What Can Vegans Eat?

If you are thinking about adopting a vegan diet, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. While the rules of veganism seem straightforward, there are many pieces of the puzzle that can be somewhat confusing, whether you are just starting out or you are a lifetime vegan. We are here to help you discover the nuances of vegan eating, so that you can easily take the leap into an animal-free diet!

What Is Veganism Exactly?

A strict and true “vegan” is one who does not consume any animal products or animal byproducts in their daily lives. This can include refraining from using makeup tested on animals, not buying or wearing leather goods, and of course, in the dietary sense, avoiding all foods that are made from animals or using animal products. Most vegans morally protest the commoditization of animals in our world. Some vegans decide to be stricter than others and avoid all products or byproducts of animals. Today, we are breaking down the food aspect of veganism, but you will have to decide how strictly you want to adopt the vegan lifestyle. Typically people make the switch from eating animal products to veganism due to ethical concerns for the welfare of all animals. However, some also adopt dietary veganism as a personal preference or for health reasons. Whatever your reason for exploring the world of veganism, we are here to guide you through what that truly looks like and lead you through a successful transition. The Rules The most basic rule of food veganism is that you do not eat or drink anything that was made at the expense of animals. In a more practical sense, this means that vegans do not eat any type of meat, or anything that is made by an animal, commonly known as a byproduct. Animal byproducts include, but are definitely not limited to, milk, honey, and eggs. While these are the most commonly mentioned byproducts, this list is a lot more complex when it gets down to the nitty gritty. All of a vegan’s diet would be made up of plant-based products and substitutes for these animal products and byproducts.

So What Can Vegans Eat?

Okay, a vegan diet consists of everything plant-based and nothing animal-based. But what does that really mean? There are a great deal of food categories that are “mostly” or “sometimes” animal free, so it can be difficult to tell, especially if you are eating out. To help make this easier on you, we have divided this up into different categories so you know when you can feel 100% safe from animal products and when you should definitely avoid certain foods, and everything in between. Definitely Not Vegan: Foods to Avoid Meat of any kind (poultry, pork, beef, fowl, game, shellfish, or seafood) All types of eggs Dairy of any kind (milk or products containing milk) Gelatin Honey Definitely Vegan: Natural Foods That Are Always Safe We hesitate to say “always,” because there are so many ways in which an individual or a supplier can “un-veganise” your food, even by accident. However, most of the below foods are listed in their natural state, so as long as none of the above ingredients have been added to them, they will be safe for vegans. All nuts All legumes (all peas, all beans, lentils and peanuts) All fruits All vegetables All whole grains (but not necessarily all things made of them) Plant-based proteins like soy, seitan and pea protein Definitely Vegan: Specially Crafted Substitutes Egg replacers like Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer, flaxseed Baking soda or baking powder as egg replacement Vegan cheeses Vegan ice creams Soy or nut milks Nut butters Coconut milk Vegan nutrient powders like Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters Tofu meats (tofu dogs, tofurkey, tofu burgers, etc.) Soy meats (soy burgers, soy dogs, etc.) Seitan meats made from gluten (seitan ribs, Gardein, seitan burgers, etc.) Soy flour Mostly Vegan: Foods That Are Generally Safe Make sure you check the labels to make 100% sure before consuming any of these items! Crackers Oil and vinegar-based salad dressings Chips Bagels Pita Pretzels Popcorn Hummus Fruit candies Coffee Non-milk alcohols Dark chocolate Salsa Soy sauce Ketchup and mustard Sodas Fruit juices and juice drinks Many, many more! Maybe Vegan: Foods That Could Go Either Way Definitely check the labels on these foods, or search specifically for vegan-friendly brands. Granola bars Cereals Snack foods like Cheez-Its (not vegan), Oreo’s (surprisingly vegan), and Nutter Butters (vegan!) Prepared foods (always ask or check!) Frozen/microwave meals Soups Salads Sandwiches Many, many more!

How Do I Find This Stuff?

