The Transition

by Dan O’Keefe

Monday, Feb. 1 marked my official transition into veganism.

This transition, however, wasn’t from steak on the 31st to lettuce on the 1st. As I mentioned last week, I have been vegetarian since returning to Guelph for the winter semester.

As a vegetarian, I was still able to enjoy eggs, French toast, milk, grilled cheese sandwiches, and honey.  These delectable items have now vanished from my plate, but that doesn’t mean that I have just stopped eating. In fact, I am probably eating better than I ever have before.

What is very fortunate for people with unique diets, whether vegetarian, vegan, kosher, or any other, is that the University of Guelph provides countless alternatives for people with different dietary preferences. In barely half an hour, one can traverse the campus and come across no fewer than sixteen different food facilities, which offer vegan-friendly food.

Of course, at some of the eateries, not many of the menu options are vegan. But still, every place on campus can offer you something. One of my favourites has to be Creelman Marketplace. Nature’s Best Vegetarian offers some amazing dishes, and always has at least one vegan option.

I have become quite familiar with the salad bar. I usually passed this up on my way to the nightly beef or fish special, but now I go out of my way looking for it.

One essential that vegans can easily miss out on is iron. Some of the best sources of iron are beef, chicken, and turkey, none of which even remotely qualifies as vegan-friendly.

On the other hand, one of a vegan’s best friends is spinach. A big spinach salad has more iron than the average golf bag, along with over twenty other essential vitamins and nutrients. While I haven’t become Popeye yet, I am not discouraged, and continue to consume this super-food at unprecedented rates.

Many people, myself included, find spinach bitter. My solution is simple and delicious.

I create a spinach salad with watermelon and cantaloupe. The sweet melon balances the bitter vegetable nicely.

As do many students, I survive on a diet spiked with caffeine. I am not as bad as some, but more days than not, I enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. My preferred cup was a double-double with milk, but since last summer, I’ve been going without the sugar.

As a vegan now, that makes my coffee black, which I am not thrilled with. However, I found a little surprise that made me very happy. The Bull Ring always has a jug of fortified soy beverage, also known as soymilk.

So now I head over to the ‘Ring’ to grab a cup of coffee. Even more convenient is that many of the hospitality services on campus carry the same product, along with chocolate and vanilla variations to please any palate. All three check out as vegan, even the chocolate variation, because the ingredient used for the chocolate flavour is cocoa, not milk chocolate.

The hardest part of the transition has not been getting used to new foods, or even going without certain foods, but changing my mentality.

The first thing I think of when considering a meal is what meat will my dish consist of, and what sides will complement the meat. I have had to make a conscious effort to think differently regarding food; however, I feel that by week two or three, that will no longer be an issue.

What I have been surprised and delighted with is just how I feel. I feel incredible!

I feel like I am running at 100 per cent efficiency. I just feel healthy. Admittedly, it could be the knowledge of an improved diet having a placebo effect on me. Still, I feel amazing, and I love it.

So far, so good. I am eating well and feeling great. Can I stay on track? We’ll find out as the Vegan Challenge continues.

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