Website design By BotEap.comThinking of starting a vegan diet but don’t know where to start? A vegan diet means you don’t eat animal products: meat, dairy, fish, and even eggs.

Website design By BotEap.comHowever, for many people, the thought of cutting out all dairy and meat can definitely be overwhelming, especially if you like to eat out and aren’t a whiz in the kitchen.

Website design By BotEap.comOne option that works for many people is to start gradually. The following 8 tips will make the transition easier and smoother, so you’re more likely to stick with the change:

Website design By BotEap.com1. Start by eliminating red meat

Website design By BotEap.comThe first step has to be quite easy. And for many people that starts with cutting out the red meat (we’re not as attached to it as we are to our cheese, it seems).

Website design By BotEap.comStart by eliminating all pork, beef, lamb, and other red meat from your diet. Still allow yourself white meats like fish, chicken, and shellfish.

Website design By BotEap.comYou can also start trying meatless versions of bacon and other meats that you can find at your local supermarket or health food store, just to see which versions you like. When you start to feel comfortable not eating red meat, you can move on to the next stage.

Website design By BotEap.com2. Chop the chicken

Website design By BotEap.comEliminate the chicken, but still include shellfish and fish like tuna, salmon, shrimp, etc.

Website design By BotEap.comYou can also start trying to make some vegan meal recipes (you can find many online, and many times they are also reviewed by other vegans, so you can find the ones that REALLY taste good).

Website design By BotEap.com3. Eliminate shellfish and fish

Website design By BotEap.comAt this point, you are practically in the vegetarian stage. Congratulations! Now is the time to cut out the shellfish and fish, but keep trying other meat alternatives like soy-based patties, etc.

Website design By BotEap.comYour protein will also come from vegetables like lentils, chickpeas, and black beans. There are also whole grains, vegetarian ground beef, vegetarian empanadas, some other meatless products like vegan bacon.

Website design By BotEap.com4. Say goodbye to cheese

Website design By BotEap.comWell, this could be the most painful part for many of us. We love our cheese. But there are cheese alternatives like rice cheese and tofu. You’ll have to experiment here to find what kind of cheese works for you.

Website design By BotEap.comFor example, I can’t stand tofu, but there is a rice-based cheese I can buy at my grocery store that is fantastic, it even melts like real cheese!

Website design By BotEap.com5. Eliminate the eggs

Website design By BotEap.comThis can also be a bit of a challenge, mainly because eggs are used in so many baked goods and recipes.

Website design By BotEap.comBut there are plenty of egg alternatives that you can use to bake your treats. Some people use mixtures of gelatin and water (which is fine for recipes that use less than 3 eggs).

Website design By BotEap.comOther options include applesauce and egg replacement powders which can often be found at many specialty health food stores.

Website design By BotEap.com6. Eliminate cream and butter

Website design By BotEap.comAgain, this can be a challenge as cream is often used in coffee, and butter is often used in recipes for baked goods.

Website design By BotEap.comBut the good news is that there are excellent vegan alternatives. Coconut oil is a great replacement for butter in recipes (it’s basically a 1:1 replacement ratio). You can also use olive oil if you are cooking dinners like stir fry dishes.

Website design By BotEap.comAnd for cream, there are great alternatives to non-dairy cream like soy milk, coconut milk (very thick and creamy), or even coconut butter.

Website design By BotEap.comLook around your grocery store, as there are specially formulated non-dairy creamer options in the health food section. (Sometimes regular coconut milk or almond milk separates in your coffee – these creamers I will not do it separately in your coffee).

Website design By BotEap.com7. Let go of milk

Website design By BotEap.comThis may seem difficult, but you have a LOT of options here, so it’s really not that bad (in fact, I found cheese much more difficult!).

Website design By BotEap.comVegan alternatives to milk include rice milk, soy milk, coconut milk, and nut milks such as almond or cashew milk.

Website design By BotEap.comYou can also use these milks for baking or cooking, eat them with your cereal, or you can just drink them from a glass.

Website design By BotEap.com8. Find the best vegan recipes and restaurants

Website design By BotEap.comGood news: you are now completely vegan. But you still have to live your life without being chained to your kitchen.

Website design By BotEap.comAnd you need to maintain a social life, which means eating out!

Website design By BotEap.comNow is the time to start finding more recipes you love (so you can make them up and keep them on hand all week). I usually pick a day like Sunday and prepare all my food for the week, freezing the meals that will be used towards the end of the week.

Website design By BotEap.comAlso, start researching what you can drink at restaurants. Depending on your area, you may be able to find a vegan restaurant or cafe.

Website design By BotEap.comNot sure what you can eat at a certain restaurant? Most places have their menus online so you can look up what’s on the menu. You can also call ahead and ask what they might have that you can eat. Many restaurants are more than accommodating if you let them know (after all, they want your business).

Website design By BotEap.comThose are 8 steps on how to start a vegan diet without losing your mind. Some people like to go gradually.

Website design By BotEap.comHowever, if you prefer to get involved with both feet, another option is to use a vegan food delivery service for a month or two. This will ensure that you eat delicious food (so the transition isn’t too difficult) and can slowly learn the lifestyle at your own pace.

Website design By BotEap.comGoing vegan can be a challenge, but there are ways to make it much easier. I hope these tips have helped. In no time you will feel healthier and stronger! Good luck and here’s to your health!