Most of my friends aren’t vegan what should I do?
There isn’t a specific statistic on how many plant-based eaters there are in the world…I mean there are more people that GO VEGAN every day so the number changes all the time..What WE DO KNOW is there are more vegetarians than vegans. We are pretty unique and not many will be ready to accept the TRUTH about how UNHEALTHY eating animals are or the HORRORS that happen to make beacon and other meat products. This will most likely be our family siblings and even more annoyingly our FRIENDS…We probably see them almost as much or more than our family…Because going out to eat is a regular thing you do with friends, I created 5 tips on how to go about going out to eat with your animal-eating friends. This will also be VERY USEFUL because a lot of states are lifting the QUARANTINE/STAY AT HOME orders this week…
Don’t make it a big deal. Your friends already know you are vegan and you already tried to explain why they should join you and your reasons. So if you are all going out to eat DON’T start to COMPLAIN or try to give your reasons again…this is annoying and they probably heard you the first time. If they pick the spot to go to eat and it doesn’t have a big vegan menu or you feel embarrassed to ask the cashier if the fries are fried in PIG FAT, don’t eat at that spot. WAIT for your friends to order something and tell them you’re not in the mood for that food and want to go to another spot really quick to get something else…this way they get what THEY WANT and you get what YOU WANT…The key is not to make it a big deal, eventually they will get used to this and you won’t feel so awkward and they will start to ask you where YOU WANT TO EAT.
You actually don’t have to worry. Almost every food spot has a vegan option, even some of the MOST POPULAR fast food restaurants have VEGAN OPTIONS. One important thing to remember is ALWAYS ASK. Just because it is a vegetable doesn’t mean it wasn’t dipped in DAIRY or PIG FAT…like fries…or dressing for a salad…If you just started eating plant-based you might feel weird asking or don’t know what to ask…remember the cashier or server will not question you on why you are asking so DON’T FEEL EMBARRASED…AND remember why you became vegan that is something to be proud of not ashamed. If I am going to a NEW FOOD SPOT that is isn’t 100% vegan, I always ask them if the PRODUCT CONTAINS any DAIRY or EGGS….for anything that is FRIED you can ask them what type of oil they used…canola, vegetable, olive or corn oil you are SAFE…If they use the SAME OIL for cooking the meat and frying other stuff that’s going to be a NO.
Be prepared. If you know where you’re going to eat before you get there LOOK at the menu. This way you can see what plant-based options there are (most spots have a veggie section on their menu or have a capital V for vegan)…BE CAREFUL because sometimes the V means vegetarian meaning the dish MIGHT have an animal product…it might not…that’s why its IMPORTANT to ALWAYS ASK. Another useful tip is to bring a snack with you if you know you’re going to be out with your friends for a few hours...NUTS,FRUITS and A LOT of types of CHIPS are vegan and super portable..so they aren’t awkward to carry and they won’t make a mess in your pocket/backpack….you can also SAVE MONEY by bringing your own snacks instead of buying…
Suggest going to a trendy vegan spot. If you friends are open-minded they probably won’t mind going to a vegan restaurant that has GOOD VIBES and TASTY FOOD….the key might be to pick a vegan spot that has a BIG MENU and a menu that LOOKS SIMILAR to a non-vegan menu…that way they don’t feel like its something too new to them..If you’re friends ARE NOT ABOUT IT or don’t really support your new way of life…ditch them…jk..It would be better to suggest a food spot that has a lot of vegan options but also some options for animal products like Chipotle…
Be patient. Remember your friends are not woke yet and not ready to change their eating habits just yet so just be patient with them…that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t share how you’re journey is going… Once they start seeing how dedicated you are and how it has become your lifestyle they’ll accept it…Once they start seeing all the positive changes in ENERGY LEVELS, BODY CHANGES (no more acne, looking more fit), they will start asking YOU questions and that’s when THEY WILL BE READY to have a serious convo about eating plant based see my post (How to: Help Someone Go Vegan) for more deets..
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