How to Overcome Non-Vegan Food Cravings
Are you new to a plant-based diet? Do you feel challenged with cravings for the non-vegan foods you've enjoyed? Are you conflicted because you don't want to eat animal products, but the vegan foods you try aren't satisfying in comparison? (By the way, the burgers featured above are vegan!)
We hear about this all the time, especially in Veganuary when people are trying out a vegan diet for the month, or are struggling with a New Year's resolution to shift to a plant-based diet. We have a few ideas to help you stay the course and come to love and perhaps even prefer a vegan diet.
How do you quell urges for foods that are no longer part of your diet?
There are several reasons why you may have these urges, no matter what dietary changes you've made. Understanding what's driving them can help you more effectively quell them.
1. Your urges can be nutritional.
If you're not getting your nutritional needs met, your body may crave the foods you're historically familiar with to meet those needs. For example, if you're not eating enough plant-based proteins, you may crave chicken, eggs, or hamburgers because you relied on those for protein in the past. Your body is slowly learning new sources to meet its nutrient needs and at some point, you'll start to crave plant-based foods to meet your body's needs. You can review the nutritional content of your diet or contact me to coach you through meeting your nutritional needs as a vegan. Getting your nutritional needs met through a vegan diet is easy, but you need to be mindful. There are some nutrients that are less common in plants and some that are best met through supplementation, like Vitamin B-12. You can read more about meeting your nutritional needs here: Go Vegan.
2. Are your urges taste/texture cravings?
The first change many new vegans make is to try vegan substitutions such as Beyond Burgers, Mac 'n Cheese, Coconut Bliss Ice Cream, and plant-based milks. As much as we appreciate these, they are NOT the same as the animal-based products they replace and can leave you feeling disappointed. If this is the case, try experimenting with great vegan food recipes. Remember, you don't have to "substitute" a plant-based something for meat, milkshakes, and eggs. You can simply make food that is more satisfying and tastes better. Expand into food from other cultures like India, Italy, Thailand... There are super recipes here on our blog. Here are a few of them:
Vegan Lasagne: A favorite in our household and with our non-vegan friends and family.
Vegan Black Bean Soup and Refried Black Beans: Super healthy, high in protein, inexpensive to make, freezes well.
Vegan Polenta Pie: A simple, cost-effective casserole. It's like nachos on a spicy, veggie-filled polenta rather than chips. This also freezes well.
Explore the favorite recipes of 2020, including desserts, HERE.
3. Is it emotional?
Comfort food and culinary history are strong forces. Watch movies that focus on why vegan is a smart choice. Remind yourself of why you chose a plant-based diet and stick to your values. Trigger your emotions with these reminders to help you overcome the emotional desire to eat animal products. We have some recommended resources here: https://www.yourveganfamily.com/vegan-science
For those snack-time cravings, keep plant-based treats you love on hand to eat when you're feeling the urge for comfort foods. And, if you occasionally eat an animal-based food, that's okay! Sometimes transitions to new habits happen slowly. Every healthy, whole-foods plant-based meal you eat is a positive step for personal and planetary health.
We hope this helps. Plant-based foods can be a fun adventure! The craving for new culinary experiences and finding ways to meet your nutritional needs through a vegan diet will squeeze out your old animal-based go-to foods.
Stay strong and remember why you're choosing plants, and mindfully source the nutrition you need. Please share this article with others who need a little plant-based support.
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Written by Your Vegan Family
Stacy and Markus live a thriving vegan lifestyle with their two young boys. They write articles and offer courses to inspire you about plant-based cooking, teach you how to stay healthy and stay vegan, and moderate a private online Thriving Vegan Family Community where you can interact directly with them, other families, and plant-based enthusiasts about a vegan lifestyle, nutrition, and raising vegan kids.
They earned degrees in molecular biology and acupuncture, consulted over decades for healthcare companies and individuals, created businesses in Asian medicine, eco-tourism, cultural immersion, and taught yoga in myriad venues. They also offer individual health and wellness coaching to individuals who are motivated to improve the quality of their lives.
We’ve learned a lot from eating a plant-based diet for 25 years and are eager to help you have fun going vegan and stay vegan. Learn more on our About Us page.
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