Holiday Notice: Perfection isn’t required.
Simply eating a variety of whole plant foods along with healthy fats can reduce your risk of chronic disease. But meeting nutrient needs on a vegan diet requires a little extra attention. Everyone eating a mostly or entirely vegan diet should learn the basics of vegan nutrition. This article highlights the main nutrients to keep in mind. Nothing presented here is all that difficult, it’s just that it isn’t exactly intuitive.
Perfection isn’t required. You certainly have room for slips and indulgences along the way. What matters is whether most of your food choices involve nutrient-dense foods.
Being a vegan is absolutely possible at this time of year!
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Make something everyone can enjoy
I have to admit, I’m extremely lucky. I’ve never experienced backlash or judgment based on my food choices from my immediate or extended family. In actuality, my family is extremely receptive to plant-based diets, and even goes out of their way to make certain foods plant-based and are eager to try new recipes. However, I know that this type of acceptance isn’t the norm.
When I’m faced with situations or events that center around eating and I know not everyone (or no one) is plant-based, I make sure to bring something extra delicious that everyone can enjoy. You don’t even need to tell them that it’s vegan! Contributing ensures that there will be something that you can eat, while also opening others to the opportunity to try something that they may never have tried before. Instead of dreading time spent with family or friends who might not understand your choices, try to see it as an opportunity.
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Have Compassion
Most of us didn’t grow up vegan or plant-based, and eating vegan during the holidays may be especially unfamiliar. For most of us, that switch to vegan, vegetarian or plant-based happened over time. Remembering that we all once were at a place where we weren’t ready to make a change, and may have even been outwardly resistant to it, is important.
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Recognize that we’re a lot more similar than we are different.
It may be easy to focus on what divides us from our loved ones during this time of year, but instead, I encourage you to focus on what brings us together. Yes, food can have a lot of attachment, values, and traditions tied up in it. But if you’re lucky enough to be able to spend time with loved ones over this holiday season, I encourage you to embrace it.
Recognize that we’re a lot more similar than we are different.
