Vegan at work

Hi, there vegan teachers! If you want to scroll past my story and get to the tips on how to manage being a vegan teacher amongst animal eaters, just scroll down to the bottom of this article!

Ok, I’ll be honest… I am totally picking an easy to write about topic right now. Why? I’ve just handed my reports into admin, done my final term testing and am beginning to plan for next term. Feeling quite worn out! Another reason this is an easy topic for me to write about is because it’s my story and my opinion (your story may be different).

Some schools I have worked at have been so welcoming and fully embraced my (and others’) vegan choices. Last year, I worked at a school that had several vegan staff and there were ALWAYS vegan food options at staff functions. To top it off, the previous principal used to bake vegan treats and share them. Her actions certainly made me feel special and it was so inclusive. She was a great cook too so I think I stacked on a few kgs when she was baking! Her chocolate mud cupcakes were my favourite.

Not all schools have been so welcoming though. At some schools I have been at, a few staff have made vegan jokes and wanted to challenge my food choices. I always found this interesting because I never actually brought this topic up and really wanted to be left alone to eat in peace!

Worst vegan joke… How do you know someone is vegan? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you…repeatedly. No, not everyone. Some of us vegan peeps just want to be left alone to eat our veggies in peace.

Want to know my story? There are some different parts to my story that culminated in my final decision to be a vegan.

My “veganish” story began way back when I was around 14 years old. I just happened to watch a random television show that came on one weekend and it was titled something like, “Cow to lasagne…” It was quite graphic and showed the reality of how some animals are slaughtered for food. It didn’t sit right with me knowing that this was how I was getting my meat.

Let’s go even further back… Right from a very early age, I didn’t really enjoy the taste of meat. My mum would serve up the standard one meat and three vegetable dinner. For this, I am grateful because as I have grown up, I appreciate that some children were not fed healthy options and served food in this manner at all. I would eat the vegetables quite easily and enjoy them. When it came to the meat though… this seemed to roll around my mouth for ages. I just didn’t like the taste or texture of it.

Some meats were easier to eat than others, in my childhood state that is. Sausages and polony were the better options. They didn’t resemble the animal and didn’t seem as chewy and meat-textured.

So combining my natural dislike of meat with my growing awareness of where meat came from, I decided to be a vegetarian at a young age. I wasn’t aware of veganism at all. I did consume dairy food quite heavily. Cheese, yoghurts and milk were my favourite protein sources. Of course, this didn’t digest well considering my allergy tests showed a low-grade allergy (not anaphylactic) towards dairy foods! I hung in there though because… well, who doesn’t love chocolate right?

I stayed vegetarian for quite a while but then digressed to eating meat every now and then. When I moved out with my boyfriend (I was 21 then), I tried a few meat options. He did most of the cooking and he was a big carnivore. It just seemed easier. I still didn’t eat steak or much red meat and preferred white meat options. Still not loving the meat texture or the idea of it all.

Fast forward to adulthood, more awareness and in 2014 I took the plunge and went vegan. It seemed logical to go this way since my dairy allergies made me feel quite awful. Did I stay faithful to veganism? No, I fell off the wagon a few times (trying white meat here and there) because I hadn’t found the perfect balance of nutrition and gut health. No, I didn’t like the idea of eating animals at all. So, some vegans would say that I wasn’t vegan I was plant-based. Ultimately, I was trying to figure out low iron, gut issues, allergy issues and stay healthy.

I am happy to say that I have now worked it all out and no longer have the gut issues that plagued me for so long. An over reliance of soy milk didn’t digest well and I just have a well-balanced diet. It can take a while to get this balance and I urge you not to feel bad about this at all.

I think we can be quite detached from where our food comes from. This includes both meat and vegetables. They just “appear” in our supermarkets and we purchase them. No judgement actually because we are just busy people trying to eat to survive and eating is just one thing we need to do to survive!

