Vegan has a really bad reputation for no reason. People hear it and go running in the other direction terrified that they will be getting preached about how animals suffer and force to eat tofu, beans and rice. I have had many encounters where as soon as I say I am vegan people give me weird looks say things like "OOOOHHH NOOOO" and for no reason at all start immediately telling me how they could never give up meat because it tastes too good.
What I want to inform all these haters is that when it comes to vegans, we do not only eat food that is vegan but also foods that happen to be vegan!! I would consider "vegan food" are foods that meat eaters and most people do not eat such as tofu, seitan, tofurkey, soy cheese, tempeh, almond/soy milk etc....
However, many vegans do not make foods like these their main food item at every meal. Vegans incorporate a lot of other foods into their diet that happen to be vegan (the obvious being fruits and vegetables) but snack foods such as chips, nuts, granola bars, most cereals, OREO COOKIES, many dinner side dishes before loaded with cheese or dressing are vegan to begin with, salsa, guacamole, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, hummus...the list goes on and on.
My goal in life is NOT to convert the world to veganism (although that would be nice and would save a lot of animals, the environment, and health problems) but my goal is to change the way people view veganism and inform people about why I chose to be vegan. I don't care if you do not like animals, but as long as you know that factory farming is a cruel practice that is the top cause of global warming and pollution - I don't care how you eat. Hopefully, knowing the health and environmental reasons for going vegan, once in a while when out to dinner or at home, instead of ordering that burger or making that steak, you will order the veggie burger and reach for the salad!
What I want to inform all these haters is that when it comes to vegans, we do not only eat food that is vegan but also foods that happen to be vegan!! I would consider "vegan food" are foods that meat eaters and most people do not eat such as tofu, seitan, tofurkey, soy cheese, tempeh, almond/soy milk etc....
However, many vegans do not make foods like these their main food item at every meal. Vegans incorporate a lot of other foods into their diet that happen to be vegan (the obvious being fruits and vegetables) but snack foods such as chips, nuts, granola bars, most cereals, OREO COOKIES, many dinner side dishes before loaded with cheese or dressing are vegan to begin with, salsa, guacamole, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, hummus...the list goes on and on.
My goal in life is NOT to convert the world to veganism (although that would be nice and would save a lot of animals, the environment, and health problems) but my goal is to change the way people view veganism and inform people about why I chose to be vegan. I don't care if you do not like animals, but as long as you know that factory farming is a cruel practice that is the top cause of global warming and pollution - I don't care how you eat. Hopefully, knowing the health and environmental reasons for going vegan, once in a while when out to dinner or at home, instead of ordering that burger or making that steak, you will order the veggie burger and reach for the salad!
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