How to go vegan as a Teenager

How to go Vegan as a Teenage

February 7th, 2020 - By Genevieve

I’m writing this post, specifically in response to some of my classmates. They’re always asking how I manage such a “challenging” lifestyle and I how I could possibly live without cheese. Well my friends, it’s much easier than it sounds and I’m right here to guide you.

#1 Find Passion in Your Process

This is easily the most important tip to making any change in your life. You need to ground yourself in your beliefs.

In other words, you need to make your reason for wanting to change your habits, lifestyle and diet as concrete as they can possibly be. There are countless reasons to give up animal products: helping the environment, a deep love for animals, improving your health, exc. Whatever your reason may be, you need to do your research. Then do some more research. Learn as much as you possibly can to make yourself as educated as possible in a specific area.

This is what will kick start your transition and keep you motivated when things get difficult (because they do).

My desire to go vegan happened (nearly) over night. I had committed myself to watch a number of documentaries because I was curious. To be completely honest, I never intended to go vegan. But four and a half years later, I’m SO grateful I did. The images that struck a chord with me were the ones of slaughter houses, animal testing and animal abuse. Learning that these kinds of things were going on daily made me absolutely sick, from that day on, I knew that I would not – could not – consciously contribute to those industries.

I urge you to find passion in your reasoning. If animal liberation isn’t your thing, focus on the environmental effects of animal agriculture. If your passion is health, focus on the amazing health benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet. The internet is full of information, inspiration and testimonials, all you have to do is look for it.

#2 Reach out to other Vegans

It’s so important to understand that you are not alone in this journey. Whatever your circumstances may be, I can guarantee that there is someone out there who has been through it.

There are so many ways to reach out to other vegans in your life. There may be a few in your school or at your work, we’re really not as elusive as we seem. But, if there’s no one for you to reach out to directly in your community, I highly suggest finding outlets on social media. Personally, I’m part of a number of local Facebook groups and I follow many vegan influencers, nutritionalists and athletes on Instagram.

This is good to do for two main reasons: it gives you someone to look up to and it introduces you to how helpful and welcoming the vegan community truly is.

If neither of those options truly float your boat, you can send me a message through the contact section at the bottom of the page and I’d be more than happy to help you personally.

#3 Talk it over with your Family

There seems to be a very common misconception that young vegans have been the same way for their whole lives. In my case, this could not be further from the truth. I’ve grown up in a household where the primary food groups have been chicken/pork, cheese and hamburgers. For the longest time, I thought veganism was the most ridiculous thing in the world. Given my upbringing, I couldn’t understand why someone would willingly eat salads and drink green juice everyday.

That being said, I’m very grateful that my family has been understanding and supportive. After a little convincing, they understood that this was an important life choice for me.

Even if your parents have no idea what the heck a “vegan” is (my dad sure didn’t), sit down with them and preach your case. Provide them with sound evidence and a detailed plan of how you plan to achieve your lifestyle change.

Hopefully, they’ll understand, but if not, revert back to your reason.

Always remind yourself of why you want to make this change. If you have convinced yourself enough, then following through will be much easier. If your parents are not receptive, try going grocery shopping with them or suggesting that you cook more meals. You don’t have to go vegan overnight.

#4 Always be Prepared

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to social events and had absolutely no idea what I could eat. Fear not, there are ways to avoid this.

There are a multitude of wonderful apps for vegans nowadays. One that really kept me going during my early days was Is it Vegan?

This is a super simple app that lets you scan a barcode to check if an item is vegan friendly. When I was new to this lifestyle, perusing the aisles of the grocery store, this app was my right hand man.

For more helpful apps to help you in your journal I suggest that you check out this article.

My next suggestion is to bring your own food.

Now I know what you’re thinking, you don’t want to be that person. It took me a little while to get over the fear that I would be judged for my Tupperware of chickpeas and kale. But at the end of the day, you’re making a choice for yourself and you are the one with the courage to stick to it. Stop worrying what other people will say about it, it’s not their life and it’s not their choice.

I highly recommend that you check Instagram and Pinterest for meal inspiration. They are both great resources, especially if you haven’t spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Personally I like to meal prep at the beginning of each week, that way I have meals prepared for school, work and any other events going on.

#5 Go Easy on Yourself

My final piece of advice is to be graceful with yourself and your decisions. Transitioning over to something such as a vegan lifestyle is not a simple task and it’s important to go easy on yourself. The journey is different for everyone, and some take a bit longer than others.

At the end of the day, any effort you make in the direction of this lifestyle makes a difference.

If it’s easier for you, take it one meal or one day at a time. Maybe designate a day of the week where you eat completely meat-free. Or if dairy is your problem, gradually switch out your milks and cheeses with non-dairy alternatives.

I hope these five tips were helpful if you’re considering going vegan. As always, if you have any questions, tips of your own or further commentary, feel free to leave a comment.

Until next time,

Genevieve <3