers in the car and when I know I am going somewhere I pack a meal such as a sandwich or something that does not need to be refrigerated or microwaved. This helps to ensure a good time without having to worry about food.
Even though there are many struggles that come with being vegan, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made. There will continue to be struggles, just like there are with most things in life, and we will continue to work through them.
One of the biggest struggles that I face every day is acceptance. There is a surprisingly large amount of people who believe that vegans are in a cult and are being brainwashed. A lot of people are very against veganism. This is a struggle mainly when I go out to eat because some people are cruel enough that when you order a vegan option or say “I'm vegan” they purposefully put animal products in it. There are many stories where restaurants have been saying a product is vegan and using meat products for it because it is cheaper. This is very inconsiderate and irresponsible. This is extremely harmful for people like me because animal products are very detrimental to me and many others. Nowadays, there are so many vegan options at restaurants which is great, except for the fact of uncertainty about the validity of a vegan product. To help avoid egg or dairy being put into my food, I have said “I am allergic to egg and dairy products” because restaurants do not mess with allergies.
Another struggle I face is people not knowing what veganism even is. I went to Olive Garden for one of my first times eating out as a vegan, which is a very easy place to eat vegan (fun fact: their breadsticks are naturally vegan). I asked the waitress if there was a nutritional menu or if she knew the vegan options; She responds with “we have gluten-free noodles.” This was absolutely no help to me whatsoever because their gluten-free noodles have eggs in them. I understand that every waitress should not have to know every vegan option, however, they all usually know at least a couple of gluten-free or keto options and I do not see what I eat to be any different in terms of necessity. I need vegan food just as much as someone with Celiac disease needs gluten-free food. One thing I have learned to do to help ease the stress when eating out is to do the research first. There are tons of websites that are readily available giving vegan options at most restaurants and fast food places.
A struggle I still face is going to parties/events where food is involved. I hate telling people I am vegan because I feel like there will be endless questions or that I am inconveniencing someone. For a long time, I would eat before I went to parties, but I would always end up really hungry with no food. Eventually, I learned probably the most important hack of vegans ever. I learned that when going to parties, make one or two dishes that are vegan and take them. The majority of the time people do not even realize that they are vegan. It is also good to tell people you're vegan because, for the most part, they are willing to make accommodations. I have also learned to always keep snacks with me wherever I go. I always keep Larabars and crackers in the car and when I know I am going somewhere I pack a meal such as a sandwich or something that does not need to be refrigerated or microwaved. This helps to ensure a good time without having to worry about food.
Even though there are many struggles that come with being vegan, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made. There will continue to be struggles, just like there are with most things in life, and we will continue to work through them.
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