blog
privacy policy
terms of use
+ add new website
Tools
   Saved for Later
   Tags
Change country:
All items
Settings
Edit website list
En
ro
ru
en
fr
pt
es
de
it
da
fi
el
hu
nl
Log in

I gave up meat and gained so much more

A drawing of friends sitting at a picnic table in a green clearing next to the ocean, sharing a delicious vegan meal.
Christine Mi for Vox

The delightful abundance of going vegan.

The beginning of an illustrated essay. Author writes: “For most of my life, I’ve fielded questions about why I’m vegan. Although I write about factory farming for a living, I don’t really invite these conversations. A casual dinner party or happy hour doesn’t feel like the best time to get into specifics. I want to share how deeply rewarding veganism can be, but I don’t want to sound judgmental or sanctimonious.” Comments are illustrated: “What do you cook?” and “That must be so hard!”
Author writes: “Mainstream narratives about vegetarians and vegans tend to treat us as a punchline — as deprived, joyless, or extreme... It’s unsurprising that the idea of ditching meat provokes such strong reactions. And for many people, a future without meat is one not worth living in. But what if we flipped the script on assumptions about plant-based life as something that just subtracts things from our lives?” Text appears alongside a TV scene, people cooking over a grill, a picnic.
An illustration of the author and friend on a white background, followed by text that says: “I totally understand why people feel weird about cutting out meat and dairy. Food connects us to each other.” And then, a lush field with text superimposed: “But let me tell you a secret: My world has never felt so full of joy and purpose.”
A farm illustration. Text reads: “In his book Dedicated, author Pete Davis argues that having an infinite array of options might look like freedom, but this is ultimately a superficial notion of what makes a happy, connected life. “We yearn for the purpose, community, and depth that can only come from making deep commitments,” he writes. This is the role that veganism has come to play in my life. It’s my ethical North Star — the spiritual anchor that makes everything else make sense.”
Text reads: “I didn’t always live this way. When I was 4, I immigrated with my mom and my grandparents to the US from the former Soviet Union, and I grew up eating lots of meat- and dairy-heavy cuisine: meat dumplings slathered in sour cream, beef kabobs by way of the Caucasus and Central Asia, pancakes thickened with cottage cheese.” Below the text, the foods are illustrated against pastel plates.
Text reads: “As a preteen, I decided I wanted to stop eating animals. For a long time, though, I wasn’t a consistent vegetarian. No one in my family or school friends was interested in vegetarianism, and without a community, transforming your diet can feel virtually impossible. Things started to change in high school. I learned that veganism isn’t just about taking animal-based foods off your plate. It’s about adding new ingredients altogether.” Illustration of a haggard teen reading “Meat Inc.”
Text reads: “When meat is the centerpiece of a dish, all the other ingredients serve to highlight and complement its fatty, savory flavors. But plants make entirely different tastes the star of the show — no meat imitation required. Foods like coconuts, cashews, beans, and even oats can add their own delightful creaminess, while braised cabbages, fried tofu, crisped chickpeas, and chewy seitan provide body and texture.” Illustration of author cooking, followed by chana masala.
Text reads: “I baked every type of decadent cupcake imaginable — mint chocolate, matcha, dulce sin leche — from the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and brought them to school to share.” Illustration of friends saying “These are so good!” and “Yum!” Text continues: “After a while, my definition of food started to change. Far from making me feel deprived, these experiences opened up a limitless world of plant-based foods — foods that many Americans never get to experience.”
