As I explained earlier in the week, tomorrow is Blogger Vegan 4 A Day, which is part of the larger Vegan Week organized by Katy and Michelle.

veganweek2

Obviously, I am a vegetarian, but tomorrow, I’m going to eat vegan.  I’ve prepared this little post to explain some components of veganism, but as I am not a vegan and this is just based on my research (not experiences), I hope my vegan readers will jump in and expand on my thoughts.

 

 

  • What’s the point of being a vegan?  Well, like vegetarianism, people are vegans for many reasons, including moral, ethical, social, environmental, and health concerns.   Many vegans eat this way because they are concerned about the welfare of animals in factory farms and dairy farms.  Here’s more information (click at your own risk).

 

  • So, if vegans don’t eat meat, dairy, or animal products, WHAT in the WORLD do they actually eat?  Vegans can eat whole grains, fruits, veggies, dairy-alternatives such as hemp milk or almond milk, tofu and other meat-alternatives, beans, legumes, and nuts.   Ryan has a great post on how to eat like a vegan.

  • Is it possible to be vegan and be healthy?  Aren’t they missing key vitamins?  Well, there are tons of vegan bloggers (feel free to introduce yourself in the comments section!) who are healthy and strong.  You can even be a vegan athlete!  Vegans do need to take special care to get enough B-12, iron, calcium, zinc, omega 3’s, vitamin D.

 

  • Is it hard to be a vegan?  I’ve spoken to a lot of vegan friends about whether it is “hard” to be a vegan, and the answers vary.  Most vegans find it difficult to eat at restaurants, but in the comfort of their homes, they find it easy to cook and prepare lots of delicious vegan meals.

 

  • Aren’t all vegetarians hypocrites for not being vegans?  Ah, the MILLION DOLLAR question (in my mind!).  Many, many people have argued to me that dairy farming is just as bad as factory farming, so I should be a vegan (I’m a vegetarian mostly for my love of animals).  I’m going to fully address this question tomorrow, but I wanted to get your minds working about this issue – I think it’s really interesting!

 

My goals for Blogger Vegan 4 A Day are:

 

  • To discover any vegan substitutes I can make on a daily basis to make my diet more sensitive.
  • To determine whether I feel like I’m being restricted by a vegan diet.
  • To find new snacks (because you guys know I rely on yogurt and granola way too much).
  • To have fun trying new recipes.
  • To assess my energy levels on a vegan diet.
  • To learn more about a very interesting lifestyle and hopefully take something positive away from vegan for a day.

 

I do want to add that I do NOT plan on transitioning to veganism for the long-term (ever).  I will explain why tomorrow.

 

Are you participating in Blogger Vegan 4 A Day?  What are your goals? Also, if you’re a vegan blogger, please say hello in the comments section so people can check out your blogs for inspiration tomorrow!

{ 103 comments }

 

  • Lindsey @ Sound Eats November 18, 2009, 5:02 pm

    Vegan blogger here! If anyone has any questions I would LOVE to help you out as best as I am able to! Comment here, my blog, or shoot me an email at lindsey @ soundeats.com (no spaces, of course). I’m here to help!

  • Diana November 18, 2009, 5:18 pm

    Yep, I’ll participate! I want to see how hard being a vegan is, for me. Im actually curious to see if I miss any specific foods. Also, trying new recipes is always fun! It’s just one day though, but I think it’ll be an interesting experiment.

  • Mama Pea November 18, 2009, 5:20 pm

    I’m a “casual” vegan. I don’t drink milk or eat yogurt or cheese, but if a little dairy sneaks into a soy Pumpkin Spice latte or a piece of chocolate, I’m not going to slit my wrists.

    I’m interested to hear your views tomorrow!

  • Carrie H November 18, 2009, 5:21 pm

    I am not a blogger at all! But I like you guys. 😉 The reason I’m commenting though is eeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww, some cosmetics use animal amneotic fluid? Like, whaaaa?

    • caitlin November 18, 2009, 5:22 pm

      yea – gross!!

      i like you too carrie 🙂

      • Shelly November 18, 2009, 5:23 pm

        I’ve actually seen a hair conditioning product in Walmart labeled “Henna and Placenta.” I remain amazed that anyone would use it!

