Eating plant-based so far has treated us well. It has not been an easy switch but we are finding joy in trying new things and eating more plants!
Michael Pollan’s advice “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” is the perfect quote to describe a plant-based diet in my mind. So what the heck is plant-based eating and what does it mean for my family?
As I recently shared, our family began focusing on eating more plants and eliminating all animal products back in May. The switch has been challenging the hubs and my oldest who love meat, challenging for my heavy dairy baking and challenging to find new family favorites. We made the transition for our health, increase our daily energy, help with lingering injuries, reduce our carbon footprint through food, and show greater compassion towards our animal friends.
What plant-based looks like for us
Simply put, we are eating more plants, avoiding meat and poultry, occasional eating fish and eggs, and having little to no dairy. This is the version of plant-based that has fit our family and allowed us to shop/cook even during pandemic times in a healthy affordable way.
The first two months of this diet shift were almost 100% vegan as we explored different recipes, available products and ways of cooking. After that, we have relaxed a bit, and this is where we have found our sweet spot.
The hubs still has his occasional burgers or scrambled eggs, I have my good old pizza or butter laden pastry on special occasions and we still enjoy non-plant based take out every so often but overall we stayed about 90% plant-based eating.
Obviously this whole change has been much easier for us as adults compared to my kiddos. Their veggie intake is more sparse and they are still fairly picky. For them, we have shifted more vegetarian with the occasional fish.
Overall it’s been fun switching things up to a natural diet and I’ve gained some knowledge along the way. Here are the top five thing I’ve learned so far on our plant-based journey:
- Plant-based is not being Vegan
Eating plant-based means exactly that, eating more plants. It means focusing on whole foods derived from plants such as fruits, veggies, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. Vegan is a complete elimination of all animal products. Although being Vegan is an incredibly impressive noble feat, we have chosen to focus on moderation over 100% vegan because it works for our family right now.
- Start with recipes you love
I found the easiest way to love plant-based meals is to start with recipes you already love and modify them. Example: love Mexican food, make incredible loaded vegan tostadas. Love creamy pastas, switch to making cashew cream pastas. Love cereal or oatmeal, switch to using oat milk. Love desserts, bake vegan PB scotcheroos! This simple strategy has made it much easier and for for us to make the switch.
- Eat seasonally
I can’t stress this enough but eating what’s in season make better recipes! This year amidst the Covid and trying to stay home, we decided to finally sign up for a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
Essentially our CSA box is a biweekly subscription of locally grown fruits and veggies for a nearby farm. We pay a flat rate for the summer, and receive what is currently in season. This has made plant-based eating so much easier, fresher and yummier. Plus with so many veggies out there, it has forced us to get a bit more adventures (I’m looking at you kohlrabi slaw).
- Meal planning!!!
I’m always a big proponent of meal planning but this has been especially helpful when switching to plant-based. Trying new recipes yet also trying to limit grocery store trips during our 2020 pandemic has made meal planning crucial. It makes life so much easier and less stressful!
For more on meal planning head over to this post!
- Feeling extra good
Since we started focusing on plants, we have noticed a shift in how we feel. We feel lighter, more energetic, and more alert! The hubs has lost weight, I feel stronger, my skin is clearer, everyone is regular and we have more energy than before.
When you feel good physically, everything seems a little better. This has been good for our spirit in 2020.
Originally posted 2020-08-26 07:54:05.
Leave a Reply