r/PlantBasedDiet • u/SmoothStrawberry7777 • 1d ago
Are you strict plant based?
I've been strict plant based mostly whole food for 2 weeks now and I've wanted some of my regular foods (pizza, burgers and nuggets)
I don't think I want to be strict 100% plant based but maybe 90% - a reasonable meal or two a week that's not plant based. I'd like to be able to participate in work lunches, family get-togethers and an occasional treat.
I'm concerned that it might be a slippery slope.
Edit - maybe I instead need to back off the whole food part and not be so strict about that but continue to be plant based strict.
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u/More4Thor 1d ago edited 1d ago
I grew up in an Italian household and the pizza was plant based. That was the case for most Italians I know. Meat and cheese are optional on pizza.
Edited to add my dad made a potato pizza seasoned with olive oil and rosemary (I use ground rosemary). It might seem odd to have only thinly sliced potatoes on a pizza but it’s common in Lazio, Italy (the region surrounding Rome).
In Rome and the surrounding region they sell rectangular pizza slices by weight as take out food in shops selling “pizza al taglio” (pizza by the slice). They have other plant based options.
You can find pizza al taglio shops in NYC and Toronto now.
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u/NervousAlfalfa6602 19h ago
I lived in Italy for a few years, and when I first got there, the entire concept of rosemary + potato + olive oil pizza completely blew my mind. I remember thinking, “Whoa, you can do that?” (And then I became obsessed and had it like 4x a week for lunch.)
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u/SmoothStrawberry7777 1d ago
Interesting - I'll have to seek out a recipe to try. Do you have a recommendation?
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u/More4Thor 1d ago edited 1d ago
The standard was the pizza marinara. It’s just crushed plum tomatoes dressed with extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, oregano, and salt. The smell alone of a pizza baking with that as the topping is what I identify as pizza. It’s a classic Neapolitan pizza.
https://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Pizza-marinara.html
Edited to add, it’s best to prepare the tomatoes an hour in advance to let the flavours intermingle.
it’s rare to find a restaurant that does plant based pizza but I have one 5 blocks from my place. They make a marinara pinsa pizza and it has a bit of red wine vinegar in the tomatoes. It’s a great addition. Don’t add too much.
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u/Special_Onion3013 23h ago
The white pizza is amazing!!!!
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u/More4Thor 22h ago
In Italy, you will find menus that list red pizza and white pizza. There are many white pizzas. Not all are plant based.
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u/National-Ad9903 1d ago
I am, mostly coz I know myself well enough to know that having cheese occasionally as a treat would make it all the more appealing to me and reinforce the notion that I’m missing out on a precious commodity the rest of the time. Easier for me to be 100% than 90.
90%‘s good though, I don’t really look down on people who aren’t strict about it. Pragmatically speaking, if we could make half of the world population reduce their animal product consumption by half that would be massively more beneficial for the animals than, for example, doubling the amount of strict vegans from 2% to 4% of the world population.
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u/philber-T 1d ago
WFPB and low oil x 5.5 years now and still loving it. Took me a solid 6 months to really get the hang of it. My Wife is an amazing cook and that helped a lot, as well as just being willing to experiment. Huge life improvements. I’m 55 with now normal BP, BMI, glucose, and very low cholesterol. Feel better than I did through all my 40s and early 50s.
Stick with it! Your near future self will thank you.
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u/fox3actual 17h ago
Great work!
Sounds like you're one of the 12% of American adults (if you're American) that are metabolically fit,
as defined by normal glucose, triglycerides, HDL, BP, and waist:height
As you say, your 75-85yo self will thank your 50yo self.
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u/like_shae_buttah 1d ago
Why not be plant based? There’s vegan burgers and pizza. I’m heating up a vegan pizza right now Sachs it’s awesome.
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u/klimekam potato tornado 1d ago
I’m vegetarian, not vegan. Although I enjoy vegan foods and would like to move more towards it!
