3. Start small.
Stefanie acknowledges that it can be intimidating to overhaul your entire diet. So she recommends incorporating small, attainable changes. “Why not try to make something, like a stir fry or a salad, and just leave the meat off?” she suggests. “When people do that, so many times they say, ‘I didn't even miss the meat!’ It can help you realize it’s not as difficult as you might think.”
4. Make sure to eat enough.
“I see a lot of people who want to go towards veganism,” says Stefanie, “and then they just drink coffee, have an apple, and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner. Sure, that's vegan…! But it’s not enough.”
Since many plant-based foods are naturally lighter, Stefanie points out, “a lot of people end up eating less.” She emphasizes the importance of feeding your body enough food to thrive—and having the patience to put in the effort to learn a different way of cooking and eating.
“Going plant-based doesn't have to be hard, but it's going to take some effort, and it will be a change,” she says. “Anything's difficult at the start, and you're learning things in the beginning. You can't be expected to wake up on day one and know everything. When you put forth some effort, even just a little bit, like changing what you're buying at the grocery store, you’re expanding your knowledge of vegan foods a day at a time.”
5. Invest in good cooking tools.
As you’re experimenting with plant-based recipes, Stefanie recommends setting yourself up for success in the kitchen with tools that make cooking easier. “You don't have to be an expert cook or have all the time in the world,” she says.
Stefanie’s favorite kitchen tools? “If you have a blender and an air fryer, you’re set!” she says. “I know that can be a bit of an investment, but I've had my Vitamix for eight years, and I use it every day. I used it twice yesterday! I made a smoothie and a salad dressing. And my air fryer makes everything super easy.”
6. Stock up on frozen produce.
So you can focus on buying more produce at the grocery store—but how do you prevent it from going bad? “I know that a lot of people have trouble with produce going bad right away,” Stefanie says. To combat this, she recommends buying frozen fruits and veggies instead of fresh.
“For stir fries, smoothies, soups—you don't have to buy fresh veggies, because you're going to cook or blend them anyway. And the nutritional profile is just as good as if it were fresh. Freezing doesn't compromise the nutrition content at all.”
“I like buying large bags of frozen pineapple, mango and blueberries for smoothies, and bags of frozen mixed vegetables for stir fry,” she says. “That really cuts your prep time a lot. I'll cook some brown rice on the stove, get out this bag of frozen mixed vegetables, throw that on the stove, put some spices in, put a lid on it, let it sit. It's so easy, because you're not chopping up anything. And it's way cheaper than buying lots of different fresh produce.”
7. …Or freeze your fresh produce!
If you do buy fresh veggies, or you want to cut down on plastic waste, Stefanie points out that you can easily freeze fresh produce as well. “I love kale salads. Love them,” she says. “So I buy kale fresh, but sometimes if I don't get through all of it, I'll wash it off, let it dry, and then throw it in the freezer. And then you can use it in a smoothie!”
Stefanie suggests freezing anything—from cilantro to ginger to bananas. “I really like making cilantro dressings. You can have frozen cilantro in the freezer and then get your blender out one day, cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar. Throw your frozen cilantro in there, and then you don’t have to waste it.”
“I do it a lot for bananas, too,” she says. “They're super cheap, and banana-based smoothies are really creamy. I peel them, break them in half, and then put them in a giant reusable bag that I keep in my freezer. That way, whenever I want to make a smoothie I just add some frozen bananas. I do the same thing with ginger root! Peel it, cut it up into little pieces, freeze those, and you can put them in your smoothies, too.”
8. Try container gardening.
Another great way to save money and combat waste? Grow herbs in your kitchen, rather than buying sprigs every time you’re at the store.
“I don't have the greenest thumb,” Stefanie laughs, “but I’ll keep basil or cilantro plants at home. A full starter plant that will keep growing is maybe 4 at the store, while a couple sprigs might be 2.” She suggests tossing herbs into salads for extra flavor and freshness.
9. Revive veggies with a cold water wash.
Already have produce going bad in the fridge? Before you toss wilted greens into the compost, try this next-level tip. “This is something that I do a lot with my lettuce and kale,” Stefanie confides. “If my lettuce is starting to wilt (even if it’s badly wilted), you can take a big mixing bowl and fill it with cold water and a bunch of ice. I put the lettuce in first, pour water over it, then put the ice over that. And sometimes I'll set a big dinner plate on top to keep the greens submerged in the water. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, and then when you rinse it off, it’s completely revived. It's like new!”
10. Don’t be afraid to try new things!
“If you're transitioning towards veganism or vegetarianism, it’s so important not to be afraid to try new foods,” Stefanie says. “If you don't like something, you don't have to keep eating it! You don't have to like tofu, you don't have to like beans. There are lots of people with soy allergies who are vegan so they avoid tofu and other soy-based meat substitutes. You don't have to like any certain type of food to be vegan, but I think it's important to give it a shot.”
Her final word of advice? Just take the leap. “A lot of people are interested in trying more plant-based foods, but then when given the opportunity, they still end up eating what they normally eat,” she says. “There are so many good vegan options now. I see it all the time, non-vegans or new vegans who think they won’t like a certain type of food, and then they end up loving it. I’ve been there, too! Just try them out!”
As for her own goals with Life Veganized, Stefanie shares that she wants to support people in making the best decisions for their health and the health of others. “People have good intentions,” she says. “People want to take care of themselves and their health. They want to take care of their children. They care about animals.”
“And when it comes down to it, I just want to inspire people,” says Stefanie. “I know that people joke about how vegans talk about veganism all the time. And, yeah, vegans do talk about veganism a lot—because we love it! Just like any positive experience in life.”
Keep up with Stefanie and Life, Veganized on her Instagram! And for more tips on plant-based eating, download our free Path to Plant-Based Starter Guide.
