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Becoming Vegan

On this page there is a simple guide informing you on how to become vegan in a few simple steps.  If you are at all unsure please visit your doctor and ask their advice.

This is the way I would advise becoming vegan as it worked for me.  But this method may not suit everybody, it is just a recommendation.  You should do whatever you are happy with and what suits you best.

Step 1:- Research

I would advise doing a lot of research on the vegan diet before embarking on it.   Being a vegan, you need to have a sound idea of nutrition.  You should also know a lot of what the vegan diet entails.  There are quite strict limitations on what you can eat.  You should find information on the vegan diet and read up on it as much as you can.  You should find out where you can get your nutrients from.  Be careful not to get too bogged down with the details.  Try and keep it as straightforward as possible. 

Step 2:-  Observe

Have a look around your local supermarket and see what food is available for you.   Try and find out where you can get food for yourself and your meals.  Look in your local health food shop as well to see what is available there.   See what you do like and you don't like and find out what you have never tried before.  This is the key stage in finding out whether a vegan diet is feasible or not.

Step3:- Buy a vegan cookbook

Go to a good reputable bookshop and buy yourself a straight-forward vegan cookery book. If your an experienced cook - you can obviously buy yourself a more complicated book, but whatever your level buy a cookery book that is easy for you to use. There are many vegan cookery books on the market and there are always new ones coming along.  One book and author I would highly recommend is Rose Elliot and her book Vegan Feasts.  It's a great cookery book with recipes like mushroom pate and red pepper soup with basil.

Step 4: Try a vegan recipe

Try a recipe that appeals to you from a cookery book.  Or you can try a recipe from the ones provided on this website.  There are many recipes and you should hopefully find one you will like!  Read the recipe through and see what is required.   Buy the ingredients and try it one day. 

Step 5:- Convert

If all has gone well so far the next step is to convert over to veganism if you're sure.  There are two ways I would recommend doing this.  You can choose either one or if you have your own idea of converting go ahead with that.  You are the one who know best after all.  Here are the two methods:-

a) Gradually - start having a vegan meal once a week.   Then gradually over time increase that to twice a week, three times and so on until you're having vegan meals all the time.

b) Quickly - just throw yourself completely into veganism at once.  Start eating everything vegan straight away.  Stop eating dairy products and/ or meat and just be vegan.

Step 6:- Ensure

Try and be aware that all the foods you are eating are vegan.  Check the ingredients lists of the foods you eat and see if they contain any animal based ingredients.  There is a page called Animal Ingredients to help you with that.  If you aren't sure an easy way of finding out is to just write to the manufacturers of the product.  Another quick and easy way to find out is to see if the Vegan Society's seal of approval is on it.   That will tell you it is vegan or not.

I hope this helps all of you would be vegans!  If there is anyway I can help just contact me using the correct page!

© VeganIreland 2000