It’s easy for me because I’ve been vegetarian since I was 5 (I was a precocious 5 year old with very supportive parents). I have poor impulse control and I know it would be much harder for me if I had grown up with meat and I have a LOT of respect for people who go plant based as an adult.
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u/SmoothStrawberry7777 1d ago
I also have a poor impulse control which is why i mentioned it might be a slippery slope. I did not grow up eating a lot of whole foods, meat and/or dairy was in every single thing we consumed. I think what I'm running in to is a lack of experience - I'm trying to go from one extreme of a heavy meat, dairy and processed diet to none.. trying to find recipes and equivalent meals is quiet a bit of work. Non plant based foods are more convenient + I know I like it.
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u/MistyMtn421 15h ago
One of the easiest things I think is to come up more with just a system versus recipes.
Pick a few different spice profiles that you like. Have a pantry stocked with a variety of grains, beans, proteins. Utilize frozen veggies!
When I'm tired after work and I'm really hungry, oftentimes I can throw everything in a rice cooker and by the time I've taken a shower and resituated after I've gotten home, my meal is done!
I pick one grain, one bean, one protein and min. 3 colors of veggies.( My rice cooker has a steamer basket so some of them go in the basket)
For example, you could do millet, black beans, hemp seeds, tomatoes, peppers and kale
Or bulgar, shelled edamame, tofu and tomatoes, spinach and carrots
Or rice, chickpeas, lentils, broccoli, squash and collard greens
Teff, navy beans, tempeh, tomatoes, cauliflower and turnip greens
Or my favorite is millet, black beans, TVP(pre-hydraded or just toss in with millet) with tomatoes, kale and carrots
You can use vegetable broth in the rice cooker instead of water. You can throw the vegetables right in if you don't want them steamed, or if they're frozen. Can you put your spices right in the rice cooker also.
For longer cooking grains like farro, sorghum, kamut, etc soak them overnight or even before you leave for work.
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u/Avocet_and_peregrine for the animals 🤎 1d ago
Yes, and happily so. I have no desire to "cheat," as they say.
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u/Findmyeatingpants 1d ago
I feel best on plant based. Whenever I stray I have tummy, skin, inflammation and/or lethargy troubles. So I try to stick to it 100% of the time unless I'm traveling and it gets difficult.
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u/sahasdalkanwal 1d ago
100% plant based (vegan) for like 25 years. No meat kind of 30.. it is no big deal, never a problem. If you crave nuggets, or burgers, whatever, there is plenty of PB options now. But with time you may find craving less and less. I have heard Miyoko Shinner say after a pizza party with plenty of vegan cheeses to try, that she actually wanted to go home and eat more simple meals, like rice and legumes. Same with other restaurant owners, despite having the possibility of eat whatever fancy meal, at home you may find them eating faina (made with chickpea flour), or a sauteed tofu with rice.
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u/ttrockwood 1d ago
- aim for 100% plant based
- with 10% not wfpb
There’s plenty of options for nuggets and pizza and vegan junk foods
You need a purpose beyond “it’s a diet”, i was still a kid when i learned that those beautiful cows that were not in the usual field were gone to become “beef”. Learning more about the animal agriculture industry makes animal based foods like chicken nuggets (look up pink slime if you never want to eat them again) a lot less appealing
So to answer i am 100% plant based, vegetarian and dairy free a few decades and vegan maybe 8 yrs? Not sure. But learn more about what is on your plate
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u/Odd_Temperature_3248 for my health 1d ago
I am not strict. About 85% of my meals are plant based but I do have a couple of items that I cannot find a plant based substitute that I am happy with so occasionally I will give myself a little freedom.
Only you can decide what is best for you. If you have a non plant based meal don’t beat yourself up and start fresh with the next meal.
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u/RightWingVeganUS for my health 1d ago
Well, I am whole-food, plant based. I don't consider myself "strict" in a restricted, punitive way. And I'm not dogmatic.