Text reads: “I also gained an appreciation for how many plant-based gems already exist in Russian cuisine. Like vinegret, a tart purple salad of minced beets, dill pickles, and other vegetables. Shchi is an herb soup of hardy plants like cabbage and potato. (It’s sometimes made with meat broth, but that’s easily omitted.) Others, like salat olivye, a dill-heavy, mayonnaise-based salad, are easier to veganize than you might think with chickpeas and egg-free mayo.” Meals are illustrated.
An illustration of the author and her mom in front of the stove, tending to a large pot. Text reads: “My mom is still ambivalent about veganism, but she admires how important it is to me and often says she wants to try it. She uses Impossible Meat to veganize kotleti (meat patties) and golubtsi (cabbage rolls). These are best eaten on a bed of buckwheat — the nutty, nutrient-dense whole grain of choice in former Soviet countries.” 
Speech bubbles from various writers. The author’s text reads: “21st-century people who eat meat-rich diets can sometimes essentialize animal products as a central part of culture, but the foundations of cuisines around the world have long been plant-based.” Then two condensed quotes from journalist Marianna Giusti and chef Hannah Che appear alongside potatoes, eggplants, and garlic.
Text reads: “Even in the lands we call the United States, Indigenous peoples for centuries cultivated the Three Sisters — corn, beans, and squash — a protein-rich trio still savored today. We can look to these traditions to build a more sustainable future.” These words are superimposed on an illustration of the Three Sisters growing in a field against a soft yellow sky.
Text reads: “Veganism isn’t just a diet or a way to lower carbon emissions. It’s a philosophy of nonviolence toward nonhuman animals.” Rows of factory farming sheds are illustrated, as well as pollution. Text continues: “Factory farming has literally remade life on Earth. It has replaced wild animals with billions of farmed animals, both victims of and unwitting contributors to our planetary crisis, that live and die in conditions of bottomless cruelty.”
Illustration of cows in close confines. Text reads: “For many people, confronting the violence behind something so intimate as the food we eat makes them want to shut down rather than take action. But I’ve come to see joy and grief as two inextricable sides of the same coin. Committing to veganism has allowed me to mourn animal agriculture’s impact on the planet while being able to build something new, something better, something consistent with my deepest values and with a livable future.”
Text reads: “It has also connected me with others and expanded my sense of home. The Midwest, where I live, has some of the densest concentrations of factory farms on Earth. By some measures, animals farmed for food now make up the bulk of the Earth’s creatures. Animals like cows, pigs, and chickens are ignored in conversations about biodiversity, but my vision of connecting with life on Earth puts them at the center.”
Text reads: “My husband and I volunteer at a Wisconsin farm sanctuary about an hour from our home. There, animals rescued from the region’s factory farms are given a space to live out their lives.” Followed by an illustration of farm animals next to the author. Next, the text reads: “One of them, an enormous pig named Wemberly, had been found as a piglet. At 21 days old, she had spent the first few weeks of her life in a tiny cage before being shipped off for fattening and slaughter.”
Illustration of a small pig in a cage, and then being held. Text reads: “To the factory farm industry, Wemberly was a margin of error. To the farm worker who took mercy on her and called the sanctuary for help, she contained a universe of experience — a life worth living. I often think about an idea I learned growing up in an Orthodox Jewish school, where I first had the idea to become vegetarian. In Judaism, we sometimes say that saving a life is equivalent to saving the entire world.”
An illustration of friends at a picnic, and then two people sharing a plate of food between each other. Text reads: “Even after so many years, being vegan in a non-vegan world is not always easy — logistically, socially, and emotionally. Human connection makes it easier. We share vegan foods and an unspoken understanding of how hard it is to go through life carrying such a heavy burden. What else can we do in this unjust world if not help each other live according to our values?”

