8 Things I Learned While Being Vegan in College

8 Things I Learned While Being Vegan in College

Like most diets, going plant-based began as a personal challenge to see if I could actually do it rather than truly wanting to do it. That can be tough in college considering pizza, Hawaiian take-out, and sushi are the seventh, eighth, and ninth food groups at UNLV. It seemed nearly impossible for me at first and even a couple weeks in it felt difficult to maintain, but I was once told it takes 21 days to break a bad habit so I gave myself a minimum of a month to adjust. Looking back on it now I find it funny that I had such a tough transition because I think the transition back would be even harder. Not only am I happy with the effect this lifestyle has had on me, but I’m proud of the small realizations I’ve had along the way.

1. I learned how to cook.

Not that I couldn’t before, but it was a lot easier to pick and choose pre-made foods and snacks without double checking the ingredients. You don't realize how many foods include animal products (Side note: This regards still relatively clean foods, as clean as pre-made foods can be. Don’t get me started on the ones with ingredients you can’t pronounce and 4 different types of oils) until you really start looking for them. At that point I found it easier to spend an hour making a few meals rather than spend an hour scavenging for one. Thank you to the abundance of food bloggers and recipe apps now available for saving me, my time, and my wallet. Speaking of which…

2. I actually saved money.

Relatively speaking. According to Forbes (2013), the average college student spends over $200 a month on eating out in addition to spending $80-200 on groceries. Before being vegan, I ate out all the time. Sushi, Chipotle, you name it. Granted, I still go to sushi often but avocado rolls are a third of the price of your average roll. I usually would rather avoid the struggle of searching for options and spend the money on groceries. I typically spend around $100 on food when I’m restocking my staple and bulk foods (Oats, quinoa, chia seeds, coffee, protein powder), but when it comes to things I need to buy on a more regular basis such as produce and nut milks, I typically spend about $70 per week on groceries. The good thing about this diet is when I’m really needing to be budget friendly (Thankfully for me this is only around when it’s time to pay rent) $20 can go a long way and account for around a week of food. That’s how much most people spend on one meal when they eat out, right?

3. Vegan doesn’t mean healthy.

There is a multitude of unhealthy vegan foods. Just because it doesn’t contain animal products, doesn’t mean it’s good for you and doesn’t mean it’ll make you feel good. Oreos are vegan. Go eat a couple packs of Oreos then tell me how good you’re feeling and if you’ve gained any weight. Eating healthily on a plant-based diet is still a choice you have, which can be hard because vegan junk is more expensive than normal junk. However, it is good for those days when you do typically eat well and occasionally feel like cheating. For instance, ice cream was my guilty pleasure growing up. All kinds, every kind, every form, every flavor. My newest discovery is vegan cashew milk ice cream and it tastes 10x better than any dairy milk ice cream I’ve had in my life.

4. Vegan-friendly food options do exist on college campuses, but planning goes a long way.

If you live on campus, most student dining commons have plenty of vegan and vegetarian options that aren’t just salads. Avocado and hummus sandwiches, veggie burgers, roasted vegetables, many soups, etc. You just have to look for them and get creative. However, when it comes to student stores the options are usually either granola bars, packaged smoothies, are packed full of sugar, or are extremely overpriced. If you live on campus, most of the time you’re better off eating at your DC or waiting until you hit a grocery store. If you live off campus, you’re better off bringing things from home. Energy bars can and will be your best friend, I have one on me at any given moment. When you’re in a time crunch or on the go, they’re the perfect portable snack and if you choose correctly, they’re packed with vitamins, protein, and nutrients to give you lasting energy.

5. Understand the importance of baby steps.

Some people rush into it without doing their research first which can be detrimental to your health and the success of this diet. Education is important — Learn which nutrients you need to supplement. I initially thought I could just cut out everything and anything and be perfectly fine. I had no idea why I felt awful at the beginning. The thing about animal products is they do typically provide the body with a lot of essential vitamins and nutrients, so you have to be more aware of yourself and learn which vitamins and minerals you have to really put an effort into getting. Fortunately raw fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds do contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, but there are some things that can only be obtained through a diet with animal products. Therefore, vitamin D and vitamin B-12 are essential supplements when on a plant-based diet. Every individual is different, though. Some people need iron supplements, some need calcium, and if you’re active it’s a good idea to use a protein powder. Now I use algae-based EHA, a 3-6-9 vegan omega oil, vitamin D3, vitamin B-12, and zinc.

6. You can still eat out, but you’ll feel left out sometimes.

Eating out with your friends is hard. Late night drunken escapades at your local taco shop aren’t fun. When 2 am hits, you’re all half alive from too much tequila, and the loud mouth in the group is screaming how she needs taquitos, you know then and there you’ll spend the next two hours eating the spicy carrots and sipping on your tap water. Granted, you’re saving yourself the calories and will thank yourself in the morning.

7. While some substitutes work, don’t always try to substitute for the foods you miss.

Plant-based does a great job at being plant-based. It makes you feel good, makes you look good, and most of the time it tastes good. Nut milk? Great. Vegan ice cream? Great. Vegan chocolate? Great. Jackfruit sandwiches? Great. However, the void you sometimes feel when you miss animal products won’t always be filled by vegan products. I hear so often of people craving burgers, going for a vegan burger, and being disappointed. Vegan cheese rarely tastes like normal cheese. Vegan meat rarely tastes like normal meat. Coconut milk yogurts are great, soy yogurts are not. A lot of times you have products that are a hit with one brand but a miss with another. While you have the substance to substitute, the taste won’t always be similar.

8. It’s a big step and no matter how much you try not to make it a big deal, it’s a big deal.

It’s not something you can just keep low key. Transitioning to a plant-based diet is a big deal because your consumption plays a large role in your life. It affects what you buy, often times where you shop, your social plans, and will affect your life in many other ways.