Ok, I became a vegetarian about two months ago and decided a few weeks ago that I wanted to give up dairy products. For you who gave up dairy, how did you do it? I don't do too much dairy as it always has and does gross me out. I'm finding it so hard though because dairy is in everything! I gave in the other night and ate a brownie... It is so hard. I've never wanted to give in like this to meat. Do you find that giving up dairy is alot harder than meat? Thanks! :D

try making dairy-free versions of the things you like. for example you can make a pan of brownies with soy milk instead of cows' milk.

also, i'm not sure where you live, but in some places there are rescues and sanctuaries that provide care for ex-dairy cows who escape slaughter in one way or another. the original one was farm sanctuary (www.farmsanctuary.org), but there are now several throughout the US. if you ever have an opportunity to visit one and meet a dairy cow, it might make you not crave dairy any more. once i met some cows and learned what happened to them and their babies in the dairy industry, leaving dairy out of my diet was pretty effortless (after the first few weeks of getting my bearings anyway). :)

I thought it would be hard. I haven't really thought about it. I mean I search every label like a hound, but I'm not missing the dairy.

Can you get your mom to buy you soymilk?
There is also Tofutti sliced cheese. I found a vegan burger that I like (Nature's Promise - it's organic from Giant Food Stores). It's weird to look at my spaghetti without parmesan on it, but someone said you can use capers in place of parmesan. I haven't tried that yet.

There are substitutes, but mostly I'm cooking completely new and different things that I've never had before. It makes it more fun and adventurous. I feel like I'm really learning something.

If you find that hard, try doing it in steps. Cut out the visible dairy first (cheese on pizza, milk poured on cereal, etc) and do that until you feel comfortable. Next, try learning how to bake (and buy) foods that you can make dairy and egg free.

I had a really hard time with it when I first cut it out. It just took a while to get used to it.

Hard isn't the word. I agree with Elena99, go slow. I went cold turkey and it was awful. It definitely helps if you make stuff yourself using the appropriate substitutes. But I agree, if you are looking to grab something quick when you are out, I find that very hard. But it's been a while now, so I've gotten used to it. Hopefully you will too. I always bring something with me when I go out so as not to feel deprived.

There is also Tofutti sliced cheese. I found a vegan burger that I like (Nature's Promise - it's organic from Giant Food Stores).
Unfortunatly Tofutti sliced cheese tastes terrible :spew: The Tofutti dairy-free pizza tastes good though.

I found the only way to do it was to find things to eat that don't contain dairy in the first place. So I found new recipes to try, and learned to enjoy foods that don't have dairy counterparts (i.e. vegan does not equal vegetarian minus dairy). Almost any baked good can be made without dairy, brownies included. Nature's Path makes an excellent organic vegan boxed brownie.

I used to consume two gallons of milk per week, and ate cheese every meal. I am proud to say I haven't consumed any dairy (knowingly) in a year (it has been two years since I consumed milk). My diet is much more varied than it ever was as a vegetarian or omnivore.

I agree with lilac wine that aquainting yourself with the victims of the dairy industry is a good way to stay connected with your reasons for not consuming dairy. For me, it was reading about the anguish of the mother and baby cows who are separated, in "The Pig who sang to the moon" that convinced me that I had no right to cause that sort of pain.

I gave up dairy all at once completely and it was after I became educated on the animal rennet used in some dairy products (like, cheeses, cottage cheese, ricotta, any many others.) Not all cheese contains animal rennet, some use a synthetic enzyme. However, instead of trying to figure out which dairy products contain animal or synthetic rennet, I just avoid all of it. Just the thought of a calf being killed for the rennet used in some cheese making processes makes me sick. That's really the main reason that stopped me from eating it.
If you can't stop all at once, a little at a time is a good start. Good luck!

For me, it was super-easy to cut dairy but then again, I'm highly lactose intolerant so I sorta had "help" in that department....

But why are you giving it up? For animals? For health reasons? Read everything you can about that, then. In other words, if you're giving up dairy for the animals, read about dairy farm conditions (in your country), "organic" dairy farms conditions, and what happens to the males that are born to dairy cows (read about what happens to the females, too...). If you're giving it up because of health, then read about what it does to the body and why it's an inflammatory agent.

But for cutting it out, yea I will admit it is in everything so maybe slow *is* the way to go. Start with obvious dairy and work your way to the hidden ingredients and scientific names. Also, start looking for things you can make that will help fill that dairy crave (vegan brownies, soy ice cream :drool: , grilled avocado sandwiches instead of cheese ones, etc).

For other help/advice/support, check out this thread (http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=36734) as well. It's really helped a lot of people round here and I hope it will help you, too.

Best of luck to you. :)

Thank you for you resposes... I agree with many of you and will try the method of giving it up slowly. I already cut out the obvious dairy so I'm now working on the more hidden stuff. Thanks again =)

I'm planning to give up dairy products but am taking it slowly. Hopefully by Christmas, I'll have cut out alot of dairy.

I know it will be tough but I like to test my own willpower :) and I know it will be worth it in the end - for the sake of health of myself and the animals exploited for it

I used to think milk was completely nutritious, but I read up about the drugs that are given to dairy cows and now I think it's disgusting.

Also, when you put yourself in the position of these cows - imagine being taken away from your mother when you're so young - it should make it that bit easier.

I found it hard to give up milk, as I wasn't keen on the taste of soya milk, but everytime I thought of what the cows/calves went through for that milk to be produced it put me right off. I got used to the taste of soya milk, I think its just readjusting (sp?) your tastes and reafirming your decision with what made you want to give up the item in question in the first place. Good luck :)

for me the way I felt after experimenting with no dairy was worth it... less Phlegm, not being a biochemical weapon (Sorry about the crude BM Joke), and clearer skin, it was worth it to me

I use to be vegan, then decided to go vegetarian but I actually liked the Tofutti sliced cheese, I know someone else said it was gross, but I never ate it alone. If you put it on potatoes or in/on food, it's the best tasting "fake" cheese I tried. Believe me I tried A LOT of the "Fake" cheese and Tofutti was the best that I found!!! One kind of "fake" cheese I tried tasted like brocolli!!! Hope that helps

[to lettiss] If you feel like you are depriving yourself, take it slow and have a 100% organic yogurt every once in awhile. You're not dieting. Veganism is about reducing the amount of suffering in the world--*you* shouldn't have to suffer for it!

[to peaceglitter] Soy milk is not your only option. You could try rice or oat milk, as well. At least switch brands, because some soymilk brands taste awful (especially the nonfat kinds).

I went vegan overnight. The only thing I've missed is pizza, occasionally :D, but I never really want to eat it...if you know what I mean. My mom the awesome vegetarian craves sesame chicken and other meat sometimes, but to her it is still worth being vegetarian.

The only HARD part is label reading. bleech. It used to be a painfully tedious chore, but I've gotten really good at recognizing obscure animal products.

If you know veganism is right, there is no "taking it slow" or "phasing into it." At least there wasn't for me - I could never bring myself to eat cheese or drink cow's milk.

If you are an ethical vegan, then I suggest you sit down for a hour, or lay in bed one night and think about why you want to be vegan. I mean really think about it. Try to remember anything you've read, movies you've watched, pictures you've seen, and remember the moment you realized that veganism is right.




Good Luck!! :)