How our family went vegan
We all started somewhere, whether from a health standpoint, concern for the planet, or to stop animal cruelty. Expect to experience a lot of refining
November is World Vegan Month, celebrated to bring awareness to the vegan movement. “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as it’s possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.” This is the definition of veganism by Donald Watson and The Vegan Society, founded in 1944.
Ever wanted to go vegan (for your health, the planet, and the animals) but didn’t know where to begin? Here’s how our family did it.
Before I gave birth to my first child, I read up a lot on nutrition because I wanted to feed my son “the best.” As he started solids, I had a spreadsheet where I categorized fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins according to which were rich in particular nutrients. I attempted to put together an optimal diet for him guided by Ruth Yaron’s book “Super Baby Food.”
From all that planning and informal education on nutrition, I realized I should be eating optimally, too.
My kids and I were vegetarians. Moved by Jonathan Safran Foer’s book “Eating Animals,” I’d veganize our meals sometimes. However, we kept getting sucked back into conventional eating because our foundation was shallow. Still, I couldn’t ignore the truth anymore, especially after several eye-opening documentaries (“Earthlings,” “Forks Over Knives,” “The Game Changers,” “Seaspiracy,” etc.), articles, podcasts, and webinars I could not unlearn.
Surprisingly delicious
I attended a Veg
Fest a few years back and tried some vegan food. It was surprisingly delicious. I began ordering vegan dishes for inspiration.
I tried many recipes online. Some were hits and became mainstays on our menu, such as aquafaba waffles, chickpea omelet, and tofu scramble. We retained old family recipes like chicken curry as it’s easy to swap animal products with tofu, soba pien, or vegetables. Pasta, noodle, and rice dishes were easy to veganize using meat analogs from regular groceries. Or, I’d make our longganisa, pancakes, quinoa patties, or sausage crumbles to batchfreeze. Others I learned the hard way (do NOT use salted black beans to make fudgy bean brownies!).
Support from online Facebook communities such as the Manila Vegans, Vegan Strong Philippines, and Vegans of Manila was crucial. They help sustain vegan education and find resources on what is still considered a niche. There’s free mentorship, recipe swaps, and tips on where to find vegan options in restaurants or vacation spots. These are interspersed with microlearning opportunities on veganism in the form of book or video reviews, excerpts, or shared libraries.
Normalizing veganism Our family’s emergency go-bags are stocked with canned corn, fruit, and baked beans. I note when they expire soon so I can use them in our meals to make soup, stews, or bean burgers.
At the mall, aside from hearty vegan salads like Go Geisha from Salad Stop, we eat plant-based burgers or sandwiches from Burger King, Kenny Rogers, or Shakey’s. Falafel Yo is another favorite treat with tasty meals and excellent service. At the food court, we get the Green and Light (tofu rice bowl) at Mongolian Quickbox. The kids like being able to choose what to add to their bowls.
The eggplant tofu, chow mein, veggie stir-fry, and fortune cookies at Panda Express are vegan. We request no-cheese vegetable pizzas and oil- or tomato-based pasta in Italian restaurants and pizza joints. Pizza Plant, Crosta, and Pizza Express have vegan pizza and pasta. Baguettes, sourdough, focaccia, and ciabatta are naturally vegan, like Pan de Manila’s pan de sal and Marby’s buns. At Auntie Anne’s, we request to omit the butter on our pretzels. We enjoy Taters BBQ flavor popcorn and Potato Corner barbecue fries. Pinkberry has vegan soft-serve ice cream, but we can also share a pint from Superscoops available in supermarkets or a liter of Plantitude at No Brand. Cupcakes by Sonja has vegan cupcakes. Real Food and The Vegan Grocer carry frozen and pantry staples and ice cream from Alt Scoops or Doc Chef.
Starbucks also carries sweet and savory vegan meals and beverages, so at the mall or on the road, we know we can find something for ourselves. In a pinch, 7-Eleven also carries fruit and vegetables if a market or delivery isn’t an option.
Very few of us were ever born into veganism. We all started somewhere, whether from a health standpoint, concern for the planet, or to stop animal cruelty. Eventually, all three reasons may bleed into one once you realize how interrelated we are. So, when you decide to “go vegan,” expect to experience lots of refining as you learn how all earthlings can peacefully coexist on this beautiful planet we call home.
As the Vegan Society said, “It is important to understand that veganism is not just a diet, but a compassionate lifestyle choice where you do not consume or use any animal products, as far as possible and practicable in this non-vegan world.”