In just a few hours my meat-free month will be up. A challenge I set myself out of curiosity, both about whether I could keep to it for a month, and what I would learn on the way.
Keeping to it was much easier than I expected. It was a piece of cake – egg and dairy free of course.
And what I have learned? Quite a lot, as it happens.
- I can quite happily exist without meat in my diet
I didn’t miss meat a bit. Not one jot. Over the last few years I’ve been eating less and less meat so it didn’t come as a great surprise that I had no cravings for chicken, or ham or bacon. But I do love a nice medium rare steak. In fact, sometimes I actually crave it, so I did expect to have a raw, animal urge for red meat now and then. That never happened.
At the beginning of the month I made the decision not to bother with any meat replacements like Fake Bacon or Quorn or Linda McCartney’s Bangers. ARF. I did have some tofu just out of curiosity, but I wanted this challenge to be about learning about other types of food, not about trying to recreate all my usual meals with squashed up bean curd (yum).
I did miss cheese a little. Melted on pizza, particularly. And fluffy scrambled eggs with butter on a Sunday morning. But hey, I also miss watching The Raccoons on a Saturday morning, Fry’s Five Centres and my pre-pregnancy tits. Life goes on, eh?
- I now crave fruit and vegetables.
Yes, really. A big plate of rocket with balsamic vinegar. Sliced apples dipped into peanut butter. Ripe avocado on crusty bread with lemon and black pepper. Aubergines roasted until they’re soft and smoky. Red cabbage steamed in cider vinegar. Pears and blackberries with chia seeds sprinkled on top.
All of these things are truly delicious on their own, they don’t need to be nestled up to chicken or beef, or served beside ice cream (and definitely not both). I feel like my palate has been given a cold shower and my tastebuds slapped awake. I’m much more aware of the textures, tastes and colours of everything I eat.
- Having fewer choices makes life easier
This particularly applies to things like biscuits, sweets and alcohol. I’m not saying there’s not a world of options out there for vegans – that’s just not true. It’s easier than ever to be vegan, with the internet for research, and mainstream shops stocking Free From ranges as standard.
But when you walk down the biscuit or confectionery aisle of a supermarket as a vegan, it’s safe to say at least 75% of it is no longer for you. And for someone like me, who would happily scoff almost any biscuit, sweet or chocolate product on the market, this is no bad thing.
I think my tastes have changed. After a month of dark chocolate, the thought of Dairy Milk actually makes me want to gag and that is not a sentence I ever thought I would type!
The reduced options for sweet treats also works in your favour if you’re trying to be healthier or lose weight. If you go to a café, there might not be a vegan option, and if there is, chances are it might be fairly virtuous. When you know you can’t have those massive meringues smooshed together with cream then that’s it, temptation is out of your way.
- People are fucking weird (and also awesome)
They really are. I was not anticipating my personal choice would be so freakin’ offensive to so many people! What is that about?
I had a full house on the ‘what to say to vegans’ bingo card at least once:
- Why don’t you eat eggs?
- Why don’t you eat honey?
- Humans are meant to eat meat.
- Hitler was a vegetarian.
- Are those shoes leather?
- Health food shops are expensive.
- You need meat for nutrients.
- Plants have feelings too.
I now understand that some people feel uncomfortable when you change. It makes them feel bad about their choices, so they try to make you feel bad about yours.
Other people have been hugely encouraging, tagging me in recipe ideas on social media and recommending cafes and restaurants that do vegan dishes.
When I first considered trying veganism I dismissed the idea because I might ‘put people out’ if I visited them and they had to cook for me, or even make a cup of tea. That is one of the lamest reasons for not doing something I ever heard, but it is a valid concern – so this month I have always offered to bring my own food if I’m invited round to someone’s house (and I can also drink my tea black).
But really, it’s not that hard to be prepared for a visit from a vegan. Bourbon biscuits are 70p for a massive packet, and anyone can rustle up a bowl of pasta with some tomatoes and a clove of garlic.
- Vegan cheese is shit.
For real. It tastes like sick. All of it. Rotten.
So, what now? Will I be a full-time vegan? Probably not. I’ve proved to myself that I can stick to anything I put my mind to, and I’ve found lots of new dishes and flavours that I really enjoy.
I think I will stick with this plant-based diet 90% of the time. I’ll keep the oat milk and dairy-free spread. I doubt I’ll eat bacon or ham again anytime soon, and I’m not really interested in chicken.
But I don’t think I could ever give up that steak once a month. And a little bit of cheese every now and then. Cheese that doesn’t taste like sick.
Morrissey I’m not, but I’m making my choices mindfully and that’s what life is all about.
Mindfulness, and a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs on hot buttery toast…
Top vegan discoveries
- Vego – lush wholenut chocolate
- Oatly – the best non-dairy milk IMHO. Great in hot drinks or on cereal
- Graze cocoa and vanilla flapjack – like chocolate rice krispie cake
- Co-yo – coconut yoghurt alternative, great with granola or fruit
- Engevita – nutritional yeast flakes, delicious to add flavour to dishes
- Booja Booja ice cream and chocolate truffles – total luxury treat
- Caponata– Sicilian aubergine stew (my favourite new recipe), great on ciabatta
Do Not Touch The Lobsters 