    • Carrie H November 18, 2009, 5:23 pm

      okay, not looking at that list anymore. so many weird things on there … I’m glad I don’t eat meat but I think I might like to start being even more careful …

  • Nekeisha November 18, 2009, 5:21 pm

    I have a friend who is Hindu, he live a vegan lifestyle. Hindus don’t eat meat, eggs, mayo, jello and all that stuff. He can have milk but is not a fan. In the years that I have known him I have always admired him, this is ingrained in him from birth but there really is very little that he can eat when we eat out besides salads and some soups.

    I love mayo on fries, jello, even though I hardly eat it anymore I can’t even imagine, marshmallows. There are quite alot of things that vegans can’t eat.

    • Katy November 18, 2009, 8:32 pm

      Nekeisha,

      I usually HATE processed foods, and I’ve always said one of the nastiest things ever made is Miracle Whip.

      But I tried Nasoya’s Vegenaise as part of #VeganWeek and I think it’s delicious!

    • Molly @vegandorm November 18, 2009, 8:43 pm

      vegan marshmallows = a million times better than the real.
      i’m not just saying that, i promise!

  • Abby (Abby's VeGaN Eats) November 18, 2009, 5:22 pm

    I would never ever push veganism on anyone.. to each his own BUT I think experimenting for a day is awesome. YA to you!!

  • Danielle November 18, 2009, 5:25 pm

    Yay I like this challenge 🙂 I’m vegan except I DO consume honey. I don’t think all vegans avoid honey, it’s one of those “iffy” things. I don’t consider honey an animal product because it doesn’t physically come from the bees (and I think more insects are killed in the processing of other products we buy than the miniscule amount of honey we eat).

  • Angela (Oh She Glows) November 18, 2009, 5:29 pm

    Great post!!! LOVE the food guide…never saw that before. I’m printing it now!

    As you know im a vegan blogger, but I dont typically post everything I eat. I will be posting some meals tomorrow. 🙂 Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on everything…. please don’t judge it by just one day though. That scares me a little. I worry that people will get the impression that it was hard after 1 day so they could never do it long term and I don’t think that is true. It takes time to adjust so keep an open mind! Just my two cents. 🙂

    • caitlin November 18, 2009, 5:36 pm

      good point, angie!

    • Ryan @ Greens for Good November 18, 2009, 5:45 pm

      I completely agree Angela. I think at least a week is necessary, better yet a month to really get a good idea of the lifestyle. But a day is fun for opening minds!

      • caitlin November 18, 2009, 5:46 pm

        katy and michelle asked me to do a week, but i really don’t think i can handle that. baby steps! 🙂

        • Ryan @ Greens for Good November 18, 2009, 5:59 pm

          Baby steps are great! I think it’s wonderful people are trying veganism at all!

    • Nicole November 19, 2009, 4:59 am

      I’m trying it for 4 days to carry out the rest of vegan week. I’m kinda scared! I LOVE my cheese!

  • Brooke November 18, 2009, 5:30 pm

    Mid-third-jello shot last weekend, I had an epiphany Jello isn’t vegetarian and was really sad for a second, but then Party in the USA came on and I got over it.

    • caitlin November 18, 2009, 5:32 pm

      i feel like i should make a list of “all time most awesome comments.” this would definitely be #1.

      • susan November 18, 2009, 6:07 pm

        hahahahahahhahahahaha

        can brooke be my new best friend??

    • Ryane November 18, 2009, 6:17 pm

      Brooke… I’m glad you’re having a blasty blast at college, rocking out, representing Party in the FIP, not swallowing fish and bein’ a sista sista and jcrew ho… but you are missed and a CHECK IN is totally in order!!

      Is there a vegan sub for jell-o out there?!?!

      • Nicole November 18, 2009, 7:09 pm

        Agar powder!! I made vegan jello shots with it once.

    • Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) November 18, 2009, 6:30 pm

      LOL! Best comment ever!

    • Carrie H November 18, 2009, 6:47 pm

      hi-larious

    • Michelle@eatingjourney November 18, 2009, 7:03 pm

      best comment ever. laughing out loud. That’c classic.

      • Molly @vegandorm November 18, 2009, 8:41 pm

        hahahaha.
        Hey, Brooke – wanna be best friends?

        • Brooke November 19, 2009, 12:18 am

          Holy shiz I didn’t know the words “jello shot” and “Party in the USA” would make me new BFFs!!!! I SWEAR I WILL UPDATE SOON. AKA: THANKSGIVING BREAK

          Caitlin – I love commenting you anything about drinking/college because I just know you appreciate a good rage and a half!!