Marina Bolotnikova is a deputy editor for Vox’s Future Perfect section. Before joining Vox, she reported on factory farming for national outlets including the Guardian, the Intercept, and elsewhere.

Christine Mi is a cartoonist, writer, and game designer focused on telling stories in and around nature. Some examples of topics she’s explored in her work have been eels (where do they come from?), gingko trees, and finding ways to experience small joys during the pandemic. Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Rumpus, and more.

Sources

Tips and resources for going plant-based

Further reading on factory farming, our food system, and the climate


Load more
Read full article on: vox.com
26 d
vox.com
Read full article on: vox.com
19 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested for trying to occupy UPenn building
The University of Pennsylvania said 19 protesters were arrested for trying to occupy a campus building on Friday night.
16 m
abcnews.go.com
PM Update: Rain intensity and coverage lowers into tonight. Much lower rain chance Sunday.
Clouds may still dominate skies tomorrow, with showers or a storm remaining slightly possible.
31 m
washingtonpost.com
Member of Israeli war cabinet threatens to quit if Gaza plan doesn't change
Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel's three-member war cabinet, threatened to resign from the government if it doesn't adopt a new plan within three weeks.
48 m
npr.org
Juan Soto Responds to Yankees Owner Wanting to Keep Him in New York Long Term
Yankees star outfielder Juan Soto opened up about the team wanting to keep him in New York long-term.
56 m
newsweek.com
Unbearable: US to say goodbye to its last remaining Chinese pandas — for now
America's panda-monium is coming to an end.
1 h
nypost.com
Benjamin Netanyahu Confronted With Ultimatum and Deadline
Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz demanded Israel's prime minister create a six-point plan by June 8.
1 h
newsweek.com
London mayor urges foreign leaders to condemn Trump as racist, sexist, homophobic
London Mayor Sadiq Khan branded former President Trump a racist, a sexist and a homophobe while urging his own party to do more to “call him out" ahead of the 2024 election.
1 h
foxnews.com
5/18: Saturday Morning
Trucks carrying desperately needed aid are rolling across a newly U.S. built pier into Gaza; Chef Salil Mehta introduces diners to Malaysian food after eatery earns Michelin star
1 h
cbsnews.com
Family of slain NYC hero fights cop killer’s parole every two years: ‘We’re forever in our life sentence’
The state is poised to spring a cop killer from prison as the officer’s family fights to keep the career-criminal who stole their hero away behind bars, The Post has learned.
1 h
nypost.com
Critical flaw that allowed terrorists to storm the cockpits of four jetliners on 9/11 finally fixed after 23 years
Nearly 23 years after 9/11, a critical flaw that helped terrorists hijack four jetliners, murder the pilots and turn the planes into weapons of mass destruction is finally being corrected.
1 h
nypost.com
AMC slaps ‘Goodfellas’ with trigger warning for ‘offensive’ content that includes ‘cultural stereotypes’
AMC Networks added a trigger warning to the classic mob movie "Goodfellas" -- rankling those who were in the film and wiseguys alike.
1 h
nypost.com
Scottie Scheffler gets support from popular golf influencer after arrest
Golf influencer Grace Charis offered her support for Scottie Scheffler on Friday after the PGA Tour star was arrested at the PGA Championship.
1 h
foxnews.com
Ukraine waiting on U.S. ammo, weapons as Russia gains ground in east
Last month, the U.S. Congress approved a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, but has yet to deliver the weapons and ammunition as promised.
1 h
nypost.com
Billy Joel spends over $10M for sprawling East Hampton pad with horse farm, neighbors other A-listers
Billy Joel purchased a pricey pad in East Hampton for a whopping $10.7 million dollars, according to a source and public records.
1 h
nypost.com
Pakistani nationals studying in Kyrgyzstan asked to stay indoors after attacks
According to local media, the violence began last week following a clash between Kyrgyz people and foreigners in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
1 h
cbsnews.com
Slovakia's prime minister in serious condition; suspect in assassination attempt appears at hearing
The man accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico appears at hearing. Premier in serious condition after shooting.
1 h
latimes.com
Caitlin Clark does it all in her best WNBA quarter yet for Fever
Caitlin Clark went out and pieced together the best quarter of her career to start the Fever’s rematch against the Liberty on Saturday.
1 h
nypost.com
Ukraine asks US for more help attacking Russia — moves that would clearly escalate war
The requests come as Russia steps up its incursion into Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.
2 h
nypost.com
Bare breasts, suicides and Flaco: NYC can’t handle public art
A good rule of thumb for those planning public art displays in New York City is: If you build it, they will come and deface, defile and vulgarize it.
2 h
nypost.com
Playoff-tested Panthers will be Rangers’ biggest challenge yet
The last time the Rangers faced the Panthers, their minds were already on the playoffs. 
2 h
nypost.com
Noncitizen voting becomes a centerpiece of 2024 GOP messaging
It has erupted into a leading election-year talking point for Republicans.
2 h
abcnews.go.com
Funeral home to the stars celebrating 125 years protecting high-profile clients
Funeral home to the stars Frank E. Campbell allows the families of celebrities to bring in their famous loved ones' own makeup artists, hairdressers and stylists to make A-Listers look their best for their next chapter.
2 h
nypost.com
With assaults up in NYC, community activist offers pepper spray in Chinatown
