People ask me all the time: Are you ever tempted to eat non-vegan food?
For the first month after I became a vegetarian, meat cravings definitely hit! In fact, I can remember one specific time where I had my nose right up to a hamburger, thinking “Maybe I should just give in and eat it. It smells so good.” But I knew that no matter how good that one burger would taste, I’d regret it later. (In other words, the enjoyment I’d have gotten from eating it wouldn’t have trumped the sadness I’d later feel from having given up my vegetarian values.) So I persevered. And, as the first month came to an end, something amazing happened. Suddenly, my mind perceived that once-appealing burger to be grotesque; the last thing I’d wish to consume. No longer was I enticed by the smell. In fact, the opposite was true: I didn’t like the smell at all! I’d survived the first month of being a vegetarian, and I knew it was going to be smooth sailing from there.
Same thing when I became a vegan. At first I craved ice cream like it was nobody’s business. And I had it harder than my vegan friends here in the US, because I became a vegan whilst living in China, where there was no such thing as So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream! (Of course, they also eat very little cheese in China, so at least I didn’t miss that all too much; I’d not been eating much of it anyway. Actually, my accidental situation with not eating much cheese right before becoming vegan is a piece of advice I often give to newbie vegetarians or vegans: Do NOT replace the meat or cheese in your diet with veg substitutes right away. Your mind will want to compare what your eating to its non-vegan version. And if your mind wants a steak, it won’t be satisfied by Lightlife chick’n strips. That’s like eating a cocoa-dusted rice cake and expecting it to taste like chocolate mousse pie. It just isn’t going to happen! Instead, look to naturally-vegetarian foods that taste nothing like the steaks/fish/cheese you remember.
More on my personal story here: My Path To Veganism.
At first, look to naturally vegetarian foods, such as fruits, beans, and vegetables. Once you stop craving the animal products (or when you forget what they taste like), then you can try those fake meat and cheese products if you want. Chances are you won’t even want to, because you won’t crave these foods at all anymore. An exception to the above advice is vegan ice cream, baked goods, and non-dairy milks. They make such good vegan substitutes nowadays that you can easily find foods to satisfy your dairy cravings!
Or you can make your own vegan substitutes, as is the case with this PB Banana Ice Cream.
Nowadays there are so many amazing non-dairy ice creams on the market that it’s easy to satisfy one’s ice-cream craving and live cruelty-free at the same time. Soy not your thing? No problem—you can buy ice cream made from a base of ricemilk, almond milk, oatmilk, or even coconut milk! And if you’re not big on the first brand you try, don’t give up; the tastes (and flavors) of these non-dairy ice creams are as varied as the customers who buy them. I did miss squirt whipped cream for the first few years after going vegan. But now, thanks to Soyatoo, we vegans can have our whipped cream and eat it too!
Do I miss other non-vegetarian products? Honestly, the first month was hard. I had huge hamburger cravings! But you know the saying “28 days to break a habit”? It really seems to be true, because suddenly the thought of eating meat became revolting to me. Same thing with cheese after I’d been a vegan for about a month. Now I can’t even stand the smell of cheese.
McKenzie says
I’ve been vegetarian for about 2-3 years now, and while I don’t get any cravings for actual meat, I get cravings for the flavours I associate with some meats, if that makes sense. So like I don’t crave ribs because of the meat, but because of the barbecue sauce, or I’ll crave the spice flavour of Italian sausage. But I can’t just eat barbecue sauce out of the bottle or lick Italian spice blends off my fingers, so I usually go with the fake meat products just so I can get those flavours onto something. 😛
seemichellecook says
I would miss yogurt but I think I could figure it out. Chicken would be difficult but I could do it. Eggs would be my hardest. I think they’re the perfect food super good for you.
sac875 says
Two good things to know:
Beyond Eggs (google it)
http://beyondmeat.com
Pine Apple says
I went vegetarian when I was seven and hadn’t eaten too much meat to begin with, just the odd sausage or meatball marinara and other meatstuffs kids like, and I never craved anything really. I do think it’s easier to go veg at such a young age because my taste buds weren’t fully trained yet, whereas meat is a well-established staple food for persons who turn vegetarians at a later point in their lives.
