You’ve decided to go vegan, but the person or people eating under the same roof may not be on board the plant based train…. yet 😉. No worries. Even if you are the main cook in the kitchen, there are plenty of ways you can stay committed and keep everyone happy.

Vegan Meal Prep Delivery

Meal prep can be a life saver. My go to is Purple Carrot (read my review here). The wonderful thing about meal prep is that they deliver plant based ingredients, including all of the spices and sauces you need for preparing a meal. Since you are making the meal basically from scratch, you can add meat or dairy to portions of those not eating vegan if they want. The other night, I made a vegan Pad Thai with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts. I could have easily added parmesan cheese or cooked a piece of fish to go with it. I have done it before with other recipes and because the original ingredients are so delish, you wont’ be tempted to alter your portions.

Try Vegan Substitutes

The first time I made my first vegan mac and cheese and I have to admit, it was delicious. I was the only vegan at the table, but everyone else admitted they enjoyed the dish. I also made vegan collard greens, stuffing and candied yams. By just switching a few ingredients, such as vegan butter for regular butter, or vegan sausage for regular sausage (stuffing), I was still able to make mouthwatering food that non vegans enjoyed. Try this when making chili, spaghetti, french toast or other common meals that your loved ones enjoy.

Commit Gradually As A Family

If you are just thinking about going vegan, chances are you are not ready to commit 100 %. So why not do it gradually as a team? I recently posted about some great options for easing into a vegan diet. Find a plan you can agree on, and the best part is that you won’t have to make this journey alone.

Be On Point With Cooking Skills

Listen, deciding to go vegan yourself is one thing. Convincing others is way more challenging. So if you are the main cook in the kitchen, then convincing others starts with you preparing great food. The best part is that there are so many great tools and ingredients at your disposal.. such as hundreds of cookbooks and blogs where recipes have been tested; great meat, egg and dairy substitutes; and participating grocery stores that carry most if not all that you may need. Take the time to learn how to use plant based ingredients, and cooking skills to make your food on point.

Have Your Restaurant Go To List

When you can’t cook or you just want to go out, identify vegan and vegan friendly restaurants in your town. But make sure these places make good food. Not all vegan restaurants are created equal. I have been to plenty that just don’t seem to know what they are doing and the food was horrid. One bad experience could turn your potential vegan partners off. So be sure to find great places and make friends with the hosts, manager and chef.

Let me know if these ideas work for you, or if you have any additional suggestions for keeping the food peace in your home. I would love hear from you.

Wishing you wellness 🌱

Photo by AllGo – An App For Plus Size People on Unsplash