        • caitlin November 19, 2009, 8:26 am

          you know it, brooke!

  • Evan Thomas November 18, 2009, 5:33 pm

    I still haven’t decided if I want to go vegan for the day. But i I do I have vegan muffins, tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers, and soy yogurt, so I’m pretty stacked up. So Delicious agave sweetened is my favorite brand 🙂 I just would need to be careful with my extensive nut butter collection because some contain milk products

  • Nicole November 18, 2009, 5:35 pm

    I’m a vegan blogger! I don’t post everything I eat, but I will tomorrow to show everyone what my vegan diet looks like. I think it’s great that bloggers are going vegan for a day! This is going to get a lot of people thinking about veganism/vegetarianism. I’m very excited!

    Veganism hasn’t been restrictive for me. It was quite the opposite, in fact. I eat so many more foods than I did when I wasn’t!

    Shout-out to Brooke in the comment above- I made vegan jello shots once 😉

  • Joelle (The Pancake Girl) November 18, 2009, 5:37 pm

    Hmm, maybe I’ll participate in Vegan for a Day as well.. I do love me some vegan cookies.

  • Ryan @ Greens for Good November 18, 2009, 5:39 pm

    I’m a vegan blogger and Caitlin linked to one of my articles on how I structure my meals. Beyond that, I’d love to help! I love eating this way and find it relatively simple (especially at home) and liberating. I started eating a vegan diet to become a healthier person, but I’ve become much more sympathetic towards the animal-rights side of it since I began. Still, I primarily eat this way to maintain optimal health!

  • Kara November 18, 2009, 5:39 pm

    I’m going to try Vegan 4 A Day too!

    As far as your “veggies being hypocrites for not going vegan” question, I think it is possible to be a vegetarian (and even an occasional meat eater, like myself) and still not participate in the factory farming system by purchasing milk/eggs/meat from reputable local farms that treat their animals in a humane manner.

    • susan November 18, 2009, 6:09 pm

      that’s basically what “food,inc.” is about. it’s not really a movie about how important it is to be totally meat free… but to know where your food is coming from, buy local, buy from those with sustainable practices etc. b/c the NAST that goes on in factory farms is NOT HEALTHY FOR US!

      • Kara November 18, 2009, 8:14 pm

        I’ve got Food, Inc. sitting on top of my DVD player right now — I can’t wait to watch it!

    • Katy November 18, 2009, 8:33 pm

      Kara,

      I totally agree. Before I started #VeganWeek, my husband and I made a commitment to be much better about our foods. We buy organic whenever possible, locally as much as we can, and we try to know the farms and the people that produce our meats, dairy, etc.

      I think at the end of this project, I’ll just be happy to know that more people are talking about the ethics of food!

  • Sarah @ The Foodie Diaries November 18, 2009, 5:40 pm

    I can’t decide! I’m currently kitchenless–so I’m not sure if I’d be on an all fruit and veggie diet if I do it…

  • Julie @savvyeats November 18, 2009, 5:40 pm

    I’ll be going vegan for the day!

  • Mikkei November 18, 2009, 5:41 pm

    Good luck on your temporary exploration of Veganism. I’ve been vegan for nearly 10 years and it’s been so easy. I hope you enjoy it. I love that you mentioned Brendan Brazier (You can even be a vegan athlete!). You can also check out Robert Cheeke, he’s a vegan bodybuilder and just wrote a book on Vegan Bodybuilding (http://www.veganbodybuildingbook.com).

    • Michelle@eatingjourney November 18, 2009, 7:04 pm

      I grew up riding the bus with robert cheeke. small small world

  • Megan @ Healthy Hoggin November 18, 2009, 5:48 pm

    I am a mostly-vegetarian blogger, but I’ve noticed that I often eat a lot of vegan meals without even thinking about it! The options are really endless! I briefly followed a vegan lifestyle a few years ago, but decided it wasn’t for me at the time. Personally, I find that putting a “label” on how I eat drives me crazy! So now I just try to eat what I think is best for my own body– which is almost always vegetarian, but sometimes it’s raw and/or vegan, too!

    I’m curious to hear about your thoughts on why you won’t be vegan forever, either!

    Looking forward to be a vegan tomorrow, though! 🙂

  • Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg November 18, 2009, 5:50 pm

    Man…going vegetarian seems totally manageable to me, but vegan…that’s a different thing altogether! I just don’t think I could do without cheese! I love it so!

