My Road To Veganism

I come from a big meat eating family, where meat including offal, tripe, black pudding and cow heel were served alongside milk, cream, cheese and yogurt.

I saw a news clip about BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) better known as Mad Cow Disease and was horrified dead animal parts were ground up and made into cattle feed.   The most upsetting part was watching a cow stumbling and swaying, unable to stand up, with a terrified look in her eyes.   I stopped eating red meat initially, then all meat and fish went out the window, then one morning, dipping a toast soldier into my boiled egg, I felt physically sick and the rest as they say is history.   It took time obviously, what to do about those non vegan items in the wardrobe and kitchen cupboards and with no internet, nothing like the vegan products we have these days, I shopped at health food shops and a local co-operative.   

I became a life long member of The Vegan Society and their Animal Free Shopper became my bible, it went everywhere with me.   A highlight was receiving The Vegan Society magazine through the letterbox, I read it from cover to cover, it was such a great source of information and still is.

Family and friends thought I had gone completely bonkers, that it was a phase I was going through, a fad, attention seeking and I am sure some of this will resonate with others reading this post.

In 2022 veganism has never been as popular, people are more aware and information is easily accessible as to the horrors of animal agriculture.  We have supermarkets competing with each other, as to who can bring vegan products to market and eating out is so much easier.   And so my blog came into being, with restaurant reviews of my dining experiences and to share my favourite recipes.

My only regrets are not going vegan sooner, eating animals in the first place and not making a note of the exact date I cooked that boiled egg, so what better day to celebrate my vegan anniversary than World Vegan day on the 1st November. 

Comments

  1. Great blog! I can relate to much of what you say! You are doing a great service, the time and effort you have gone to is amazing and will have helped many. Your kindness will be far reaching and I believe kindness is infectious. Once you face some hard truths about the way the world operates, you can no longer be part of the horror! Your blog is truely inspirational. Love, freedom, vegan ✊��❤️

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  2. Thank you for such lovely comments, they made my day (:-)

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  3. Hi! You followed me on Twitter so i thought that i would check out your website, and i have to say it looks really nice! I think your content is really intersting. I especially want to try out your Jackfruit Enchiladas - that recipe sounds super delicious!

    Thanks you for your efforts and keep on doing the good work :)

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    1. Thanks very much for the kind words, I started the blog as a record of my vegan dining experiences & it developed over time. Definitely try the Jackfruit Enchiladas they are wicked!

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  4. I have been vegan for only 7 months wish it had been from birth but my parents were of a different mindset thank you for all your helpful advice and guidance .

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    1. Thanks for the comments David, really appreciate it, we all get there one way or another, well done on 7 months (:-)

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  5. I want to say thank you for sharing your vegan experience online. I think as a vegan community, coming together to tell our story is important.

    My only wish is that I was "across the pond" so I could dine at some of the places you have described.

    Thank you for sharing!

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  6. I regret not going vegan sooner too.

    I've been vegetarian for most of my life, and it was hard to find vegetarian food out in restaurants.

    It was even harder to explain to waiters and waitresses how I wanted my food so that it would be vegetarian.

    I used to get so many funny looks, but now everyone is so much more educated on what it means. And it just keeps getting better!

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  7. Love your story and all your reviews, recipes and tweets. Thanks Olive.

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  8. rachel goodkind9 March 2023 at 09:57

    Hi there found you on Happy Cow.
    I have been a whole food ethical vegan for as long a you have, yipppeee! and am also very athletic, love the outdoors.
    I started years before I became vegan, letting go of cow and pig meat (even though I somehow did not think chickens were meat), then two
    years later going to the Vegetarian Summerfest in pennsylvania with 350 others.
    I learned enough there to know that I would not eat animals again.
    I avoided learning too much negativity, i think I fekt guilty for the animals I had eaten. Several years ago I allowed myself to learn and am amazed I became vegan knowing only 5% of what i understand NOW.
    I am the only vegan (or even vegetarian) in my family. Almost every single one of my friends are omnivores. I look forward to a great relationship with a wonderful vegan woman, so one step at a time.
    i am in Florida (to kayak & bike in the Winter), but may end up being a snowbird because of the hot summers. If you ever visit the USA you are welcome to stay with me and have a friend here.
    I love living on the water and enjoying the outdoors. Peace, rachel
    (limitlessme@outlook.com)

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    1. Thanks for the comment and kind offer if I ever visit the US Rachel... lovely to read your story about your vegan journey.. we all get there in our own different ways and time lines....Best decision I ever made...

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