vegan

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, vegan

Why I Don’t Want Everyone To Go Vegan Like Me

April 30, 2013 at 9:13 pm , by 

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

You were born in an interesting age, to interesting parents, who happened to be part of the rapidly growing minority of Americans who choose to live a lifestyle in which animal products are shunned for the sake of strict veganism (like me) or strict vegetarianism (like Mommy.)

As for you, you’re the kid caught in the middle of it, not realizing that we are making an important decision for you; at least for now. (What an appropriate shirt for you to be wearing today: Pizza vs. Broccoli.)

It used to be that vegans and vegetarians were perceived as predictable stereotypes; hippies who didn’t bathe. Not to mention, they looked down on anyone who didn’t share the same lifestyle and beliefs as they did.

I think of those animal rights ads that use shock value to get the attention of carnivores, often using images of nearly nude women or the slaughter of animals.

That’s not me or what I stand for.

The truth is, I don’t want everyone to go vegan, like me. Just as important, I don’t think everyoneshould be vegan. It’s not for everybody.

I don’t believe in forcing or pressuring my beliefs upon anyone for any reason. If someone is influenced by a conversation of mine, then so be it- that happens everyday to everybody.

Part of the process of becoming an individual is by (ironically?) collecting the ideas of other people you respect. That process, which included several pivotal documentaries on Netflix, led me to my extreme (yet not-that-weird-anymore) lifestyle.

Really, though, the main reason I don’t want everyone to become a vegan is because it seems like that would drive up the demand for organic foods, causing a shortage in supply, causing a hike in the prices of our groceries.

I’m not convinced there’s enough organic kale and chia seeds for even half of America to live this way.

So I best stop talking about how happy I am to have found this lifestyle and the positive health benefits (as well as, peace of mind) it brings our family.

It’s funny to think how 5 years ago, no one could have paid me enough money to go vegan for the rest of my life. Now, I’m trying to think how much money would be enough for me to go back to my former lifestyle, permanently.

I best stop trying to make our family seem relatively normal and decent.

However, to not share helpful and relevant information to curious people; well, that just seems selfish.

Hmm… the classic vegan dilemma.

I’m stressing out a little bit now. I need some vegan chocolate cookies…

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting, vegan

The Public Demand For Vegan Chocolate

April 22, 2013 at 10:50 pm , by 

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

A few weeks ago in “5 Reasons Your Facebook Friends Are Going Vegan,” I mentioned that you and Mommy were practicing recipes for cupcakes for my 32nd birthday.

The outcome: Mommy and I agree that my vegan cupcakes (the Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes With Almond Buttercream ones from the vegan recipe blog, Oh She Glows) were so good, they were actually better than those trendy “$4 cupcakes” that we used to buy.

We were able to enjoy all the physical and psychological thrills of eating chocolate cupcakes, but without the guilt hangover afterwards. (The fat in the cupcakes comes from almond milk and olive oil, not animal products or bi-products.)

They were so perfecto, we’re going to make them again this weekend. Lucky us!

(Yes, I meant to say perfecto.)

As a vegan, it is nearly impossible to find vegan chocolate.

It’s one thing to find chocolate that just so happens to not contain milk or eggs, or even honey, but that’s not good enough for most vegans like me.

I also will not accept high fructose corn syrup (Monsanto much?) nor food dyes derived from bugs (Carmine or Crimson Lake) or petroleum (Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6).

As I’ve mentioned before, 2.5 percent of the country  now identifies themselves as “vegan,” up from 1 percent in 2009.

In other words, the public’s demand for vegan chocolate, as well as chocolate treats and snacks, has more than doubled in the past 3 years; in theory, at least.

So even if I sound extreme in my search for vegan chocolate, I’m clearly not alone.

Annie’s Homegrown, an admirable brand that keeps finding its name randomly mentioned by me on a regularly basis, is clever enough they actually have a “Vegan Snacks” tab on their website, featuring my personal favorite: Chocolate Bunny Grahams.

I should point out that Annie’s Homegrown is the only affordable and easily obtainable vegan snack source I have been exposed to so far.

For example, for my birthday Mommy bought me these awesome coconut cocoa ball truffles from some fancy vegan company, but they probably cost as much as a couple of bald eagle heads.

In other words, affordable vegan chocolate is a rare find.

Even if the major food companies ever pick up on this growing demand, I doubt they will be able to make a product in which vegans approve.

It’s probably not worth it to them to market to the 3% of the population who (I assume, if they’re like me) generally distrusts food companies who use petroleum and bugs in their food designed for children to eat.

We’ll stick with the plant-based stuff; even if we have to make it ourselves.

 

Love,

Daddy