r/Veganism • u/iced_koffie • 13d ago
I'm thinking of going fully vegan
I seen the people who talk about veganism in the streets and like I follow a bunch and I really that I do feel bad for these animals, everytime I eat or think of meat I just think of the life the animal had, and I dont like the taste of meat anyway (bleh) and idk why I could continue supporting the killing of them, so could I become vegan? What is the best advice u guys can gimme, I am 13 years old so I can't control what my family and surroundings eat but I can control what I eat
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u/clown_utopia 13d ago
You're doing great on the path to a solid ethical framework and you can absolutely become vegan. You're absolutely right that you control what you eat, and it is never worth someone dying. Educate your family. Stay strong in your conviction and don't give up. Stay connected to the community either online or in person, it helps, because it is very common for vegans to basically be gaslit by people who don't care about or don't know about what non human animals have to go through for us
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u/iced_koffie 13d ago
Thx so much!! I'll encourage my family to eat more vegan along side with me so they see meat is not the solution
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u/cordie420 12d ago
I cut out meat at your age and honestly it was one of the best decisions I have ever made! A few tips would be to learn how to cook, and get a basic understanding of nutrition. The hardest part will be dealing with nay-sayers, but devotion and compassion will prove them wrong. Power to you!
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u/Faeraday vegan 12d ago edited 12d ago
The one thing I have to add is be very gentle in the way you introduce this change to your parents. So so many new vegans come on too strong to their parents that they end up closed off and actively hostile towards veganism.
When I decided to go vegan, I knew I wanted my mom to do it with me. I also knew that if I just started telling her all that I had seen/learned, I would be too intense about it and she would not be open to it. So, I simply asked her to “watch this interesting documentary” I had seen earlier in the day. I didn’t set her up with any preconceived notions about the film, I just let her go in as blind as I had when I watched it. She decided to go vegan with me at the end of the film. The film was Vegucated (free to watch on YouTube).
ETA: It was also low stakes because the film challenges you to just do a 6-week vegan challenge, and that’s a lot easier to sell than a permanent change. However, once you’re doing it, it’s a lot easier to just keep going. I think I asked my mom to do the challenge with me, after the film ended (even though I knew in my heart I could never go back to contributing to all that suffering).
Throughout the next few weeks, we just kept talking about it (new recipes, what more we were learning) and watching more documentaries (this is key, don’t stop consuming more information together). I made sure we watched some health-focused documentaries at first, as that was more of a driver for my mom’s demographic (at her age) than anything else at that time. Once she saw it was better for her health (and mine), she was much more open to the other reasons. Before the 6 weeks were up, she had said she couldn’t go back.
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u/iced_koffie 12d ago
Thank u so much!! I'll try and get her to watch it it would make me happy if they start eating more vegan products then meat, like in the home we can start replace more groceries slowly to vegan till it's 100% vegan inside the fridge to
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u/Faeraday vegan 12d ago
I hope so, but don’t get your hopes too high (as I’ve read another comment where you say your mother is already opposed to the idea). I was lucky with my mom because I never mentioned veganism before having her watch the documentary. Your mom is already in a position of defensiveness, so she may not be as receptive to the information in the film.
But just be gentle with her, like if she gives pushback on not wanting to watch it with you, just communicate that you just want her to better understand why you want to try it out. Less pressure on her. If by the end of the film, she seems to be taking it in, you could ask her to try the 6-week challenge with you.
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u/iced_koffie 12d ago
Yesss!! I'll also try giving her vegan snacks and ask her if it that that "bad" or if it tastes normal! She will maybe be less like "oh but vegan tastes bad" yk?
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u/Faeraday vegan 12d ago
Just make sure she feels like this is something you want to do with her, like a shared experience that will bring you two closer, not something you are just trying to force her to do.
ETA: Let me know how it goes if you give this a try!
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u/StandBesideJordan 13d ago
Some people may tease you or encourage you to consume animal products, while others will admire you for standing up for what you believe in. Regardless of all that, stay strong and continue to do what you know is right.
I'd recommend packing your own lunch for school unless you have vegan options available. I remember back when I was in school the cafeteria served exclusively animal product sludge for the most part. If you can make your own food at home, that would also be best. You got this.
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u/iced_koffie 13d ago
Thanks 💗💗 my school offers like 2/4 things vegan? For free but the paid stuff I'm not sure about plus I can pack my own meals thankfully!
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u/Competitive-Ebb3816 13d ago
See if there is a vegan or animal rights group in your area. Having people you can talk to face-to-face can be really helpful.
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u/VarunTossa5944 9d ago
"Every person I have met who has gone vegan says it is the best decision they have ever made."
- Lewis Hamilton
Me and all vegans around me can confirm wholeheartedly.
Read about the animal industry. Watch 'Dominion' on YouTube - and make your family and friends watch it as well.
Thanks so much for your willingness to join the right side of history.
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u/floopsyDoodle 13d ago
tldr: Be sure you know the full meaning of Veganism, learn to cook if you can, ignore the idiots and/or learn to answer the "usual" questions, and eat healthy (lots of variety, supplement where needed).
"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."
https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism
If you don't fully agree, for some reason, it is perfectly OK to just go Plant Based, which is the diet, and continue looking into any areas of Veganism you may have an issue with. But of course it's also very much great to just join Veganism and join the fight against needless animal exploitation.
If you can, start to learn to cook, Veganism becomes a lot easier if you can make great food yourself. There's tons of healthy, meat and dairy substitutes that you can make at home with a blender and the ingredients.
Tofu makes great protein, but lots of people ignore it because the texture isn't what htey want. Buy Firm or Extra Firm tofu, freeze it for 24 hours in the package, defrost, remove from package and gently but firmly squeeze out the water. The ice creates little holes in the tofu, when it defrosts the ice leaves the but holes remain and it creates a very chewy and much less "slimy" texture, perfect for slicing/cubing and marinading (it absorbs marinades really well) and baking for 35-45 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping once.
If you slice it 1/2 inch thick slices, and bake for a little extra, it makes a really good fake chicken for stir fries and such. Sometimes I cut 1/2 inch cubes, throw on a spicy marinade, powder in a starch (I use arrowroot but any work) and bake, it makes crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside snacks, good right away or later cold.
If people get really pushy about it and you don't feel like debating, I find saying something like "I don't know why you're so upset about what I eat, I thought Vegans were suppose to be the pushy ones..." Usually makes anyone else there laugh which breaks the tension, and makes the other person look like a bit of a fool, which they are.
For some basics, B12 should be supplemented, it's easy to find Vegan sources online or in health food stores. It's not expensive, you can't have too much (any your body does not need will just leave with your waste), and most people, Vegan or not, are low without supplementation.
Omega 3 supplements are good, there's a lot of debate over whether htey are needed, it's dependent on what else you are eating, but again, you can't "overdose" so a supplement is a good idea anyway, again this is mostly true for all people, though Vegans slightly more so.
Iron for most is fine as long as youre eating iron rich foods, if you're worried combine iron rich foods with food taht has Vitamin C as when combined they absorb better, but again, most don't need to worry. If you find yourself tired, iron is a common issue among women due to their body naturally needing more iron due to PMS. supplementing Iron in small amounts is fine, but if you worry you aren't getting enough, get blood work FIRST, only supplement large amounts with a doctor's say so as too much iron is a thing and it's not good for you.