DAVEGAN: Food for Thought | I am a senior in high school and became vegetarian in April, and one of my friends recently went from Vegetarian to Vegan. I’ve been thinking about it and I want to do it, but I’m nervous I won’t be able to eat healthy/ have enough diet variety. Also my Mom has supported me being vegetarian, but she does NOT support me being vegan, and she’s the one paying for my already expensive food. I was thinking about waiting until college, which is only a year away, but I don’t want to feel bad all year by buying factory farm bi-products. Thoughts? And are there any brands that are cheap that I could buy so that I could at least lessen how much dairy I eat? Thanks!

delicatebehavior asked: I am a senior in high school and became vegetarian in April, and one of my friends recently went from Vegetarian to Vegan. I've been thinking about it and I want to do it, but I'm nervous I won't be able to eat healthy/ have enough diet variety. Also my Mom has supported me being vegetarian, but she does NOT support me being vegan, and she's the one paying for my already expensive food. I was thinking about waiting until college, which is only a year away, but I don't want to feel bad all year by buying factory farm bi-products. Thoughts?
And are there any brands that are cheap that I could buy so that I could at least lessen how much dairy I eat? Thanks!

I think this is a great question and one that I’m sure many other young people have had to deal with, so I thought I’d put in my two cents.

I think the best thing you can do when trying out a vegan diet is to arm yourself with lots of information. If someone asks “where do you get your protein?”, you should be prepared to rattle off 10 different things to show that you know what you’re talking about! You should know all of the benefits as well as the drawbacks and be able to talk about them. I think knowing that you’re taking charge of your health is one thing that will put a lot of parents at ease. I also think it’s a great idea to talk to a doctor or nutritionist about what you’re wanting to do and make follow up appointments from time to time. This also shows that you’re taking it seriously and want to learn how to do it the “right way”.

Another idea is to see if your Mom will try it for a week with you! Make it a group challenge and maybe that will alleviate some of the unease. Tell her Oprah did it :) Even if you start by eating vegan MOST of the time, you’re still making a difference.

As far a cheap, vegan eating, I think sticking to basic, whole foods is a good way to go. Don’t get sucked into all the specialty vegan or “fake meat” foods for every meal. I love a lot of that stuff, but it’s pricey if you eat it all the time. Look for things like brown rice, nuts, beans, etc. in bulk. Check out the specials in the produce isle and make large batches of food and freeze it, if possible. A lot of grocery stores have their own “in-store” brands of things like soy/rice milk, cereals, soup, frozen veggies, and other vegan items that can be a lot cheaper than the name brands. I’ve put together a few recipes of “quick and easy” vegan food that are all fairly cheap to make and I’ll try to dig out some more in coming weeks.

The bottom line is that the vegan diet is one that is hugely beneficial, but takes extra effort to do it right. However, if you’re willing to do the work, then the benefits are all yours to enjoy! Thanks for the question and I hope that helps a little!