    I’m excited to hear your thoughts on everything…

  • RhodeyGirl November 18, 2009, 5:50 pm

    I am not a vegan or a vegetarian but try REALLY hard to only eat meat/fish/eggs/dairy from reliable sources that treat their animals well. I think it is natural to eat animals as part of the life cycle, but completely DISGUSTING to treat them the way a lot of farms (if you can even call them farms) do or to pump them with random and gross things, or to make them eat food unnatural to their bodies.

  • Courtney November 18, 2009, 5:51 pm

    Over the past year or so, I’ve given a lot of thought to vegetarianism/veganism, and I’ve read a lot of blogs of people who are one or the other, and although I am neither at the moment, I am seriously considering going vegetarian in the very near future. I don’t think I could ever go fully vegan [I love yogurt and cheese and chocolate WAY too much!] but I’m definitely giving it a try tomorrow!

    • Ryan @ Greens for Good November 18, 2009, 6:00 pm

      Hi Courtney! Most dark chocolate is vegan 🙂 I eat it all the time!

      • Courtney November 19, 2009, 3:04 pm

        I actually researched that after writing my comment — I’m so glad! I LOVE dark chocolate! It’s good to know that it would still be available to me if I decided to ever go that route!

  • Danielle November 18, 2009, 5:56 pm

    Wonderful post Caitlin! In the past few weeks I’ve noticed that I’ve been a vegan most of the time. It’s actually quite simple and fun and I am definitely enjoying what I eat 🙂 I think I’ll take on your challenge mañana. I can certainly survive without le chocolat for one day! Good luck to you!

    danielleabroad.com

  • kilax November 18, 2009, 6:04 pm

    Another vegan blogger! I can’t wait to read tomorrow’s post! I recommend trying veganism for a few weeks to truly see how it affects your energy levels.

    I don’t think vegetarians are hypoctrites! Everyone has to do what is right for them.

  • Ingunn November 18, 2009, 6:10 pm

    I’m looking forward to all the great posts in Bloglandia tomorrow! I recently went vegan again and am having so much fun with Veganomicon, a cookbook I would recommend to anyone – even our meat-eating friends loved the Veganomicon lasagna 😀

    Most of the dairy I ate before this was in pizza and milk chocolate, so even just cutting those out has made me feel a lot better physically.

  • Allison November 18, 2009, 6:19 pm

    I think I would like to try veganism for a while to see how it affects me. I have a crazy sensitive stomach, so it’s possible this could help. I don’t know if I could do a “vegan lifestyle” though. That list of “tricky products” is a little too tricky for me to cut out all of it!

    • Allison November 18, 2009, 6:20 pm

      I do find it a little hypocritical though that vegetarians eat eggs. I am a vegetarian but I choose not to eat eggs. I eat dairy frequently though.

    • Molly @vegandorm November 18, 2009, 8:39 pm

      Supermarket eggs are not fertilized. Meaning, there is no baby chick inside. What’s eaten is the food that the baby chick would eat while inside the egg.
      Veganism solved a lot of my stomach issues.

      For me, it’s all about the intention. If you’re aware of what you’re eating, it’s not really a challenge. For example, I’m sure no vegan has that list memorized. If you eat a diet low in processed foods, it’s easy to read labels, pick out the ingredients that you’re unsure about, and google.
      And of course, if you accidentally consume or use some obscure chemical that is derived from an animal product, I promise that lightning won’t strike you. 😉

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite November 18, 2009, 6:23 pm

    Going vegan for a day sounds interesting…. hmmmm….
    don’t know if i can do without the dairy….

  • Kristen November 18, 2009, 6:27 pm

    I’m NOT a vegan blogger, but I’m going to give being vegan for a day a try. Like you, I love dairy, but I think I can handle a day without dairy 🙂

  • Erin November 18, 2009, 6:32 pm

    I don’t feel like a hypocrite as a mostly vegetarian who eats dairy, but I also do it for health reasons, not moral. (ie I choose to eat only organic dairy and organic, antibiotic-free meat on the rare occasions I eat meat — maybe once every 2-3 months)

  • Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) November 18, 2009, 6:32 pm

    I’m not a vegan but I’d love to try it for a day! My doctor suggested that I cut back on dairy anyway since I eat WAY too much of it. (I love yogurt!)

