It happened to all of us as kids: the moment that we realized some of our favorite foods came from the adorable farm animals we loved. We’d vow never to eat those foods again, but then would be chomping on dinosaur chicken nuggets without a second thought that same day. If you’re like me, you’ve always pondered the idea of going vegan or vegetarian, but have never really considered taking on the challenge. I believe in the benefits for the environment and animals, but I also grew up an extremely picky eater. I used to only eat chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, and if I’m being honest, haven’t expanded much beyond that to this day. A restrictive diet would create even more of a challenge in finding food I like to eat. That being said, I do love a good challenge, and so for the month of February, I decided to put myself to the test to see if, for just one month, I could actually do it. 

Planning and Preparation

The first step in ensuring my success was planning. I did some research and made my meal plans, trying to embrace this new diet as a fun activity. This usually involved looking up a couple recipes on Google and making larger portions of things like tofu for dinner, to then save as leftovers for my lunch throughout the week. And I didn’t do it alone. With my best friend taking on the challenge with me, I had an accountability partner, which I highly recommend for anyone ever thinking about trying a new diet or any other challenge. It made lunch packing and grocery trips much more fun, and it’s always helpful to have someone to hold yourself accountable.

The First Two Weeks

In a way, weeks 1 and 2 were the hardest. It was unfamiliar territory for me and was a lot of work to plan. I found social media, especially Tik Tok, to be a helpful resource, as well as talking with some people I know who are vegan, and I took many of their recommendations. When it came to grocery shopping, I had lots of fun trying out grocery stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts because they had tons of vegan options. However, I found both these stores to be much more expensive and out of my price-range, so most of the time I just found cheaper alternatives at my local Smith’s. Though slightly more expensive than Smith’s, I also loved visiting Trader Joe’s because they offer some fun vegan options and are a little more affordable than Sprouts and Whole Foods. Most of the time, just going for the vegan alternative for a given food was more expensive, so I had to get creative, including branching out and trying some new things like unfamiliar protein sources and new vegetables. 

Discovering New Favorites

I learned to love tofu and chickpeas as an alternate way of getting my protein in. One of my favorite meals to make for dinner was tofu or chickpeas with rice and vegan tikka masala sauce (I tried a couple, but my favorite was Maya Kaimal), paired with some of my favorite veggies. I also tried tofurky, which I liked a lot more than I thought I would, and it became my daily lunch, perfect to throw in wraps with hummus most days. For dessert, I tried out a couple vegan cookie options and found that premade doughs aren’t the best, but you can get pretty close to a normal-tasting cookie if you try out some recipes at home. 

Gallery • 6 Photos

Violet Gude

Eating Out as a Vegan

Another challenging part of the vegan experience, I found, was eating out. Oftentimes when eating out socially you’re surrounded by people who don’t share the same restrictions and at a place that doesn’t cater to them. The best thing to do in that situation is just to prepare ahead of time, eating extra before or packing a snack if you know there won’t be any options for you. However, when you can do some planning, vegan dining is expanding, and more options are becoming available. 

Vegan Options in Las Vegas 

In Vegas, there are a couple great options, and I found a few I really liked. Chef Kenny’s Vegan Dim Sum was my absolute favorite. Everything on the menu is vegan, with tons of great options. I highly recommend their orange chicken. If you’re missing the fast-food feel, Plant Power Fast Food is the perfect option with delicious and 100% vegan burgers, shakes, wraps, and more. If you’re looking for a healthier option with more balance, Flower Child remains one of my favorite restaurants and is very vegan-friendly. Additionally, for dessert, Sorry Not Sorry’s vegan ice cream options are just as delicious as the rest of their menu. 

What I learned

This diet, though a challenge at times, I would definitely deem a success. It wasn’t too bad to stick with for the month, and I feel I got a lot out of it. It encouraged me to try some new things, forced me to practice discipline, and was all around pretty fun navigating the challenges and trying new recipes. I felt like I had to do a lot more thinking about what I was eating, which served as a good general reminder even when not eating vegan. Food is fuel, and it’s important to know what you are eating and where it came from. I’ll definitely be paying more attention, and now that I know of so many good meat and dairy-free alternatives, I plan to incorporate it more into my lifestyle, just without the complete restriction that I practiced this month.

 If you’re ever thinking of trying to go vegan or any other intensive diet, my biggest suggestions are to get an accountability buddy, do lots of research, try to embrace the role of chef/baker and try many fun new recipes!