CHLOE KOWALYK
Staff Writer
Going vegan may seem like a daunting choice to many.
Some believe that they will need to give up their favorite foods and will be stuck eating nothing but “rabbit food” for the rest of their lives.
Some believe that they won’t be able to enjoy eating and won’t be getting enough protein.
I can assure you, this is not the case.
Growing up, I had a lot of food allergies.
I outgrew a peanut allergy at age five, and I have been allergic to milk and eggs my whole life. A few years ago, I developed a new allergy to shellfish.
With my long list of allergies, I have definitely faced a lot of limitations on what I can eat.
When I was a kid, I wasn’t able to eat the same foods as everyone else.
At birthday parties, I had to bring my own “Chloe-friendly” cupcakes to enjoy while other kids had cake.
On holidays, my mom and I had to make separate desserts and dishes that were safe for me to eat.
Long story short, I’ve been dealing with food restrictions my whole life.
I can vividly remember my mom reading blogs written for other parents with kids who have food allergies. They would share recipes to create safe options avoiding allergens for their kids.
My mom was constantly making food that was safe for me to eat any time I’d go out with my friends or I went to a birthday party.
Luckily, as I grew up, the recognition of food allergies in society increased.
Restaurants began adding vegan and vegetarian options to their menus, and a lot of people started changing their diets.
I was extremely excited when I saw local ice cream shops beginning to offer dairy-free ice creams and sorbets.
Vegan bakeries began to pop up all over Buffalo, and I was even able to get my first store-bought cake with “Happy Birthday Chloe” written across the top.
Now that I’m away at college, my mom isn’t here to make sure all of my food is safe to eat.
Navigating life on my own for the first time with the added stress of avoiding my several allergens every time I get something to eat poses to be quite difficult.
However, I have discovered that ordering foods labeled “vegan” is a great way for me to stay safe.
Since being vegan entails not eating meat or animal products, and my two major allergies are animal products, eating vegan is a perfect option.
A major stigma against veganism is the belief that all vegans are pretentious and will persistently try to convince you to become vegan.
I have had a lot of contact with the vegan community, interacting with blog posts and social media pages.
Everyone is incredibly welcoming and kind. No one in the community minded that I still eat meat and a few animal products.
Although my experiences are different, I have felt that same stigma.
Each time I order at Starbucks, I have to ask for a milk substitute: either soy, almond, coconut or oat milk. Even though multiple baristas have told me that it’s really no trouble, I feel as though I am burdening them with a “different” order.
I face this same sense of guilt whenever I order at restaurants and need to ask the waiter or waitress if the dish is cooked in butter or comes into contact with my allergens.
I fully understand that this is not me being pretentious, but the stigma out there regarding veganism and acting pretentious still bothers me.
I worry about being a “Karen” when asking for my drink to be remade because there’s whipped cream on top, and I can’t just wipe it off because I’ll get sick.
I want to assert that being vegan does not and should not mean you are pretentious, or that you eat nothing but fruit and veggies.
Being vegan is truly an amazing thing. The combination of environmental conservation and willpower to alter your diet for a larger cause shows your strength.
I would very much recommend exploring the vegan diet.
Making new recipes and trying new, delicious food has been extremely fun.
The best part is that you can enjoy all the same foods you love and enjoy in a typical diet, but you’ll also be helping the environment.
Going vegan has several environmental benefits, including conserving water, purifying the air and reducing energy consumption.
Also, be sure to check out websites like www.loveandlemons.com for great vegan recipes.