    I’m excited to read your thoughts tomorrow.

  • Abby November 18, 2009, 6:34 pm

    I think it’s amazing that you’re going to try and be vegan for a day. Most people wouldn’t.
    For me, becoming vegan was much more difficult because of the general public’s reaction, like how whenever someone mentions veganism, a typical response is “I could never do that!” Before I tried it for myself, I thought it would be incredibly hard lifestyle when it really just took some adjusting of how I view meals, and doing a little bit of reading some vegan cookbooks. I was vegetarian for 2 years before I became a vegan, and when I was vegetarian, I never thought I could give up cheese and yogurt, but I finally decided that being vegan was one small step I could take towards changing the food industry in America. Once I made the switch, I discovered that for me, it was actually quite an attainable way of life.

  • MarathonVal November 18, 2009, 6:47 pm

    I’m a recent convert to veganism (from being a pescaterian) – it was gradual and I kind of “fell into it” over the summer.

    Since the transition, I have not felt restricted in the slightest and I actually find that cooking and inventing new recipes is so much more fun… somehow I feel much more creative and as if I have more freedom than ever in the kitchen!

    If you have any good questions about vegan substitutes, etc, let me know – I’ve come up with a knockout version of scalloped potatoes that I’m particularly proud of 🙂

    Happy “Vegan for a Day” Day!

  • Liz November 18, 2009, 6:57 pm

    I would be curious to hear from vegan commenters:

    1/ How do you deal with the challenges of eatng out, dinner parties, etc?
    2/ Do you also make a conscious effort to avoid animal products in your clothing and cosmetic choices? Why or why not?

    • Lindsey @ Sound Eats November 18, 2009, 7:43 pm

      1. Eating out is great when you have input over the choice of the restaurant, but that doesn’t always happen. For me, if it’s somewhere that I have no choice over, I’ll usually order a salad with lots of substitutions or additions (i.e. at a family dinner at Chili’s I ordered a side salad minus the cheese, croutons and dressing, and added steamed veggies or fajita veggies and a side of guac. The healthy fat in the guac alone will leave me feeling fuller longer).

      With dinner parties, I try to gauge my options in advance. If it’s something I don’t feel will be very vegan-friendly (i.e. a work event I had last Thursday), I will have a snack before hand (like multigrain pita chips and hummus), munch on any fresh veggies or anything at the event, and just come home to a small “dinner”.

      2. Animal products in clothing/ cosmetic choices: I am not as strict as this, because I went vegan for health reasons. Interestingly enough though, I find my heart growing more compassionate for animals the longer I’m vegan. Now I try to avoid animal products in shoes, clothing, cosmetics, etc., because honestly it skeeves me out. Besides – if I won’t put animal products in my body, why would I put animal products on my skin (the largest organ of my body)?

    • Molly @vegandorm November 18, 2009, 8:35 pm

      1- I find the best thing to do is bring a dish that you wouldn’t look at and think “VEGAN”. For example, I’ll make tofu for myself, but it turns a lot of people off. Instead I would bring a salad with nuts, or a bean dish, soup/stew, etc. That way other people would be comfortable eating, and of course I could enjoy it too. If it’s family or someone I’m super comfortable with, I just ask if they’d set aside something for me before adding the cheese/dressing/milk.
      2- This is something I have to work on. I watch for it in cosmetics and other products, but I do still own Uggs. And to be honest, I am having a hard time giving them up. I’m cold all the time, so they’re a winter staple. I don’t buy them for myself, but I definitely don’t turn them down. I am working on it, though.

    • Heather November 18, 2009, 9:42 pm

      1. I do a lot of research and look at restaurant reviews and menus. I politely ask questions (always with a smile!) at restaurants where I’m unfamiliar with the food and if I feel like I can’t “trust” that they’ll make something vegan for me (i.e. leaving butter off the veggies, a soup made with chicken stock, etc.) then I stick with salad and a side of brown rice/plain baked potato/etc. But generally, I try to recommend restaurants where I know what I can order. Example: I go to a local Mexican restaurant with my family and they only have vegetarian items on the menu, but NOT vegan, so I order a side of refried beans (they’re lard-free) without the cheese, a side of fajita veggies and a side of guacamole (fyi, be careful with guac – I’ve found a lot of places mix it with sour cream or yogurt and market it as “guacamole DIP” which is to assume save money). It’s just about asking questions, doing some research, and a little common sense. I stopped eating at a lot of Thai places since they use fish sauce in nearly EVERYTHING and I have a hard time believing that they’ll make mine fish-sauce free. Ideally, I’d love it if my friends and family would eat at solely vegetarian/vegan restaurants with me, but I try to be sensible and respectful of their dietary choices, as well. As for dinner parties, I generally ask if I can bring something and then just create an awesome vegan dish that people will never think is weird (I’d never bring something with a faux-meat product or a protein like seitan or tofu – stick with some roasted veggies or a nice big salad).

