Article By Kali Nelson
When you’ve spent your entire life eating a certain way, the thought of giving up your favourite foods is not super appealing. Even if veganism interests you, it’s sometimes tough to get over that initial roadblock.
You might consider trying it, but then remember your favourite cheesecake and quickly dismiss the idea. This is especially true if you tried a tofu dish that one time at that weird restaurant five years ago, and it made you swear off the stuff for life.
If any of this rings true for you, let’s explore the options.
How Does Vegan Food Compare?
Whether for environmental, health, or ethical reasons, interest in veganism has never been higher. In Canada alone, there’s been a 113% spike in vegan Google searches since 2016.
What that means is that there’s money to be made in the vegan world, and people have noticed. There’s plenty of competition to make the best vegan ice cream, burger, or cheese slices. A Global Markets Insight report showed that the non-dairy ice cream market is expected to surpass $1 billion by 2024. And honestly, with Ben & Jerry’s offering vegan flavours like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Caramel Almond Brittle, and Peanut Butter Half-Baked… we can see why!
Modern vegan foods are of such a high quality that even meat-eaters are opting for them. According to a 2019 study by The NDP Group, around 90% of consumers purchasing plant-based alternatives are not vegan or vegetarian.
This race to create the best plant-based replacements has led to a vast increase in choices. Instead of settling for a product you don’t like, you can experiment with the best each brand has to offer.
Why Do Vegans Make The Switch?
One thing to consider is that many vegans didn’t make the transition because they stopped liking the taste of animal products. In fact, they probably used to say something like, “I could never go vegan – I’d miss cheese!”
So, why stop eating something you enjoy? It comes down to evaluating what happened to the animal on your plate and then deciding if taste is justification for that treatment. Does supporting that system align with your values?
We know animals are sentient, feeling beings. If given the opportunity to flee or fight for their life, they would do it. What they experience is undeniably difficult to look at, but if we’re supporting it with our dollar, it’s on us to be informed.
Fortunately, we live in a world where we don’t have to sacrifice taste to eat a cruelty-free burger. We can still indulge in that delicious cheesecake or any other favourite food.
If you’d like to learn more about making the switch, check out the resources at Challenge 22.