Thinking of giving up veganism

[ClimbingPenguin]

I think what I'm after is reasons to be vegan.

I've been vegan for 16 years and although I academically understand my reasons I'm not emotionally attached to them right now. I'm just vegan by default.

The last few months I've drifted into wanting to eat eggs and meat from local free range farms. The only thing that has stopped me is worrying it would open the gates and I'd go to full meat eating quite quickly.

Anyone else struggling with their vegan mojo or have some inspiration for me?

I went through a period of not actually being proper vegan after questioning it and loosing too much weight whilst breastfeeding. I ate organic eggs, cake with butter in, quorn etc. I even tried fish. I couldn't do milk at all though. I still ate largely vegan though.

Why should you have to be completely strict if you don't feel like it? Every meal without animal products in it helps the environment etc, but it doesn't mean that you have to avoid all animal products completely if the will isn't there. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

I ended up going back to being proper vegan as the whole eggs thing etc just seemed too weird after so long, and then that weirdness turned into "I just can't eat these things any more it's gross" so I re-discovered the 'will' and I can't imagine dallying again

I understand OP, I have been vegan for 8 years now and sometimes I just want an egg.

I think over time we become desensitised to the reasons that made us vegan in the first place and we lose that emotional reaction to the suffering and abuse animals are put through.

You could follow Singer's Paris Rule - be ethical and vegan but treat yourself in Paris aka when you're in holiday. I've done this a few times with mixed results. Once I was DYING for a croissant, only to find the butter overwhelming and feeling sick after. I've craved Ben and Jerry's ice cream and had a bit, only to feel overwhelmed once again by sweetness, it was sickly. I once came home drunk and ate an entire plate of fried chicken which was sitting on the side and that really hit the spot, unfortunately. I had a tiny bit of buttercream frosting at work only to find that it tasted bland compared to my vegan pistachio cake. In short, if I reverted I would likely be dairy-free but eat meat.

These days I manage by ensuring that I eat really good food. I learn a lot of recipes and I get excited about my next meal, about what baked treats I'll be making this weekend and I order fake meats and cheeses and chocolate online to have as a treat.

Today for instance I had a chickpea of the sea sandwich (vegan tuna basically) whilst my colleagues ate stinky fish, chicken and rice, a microwave meal which was a sea of fat and grease, and a cheese sandwich. Faced with that, I was glad I had good food which I had to get creative about making instead of "choosing" something easily available which was unhealthy or boring or something I had had a million times before.

Last night I had vegan bangers and mash with onion gravy, tonight DP is making a stir fry with all the vegetables in the fridge. This weekend I made chocolate cookie sandwiches. I had a strawberry and vanilla ice cream sundae that I made at home. I went to the Vegan Hippo in Soho and had their kebab sticks which were DIVINE. Much better than charred meat.

Basically, I'm making sure that I don't get a chance to envy others' non-vegan food now that I'm basically desensitised to farming practices on an emotional level. Maybe this approach could work for you, too?

Maybe watch a documentary or two? Cowspiracy is good, and makes you think about the environment as well as reconnects the dots between the suffering animals go through to produce/turn into food.

I guess the thing to do is to try and imagine life from the animal's point of view - even a free range life will always end in pain and suffering.

Maybe go visit farms near you and actually see the animals - sure, they have space, but they're not really 'free' - that might help you reconnect?

Just a few suggestions. Do what feels right for you!

Do what feels right, I'm vegan but I've known vegetarian friends start eating meat again and I've not batted an eyelid as long as they don't expect me to eat it. Everyone should do what feels right at the time and it's OK if your views change

It may even be that you are missing out on something, I sometimes crave certain foods (luckily vegan so far) when my body needs something from them

I was a vegetarian for 17 years and a vegan for 5. I was then diagnosed as a coeliac and lactose intolerant. I started eating meat and eggs again and have never looked back - I do make sure I source meat eggs from local farms and friends who keep poultry so I know their source and ethics.

Yeah,sometimes I just want a big box of Thorntons chocolates.i can remember how they taste..vegan chocolate dosnt come close...I'm fighting it,and I've yet to give in

Actually after eating so much dark chocolate Thornton's taste shit. They don't taste of chocolate!

Hotel Chocolat however is a different story!

Thorntons is really shit these days, the company is struggling and cutting corners.

Look at vegantown and VeganKind for some really incredible chocolate.

And booja booja are luuuuuuuuush

Thanks all, this is helping

I've also realised that some of it is hunger. I'm training for a marathon but haven't got a supply of ready/easy to eat foods. I live in a small town as well so no decent whole food stores or Indian/Chinese supermarkets where I used to get a lot of stuff.

There's a no meat athlete cook book due out but any recommendations for normal larder ready food?

Also agree Booja booja is amazing.

I need time to shop and cook (plus work full time, take kids to activities, train, adapt around hubbies travel ... 😂😴)

Am also lactose and soy intolerant which rules out a lot of convenience foods.

Second vote for Vegan Town full of snacks and treats

I'm mostly vegan. Probably 90% of the time but on the occassions that I lapse or crave something I let myself have it.

I have ex-battery hen eggs from a friend, I have been known to eat shellfish but only if it's locally and ethically sourced. It can be pricey, but I feel that this fits with my ethics.

I did take some flak from some of my vegan friends for it, but realistically- if you want to eat well for the environment and you're doing the best you can then it is none of their business. It's not a competition to see who can be the most vegan.

You only live once. Enjoy it, if you're going to leave a trace make it a positive one.

Baby step today. Instead of prioritising food money on the children I went to Waitrose and bought myself a load of yummy things. If I don't have time to shop around and cook then I decided to buy nice vegan things to eat. Starting to think I've just been ticking along eating boring stuff due to time and effort.

I did veganuary for an article I was writing and was convinced I'd want to go straight back to full on meat and dairy on fb 1st at midnight!!! I didn't though as I felt sooo much better. However, since then I have to admit I have had fish and chips twice, two chicken curries at restaurants and I will sneak the odd bit of cheese out of the fridge ! What I cannot do is drink dairy milk ( the taste!) or eat red meat at all. I don't beat myself up when Ihave a bit of the above - just know that I'm human!

I also get fed up sometimes of trying to think what to cook but bolognaise and suchlike with lentils is always a winner!

We have been mostly vegetarian in our house for quite some time, but watched the documentary What the Health and that instantly convinced my husband (who just last week was making jokes about vegan) to tell ME he's decided to go vegan himself.
Definitely worth a watch to re-ignite your ideas if you need some.