      2. Personally, I do make a conscious effort about 85% of the time. Nobody is perfect, really. I wear second-hand leather (thrift stores) but really try to not purchase it myself. It’s easy to find leather-free purses and belts, but harder to find leather-free quality AND affordable dress shoes. I have a lot of leather and suede things from my pre-vegan days and I’m not going to give those up until they are unwearable because that’s just wasteful. But really, that’s been my biggest downfall. Makeup and other cosmetics (body wash, etc.) are way easier for me, with the exception of beeswax. I’m a “beegan” I guess because I don’t care so much about beeswax in my cosmetics, and finding a vegan mascara was the hardest thing ever, so I kind of got over it. That’s my personal stance, but others are stricter and I totally respect that.

      I didn’t mean to write a novel here. I think this Vegan for a Day thing is awesome and I love that people are so open to the discussion about it and are trying it. Rock on to all of you!

    • kilax November 18, 2009, 10:33 pm

      1. Like everyone else, I research my options in advance or rely on having a salad. As a vegan it is important to show that I am happy with “just a salad” so people don’t think we are restricting ourselves. I also count on not having anything to eat at a party, unless I can bring something, so I make sure I am not hungry.

      2. This is something I am working on! It’s going to take some time.

  • skinnyrunner November 18, 2009, 6:57 pm

    can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it and how you feel your body reacted to vegan for a day!

  • Michelle@eatingjourney November 18, 2009, 7:05 pm

    I am really excited about the amazing response for the day. Can’t wait to read about your day caitlin. Thank you for the pyramid and links..I just keep learning.

  • rebecca lustig November 18, 2009, 7:06 pm

    Oh, I am SOO trying it– can’t wait to read all the results 🙂

    tons of love,
    becca xo

  • Katie November 18, 2009, 7:10 pm

    I am vegan except my triple flex supplement has shellfish. I LOVE it food tastes better, I cook more and I feel SO much cleaner. I REALLY think it’s helped my running too!

    I can’t wait to read how everyone is doing on it tomorrow!

  • Betsy November 18, 2009, 7:12 pm

    I am totally up for being vegan for a day – my sister has been doing it for 10+ years, I should show her some solidarity.

  • Brynne November 18, 2009, 7:31 pm

    I’m not a vegan and I’m pretty sure I never could be. I love yogurt and eggs too much! I’m so interested to see what all the non-vegan bloggers choose to eat tomorrow – good luck Caitlin!

  • Jen @ This Vegetarian Life November 18, 2009, 7:33 pm

    I want to try it, BUT tomorrow is our annual Thanksgiving potluck at work. While I love everyone I work with, they all think I’m a freak for being vegetarian. I don’t know if there would be anything for me to eat besides the spicy carrots I plan on bringing.

    Hmm, I need to think about it a little longer. 🙂

  • Jessica @ How Sweet It Is November 18, 2009, 7:41 pm

    I’m looking forward to seeing your meals tomorrow. I am going to try vegan tmw!!

  • Runeatrepeat November 18, 2009, 7:49 pm

    I’m on board for vegan 4 a day. I was vegan for a while way back in the day and decided it was too much for me. Tomorrow should be fun 🙂

  • Jessie (Vegan-minded) November 18, 2009, 7:51 pm

    I am so excited to see so many people willing to go vegan for the day! I have been vegan for almost 4 years and I think some people may be surprised at how easy it can be. Feel free to check out my blog for ideas and recipes. 🙂
    http://veganmindedblog.com

  • Jenna November 18, 2009, 7:55 pm

    good luck with vegan for a day! it seems really hard!
    jenna

  • Amanda (modernation) November 18, 2009, 8:03 pm

    I am participating! But I tweaked it a bit and am participating throughout the week at certain meals, but not a whole day at a time. I have been having fun learning, being creative with recipes and just being more conscious about my eats!

