When the Burger Calls: Surviving Meat Cravings as a New Vegan
Particularly when you’re new to plant-based eating, meat cravings can come on fast and strong. Dining in your typical American eatery doesn’t help. Usually, the plant-based options are few and the meat options part of your past favorites list: burgers, buffalo chicken wings, loaded nachos, etc.
In these moments of trial, you may be tempted to binge on some of these glorious delicacies, putting your diet on hold and starting afresh the next day. There is a time and a place for this, but there are many reasons also to keep with your plant-based diet, even when the going gets rough.
Below is some guidance on what to do if this happens to you.
Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Having cravings is a normal part of being human. And for those of us that grew up eating meat (which is most of us), cutting this out entirely will take some time. Most vegans report cravings for the first few weeks to two months after going completely plant-based, after which these cravings subside and disappear.
Also remember that you’re tackling a challenge that is particularly hard. Meat is advertised practically everywhere in America: grocery stores, fast food restaurants, your parent’s house, etc. The struggle is real! Know that you’re doing fine.
Treat Yourself to your Favorite Vegan Snack
Oatly Salted Caramel Ice Cream, my absolute favorite indulgence!
Sometimes the best way to get our minds off a craving is to enjoy the best of what our current diet has to offer. Rest assured, there are plenty of sweet, salty goodies that are fully plant-based. Will they win awards in the health department? Nope - and that’s okay. This doesn’t need to be healthy. It just has to remind you that plant-based eating can also be as sinfully delicious and heartwarming as your favorite non-vegan snacks.
Remember your ‘Why’
Each of us has chosen a plant-based diet for a unique reason. Some of these reasons may align with how others feel (animal welfare, sustainability, and better health outcomes are the most common), but ultimately it’s your ‘why’ that will get you through difficult trials. Revisit this. Have your feelings changed? Is this just a weak moment?
When you have a strong reason for eating vegan, you’ll be better able to sift through difficult temptations and still feel good about your choice afterwards.
Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint
Eating plant-based is one of the best things you can do for yourself. But it doesn’t need to be a perfect journey for it to be “legit”. Many vegans treat their diet like it’s an all or nothing affair. This makes cheat days the ultimate sin and it can make us feel terrible for even thinking about eating something animal-based.
This isn’t a realistic way toward a successful plant-based lifestyle. Too many restrictions at once will make anyone resentful toward their diet, making those cravings all the more powerful.
Allow yourself some cheat days. Remember that you’re still doing yourself and the world a lot of good by just reducing your meat intake.
Try Out Alternative Meats
One of the great things about being vegan today is the overwhelming number of alternative meats available in the supermarket. Though Impossible meat probably isn’t the most healthy food out there, it’s a perfectly viable alternative to meat. And when that’s precisely what you’re raving, it’s a great option to explore.
Try out your favorite burger but with a ground beef alternative, or try out some beyond nuggets with a delectable dip, the kind that made you salivate for chicken nuggets at your favorite eatery.
Remember this isn’t just about your diet
Remember that by choosing to eat plant-based, you’re doing something that isn’t just about food. This is a lifestyle change, one that’s not always easy to commit to. When just about everything in our society celebrates animal products, resisting this openly can take some time to master.
Give yourself credit for taking on this enormous, but rewarding challenge! As difficult as things may feel now, you’re doing something that truly makes a difference, not only for yourself, but the world at large. And that’s something to be enormously proud of.