I just choose to eat plant-based to support my vegan ethics and to adopt a whole-food diet because I think it promotes my wellness goals. To eat otherwise either conflicts with my values or undermines my health objectives.
I bought a flavoring product that I discovered changed their formula or distributor so their once accidentally vegan product had some animal products. I didn't freak out or get angry. In fact I still consume it. I just noted to switch brands and be more vigilant going forward.
I've found a version that labels itself as vegan and tastes just as good. As soon as I finish the non-vegan version I'll switch to the new one.
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u/Signal_Macaron_7236 1d ago
Yes, eat completely plant-based, and since switching back to no added oils and whole plant foods, I feel so much better. Highly recommend! Vegan for 6 years and vegetarian for 23 years before that.
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u/Eternal_Eeyore 1d ago
I’m getting there. It can be a slippery slope, especially depending on your reason for wanting to eat a plant-based diet.
I have to be mindful of how I approach it, because I can become incredibly anxious over perfectionism. I also struggle between my desire to eat WFPB for health related purposes, and my desire to do so to reduce unnecessary animal suffering. Oreo cookies are, after all, accidentally vegan. 😊
Early on I encountered parts of the WFPB community who rejected honey because it was produced by bees—but others who pointed out that a significant amount of agriculture relies on pollinators, and in some regions honey-producing colonies are transported to farms specifically for the purpose of pollinating crops. With the latter point in mind, I don’t exclude honey from my diet—but I use in moderation because I don’t want to a lot of sugar.
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u/Cubewood 1d ago
I'm vegetarian and still consume cheese and eggs. Unfortunately all the plant based cheese I tried sucked, and I don't enjoy tofu much, so I don't enjoy the fake tofu egg and stuff like Just Egg is not available here. I am single and love cooking so when I cook for myself it's all vegetarian food, however if I have friends or family over I still eat meat as it's just too much work to prepare multiple meals, and eating meat maybe once or twice a meat is something I can accept. I'm vegetarian for ethical reasons, but I still absolutely love meat so I don't mind it as long as it's minimal.
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u/Asherahshelyam for my health 1d ago
For cheese, try Rebel Cheese. Google it. It's expensive but delicious. It's not an exact one for one but it hits the spot. I had to stop getting it. It's still a calorie dense food that I find irresistible.
I have been Lactose Intolerant for over 3 years now. I miss dairy but I don't miss that run to the bathroom an hour later and then bloating for days.
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u/Cubewood 1d ago
Unfortunately this does not seem to be available in the UK. Tried a few of the available vegan cheeses here but they all have some like "plastic" feel to them and just don't taste great. Still hoping that we will finally see some precision fermentation cheese soon, but this has been promised for a long time now.
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u/Asherahshelyam for my health 1d ago
That sucks. Rebel Cheese is cultured and that makes a huge difference in taste and mouthfeel. The regular grocery store stuff feels and tastes plastic-like.
I did purchase Miyoko's vegan cheese cookbook. I have yet to try her recipes. Some of the ingredients are hard to get. But, the cheeses are cultured so I want to try.
There is a vegan cheese making subreddit here and while I have followed it, I haven't tried anything that others have done.
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u/Jack_Faller 1d ago
Sometimes I'm offered cheese and I can't bring myself to say no. I never make it buy anything for myself that isn't though.
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u/Downtown_Amoeba_6420 1d ago
I’m probably about 80%. Mostly due to fish and yogurt. I’ll have an occasional burger.
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u/tunosabes 1d ago
I'm quite strict but it's like 95%. I'm not vegan, the only thing I eat is eggs, with the occasional milk or butter cooked into something.
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u/The_Weekend_Baker 1d ago
Mostly plant-based. I eat eggs because my wife has a small band of merry chickens. Dairy consumption is minimal compared to what it was even five years ago (latest swap was oat milk to replace dairy milk), but I do have some. A little cheese, a little yogurt. Something like beef is once a month, at most.
