We’re a vegan lunch club. It started as a regular lunch co-op with each of us bringing in food on Monday and exchanging lunches for the week. Until one of us bought a Groupon for a ‘28 Day Vegan Cleanse’. We figured we could do a month of vegan. Then, she wanted to stay vegan through Lent. Sure. We’re mostly Catholic. Now, a month later, it’s just become ‘Vegan Lunch Club’.
So, follow three omnivores and the occasional vegan as we show what we’ve made for lunch each week.
- April 2011
**Yes. We know ‘vegan’ is a whole movement. But, for the purposes of this blog, ‘vegan’ for us is a super strict vegetarian.
DearestLizzie
I’m one of the omnivores of Three Omnivores and a Vegan. I joined the lunch club when we all were meat eaters. The first time going vegan was broached, I figured I could give it a couple of weeks. I thought twice about it being a permanent vegan lunch club, but was sucked in with the convenience of cooking just once a week but having a different meal every day. Now, when we exchange our meals on Monday our colleagues want to know what we’ve made or what we’re eating. I’m also the first of our group dive in to any veganized condiment. Vegan cheese? Check. Soy yogurt? Open her up. Vegan Mayo? I’m on it. Vegan Sour Cream? Bring it.
I don’t know that I’ll ever go fully vegan or even vegetarian. But, I now realize I can have a complete meal without animal products. It’s gotten me to think about food differently and how it impacts my health. Plus, I love international foods. And have had a blast finding new markets in Baltimore to track down interesting spices and ingredients.
Cidell
I’m the occasional vegan in our lunch club. I grew up a Seventh-Day Adventist and was very used to the concept of vegetarian living. My family ate meat, but very much as a side dish rather than a main course. Over the years I started cooking meat *all* the time and couldn’t picture a meal without it. Then, I started dating a vegan. A vegan who didn’t like to cook. I love food and love to cook and couldn’t abide by broccoli and rice every day. That was my introduction to vegan cooking and I loved it! I decided to do a 28 day vegan cleanse. I felt lighter, healthier, not stuffed and all around more energy. Luckily, we started the lunch club before my conversion and I’ve taken the other girls down with me!
Full disclosure: I choose to eat this way for all the political, environmental and human rights reasons associated with veganism / vegetarianism. I also eat this way because I come from a faith that supports natural eating. It’s been pretty seamless for me. I don’t stress out of there’s a pat of butter here or there, but definitely want to be predominantly vegan.
Catalina-de-Cuenca
When asked to join the lunch club, I jumped at the chance! I hated carrying in food every day. I’m originally from Ecuador and root vegetables and soups are a big part of my diet. I love working with potatoes, beans, fresh veggies — all things that make for a healthy diet. When we went vegan for lunch, I figured as long as I could keep making soups, I’d be fine! I’m terrible with giving cooking instructions. I learned to cook en la cocina de mi madre y abuela who don’t use conventional measuring devices. I know it tastes good by how it looks, smells. ¡Buen provecho!
callmebabs
I’m the fourth omnivore of Three Omnivores and An Occasional Vegan. I love food. All of it. But for raw dandelion greens and some pickled, dried Korean radish I once tried, I like everything edible. Last January, I signed up for the same 28-day vegan cleanse Cidell completed – originally for the detoxification aspects. I learned that when done right, vegan eating is healthier, cheaper, greener, cleaner, safer, and nicer than any other way of eating. Since I love all food, I get no less pleasure and satisfaction from a well-prepared dish of fresh, organic vegetables, whole grains and plant protein than I do from a fine cut of steak or slice of cheesecake. Life is too short to swear off T-bones, shellfish and sharp, creamy cheeses forever. But when I’m cooking myself a quick dinner at home or making my lunches for work, I prefer vegan because it’s just smarter. The benefits far outweigh the costs. When invited to join a cool group of girls and get a week’s worth of delicious vegan dishes for preparing one, it seemed like a no-brainer.
