Still struggling with wanting cheese

[Rory17]

Hello ,
I went vegan first at 20. I am now 25. I went back to veggie last year. I have gone to and fro from veggie to vegan quite a lot as of recent times.
I absolutely love cheese. Even though I have vegan cheese, I still struggle with this. I still often want regular cheese, in particular halloumi. However, I often feel really bad and upset after eating regular cheese because of the animals...
What should I do?
Thanks.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

For a while whenever I ate something containing dairy I somehow imagined a cow giving me a stern look.

I suggest you watch a few videos and read a couple of articles about dairy production. Probably you already know it all but it's a useful reminder sometimes if you haven't looked at it for years. Maybe that can help you resist.

It's true that vegan cheese are not the same really but I expect vegan cheese will slowly get better over time. Have you tried the Violife one? That was the best one I found so far.

It's not a good idea to beat yourself up over occasionally eating cheese. I haven't checked back to the original science but I heard on a podcast there is some evidence that doing so psychologically can lead to greater transgressions. Like how one cookie from the cookie jar, if you think about it as having been like a small sin against your diet, leads someone to then eat the whole jar. Focus more positively about all the good things you do.

Do you want cheese when you are in a place with cheese? Or have seen an advert for it, or heard others talking about it? Or is it just a random craving that pops up? Is the temptation occurring when someone else had served it up as an option, or when you are in the supermarket, or when you look in the fridge?

Who is buying the cheese, you or someone else? It's got to be easier to resist if all you have to do is remember not to buy it. If someone else buys it and leaves it lying around the house, you could explain the situation to them and ask them if they could hide it at the back of the fridge and not tell you about it.

 

[Brian W]

I can't say I know the answer to your problem but I think keeping yourself inspired with vegan contact and vegan videos and articles might help. Just a thought.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

Going from Veganish to Vegan is a related discussion we had last year that might be of interest to those that haven't seen it. It includes discussion of the question about whether cheese desires are psychological/social or related to a nutritional need.

 

[1956]

Hello ,
I went vegan first at 20. I am now 25. I went back to veggie last year. I have gone to and fro from veggie to vegan quite a lot as of recent times.
I absolutely love cheese. Even though I have vegan cheese, I still struggle with this. I still often want regular cheese, in particular halloumi. However, I often feel really bad and upset after eating regular cheese because of the animals...
What should I do?
Thanks.

Hello @Rory17,
Really sorry that you are having such a hard time with giving up the cheese...Lockdown and not being able to get out and do all of the things you would like to do probably isn’t helping...
What are some other types of Vegan food that you Really enjoy? Is there a way that you can treat yourself with something other than food? Try not to be too hard on yourself but, also before giving into the temptation remind yourself how you usually feel afterwards...
As well as watching videos to remind and inspire perhaps try journaling your thoughts and feelings...
Also post here as often you like and we will be here to support you...

 

[silva]

I had a very hard time with cheese--it was my favorite food. I made rules about what and when I would have it--in my case it was if I went to a Mexican restaurant (rare), or having pizza with others. I carried a picture of a baby calf and mother
It was really when I was fostering a cat that had kittens that I really was able to mentally give it up. That mother baby bond is so incredibly strong, and such a horrid thing to to break.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

When you say "mentally give it up" did the cravings/desire for cheese actually go away? Or were you just more easily able to resist it?

 

[silva]

When you say "mentally give it up" did the cravings/desire for cheese actually go away? Or were you just more easily able to resist it?

I could more easily resist it, I stayed way from the foods I couldn't see eating without cheese--definitely no Mexican for a while!
This year I started liking vegan cheeses so much I even compared Daiya cheddar block to real cheddar and found I liked Daiya more. Violife cheddar was next, and that's even better! Pizza was harder as I liked a lot of toppings and was pricey. Now I have a pizza place that has unlimited veggies and it's the best! Still hard to resist when faced with free pizza like at work events. I haven't found a decent pizza cheese, and as much as I like nooch, I don't like it on pizza! Olives, mushrooms, carmalized onion, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts--and a good sauce and crust

 

[Sproutskies]

I'm really craving the some high quality small batch cheese which I'm sure is made from happier Cow moms. What are the arguments against eating cheese from cows who suffer less? Is there an ethical way to get milk or is the main issue the insemination process?

 

[Rory17]

I'm really craving the some high quality small batch cheese which I'm sure is made from happier Cow moms. What are the arguments against eating cheese from cows who suffer less? Is there an ethical way to get milk or is the main issue the insemination process?

The issue is exploiting the animals and abusing them and taking their calves away...

 

[Lou]

@ Rory,
Correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't this been an issue with you for years?
Did you ask the question several times?
And haven't you gotten lots of good advice on this?

But you keep asking the same question. I guess you haven't gotten the answer you like, yet.

 

[1956]

I'm really craving the some high quality small batch cheese which I'm sure is made from happier Cow moms. What are the arguments against eating cheese from cows who suffer less? Is there an ethical way to get milk or is the main issue the insemination process?

