My version of vegan

As I don’t consider myself a typical vegan, I thought I would share a little bit about what my version of vegan looks like. 

I am not a strict vegan. I went vegan mostly because I wanted to. I enjoy eating a vegan diet over a traditional meat diet as I find it aids my digestion better. 

Although I run a business supporting hospitality businesses to better serve guests with dietary requirements, I don’t consider myself a preachy vegan. It would also be quite hypocritical of me to do so too, as I have ‘gone off the waggon’ on more than one occasion. 

Enjoying calafate ice cream in Chile

Including here, in this photo. The ice cream was definitely vegan, but who knows about the cone!

Sometimes I think I need to talk about my preferences a bit more. On more than one occasion I have gone to someone’s home without mentioning it (doh) - luckily I have a husband who lets people know in advance.

Saying you’re vegan often gets you bundled up in climate change activism too. I don’t mind this at all, but it can be a little awkward when people assume you are a climate expert, just because you’re not eating the steak. 

How it started 

Back in 2019 I went vegan mostly for my health. I had been living in digestive discomfort for so long I had begun to think it was normal. The most obvious reason for this discomfort was IBS so I started to avoid gluten, but still I was in pain. 

Separately, I decided to do Veganuary as I had noticed I wasn’t enjoying meat and I had learnt so much about the dairy industry I could no longer stomach it. Within two weeks of going vegan I was living without pain. Gluten was back on the menu!! I was no longer bloated at the end of the day (I would go to bed with a rock hard bloated stomach and wake up completely deflated). 

And the best part for me and everyone around me, I wasn’t suffering with uncomfortable wind anymore. All the digestive discomfort I thought was normal had gone! 

The month I was going to do Veganuary for, has turned into years and I haven’t looked back. Being vegan works for me. 

How it’s going

The vegan police have a warrant out for my arrest because I have been known to nibble on cheese, drink non vegan wine, debone and eat an entire fish and probably a few more unthinkables. 

I was pretty strict, living within the boundaries I was comfortable with for many years, up until I went to South America for 3 months. I knew before going there was a chance I would be eating more dairy products and possibly even fish. 

What I didn’t expect was to find myself choosing pastries in the bakery just because, but hey that is where I found myself.  

In the 6 months since, I have continued to be more lax. I still consider myself plant based and if I am cooking for myself I will only cook vegan produce, however, I am starting to be more relaxed when friends and family are cooking for me.

What’s not changed

I love to try all the new products. As a non-vegan, if a brand I liked brought out a new treat product or a new flavour I would make sure to try it. This is absolutely the same for me as a vegan. In fact it’s worse now because I want to try ALL the vegan products even if they were not something I would have eaten as a non vegan. 

Nutella have recently released their plant based version and I am desperate to try it. The only thing stopping me is that I never ate nutella as a non vegan so what am I going to do with an entire jar as a vegan! I need one of those small sachets you get at hotel breakfast buffets or happen to be in the supermarket at the same time as the samples are being given out. Even writing this, I know I am going to cave and get myself a jar.

What does my version of vegan look like to me

I do not consider myself a vegan. I tell people I am a vegan as it is easier to understand, but I would call myself plant based. 

One area I am really strict with veganism is cosmetics and toiletries, I don’t ever stray. There are so many good products on the market that work for me, I see no reason to have non vegan ones in my toiletry bag.

An area I am not strict at all is clothing. This is a tricky one that I go back and forth on. To avoid animal products in clothing, can mean choosing a plastic alternative. It often means choosing a lesser quality product too. There’s a reason we’ve been using leather and wool for thousands of years; they make great products. 

To help make conscious choices when shopping, I will only purchase animal products if I will love the item forever, if the vegan alternative is of a lesser quality, and if it will last forever and can be repaired. This approach works for me.

If my husband is cooking for me, I let him use butter (neither of us wants to eat margarine).

If I go to people’s homes and they serve me something vegetarian rather than vegan, I will eat it. 

I will eat eggs from garden chickens (chickens running around my friends' gardens). 

When I travel I take a vegan-flex approach.

My version of veganism is a bit loosey goosey which works for me. Dietary requirements are often scrutinised, but really as long as we’re eating foods we enjoy it is none of anyone else’s business. 

Vegan-flex when travelling

Vegan-flex is a word my husband coined while we were travelling and I was indulging in patisserie. 

He explained it to me as someone who is mostly vegan (me), but chooses to go outside of the vegan boundaries when they wish to (also me).

The more I have travelled the more I have understood the importance of this flexibility. 

You can always find a vegan option - true

Sometimes that option is chips, processed food, or a leafy salad and trust me when you’re starving after a long hike, a leafy salad is the last thing you want to be served. Plus, not getting enough nutritionally is much harder to make up for when you’re on the road and not totally in control of your next meal. 

I share some of my vegan travel tips here.

On my first holiday as a vegan my husband organised us a boat trip to an uninhabited island. We were a small group and had the most fantastic day on the boat and enjoying a white sand island. 

The most incredible BBQ was served for lunch. Freshly caught fish, salads, potatoes. It was delicious. I was given my own plate, with vegan sausages. I didn’t think much of it at the time because I was very impressed and happy there was something for me. It was only afterwards, I realised I had missed out on what would have been a unique experience and a much healthier meal - I should have had the fish.

Tangent: It was on this trip that I locked eyes with a humpback whale. One of the best nature experiences I have ever had. It was only for a couple of seconds as it was surfacing, but when I whale sees you, it really sees you. It was a very powerful experience. 

Making yuka bread in the Amazon

A few years later, we visited an Amazonian village, where the only food available was freshly caught fish. I could have chosen not to eat, but I didn’t. I watched as it was prepared and cooked right in front of us, and when I ate it, I felt something more than just full. That meal stayed with me, not just the taste, but the care and effort behind it, and the reality that something had given its life to feed me. I don’t know if the others felt the same; maybe to them it was just lunch. But for me, it was a moment that made me pause, and pay attention.

I am happy to make these choices now. I have the control over when I flex. I find myself listening to my intuition more. Sometimes I have a little cheese nibble at a wine pairing and sometimes I’ll happily sit it out.

Vegan-flex is needed so we don’t miss out

While I’m happy to vegan-flex when travelling, it’s only for the occasional meal or experience I truly don’t want to miss. Most of the time, I want to be eating plant-based, and I know I’m not alone. Those of us with dietary requirements understand that sometimes, missing out is part of the deal, but really, that should be the exception, not the norm. Surprisingly, it’s not in the depths of the Amazon where we’re left out, it tends to be the big resorts, the places you expect will know better.

If you think your hospitality business could use a sprinkle of Vegan Con Carne magic, get in touch. I can show you how easy it is to please guests with dietary needs!