Then and Now: How my day to day eating has changed since going vegan.

On Monday I shared about my journey to going Vegan. Now I’ll share with you some of the more specific ways my diet, and thoughts behind my food choices, has changed. A fun way to show this is by comparing what I’d eat on a typical day before I went vegan versus a typical day now. 

Breakfast:

Then: A mix of cereals with skim milk and a banana

Now: Rolled oats cooked with chia seeds and topped with fruit, almond butter and granola

The Difference: I cared more about low-calorie and low-fat foods then and didn’t pay attention to ingredient labels or the amount of processed sugar I was consuming in my cereals. The lack of healthy fats in my breakfast also caused me to be hungry a couple of hours later. Now I enjoy whole foods that keep me satisfied for hours.

Lunch:

Then: A PB&J sandwich on low-calorie wheat bread with sugar-free jelly, fat-free peach yogurt, pretzels and carrots.

Now: A big salad with spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, chickpeas, tahini dressing and homemade whole wheat bread with hummus on the side.

The Difference: I had no variety in my diet and carrots were practically the only vegetable I'd consume throughout the day. Before going vegan I was focused more on calories instead of nutrients and therefore deprived my body of lots of the vitamins and minerals found in whole foods.  

Dinner:

Then: An egg sandwich on an english muffin with a side of microwaved peas and more pretzels. 

Now: Red Lentil Marinara Sauce over Quinoa with side of steamed broccoli and fresh pineapple.

The Difference: Again, I was all about convenience and low-calorie foods. I was addicted to pretzels. Now I love variety and incorporate veggies into almost all of my meals and usually in multiple ways.

Snacks:

Then: Granola bars, apples, carrots or pretzels. 

Now: Green smoothies, Homemade Lara Bars, veggies and hummus.

The Difference: I often tried not to snack, but when I was too hungry not too, I often chose low-calorie convenience foods with lots of ingredients on the labels. Now I love a good hearty, often homemade snack chalk full of nutrients. 

Desserts:

Then: Ice cream, cookies, brownies.

Now: Fruit, a square of dark chocolate, Homemade Almond Pulp Fudge, dates and almond butter.

The Difference: My sweet tooth was definitely hardest to give up, which shows how much my body was addicted to sugar. I still love sweet things, but now I don't need them. I'm often happy with some fruit for dessert. I've also grown more in my ability to bake desserts using whole foods like dates and nuts which, after eating, leaves me feeling full and satisfied.

Before I went vegan I had no variety in my diet and was all about quick, convenient and low-calorie foods. I cared more about the health claims of the foods I bought and didn't realize that those foods were often processed and stripped of the nutrients that are naturally found in whole foods - a concept that I had never had explained to me.


I feel so much better and couldn't be happier with my choice to go vegan. I eat such a wide variety of food, REAL food, and love that I am able to eat larger quantities. While at first going vegan seemed restricting and I struggled with what I was able to eat, I now feel like there is no end to the delicious food I can eat. My mind is often thinking of different food combinations or recipes I want to try, hence the reason this blog got started in the first place. I love being able to document different recipe creations I make and also see the progress of how far I've coming in my ability to cook and bake without any dairy, meat or eggs.

It's been a wonderful journey! If you have any questions I'd love to chat. Check out my Contact Me tab!

Eat Consciously,

Faith