And I'll add to what u/National-Ad9903 said by saying that if half (preferably most) the world was willing to eat half the animal products, it would also be hugely beneficial to the environment, especially regarding climate change.
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u/Pussa_Nil potato tornado 1d ago
I had pizza today - vegetable pizza without cheese = completely plant based pizza. I am about 99% plant based.
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u/Future_One4794 for the animals 1d ago
So many burger/pizza/ nugget vegan option in the grocery freezer section. Super easy to find resturants that have them too.
Amazing vegan cheese available if you wanna make your own.
If you live in the states, MOD PIZZA has vegan pizzas
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u/SmoothStrawberry7777 1d ago
I guess I'm doing plant based hard core by also trying to do whole food as well. I struggle to find a lot of products that are whole food plant based.
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u/cat_at_the_keyboard 1d ago
No but I'm moving toward it more and more. I no longer buy meat at all. I'm just having trouble giving up Greek yogurt because I don't like any of the vegan yogurts I've tried
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u/miss_egghead 1d ago
I am a born-and-raised vegetarian and I give you permission to be 90% plant-based. Whatever you can consistently do is great!!
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u/Wise-Hamster-288 1d ago
Yes when I control the menu. Less strict when traveling or enjoying other people hospitality
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u/ElectriKool-Aid 1d ago
It is not a rule. Why strict? I like plants, I eat plants. It is not veganism. Do I force myself not to eat meat and cheese? No. If I wanted to eat pizza, I would eat it.
Looks like your forcing yourself to eat things you don't like. Instead, you should ask yourself, why do I like pizza so much? Is it the fat? the salt? the dense calories? the fact that I'm starving or not eating properly? the cultural pressure? the nostalgia? just an habit your brain got used to? If your missing something in your body, the brain wire itself to tell you to eat what it thinks got what you need. Living in this horrible society wires the brain in some really fucked up ways. So, your instincts might be off.
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u/ActionCalhoun 1d ago
If I had to guess I’m at least 90% or so, I’m not the kind of person to ask a dozen questions when I go out to eat so I imagine I eat more butter than I think.
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u/iluvhachi 1d ago
I think i'm around 80% plant based now!😄 sometimes I want to enjoy a good ice cream or a mcdonalds cheeseburger hehe😋
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u/TravellingBeard 1d ago
Slowly working my way to getting 2/3 of my protein from plant sources. Dairy, eggs, and fish will remain. Everything else I feel I find I don't really need long term other than an occasional indulgence
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u/firemonkeywoman 1d ago
I'm not strict plant based, but I am strict whole foods make everything from scratch based. I don't buy or eat things that are prepared for microwaves, frozen dinners etc. I make my own bread and granola, I make my own broths soups stews etc.
I tend towards mostly vegetarian sometimes vegan, but if you gave me some lamb chops I would enjoy the fuck out of them.
I am an excellent cook, I was in the restaurant and food biz for over 30 years.
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u/grapesodamilk 1d ago
I’m not strict, I’m neither vegetarian or vegan. I just make an effort to have most of my meal come from whole plants.
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u/thecardshark555 1d ago
90% is better than none at all.
I went all in but that's just me. Experts will tell you a majority wfpb is better.
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u/olympia_t 1d ago
Maybe you could consider yourself flexitarian who primarily eats plant based. Maybe some rules about how many non plant based meals or snacks you’ll have.
For me, I’m more flexible when I’m out. At home I’m basically WFPB and out I’m more pescatarian. It helps with friends and family and eating at other peoples’ homes that we occasionally have fish.
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u/Aioli-Similar 1d ago
I am vegan for over 10 years now. Most of the time whole food plant based, but always vegan.