Over the past two Thursdays, a community activist handed out nearly 100 cannisters of pepper spray in Chinatown to vulnerable New Yorkers.
2 h
nypost.com
Former San Diego sheriff's deputy faces federal charges in killing of unarmed man
A former San Diego sheriff's deputy who has already pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the 2020 fatal shooting of an unarmed suspect has been indicted on two federal charges that could put him in prison for life.
2 h
latimes.com
1600-year-old mystery discovered in ancient ruins
The origin of the remarkable Iron Pillar, part of the world-heritage-listed Qutub funerary complex in India’s Delhi, is lost to time.
2 h
nypost.com
Yemen's Houthi rebels launch a missile that strikes an oil tanker in the Red Sea, US military says
Ballistic missile damaged a Panama-flagged, Greek-owned vessel.
2 h
abcnews.go.com
Thousands expected to rally in Washington in support of Palestinian rights
Protesters are rallying in the nation’s capital in support of Palestinian rights and an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza.
2 h
latimes.com
Climate activists glue themselves to Munich airport runway, pausing traffic
A half dozen climate protesters broke into the Munich airport on Saturday and glued themselves to the runway, disrupting traffic and temporarily shutting down the facility.
2 h
foxnews.com
3 killed in western New York after vehicle hit by Amtrak train
Amtrak Train 281 was traveling from New York City to Niagara Falls.
2 h
cbsnews.com
Lying ex-Rep. George Santos enjoys ‘epic’ day at Universal Studios ahead of looming trial
Santos hung up on The Post after being reached by phone.
2 h
nypost.com
Tom Brady picked Greg Olsen’s brain in preparation to replace him in Fox booth
Even though Tom Brady is ousting Greg Olsen from Fox Sports' top NFL broadcasting desk, he still reached out for Olsen's advice as his replacement.
2 h
nypost.com
Influencers are giving their babies bizarre names to ‘stand out’ on Instagram: Heart, Afternoon and Stone are hot monikers
Once reserved for A-list newborns — like Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter Apple — the eccentric, and occasionally absurd, monikers are no longer only assigned to nepobabies.
2 h
nypost.com
No body cam footage of Scottie Scheffler's incident with officer, mayor says
The mayor of Louisville said Saturday the officer involved in Scottie Scheffler's arrest did not have bodycam turned on during the incident.
2 h
foxnews.com
Bronx ER nurse Chris Hernandez put on leave after saying Jews should ‘shut the f–k up’
A Bronx ER nurse and influencer was put on leave and is being investigated after video of him saying Jewish people should "shut the f--k up" about their fears surfaced.
2 h
nypost.com
Don McLean blasts Prince Harry, accuses him of failing to understand US culture: ‘Shut your mouth’
The "American Pie" crooner blasted the British royal in a new interview.
2 h
nypost.com
Israel, Hamas battle as first aid delivery arrives at US-built pier
The pier-routed aid delivery has begun to arrive as Israel wages fierce battles against Hamas fighters in the north and south of the war-torn territory.
2 h
nypost.com
Thousands are expected to rally in Washington in support of Palestinian rights
The event commemorates the 76th anniversary of what is called the Nakba.
2 h
abcnews.go.com
Michael Cohen Was 'Devastating' to Alvin Bragg's Case—Legal Analyst
"Without Cohen there is no case against Donald Trump, nobody else ties him to any of the bogus crimes alleged in the indictment," Gregg Jarrett said.
2 h
newsweek.com
Thousands Expected to Rally on Washington’s National Mall in Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Thousands of protesters are expected to turn out for a pro-Palestinian rally in the nation's capital on Saturday.
2 h
time.com
Many Jewish students, anxious and fearful, hiding their religion on campus: survey
Anti-Israel protests on campuses have left a majority of Jewish students feeling less safe at school and 72% are hoping their universities quash encampments and demonstrations threatening their graduations, a new survey found.
2 h
nypost.com
Angel Reese claps back at critics while celebrating LSU graduation: ‘What was said?’
Angel Reese didn't forget.
2 h
nypost.com
Former Shohei Ohtani Teammate Reportedly Bet With Same Bookie As Ippei Mizuhara
A former teammate of Shohei Ohtani's has reportedly used the same bookie as Ippei Mizuhara.
2 h
newsweek.com
New book details Sports Phone’s impact on launching some of broadcasting’s biggest names
Put simply, not until the cell phone explosion that began 35 years ago was there a more immediate option for immediate info than Sports Phone — oddly enough inspired in some part by the “Dial Santa” sell of the 1960s.
2 h
nypost.com
In ‘Furiosa,’ Chris Hemsworth steals the spotlight
Though “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is named after the female character played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth’s Warlord Dementus arguably has the best part.
2 h
washingtonpost.com
Suspected protester spotted scaling George Washington Bridge causing traffic delays
A person was spotted scaling the George Washington Bridge Saturday afternoon -- causing traffic delays as the NYPD attempted to coral the climber.
2 h
nypost.com
Colorado's Shedeur Sanders warns former teammate after critical comments
Colorado Buffaloes star quarterback Sheduer Sanders fired back at a former teammate who took issue with the player on his way out of the program.
2 h
foxnews.com
Gerrit Cole could soon face live batters in massive step in injury recovery
Gerrit Cole is starting to feel the itch as he continues to build his rehab workload.
2 h
nypost.com
Why young people become woker and woker
We are in a cultural emergency. Future generations are unlikely to value freedom and reason as we do.
2 h
nypost.com