EATING VEGAN In starting the transition to a vegan diet, there are a few different strategies. Some people shift into a vegan diet slowly, starting with vegan 'analogues'— plant-based foods whose taste resembles animal products. Others simply take out the animal products from their diet and replace them with plant foods with which they're already familiar. Still others concentrate on experimenting with entirely new vegan foods, often from international cuisines. Thankfully, there is no shortage of vegan foods to help make the transition. In fact, most of the food we eat is vegan, without us knowing it!

VEGAN MEAL IDEAS With a little time and practice, you'll develop a new routine for planning meals and cooking. We recommend getting a good cookbook and experimenting. Visit VegWeb.com or our recipe archive to try out some vegan recipes.

In the meantime, here are some simple and healthy meal ideas to start with:
     
BREAKFAST
cereal/granola with soy/rice milk
oatmeal or other hot cereal
bagel/toast with jelly
pancakes
soy yogurt
fruit smoothie

SNACKS/DESSERT
pretzels, popcorn
peanuts, almonds, walnuts
sunflower or pumpkin seeds
chips & salsa
banana, apple, orange
raisins, figs, dried apricots
pie, cookies, cake

LUNCH/DINNER
peanut butter & jelly
grain/soy burger
vegetarian hotdog
veggie lunchmeat sandwich
baked/mashed potatoes
french fries
tofu, tempeh, or Seitan stir fry
Seitan casserole
pasta with tomato sauce
tofu lasagna
bean burrito
seitan casserole
tofu lasagna

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FOR REPLACING EGGS, there are several options, depending on what they are needed for. You may want to experiment. Here are some possibilities (each quantity is equivalent to 1 egg):

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MOST SUPERMARKETS carry veggie burgers and vegan hotdogs. Soy, rice, and nut milks are available at most grocery stores, and work in most recipes calling for cow's milk. Experiment to see which best suits you.

Soy margarines (that don't contain the dairy product 'whey') and soy yogurts are also available at most stores. Probably the single analogue that has had the most trouble pleasing vegans is soy cheese. A few brands are available, but don't expect it to taste exactly like your favorite cheese. You may also want to try out some of the recipes from The Uncheese Cookbook.

There are now several brands of soy and rice frozen desserts. Most supermarkets carry at least one brand.

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DINING OUT There are vegan options at many restaurants, including Italian, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Ethiopian. If you're on a fast food schedule, pizza places, Taco Bell, and Subway all have vegan options. Check out VegDining.com for a vegan restaurant near you!

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