I did it! One week on a vegan diet

Anna Sandner

18.4.2024

Translation: Elicia Payne

For over twenty years now I’ve predominantly eaten a vegetarian diet. And I recently decided to take the next step and switch to a vegan diet for at least a week. I prepared myself for a whole lot of sacrifices, but instead discovered a whole new world of nutrition.

I must confess, I postponed this «I did it!» week a few times before actually daring to try it. As it turned out, however, my initial worries were unfounded because I found it much easier than I thought. And even my fear of having to sacrifice certain foods was unnecessary.

I was particularly worried about my daily dose of chocolate, which I didn’t want to miss out on. I quickly came to the realise that all kinds of confectionary are now available in vegan form. But my breakfast also regularly includes animal products. Not to mention spontaneous meals out in non-vegan restaurants. How am I supposed to find something vegan there?

Lunch is also easy – there’s a mixed salad that doesn’t contain any animal products. But I do feel a pang of sadness when I discover the mozzarella in the fridge. If I hadn’t resolved to go vegan this week, it would’ve gone straight into my salad. But the dish is also fine without cheese, and I decide on the spot to get a small alternative like chickpeas or tofu for my next salad.

I could happily eat my way through all the great dishes. However, the food also has to appeal to my husband and son, neither of whom are vegan. That’s why I go for vegan burgers with homemade fries.

If overnight oats appeal to you as much as they do me, you can read more about this practical and balanced breakfast alternative here:

For dinner we have a stew made from potatoes and various vegetables, refined with curry made from tomato puree and coconut milk. This is a quick, uncomplicated meal that I often cooked before I began my vegan week. I always make a big portion so that we can eat it over several days. It’s also great for freezing to be defrosted quickly on a busy day.

In the evening, I have a dinner date at a pizzeria. Again, it’s not hard to find something vegan for me because I really like pizza without cheese. It’s the dessert that I’m concerned about. Tiramisu is out the window, and I also have to deny myself strawberries with mascarpone. In the end, I grudgingly do without dessert. This is probably the way to lose weight on a vegan diet.

In the evening, I’m rushed for time so I serve up some spaghetti Napoli. I do without the parmesan without too much regret. The spaghetti is made from spelt, without egg of course. This doesn’t take much rethinking as I’ve long since switched to egg-free pasta. After all, the regular kind’s almost always made using eggs from poor animal welfare conditions. Besides, the egg-free pasta tastes better to me anyway.

In the evening we have the only type of potato that my seven-year-old eats voluntarily – homemade chips. I also make a salad with lettuce and fried mushrooms. The rest of the family eats fish — something I don’t usually eat anyway.

My vegan trial week is supposed to come to an end now. But as is often the case after a week of self-experimentation, I’m sticking with the new habit for now. It’s now been three weeks since I gave up animal products completely and so far there’s been no temptation to break it.

You can find more of the healthy habits I tried in my «I did it!» series here:

Anna Sandner

Senior Editor

Anna.Sandner@galaxus.de

Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always outside - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.

---

Background information

Interesting facts about products, behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturers and deep-dives on interesting people.

Show all

These articles might also interest you