Great question! Veganism has been growing rapidly in the United States, and over 3.5 million Americans currently consider themselves to be vegan. This, coupled with the growing popularity of diets like the paleo diet, Whole 30, and others, have made finding vegan foods and vegan-friendly alternatives much easier than it was even 10 years ago. Still, it will likely always be easier to ensure your foods are vegan-friendly when eating at home and preparing all of your meals and snacks yourself. There are plenty of places to find vegan foods, one challenge being that most places do not carry 100% of what you need. If you have a specialty vegan grocery store in your area, then you are one of the lucky few who can visit a one-stop-shop for everything you need! Other options for finding ingredients include farmer’s markets as a great place to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables; specialty health food stores, like Whole Foods and Sprouts Markets, which do not specialize in vegan items but have a lot of compliant options and substitutes; or simply by making them yourself, such as almond milk, nut butters, or growing your own vegetables. A number of frozen meal providers are jumping on the vegan train these days, with brands like Annie’s Homegrown Organic leading the way. You can also order a lot of vegan staples online, such as Bob’s Red Mill flours or vegan egg substitute, or Vegenaise (a vegan mayonnaise spread). The rise of vegan substitute recipes has been incredible over the last few years! It only takes a quick Google search to find hundreds of recipes for cookies, cakes, faux meat dishes, and all of your favorites with only vegan ingredients. You may have to adjust your recipes, but you are sure to be able to enjoy all of your favorite dishes as a vegan! What About When I Eat Out? Sometimes making a home cooked meal every night just isn’t in the cards, we understand! As a vegan, you still want to maintain your daily life and social engagements, but that can be a little tricky with your new diet. You will need to understand that not everyone in your life is going to suddenly become vegan along with you, so learning to navigate restaurant menus and outings can be vital to your new lifestyle. There are vegan-only and vegetarian restaurants popping up across the country, especially in cities with large vegan populations like Seattle and Los Angeles. Check out the Happy Cow app to find vegan-friendly places near you with reviews, menu options, and other helpful information. These will be perfect for you and your vegan or vegetarian friends, but it may be slightly more difficult to convince your non-vegan friends to join you at these places. Luckily, most restaurants have at least some options for vegans these days, whether it be a veggie burger with a fruit bowl, or a robust salad selection. Just be sure to ask if the dish is vegan, in case they typically brush butter on the bun, for instance, or add creamy dressing on the salad. Butter is a best friend to many restaurant chefs, so always ask if it’s included in your meal! Some restaurants even have secret vegetarian menus that may have more options for you as well! If you’d like to increase your odds of finding a yummy vegan option, there are certain types of restaurants that lean away from animal-based foods. Suggest that your friends meet you at an Indian place, for instance, where there are tons of lentil-based or curry-based dishes that are vegan-friendly. Thai and Chinese restaurant menus are full of veggie rice dishes, noodle dishes, and yummy spring rolls that either naturally come vegan or can easily be made vegan. Mexican food is another friendly option, with guacamole, veggie fajitas, or bean burritos as easy options for vegans--just make sure to ask for no cheese! When you do go out to eat, there are a few things you can do to help yourself have the best experience possible. Many vegans suggest checking out the menu online ahead of time, or even calling ahead to discuss your options. Some chefs prefer this method as they have time to prepare. You can always make a meal out of carefully selected side dishes as well--beans, rice, and mixed veggies have all the nutrients you could need! If you have a bad experience, comment cards or online reviews could always ask for more vegan options to improve their menu in the future. We also suggest always bringing a bag of almonds or a vegan-friendly snack to help tide you over in case you do not find something compliant on the menu right away!

Is Veganism Healthy?

The vegan diet is actually very similar to a normal diet in this matter, because it truly depends on how you use it and what you choose to eat. Like we said earlier, Oreo’s and fruit candies are technically vegan, but we don’t have to spell out what would happen if you ate Oreos and Skittles every day. If you want to retain a healthy lifestyle while going vegan, you can easily do so; you just have to pay attention to what you eat and the nutrients in each--much like you would on a normal diet. The potential issue with vegan health is that you are not getting your proteins from eggs and meat any longer. Luckily, a lot of vegan foods include a hefty chunk of protein, including most of the meat substitutes you will find. Soy, seitan, and beans all have large amounts of protein in them. Leafy greens like kale, broccoli, and spinach also contain protein, as do lentils and quinoa. Use these as a base for your salads and main dishes, and you will have no problem reaching your recommended daily protein levels. Another consideration is variety in general. As far as vitamins and minerals go, a typical diet includes a large variety of different sources. Many vegans develop iron or vitamin deficiencies due to a lack of variety in their diets. To avoid this, simply do your best to eat different combinations of vegan dishes every day. One easy way is to try and eat things that are different colors (broccoli, strawberries, and black beans, for instance), as opposed to all brown grains or all green vegetables. Vegans should keep up their daily exercise at the same level as non-vegans, and do their best to receive all different nutrients in their daily intake in order to remain as healthy as possible. Overall, going vegan is significantly easier than it was in the past, but there are always going to be some challenges adopting a new dietary plan or lifestyle. We hope that these considerations help you think about what it would mean for you to go vegan for the first time, or help you become stronger in your veganism. No matter what reason you are thinking of going vegan, these tips can help you accomplish a successful, ethical, and delicious switch.