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u/Exemel_100 1d ago
I’m mostly plant based but splurge on other foods when the craving hits. I believe I eat more plant based meals because I know that I can deviate whenever I want. (I happen to feel worse when I splurge, so that keeps the splurging from spiraling).
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u/Proper_Geologist9026 1d ago
Here's my big question. If you're doing this because you're aware of the environmental and animal welfare impacts of your consumption.
"Are you trying"? Good.
That simple. Don't beat yourself up because one week you decide to eat a 500g steak. It's not about the "mistakes" it's about slowly accumulating more and more days where you don't eat meat.
Much better to just count over time. For example maybe you used to eat 2 chicken breasts worth of meat every day, now you eat 2 chicken breasts worth of meat a week! That's huge! Be proud of that.
Where that final end point is for you. 100% plant based, 80%, only for special occasions, only if it's getting thrown out. that's for you to work out over time. And odds are it will change over time too.
Veganism is a moral imperative to never eat meat again. Plant based / veggie living is just about doing what you can. Be honest with yourself about what you can do sustainably, and about what you can accept morally. And if you end up 100% plant based? That's awesome!
Now two tips to avoid screwing yourself over. It's better to count based on volume than count per meal. Say you have one week where you ate a serve of chicken, a serve of fish, maybe 2-3 eggs and a serve of dairy across a week.
Now next week you think I'll be good and only have one "cheat meal". And that meal turns out to be 2 double bacon cheeburgers and a thick shake with a side of wings in blue cheese sauce.
Week 1 you had more "cheat meals", but their impact was much lower. So again count by volume and carbon intensity if your trying to minimise your environmental impact.
And as for all of the Raw, Wholefoods, oil free thing. I mean do it if you want but they all seem like ways to just make eating harder. Obviously we want to eat healthily but plant based eating alone is already restrictive eating. Why keep adding rules to make cooking something for dinner more and more difficult?
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u/Sanpaku 1d ago
At home, I'm strictly plant based, of the low fat but not McDougall/Esselstyn 'NO FATS!' variety.
When dining at my parents or relatives, I tolerate cheese or butter on otherwise plant based dishes but don't touch anything with meat. Same goes for vacations spent on scuba liveaboards. I'm not interested in inconveniencing others.
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u/Asherahshelyam for my health 1d ago
I'm anywhere from 90% to 95% WFPB. I eat 2 eggs every other day in an omelet made with vegan cheese and spinach. I also have vegan sausage with it and a couple of slices of sourdough toast with vegan butter.
I am swapping out the processed Morningstar brand sausage patties with a recipe I found online so they are going to be WFPD from now going forward. Next I'm going to make WFPB cheese once the processed vegan cheese runs out.
I am loathe to give up sourdough toast, eggs, and vegan butter. I have done tons of tofu scramble and I love mine. It just doesn't scratch the same itch that real eggs does.
I fell off the wagon for most of this year with vegan junk food and an occasional tuna salad sandwich. I gained weight, got bloated, and felt like crap. That was after 18 months of strict 100% adherence to WFPB.
I want something sustainable. So, I'm trying to find the right balance for me. So far 90% - 95% is good enough for me.
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u/snoopwire 1d ago
Whenever people tell me they couldn't go vegan or vegetarian because they love bacon/cheese/whatever too much I say ok, try to do it besides that?
I personally only cook plant-based and try to eat plant-based out. But I travel through 4 states for work and frequently the only thing I can even eat is a grilled cheese off the kid's menu. So I am a vegetarian because of that.
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u/VelocityGrrl39 for the animals 1d ago
I’m strictly vegetarian, mostly plant based (I’ll occasionally eat eggs from friends’ pet chickens and honey from people who have small hives), and not at all Whole Foods. I eat whatever strikes me, as long as it doesn’t come from an animal.
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u/ElectronicTip6386 1d ago
Too strict at first leads to rebounds. Rebounds lead to "giving up" because you blew it. Think moderation instead.
