If you’ve just decided to go vegan and most of your friends aren’t, you are in for a serious challenge. There is a strong chance that you still have cravings for the foods you used to like, and you can’t expect people to stop eating the foods they like because of your new diet. Don’t assume that they won’t be willing to make compromises, however, and know that there are things that you can do to introduce them to vegan food and make things easier for you as a result. Let’s take a look at a few survival tips for vegans with non-vegan friends.
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1. Propose Vegan-Friendly Restaurant Options
If you like to go out for dinner with your friends, try to introduce them to cuisines that will make it easier for you to stick to your diet. Indian food is one of the best choices here since it's so popular with non-vegans while still being very vegan-friendly. If you're in Bristol or are thinking of visiting, consider running a quick search for an Indian restaurant in Bristol that has plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, and don't hesitate to give them a call to ask them about their cooking practices.
2. Cook for Them
Another thing you should do is have your friends come over and cook a nice vegan dish with plenty of options for them. A lot of people still have an unjustified prejudice against vegan food even though there are so many great options available today, and this would be enough to at least have them consider going vegan with you.
You could go one step further and make it seem like you’re serving regular food and tell them at the end that everything they ate was vegan. This could blow their mind away and be enough for some of them to switch to a vegan diet permanently.
3. Research Vegan Fast Food Options
It would also be a good idea to see which fast-food restaurants are the best or worst when it comes to vegan options. This will allow you to make recommendations if the subject ever comes up. Don't force anything on your friends, however, and always have some vegan options with you so you don't end up starving.
4. Be Willing to Make Compromises
If you’re living in a home full of non-vegans, you cannot ask them to stop cooking because it gives you cravings or ask them to not eat meat products in front of you. You may have to stay in your room and open the windows instead when people are cooking or choose different times to eat if you don’t want to be bothered by the smell or scent of non-vegan food, among other things.
These are all things that will make life much easier for any person transitioning to a non-vegan lifestyle. Remember to not force your opinions on people, do as much research as you can on any dining option, and take it one step at a time.
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