  • Pure2Raw Twins November 18, 2009, 8:04 pm

    I have seen this vegan week all over Twitter and think it is great that people are giving it a try. I know for some it can be scary or limiting, but it is so the opposite. There are so many “goodies” you get to play around with in the kitchen. I have been vegan for 2 years going on 3. It was a gradually change from first cutting out red meat, then poultry, then fish and eggs, and dairy of course. My advice is take it slow and have an open mind. Have fun with : ) Being vegan does not mean you cannot have good tasty meal, nor have fun there are vegan wines : )

  • sarah (ghost world) November 18, 2009, 8:25 pm

    i’m participating as a TOTAL omnivore! i have no intention of becoming vegan or even vegetarian (i don’t like labels or limitations related to food, and uhhh . . . i like meat!) but i am very interested in increasing my intake of vegan foods because i am concerned about the environmental and economic impact — basically, the ethics — surrounding meat and dairy.

    i have a 20 mile run planned for tomorrow (marathon traning!) so it will be an interesting adventure to be fueling with 100% vegan fuel . . . i’m both nervous and excited about it!

    question: aren’t all wines vegan?? i thought they were all grapes!

  • Molly @vegandorm November 18, 2009, 8:29 pm

    Vegan blogger!
    And a division 1 college cross country and track runner! (plus a gazillion other activities)
    And (obvi) I live in a college dorm.
    I’d love to answer any questions, especially for students trying to transition!

    • ari November 19, 2009, 9:22 am

      just found your blog and will be consulting it frequently as i am a vegetarian college student living in a dorm looking to go vegan!

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) November 18, 2009, 8:39 pm

    I can’t wait to hear about your day tomorrow! I am interested to see what you eat!

  • Janessa from Epicuriousvegan.blogspot.com November 18, 2009, 8:40 pm

    I’m a vegan blogger, and super happy to see veganism even being discussed in the blogosphere. It makes me smile! 🙂

    To reply to Liz’s question:

    I’m incredibly lucky to live in Portland, where vegan options abound almost everywhere. Today for lunch I had a grilled ‘cheese’ sandwich with seitan, jalepenos, and panko-toasted bread. And that was just from a little lunch cart. Options like this abound here!
    As far as dinner parties or traveling, I don’t have too hard of a time. There’s usually at least a salad or some bread at least, and any kind of ethnic food (Thai, Indian, Japanese, even Mexican) usually has a lot more vegan options that traditional American restaurants. I think once you know what to look for on menus, it’s not too difficult.
    Americans eat only 25% of the available foods in the world. There’s so much food variety out there, and not eating meat or dairy has actually broadened my diet considerably.

  • Amy November 18, 2009, 9:38 pm

    I’m basically vegan, but I don’t really call myself such because I don’t want to put the pressure on myself to always have to eat vegan (although I do 99% of the time anyway). My one downfall is creamer for my coffee. I’ve tried the soy stuff…blech! I’ve tried almond milk…too watery. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good vegan coffee creamer? Thanks!

    • Janessa (epicuriousvegan.blogspot.com) November 19, 2009, 2:48 am

      Amy, Silk and Trader Joe’s both have vegan creamer that’s awesome. It doesn’t get all curdle-y in your coffee like soy milk or almond milk. There’s also a new coconut creamer that just came out–it’s a little harder to find, but if you’re watching your soy intake, it’s awesome.

  • Heather November 18, 2009, 9:45 pm

    This is so awesome. Can’t wait to see what all of y’all eat tomorrow!

    For an awesome fall-inspired vegan dish, I recommend the Pumpkin Ziti with Carmelized Onions & Bread Crumbs from Veganomicon. You can luckily find the recipe on Google Books! http://books.google.com/books?id=tjN8uJETBpIC&pg=PT214&lpg=PT214&dq=pumpkin+ziti+veganomicon+recipe&source=bl&ots=tyGcz-UD7S&sig=sAvZNc0mchR3FSwnRvQhEHWZ-u8&hl=en&ei=IrIES-mDIs3gnAe-ksVn&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CCMQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=&f=false

  • Marissa November 18, 2009, 10:47 pm

    I’m a vegan. I don’t normally blog my eats but I am tomorrow 🙂

  • Margie November 18, 2009, 11:02 pm

    I will be participating in Vegan 4 A Day. I just came off of eating vegan for about a week. It’s a little hard but easy to adapt to.