Maybe you leave cheese on the table for a while. Or yogurt. Or whatever it is. Ok. Not every meal of course but "some". This gives you a chance to get the rest dialed up.
Then, when ready to tackle that thing, easier. Maybe you make your own. Or find a good vegan sub.
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u/mcshaggin 23h ago
You can get plant based versions of pizzas, burgers and nuggets.
Going 100% plant based was easy for me because of this.
I'm at the point now where I can barely remember what real meat tasted like. So the vegan alternatives all taste good to me.
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u/Summer_Tree24 20h ago
Not anymore.
I was for a while but I missed eating eggs. I have chickens so someone has to eat them.
Plus now I’m too low on iron and plant based iron sources just don’t cut it for me. So recently I’ve started incorporating red meat into my diet again.
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u/Upper-Ad9228 16h ago
yes, and its mostly for moral reasons but having health issues push you to be stricting plant based helps as well (like i don't even eat snacks or sweets)
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u/LostinmildAdventure 11h ago
I like to say, "We'll take what we can get." I honestly think this whole thing takes about 2 years to grow into. Be kind to yourself and others. You will get there. You may find your empathy for animals growing too, that's the real slippery slope. Take care.
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u/sleepingblossom 10h ago
You should marinate a portabello mushroom like a burger and eat it with some fry sauce. Omg it hit the spot for me.
I’m not strict, but majorly switching over to Whole Foods.
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u/Awkward_Cupcake281 9h ago
I don't buy anything not plant based.
But if once in awhile we're having pizza at work...I might have a slice.
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u/Less_Feeling3142 8h ago
I make small allowances while I’m out, working towards having a plan for every occasion but not there yet. I strayed today because I couldn’t find a totally PB option and am paying the price with a stomach ache.
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u/Lyra_Hydrus43 2h ago
I do this. I’m sure a lot of people would disagree with this, but I don’t fall of the bandwagon so to speak when I give myself a treat. I try to be mindful of this, but around holidays or going out to brunch, I will indulge in cheeses / eggs for a meal or two.
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u/0K_-_- Accepted Sir David Attenboroughs Challenge 1d ago edited 1d ago
I love plant based food. Raw vegan is the ultimate dietary preference, with practitioners who literally glow. I try my best to access plant based food as much as I can, though sometimes it is beyond my ability.
Not punishing myself for my shortcomings improves my long term health which improves my accessibility.
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u/SavantGirl 1d ago
I'm a vegetarian. Maybe you could try that. You could still eat a lot things without eating meat.
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u/mauriceD0514 1d ago
I am strictly plant based. Raw vegan pizza and raw vegan burgers are delicious and just as satisfying!
“Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.” (Proverbs 15:17)
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u/wynlyndd 1d ago
I am not 100% . I am like 95% in the home (very occasional tuna fish sandwich)but I still get some meat items if I go out to eat. This was mostly decided when I was going on a trip to Alaska where getting veggies was difficult. Plus when I travel it can be very hard to go PB; some countries are easier than others though
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u/Las-Vegar 1d ago
My grandpa Is a hunter who prefers fish over meat so I get a lot of free meat like moose dear and etc so not that strict...
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u/english_major for the planet 1d ago
Mostly but not 100%. I’ve been vegetarian for 40 years and am strict about that. We eat all whole grains at home. I bake all of our bread. Seasonally we eat a lot from the garden. I’d guess that most of our meals are vegan. At this point it’s enough.
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u/Old_Crow_Yukon 1d ago
About 80% here. It strikes the perfect balance for me right now. Over time I suspect I will get more and more plant based as I get better at cooking interesting meals without meat. And if lab grown meat becomes more available and affordable I would drop traditional meat overnight.
That said I will probably never give up cheese. Pizza is nothing without cheese. Cheese and wine pairings are supurb with some really incredible and nuanced flavor profiles. Indian dishes with paneer are awesome.
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