It wasn’t that different with veganism (I went vegan about a year ago), I had been eating vegan-ish for a few years (using non dairy milks etc., just to change things up a bit) and had an already broad vegan food repertoire by the time I actually switched to full veganism.
Whenever I’m at my parent’s, however, I realise how much our lifestyles differ because their kitchen offers next to nothing for me! It lacks all the basics that turn plants into yummy vegan meals, I always do a grocery store raid before visiting, otherwise it’d be fruit salad day in, day out for me, lol.
Lauren @ 40Apples says
Sometimes the smell of meat gets to me – i.e. bacon, haha – but I’ve ALWAYS hated the taste of it, so I never actually want to eat it. I honestly never crave meat, probably because my taste for it dwindled long before I “officially” went veg. It’s the dairy (ahem, ICE CREAM!) that I have trouble avoiding, hence my reluctance to go fully vegan. Although, oddly enough, I don’t crave cheese either. Guess it’s just the ice cream. And yogurt. 🙂
JV says
one reason i know i’ll never eat meat again is because i’m disgusted at the idea of the texture and consistency that meat always had for me. needless to say i was pretty surprised last week when i was craving meat for exactly those two reasons. i fought it for as long as i could but finally ended up at The Loving Hut for some “beef” and broccoli. their faux meats are exactly like the real ones, which is why I don’t normally order them but last week it scratched the itch and all is well and vegan in my body 🙂
Nichole says
Great post Katie, I have been a vegetarian for almost 2 years now, flirting with veganism for the past 1 year so, when I say flirting it is basically I don’t purchase those items (dairy, eggs etc) but when there is nothing but those items when I am at a party etc I might indulge a little. However I totally agree with staying away from imitation meats, cheeses because it is harder to remove those from your diet if you are constantly looking for a subsitute.
erikka says
Im a Nursing Student and the only Vegan in the class. Ive read so much on Nutrition and Veganism I feel like I could teach the class myself. The Professor emphasizes a plant based diet but doesnt believe in Vegeterianism or Veganism and is very blunt about that too. Even when I was little I would only eat 1/3 of my Steak / Chicken and give the rest to my dog to finish. They got more nutrients out of that meal than I did. I also started having digestion problems since I couldnt digest meat or dairy properly anymore. I know stick to natural foods and alternatives every once in a while.
Tricia says
When i first went vegetarian, it was super easy because i didn’t miss meat whatsoever, and now, after having given up dairy for a couple of weeks, i don’t miss that all that much also. I guess i just forget what meat tastes like– kinda. I was never a big meat or cheese eater anyway 😉
Erica says
I’ve been a vegan for 7 months and a vegetarian for about 8 years before that, so I’ve had some experience in the ‘cravings’ department.
I can legitimately say I’ve never had a craving for meat – I went cold-turkey (excuse the pun) with no preamble when I was 13 and never looked back. It was a long time ago, but I don’t remember ever having cravings for meat.
However, dairy was a bit of a problem shortly after becoming vegan. I admit I had dreams about eating a veg cheeseburger – in all fairness that was probably because I spent the month prior eating nothing but cereal, toast and granola bars thanks to a brutal courseload and exam prep.
Now that I’ve smartened up my eating habits, I don’t have any cravings. The only thing I miss in being a vegan now would be ease in ordering restaurant food and draught beer (easily solved by claiming allergies – at the suggestion of my twin – and ordering bottled beer).