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) November 18, 2009, 11:32 pm

    I’m doing a vegan for the day. I’m excited for a new challenge.

  • Angi November 19, 2009, 1:37 am

    I’m a meat eater (horrid college food), but I think I’d do vegan for a day thing. (I know wine is filtered with cow’s blood or at least used to be.) I love cheese and other meat materials, so yeah…:D

  • Emily Eats November 19, 2009, 1:56 am

    Some days I find I naturally fall vegan, but I had never looked at the pyramid before ~ that’s a lot of grain to be eating in comparison to fresh produce etc! I always thought it would be the other way around, with the majority of the diet being veggies 🙂

    • Anne November 19, 2009, 2:03 am

      This is one interpretation, it’s not the ‘official’ food pyramid. Dr. Fuhrman (and I) for example would totally agree with veggies on the bottom, then grains.

  • Anne November 19, 2009, 2:01 am

    ‘To determine whether I feel like I’m being restricted by a vegan diet.’

    You probably will, because you’re used to certain kind of foods, which you choose not to eat for a day (one of my pet peeves is people saying I can’t eat something or am not allowed to eat something because it’s not vegan… no, I don’t WANT it…). Just a warning. 🙂

  • D November 19, 2009, 4:15 am

    I follow a mainly vegan diet for health and ethical reasons, although I agree with the person who posted that intention is such a huge part of the decision. I don’t think I could ever say I will make hard and fast rules for myself, because that’s setting up for failure. My goal is to eat the least amount of animal products possible, within my personal limits. I don’t eat meat, poultry, eggs or dairy, although I do occasionally have fish. For me, the importance of being able to go out and enjoy a meal at a restaurant with my boyfriend or family is enough for me to eat fish. However, I wouldn’t ever cook it at home because I find it unnecessary, and I still ask for no butter/cheese etc at the restaurant. Just becuase I eat fish once in a while doesn’t mean I have to go eat any other animal products, in my opinion. Transitioning into this point has completely broadened my food horizons and I find it in NO way restricting. I try FAR more food now than I did before, and instead of grabbing the usual Fage pots and “veggie burgers” at the store, I check ingredients, look for new products, try new snacks, etc. And I actually learned to cook for the first time this summer (I’m only 20!) and I did it on entirely vegan recipes (Veganomicon). I made casseroles, pies (including vegan pastry from scratch), soups, stocks, sauces, hummus, granola, vegetable dishes, grains, etc and I don’t think my food would ever be so creative if I didn’t have the “vegan” motivation. I can’t wait to read the outcome!

  • sarah (ghost world) November 19, 2009, 6:49 am

    oh man — i’m heartbroken about wine! who knew!??

  • ari November 19, 2009, 9:06 am

    i TOTALLY AGREE about vegetarians being hypocrites. i’m a vegetarian, and feel like a hypocrite whenever i eat dairy or eggs. actually, i never really eat eggs since i try to eat as few animals products as possible; the only exceptions i make are for desserts because i just love them way too much. i eat oikos occasionally because i also just love that way too much. but whenever i do, i feel guilty =/ dairy farming practices really are terrible. i’ve made myself a deal that once i finish the oikos i have in my fridge, i’m going to go vegan for a week! we’ll see how that works out. because vegan desserts are sometimes even more delicious than non-vegan, though they are much harder to find. i’m excited to see how your vegan day goes!

  • ari November 19, 2009, 9:16 am

    also, i wanted to say that i think it’s incredibly easy to avoid obvious animal products like dairy and eggs and even honey if you choose, but much much harder to pick out obscure ingredients that come from animals, like in the list of wines in your other post. most people wouldn’t know that without doing hella research?.

  • Katia November 19, 2009, 9:23 am

    I read your blog all the time and I’ve never commented but I want to THANK YOU for talking about this issue. I can’t wait to read your post about the “million dollar question” I’ve recently become a vegetarian also for my love of animals and people are always telling me I’m a hypocrite because I eat dairy and eggs and it’s frustrating because I never know what to respond… I’m anxious to read what you have to say 🙂

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Eat November 19, 2009, 12:31 pm

    Another vegan blogger here 🙂 I can’t wait to see how your day goes and I wouldn’t rule it out just yet…I don’t know what your reason is but I once said on my own blog that I would never even go fully vegetarian and here I am.

    Good luck, hope you enjoy it!

Previous post:

Next post:

Healthy Tipping Point