So What Can She (the Vegan) Eat?

Where a person is on the vegan-vegetarian spectrum is up to them and can vary greatly.  Generally, vegetarians don't eat any animal meat, fish, or poultry but do eat milk and eggs. However, some vegetarians will still eat fish. Vegans don't eat anything that was an animal or came from animals.   The fruitarians only eat fruits, vegetables, legumes that naturally fall from the plant and can be gathered without harming the plant. Raw food diet folks are vegan but don't cook their food -- they only eat raw foods.

People choose these diets for numerous reasons.  Some people are instructed to by doctors to cut out certain foods from their diets, some do it for moral or ethical reasons, and some for health reasons.

I chose a vegan diet when I was about 13 years old for several reasons, but today I stick with it because I believe its healthy.  And, quiet frankly, I think its weird that humans drink another animal's milk for their entire lives; and I've become lactose intolerant at this point.  I eat honey, which strict vegans don't; but honey is really just honey bee vomit and I don't think it bother's them that much that we clean it up for them.

Disclaimer: Now, I want to be clear, that while I don't eat animal products, I don't care what you or anyone else eats. I'm not trying to advocate anything.  Being from Iowa, I fully support the egg industry (Iowa produces more eggs than any state in the nation), the dairy industry, beef, pork and poultry producers. Those farmers are some of the hardest workers I know, have kept Iowa's economy afloat during this recession, and quite literally feed the world.

Vegans benefit from lower cholesterol (the bad cholesterol you consume only comes from animal products), lower risks of heart disease, some cancers, obesity and diabetes. Vegans, however, do need to be conscious of how much protein they get as well as B vitamins, iron, and calcium to ensure they get enough.

So, all that being said, what can and cannot vegans eat? 

Can't Eat
This list is actually must smaller than the "Can Eat" list.

• Meat 
• Poultry
• Fish & seafood
• Eggs - and foods with eggs in them!
• Milk & whey - and foods with milk in them!
• Gelatin
• Gelatin comes from the collagen in cattle bones and pig hide and is used as a jelling agent.  Its found in many foods you might not suspect:
• Marshmallows
• Candy (e.g. Starbursts, skittles, other "gummy" candies)
• Pop-Tarts
• Nutrigrain bars
• Jello 
• But have no fear! There are plenty of vegan alternatives!
• French fries from McDonalds - they are coated in beef fat
• Taurine - often found in energy drinks, is a protein derived from animal tissue
• Lard
• Honey
• Some white sugar - some brands of sugar are whitened using animal bone
• Snails
• Bugs - don't feed her bugs.

Can Eat
Anything not on the "Can't Eat" list.

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• [Some] Pastas
• Grains: rice, oats, wheat, etc
• Nuts
• [Some] Bread
• Soy based foods
• milk
• ice cream 
• cheese
• cream cheese
• sour cream
• mayonnaise
• yogurt
• Vegetable protein
• tofu (made from soybeans)
• tempeh
• seitan
• veggie burgers
• Legumes
• Vegetable based margarine
• Olive oil
• READ INGREDIENT LABELS! If it doesn't contain milk/whey/eggs/gelatin/ beef fat/lard she can eat it!

Its really not as a difficult as it may seem to find food for your vegan so don't let it freak you out. It will become easier to recognize food ingredients and get used to thinking about what goes into the food you eat the more you do so. Don't be afraid to mess up, it will only cause your vegan to fall over vomiting and ruin your date. Good luck!


-- Nicole