What should I do

[Rory17]

Hello ,
I am a longtime vegetarian. I have been vegan before.
I really, really, really want to go vegan for the animals. I really passionately feel that it is the right thing to do. I really passionately feel that everyone should be vegan.
However, my family and I are going to Lanzarote in September. I really love to eat the five cheese pasta in Lanzarote. I also love the Canarian cheeses that I eat over there. What should I do? Please help.
Thanks.

 

[Daxx]

I'll bite. Choices:
-say you're plant based just for the holiday, and eat the cheese
-if you really, really, really, really want to be vegan, then give the cheese a miss and order spaghetti al olio or something
-cancel the holiday and go to Bristol. That's a vegan heaven.

 

[silva]

I suggest making your decision before you go, keeping in mind why you know it's against your ethics and that you will make this a one time event during a one time trip

1: your choosing to eat dairy on this trip will be insignificant IF you keep this as an exception
2 Don't allow your choice to be used by your family to push you to eat dairy in the future
3: Have a plan for when you get home. If you don't have any vegan cheses you like, use other foods that you do. For me it was special olives and other 'relish tray' marinated or candied things like sweet gerkins. Or rosemary and garlic oil on toasted bread

I'm such a fan of vegan cheeses, including those I make myself, I found I don't even LIKE dairy cheese anymore! Yes, I tried

 

[silva]

I think what I'm mostly saying is that if you do eat the cheeses, don't regret it and be sad. Do it, and move on.,
really only you can answer this. but whatever you do, do it with intention.
Don't do it and regret it, and don't NOT do it and regret it!

 

[ewomack]

When we were dieting heavily, my wife and I allowed ourselves "2 naughty meals" a week, meaning we could go a little, but only a little crazy, for 2 meals that week. The result was that we kept our diets going longer and didn't feel deprived of some of the food that we liked (it was all still vegan/vegetarian for the most part). As others have suggested, you may want to consider your vacation "naughty" and eat the cheese you want within the confines that you find tolerable. Keep in mind that, if most people simply cut down on meat/dairy products overall, the world would still improve, at least. Allow yourself a "naughty" break and return to your other path later. It matters most that you're on the path to veganism and trying to cut back.

 

[shyvas]

Do what you think is best.

 

[majorbloodnok]

Hello ,
I am a longtime vegetarian. I have been vegan before.
I really, really, really want to go vegan for the animals. I really passionately feel that it is the right thing to do. I really passionately feel that everyone should be vegan.
However, my family and I are going to Lanzarote in September. I really love to eat the five cheese pasta in Lanzarote. I also love the Canarian cheeses that I eat over there. What should I do? Please help.
Thanks.

With respect, this question isn't about veganism at all per se; it's about what you really want to do conflicting with what you feel you ought to do and the two balancing each other out. In essence, you can't decide so you're hoping someone else will be able to add something you hadn't thought about that will make the choice easier. Trouble is that won't happen. Everyone else's choices based on a similar situation will be at least subtly different to yours. The only person who can say what is the right decision for you is you.

In the UK, the law says we shouldn't drive faster than the speed limit, but most people do from time to time. Whilst it may be illegal to speed, if everyone's doing it then is it morally wrong (assuming it's a minimal increase in risk)? Everyone's take will be slightly different.

Similarly, your choice in Lanzarote involves doing something that's against your understanding of veganism but doing so may make it easier to stick to your principles more closely in the long term. You're the only person who has to sleep at night with the knowledge of how you've navigated your ethics so what anyone else tells you "should" or "shouldn't" be your choice is irrelevant. The good news, though, is that as long as you're comfortable you're doing things for the right reasons you can't actually make a "wrong" choice.

 

[Tom L.]

I don't know why, but I often see cheese mentioned as something that people will miss most of all when they're contemplating veganism. Eating out is another common potentially-difficult situation for aspiring vegans. So maybe you can take comfort in knowing you're not alone.

I've found that cravings are not constant; they come and go. Try preparing yourself to battle your unwanted cravings. Who knows?... there might be a vegan option on the menu that strikes your fancy and de-rails your cheese cravings for you. The important thing is to not give up.

 

[Andy_T]

Check out the vegan places in Lanzarote.
Some starting point, as always, is happycow:

https://www.happycow.net/europe/spain/canary_islands/lanzarote/?filters=vegan

Maybe also try if you can find some really good vegan cheese to take with you (e.g. No-Moo spicy) so that you have options if you decide that you do not want to compromise your values just for delicious cheese.

 

[VeganRachel]

Go visit the cows while you are there...