& Company: Eating Vegan with Friends

The way to someone's heart is through their stomach, right? While diet is a personal practice, food is an important way we connect with others. Across cultures and continents, people love to talk about food. From cookbooks to Instagram accounts, we are now able to use food as a way to create networks and share ideas even without never meeting in person. When I first started to change my diet, no one in my close circle was vegan. I relied on books and social media to learn new recipes and ideas about veganism. When it comes to veganism, community is an important aspect in motivating and sustaining the diet.

Now, I have many friends who I am able to share ideas with about vegan food. Some of them follow a fully vegan diet and some just enjoy cooking and eating vegan from time to time.

In this blog post, I will introduce you to three people who influence the way I see veganism and how I express it in my lifestyle. You could think of these people as my "reference group", as they help me see the different values I get from eating a vegan diet (Babin/Harris 156). Often without thinking about it, I rely on them for "informational influence" before I purchase an item or go to a certain grocery store (Babin/Harris 161). When you read through my post, you will see that people go to the internet and social media to learn about veganism and use it to connect to the community. You will also see how we have the power to change the consumption habits of those closest to us.

Meet Alex...

A classic millennial taking a picture of her vegan burger

Alex and I: roommates and cooking buddies

Alex and I met within the first few days of freshman year and after a Panera Bread date, we were inseparable. As roommates who share recipes and an enthusiasm for cooking, we frequently influence each others consumption habits. Since I started experimenting with vegan cooking, nutritional yeast (a.k.a. “Nooch”, a.k.a. a key ingredient for most vegan cheese) is now a staple in our house and once Alex showed me how to make Gỏi cuốn (a.k.a. Vietnamese spring rolls) they are now one of my go-to meals.

Here's what Alex had to say about incorporating vegan food into her diet:

"I've started to cook more vegan for health reasons and also just for fun. I've noticed the more my meals gravitate towards dairy free or meat free, I feel a lot more energized and clearheaded than if I ate those ingredients in excess. I also follow this incredible vegan food blog called Minimalist Baker who really inspires me to cook like her. I love reading how she interprets traditional, non-vegan dishes, and puts her own personal spin on them. Also everything I've made of hers has been amazing. I like the creative aspect when cooking vegan meals. I think ingredient substitutions, like egg, dairy, or meat replacements, are really fun to experiment with and give old recipes a new spin.

It's worth the effort to eat vegan especially if one is looking to be more mindful about what they're putting in their bodies. I know that I for one have become a lot more conscious of what ingredients I'm using after experimenting with more vegan recipes. When you're cooking vegan I think you're just naturally more mindful of covering all your necessary food groups.

I think a big misconception about eating vegan is you're restricted to few bland or unsavory options. But personally I find I often gravitate towards many restaurants' vegan options anyways, especially if I'm looking to eat on the healthier side.

I love vegan desserts, especially the ones at the Lunch Room (like their monster cookies). I'm also a big fan of avocado pudding. I think I like vegan desserts because they're just so easy to put together, relatively cheap to make, and I feel less guilty eating them."

Chocolate Avocado Pudding Raw Vegan Not Gross

Follow Liv on Insta...

A vegan doing yoga. Shocking!

Brunch at the Lunch Room is always the move

Liv and I became friends when she told me about her “foodstagram” (an instagram account dedicated to posting recipes and meals) and we found out we were both vegan. Our similar diet caused us to have many of the same experiences, so we often act as a support system for each other, like venting to each other about difficulties eating out as a vegan or informing each other of things going on in the vegan community like new restaurants or articles on the internet. Check out Liv's Instagram account and a delicious vegan breakfast we made. 

I asked Liv why she began to eat a vegan diet...

"It all started I found out i was allergic to dairy so I cut that out. I saw changes and slowly i started getting grossed out by meat and I got into cooking. It was really rewarding when i made stuff myself. I followed a bunch of Instagram accounts and i found this whole community of vegan people. My health was my motivation for cutting dairy and meat out of my diet. Documentaries like Cowspiracy and Forks over Knives encouraged me to cut fish and eggs out. 

I avoided the term "vegan" for about a year and I would say I was "plant-based". Food is such a prominent topic in our culture so diet comes up. I didn't think it was as “annoying” as vegan but then I just stopped caring. We (Liv and I) talked about it all the time so that helped me embrace the term. I do find that I am more attracted to those who have the same mentality about veganism.

Eating a mostly vegan diet keeps me on top of my health and intake everyday so I’m never stressed about that. Its also good for the environment, animals, and everyone. Everyday, you feel you’re helping yourself and the world around you.

In terms of cost, I’m pretty cost efficient and stick to a routine with my diet and purchases. At times it might seem like a higher monetary cost but I it would eventually add up later in medical bills and prescriptions. I make the same thing everyday, like a smoothie, a salad, and a bar. I don’t eat out that often so that saves money too. 

I like to go to Kroger to get my groceries because it's less expensive and they have a good natural food section. I always get the same thing, frozen fruit, eggs, and organic produce. Whole Foods is also good because it's closer but I usually think it's unnecessary because I can get the same things at Kroger for less. I know people who spend way too much on groceries. I like to grab lunch at Whole Foods sometimes because the ambience is nice and I love their salad bar. Otherwise I'll go to The Lunch Room or little cafes with vegan snacks, like RoosRoast or any Mediterranean place."

Last, but not least, here's Andrew...

Andrew most likely ordering Truffle Mac 
from the Lunch Room

In addition to both being vegan, Andrew and I are both avid scuba divers!

Andrew and I are friends and co-workers who share a love for vegan food and the environment. We work in the outdoor industry so we share a motivation to do our best to preserve the environment through our consumption habits.

This is how Andrew got introduced to veganism... 

"I watched a video about vegan bodybuilding by the Youtuber “Vegan Gains”, then once my interest was peaked I read the book “How to Not Die” and decided I would give it a try after learning more about the science behind it. My motivations were definitely health and environmental reasons first.  I remember learning about how bad the meat industry is in terms of green house gas production in one of my environmental engineering classes which made me want to commit to it.  Honestly, I’m not against sustainable and selective hunting as long as waste is mitigated.  That being said, I am against factory farming animals.

What I Ate Today to Stay Healthy and Make Gains

I get my groceries from Whole Foods or the People’s Food Co-op in Ann Arbor.  Whole Foods has everything I want so I don’t have to go to multiple stores, which saves time, and the People’s Food Co-op is really close so I can go there for fresh stuff. When I go out to eat I always choose The Lunchroom or Detroit Filling Station. Why? Truffle Mac.

I think vegans have a bad rep in current culture so I try to say “I’m a plant-based eater”. Unless I know the person I’m talking to is also vegan, then I will say vegan. I've influenced a lot of people in my inner circle. My family is now mostly vegetarian and my girlfriend is vegan. Most of the girls at my job support it, too. I do think there are people who don’t understand it. Diet is a super personal choice and I don’t want to make it a divisive aspect of my life. If you eat meat cool. If not, also cool.

I think I gain a lot of invaluable rewards from eating vegan. There are long term health benefits, I feel better on a day to day basis, and promote sustainability.

Honestly, I don’t think eating vegan is more expensive if you don't eat extravagantly, which I don't. Also I’m a big believer that the possible added cost in food per week will pay itself back when I’m not in the hospital for heart disease at age 40."

I hope you enjoyed meeting some of my friends that encourage my vegan lifestyle.

Check out my upcoming blog post where I will take you through a week of what I buy and cook as a vegan!

Sources

Babin, J.B., Harris, E.G. C.B, 6th edition.