There are probably some farms that create the image that their animals are well treated. The animals are, however, still imprisoned - bred over and over. The male calves sent to slaughter... I could go on and on about what is wrong with the dairy industry... Instead I will just ask you this question— is eating something that you like the taste of worth the suffering of another being?

 

[1956]

@ Rory,
Correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't this been an issue with you for years?
Did you ask the question several times?
And haven't you gotten lots of good advice on this?

But you keep asking the same question. I guess you haven't gotten the answer you like, yet.

@Lou I don’t think that @Rory17 is looking for A particular answer. I think that she is Just looking for support...
For some people this is a Really difficult thing and she has explained that she has autism which might make it more difficult for her...

 

[Lou]

@Lou I don’t think that @Rory17 is looking for A particular answer. I think that she is Just looking for support...
For some people this is a Really difficult thing and she has explained that she has autism which might make it more difficult for her...

Huh, I thought Rory was a boy.

but yes, I see your point. Still I don't know what more can be said.

maybe this might be a good time for me to repeat that some research supports the idea that cheese is addictive. Also that our gut bacteria may even try to fool us with neuro- chemicals to get us to eat more fat.

By cutting out cheese completely you should get over the cravings.

I never felt any cravings for cheese in the first place so I can't say how effective that can be.

 

[Sproutskies]

There are probably some farms that create the image that their animals are well treated. The animals are, however, still imprisoned - bred over and over. The male calves sent to slaughter... I could go on and on about what is wrong with the dairy industry... Instead I will just ask you this question— is eating something that you like the taste of worth the suffering of another being?

Yeah not worth it, I agree. Still more to learn about the horrors behind the one way mirror.

 

[1956]

Huh, I thought Rory was a boy.

but yes, I see your point. Still I don't know what more can be said.

maybe this might be a good time for me to repeat that some research supports the idea that cheese is addictive. Also that our gut bacteria may even try to fool us with neuro- chemicals to get us to eat more fat.

By cutting out cheese completely you should get over the cravings.

I never felt any cravings for cheese in the first place so I can't say how effective that can be.

Yep, I do agree with you that cheese can be addictive. That is why my feeling is that it is easier -even though it feels harder- to quit eating cheese full stop - rather than trying to give it up gradually...Because both our mind and our bodies will just keep on craving it otherwise...

 

[KLS52]

I have a somewhat of a different take on the subject. After 15 years, I still crave cheese. At some point I don’t know if there really is a solution and this may be the case for Rory. You just have to make the concerted effort to not eat it so yes, it boils down to self control.
I find it helpful to acknowledge that not all things vegan are easy. Some people struggle more than others. Accepting that helps me to keep my resolve and mostly succeed. When I don’t quite make it, I try not to look at it as a failure, because that’s just depressing and guilt doesn’t work as a motivator for me. It just makes me feel bad. When I feel bad, I gravitate further toward the things that bring me comfort and that’s usually food.
So, Rory, you have received some great suggestions but the bottom line is, you will have to come to terms in deciding whether or not you give up cheese. I wish you luck in your struggle.

Maybe you can allow yourself some halloumi, say, once a week? Then maybe gradually lengthen the time in between. If a taste of cheese on occasion is the only “transgression” against veganism, you are still doing an awful lot of good.

 

[Lou]

I am now reminded of documentary I watched, Cooked, on Netflix. In it Michael Pollan visits the Abbey of Regina Laudis. the cows at this dairy are hand milked by nuns, and if I remember it correctly each cow is taken care of by one nun. Probably closest thing to pet cows.
I think if you ate cheese like that you wouldn't even feel guilty.

Abbey of Regina Laudis: Documentary Cooked

abbeyofreginalaudis.org

 

[1956]

I am now reminded of documentary I watched, Cooked, on Netflix. In it Michael Pollan visits the Abbey of Regina Laudis. the cows at this dairy are hand milked by nuns, and if I remember it correctly each cow is taken care of by one nun. Probably closest thing to pet cows.
I think if you ate cheese like that you wouldn't even feel guilty.

Abbey of Regina Laudis: Documentary Cooked

abbeyofreginalaudis.org

What do they do with the male calves? Or do they only buy the cows that they milk?
No, I would Not eat the nun’s cheese either...
The dairy industry is not a kind industry...
Micheal Pollan is just trying to justify eating cheese by painting a pretty picture which only helps people to convince themselves that it is ok to eat cheese...
A pet cow would not be bred, she or he would just get to spend their time eating and sleeping with lots of cuddles if they want them...
Eating cheese is not necessary - If someone chooses to do so they shouldn’t pretend that it doesn’t do harm...

 

[Mufflon]

Cheese is hard to give up because the vegan substitutes just taste to me with the exception of cream cheese imitates. Same for tuna.

The more processed an animal food is (schnitzel, fish sticks), the easier it seems to be to imitate it.