It's not often that the path you decide to take is the 'easy-way' of doing things, and this is especially true when it comes to adopting a plant-based diet or a vegan lifestyle. Truth of the matter is that the world around you doesn't isn't always going to reflect the changes you decide to make for yourself so how then do you go plant-based when your family or partner is not?
Resistance can often cause you to re-think your decision, and when a change in habit is not intrisically easy, it is less likely to stick around.
Here are some helpful tips to navigate the challenging scenario of having a split-diet household.
1. Know Your 'Why'
First off, it’s important that you get to know your personal reasons behind shifting towards plant-based eating or adopting a vegan lifestyle.
Your personal emphasis can range from not harming any animals, to protecting the environment, getting healthier, losing weight, or for humanity as a whole.
There are endless reasons for taking on this path. When you get behind all of this and grow your personal knowledge base, you can become much more confident in your decision and ride the motivation to maintain a healthy vegan diet even when you become challenged or might second guess yourself. Also, you'll be prepared for any half-baked statement coming your way.
2. Open Up Communication
Let your significant other why it is important to you to follow a vegan lifestyle and that you don’t want to pressure them to do the same but ask for some respect in regards to this choice.
You may want to make a list of your reasons first and get them on board with why you are embarking on this journey before starting to pour cashew milk all over your cereal in the morning!
3. Grab Some Popcorn + Watch a Documentary
Watching documentaries is a powerful way to expand our knowledge and understanding of all sorts of topics and world issues. In just an hour or two, we can gain an entirely new perspective from the comfort of our own couch. And lucky for us, for animals, and for our planet, dozens of vegan documentaries have been coming to life recently!
Our Favorite Documentaries
Think you need meat to become a top performing athlete? Think again!
An inspiring, inside look at how “diseases of affluence” can be easily controlled and even reversed through diet alone.
Environmentalist Kip Anderson embarks on a mission to find answers and solutions to our world’s greatest environmental problems.
4. Navigating Meal Time
This can easily be the most difficult task if your household has one foot in each camp, but rest assured having to appease both a vegan and non-vegan diet at mealtime does not have to be a struggle.
There are so many amazing plant-based alternatives out there these days that more often than not, a simple substitute of a single ingredient on dish is all that is needed.
Making spaghetti and meatballs? Sub out the meatballs for Italian Spiced Chickpeas or a quick Italian lentil crumble. Steak and potato dinner? Have a few delicious Beyond Italian sausages on hand to throw on the grill!
5. Finding Plant-Based Alternatives
If navigating meal time seems daunting, it is incredibly helpful to find some high-protein side dishes or recipes you love and have them in your back pocket or pre-made in the freezer, ready at a moment's notice.
Alternatively, go ahead and seek out some plant-based versions of beloved recipes such as Mushroom Stroganoff or family-friendly Bolognese.
Finding family- or partner-approved staples will take off some of the burdens of having to cook separate meals.
6. Go Plant-Based for One or Two Nights Per Week
Tired of cooking different dishes each meal? Try to get your partner or family on board even a day or two per week by swapping out beloved recipes for a plant-based alternative. Meatless Monday, Tempeh Taco Tuesday, Cauliflower Wing Wednesday, the possibilities are endless (and ridiculously delicious!)
Check out this amazing recipe for irresistible Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Recipes We Love
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