Going vegan (or plant-based) has been the best decision for me. It meets my beliefs about how animals should be treated and what is best for our health. If you need more information, I highly recommend medical doctors that are trained in this area rather than random gurus. Dr Gregor is one doctor that is medically trained and has a few books out and a website that is full of information. nutritionfacts.org

I don’t push my veganism on anyone. I have my own beliefs and I only share them if someone asks. Why? I believe everyone has the right to make their own decisions and make their own lifestyle changes at their own pace. I don’t want to shame anyone into feeling bad or changing their diet.

I have come across some people who strongly dislike my eating choices. This is quite bizarre to me when I don’t actively go out and tell anyone to follow my choices or that I am right and they are wrong. I guess this anger may be their own fears in some way. Knowing that you may face criticism ahead of time, can prepare you for quick responses if you are in this situation. I just explain tactfully that I eat the way I do because it suits me best.

So, knowing that this topic can stir a lot of emotions for people… how can you navigate your way around this in a workplace? Here are some tips to help you:

Tips for vegans at work:

1. Let the catering staff know your diet preferences discretely. Some staff cater for occasions and will ask you to allocate preferences and keep records. If no specific vegan option is selected you may be able to request no dairy and meatless.
2. Always pack your own snacks for staff Professional Development Days or meeting days. If they forget to cater for you, then you will be going hungry! I pack things like, bananas, nuts and seeds just in case. You can also bring in a lentil patty and pop that on your plate to go with their prepared salads. I have done this before and no one notices.
3. I don’t discuss the ethics of meat-eating at work places (or even privately really because as I said above, each to their own). I just assert that I am vegan and I am happy with my food choices. I never make comments about what other people are eating. I do not believe that it is my right to do so.
4. Share a vegan platter if asked to bring in food for morning tea. I have brought in fruit flatters, hummus dip plates and date chocolate balls before. These are pretty common food choices and most people will enjoy them.

Another topic for discussion when working in a school is what the heck to have for lunch!   As a reacher, you will have limited time to eat because of duty obligations (plus, finally getting to go to the toilet and so on!). Knowing this, you are going to have to eat a high-nutrition and quick to eat lunch. 

I have tried all sorts of variations. I once went through a stage where I brought in hummus dip in a smaller container and used carrots and celery to eat. Chomping through all of this was too time-consuming though. On the days when I had duty, I didn’t have enough time to consume enough food prior to going on duty. Another time, I brought in smoothies but I felt a bit anti-social at the staff table as I wasn’t really eating. This is a personal choice for you though! Nowadays, I have found the perfect lunch that works for me. I make up a chia oat pot and it keeps me going until dinner time!

My chia pot includes; oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, almond milk and chopped prunes. I put this in a jar and keep it in the fridge. I have an elastic band around the jar with a spoon under the band. Done! I can even finish it off while I am walking around on duty. It’s quick to eat, has enough calories to sustain me and is so easy. I make up the jars ahead of time, so the week is prepped and on each day I just add the almond milk to the jar I take.

I like the idea of consuming a large salad but I simply do not have the time to chomp through this at work. I have tried and it doesn’t work. At home, sure. Not at school though. I also tried bringing in large containers of cooked veggies. This was too annoying though as heating them up in the microwave ate into my lunch break! I save my large portions of salad and veggies for nighttime when I can relax and enjoy them. I do add greens to my morning smoothie though.

At the end of the day, what works for me might not actually work for you. My protein shake in the morning most likely contributes to the satiety I experience and the chia pot is also long lasting. Everyone has differing calorie needs. If you are exercising heavily, you will most likely need recess and afternoon snacks. Bananas and nuts are great snacks. Just be aware of students that may have nut allergies. I often bring a small container of pumpkin seeds in my handbag so that if I ever get hungry or feel a bit low in sugar, I can snack on them to tide me over until dinner.

I hope this article has been useful for you if you are a fellow vegan or are dipping your feet into the plant-based lifestyle. Let me know if you want to hear more. If you want to hear what I eat in a day, quick meal tips and so on, leave a message below. Thanks. 

Kind regards, Jennifer