Erica says
It’s probably worth mentioning that now even the smell of meat is mildly nauseating. Cheese too is pretty gross now – especially when you consider what it is (fatty, moldy congealed dairy made using rennet, a stomach enzyme byproduct of the veal industry – ick!). I’ll stick with my nooch sauce (seriously, nooch is like crack for vegans) 🙂 healthy and cruelty-free never tasted so good.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Agreed 100%! I seriously think they are putting some illegal substance in nooch. Whenever I eat a little, I want more… and more… and more! 😉
Sarah B. says
I think that I would miss fish the most. My family doesn’t eat red meat or poultry but we eat a lot of fish, especially salmon. I <3 salmon 🙂
libraryscene says
Interesting posts all around! I have not had red meat for over 20 years and have been pretty much a “strict vegetarian” for at least 4 years (I cannot call myself vegan since I do wear animal products such as wool, silk and leather shoes.). I had a sports doctor actually recommend I stop dairy (I hadn’t had milk for at least 10 years by that time, but still ate cheese) to deal with a stomach issue. I was so amazed by how much better I felt after couple of weeks that the cravings didn’t outweigh the joy of not feeling icky after I ate. Ended up, I’m allergic to caesin (milk protein) which is used in tons of veggie “meat” products, so I ditched all the fake stuff, too. I think that all “diets” take time, but over the years I’ve become a firm believer in the mental and physical benefits of a plant based diet, so much so that I don’t miss the other no matter how good it may smell or look.
As an aside, my biggest obstacle, refined sugar! I’m not a chocolate girl, but I love sugar bombs, like candy corn! This will be my first Halloween without my beloved candy corn pumpkins ~ let’s just say that I’m making a lot of raw energy balls (versions of your babies ;))! I’m better for it since I suffer from low blood sugar anyway and it went crazy last year with all my pumpkin stashes!
Just to clarify that I’m not a food saint ~ organic popcorn with nutritional yeast, chili pepper, Braggs and fresh lime juice is my crutch! Not terrible for ya, but not a health food either! One big reason I could never go raw!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Wow, over 20 years?! That’s seriously awesome. And lol I’ll give you all my candy/popcorn if you send the chocolate my way ;).
libraryscene says
Lol~ I was going to try to delete my post as it is sooo long, but you’ve already been kind and replied! As for 20 years, not such a feat when close to 40! 😉
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Are you kidding? Long comments, where people really share about themselves, are the best! Makes me feel a little less silly for sharing so much of my life with strangers ;).
Sarah says
Hey Katie,
I love your blog and your recipes. I’m from Germany and things like larabars are not sold here- thanks to you I can now enjoy them 😉
I want to ask you one thing: You seem to use soy whip from soyatoo a lot. How do you store it? Because anytime I put mine in the fridge i have to throw the can away, because nothing comes out anymore. Do you store it somewhere else?
Thanks a lot
Sarah
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Aw thanks, Sarah!
Unfortunately, those mean old soyatoos do the same thing to me! If you read the instructions on the back of the container VERY carefully and do EVERYTHING it says EXACTLY, you have a better chance of them working after the first time. So, in other words, take the bottle out 10 minutes before trying to spray, wash the nozzle as soon as you spray, etc. Read the directions and follow them to the letter.
But I can’t say I don’t still have trouble every once in a while. Actually, I rarely even buy the stuff anymore. The one in my fridge now is a few months old. (Hmmm… perhaps I ought to throw that out lol!) And every now and then, even if I follow the instructions religiously, it still refuses to come out. That’s when I return it to the store. Hey, those things aren’t cheap!
Good luck :).
Lyza Muckler says
I never had any meat cravings period, oddly enough. I did however suffer through some extreme icecream craving/binging, which eventually stopped, and as of now I’m animal product consuming free for 3 months 🙂
I have accidentally eaten things that I didn’t realize had dairy in them because it was hidden in the “natural flavors,” of the ingredients. Ugh 🙁
Lyza Muckler says
I just realized though that I kind of gradually weaned myself off meat over a few year period though, just subconsciously through the process of selecting foods that made me feel healthier, before really deciding I might as well be vegetarian (and was starting my passion for the environment in this time period). So it’s not like I stopped “cold turkey” and suffered no cravings!! Just thought I would clear that up 🙂
Good says
Honey. We have a friend Who has bees Who make the best honey. That honey is “home” for me. And I missed yogurt, and pavlova, and cream. And fish!
All the substitutes for milk and cream where SO EXPENSIVE, there was no way I could have gone on. Now I just minimized the intake of meat to once monthly, and milk produce once weekly. All organic and local.
trajayjay says
If I went veg, I’d definitely miss milk and cheese. I like oatmeal (with milk) and I really like melted, stretchy mozzerella cheese.