But seriously, trying vegan really doesn’t mean you have to opt for a tossed salad or a piece of fruit! Eating better is as easy as substituting marinara for meat sauce, opting for bean burritos instead of beef tacos, enjoying creamy soy or rice milk in place of cow’s milk, and exploring all of the wonderful animal-free, earth-friendly, and healthy products in our grocery stores.

Today, more than ever, vegetarians have a vast assortment of foods to choose from. You can generally shop for vegan foods at natural food stores and co-ops, while nearly all major supermarkets feature delicious, earth-friendly fare.

Many people believe that eliminating all animal products will greatly narrow their menus. But according to most vegans, quite the opposite happens. Once you start frequenting your local health/natural food stores and co-ops, perusing the dozens of vegan cookbooks, or just following the suggestions here, you will soon become familiar with the wide variety of options that weren’t a part of your previous diet. Over time, you will also discover that it is possible to follow almost any recipe by substituting ingredients.

For those who prefer not to cook, there are a wide variety of packaged foods from which to choose: frozen dinners; canned and dehydrated soups, stews, and chilies; items of all sorts for quick and easy sandwiches like vegan dogs and burgers, deli slices, bacons, sausages, untuna and unchicken salads, and soy and rice cheeses; and delicious desserts including soy yogurts and ice creams. The variety is growing every year. You may even find that your local health food store has its own deli counter, stocked with prepared foods.

More and more supermarkets are starting to carry the same products that used to be found only in specialty stores.

Tasty vegan meals can be prepared with foods found at any supermarket. And for those of us without the time or inclination to cook from scratch, there are a growing number of vegetarian convenience foods available. In fact, by becoming more conscious of what they eat and by exploring new foods and recipes, many people find themselves with a more diverse diet after becoming vegetarian!

There’s a whole host of meat and dairy alternatives on the market — some quite different from their nonvegetarian counterparts, some surprisingly similar. Mock meats, made with plant protein, come in a wide range of textures, shapes, and styles: burgers, hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, ground meat, meatballs, breaded cutlets, deli slices, “unchicken” salad, and more!

Dairy alternatives are made from soy, rice, or nuts. You can buy or make vegan milk, cheese, butter, mayonnaise, sour cream, frozen desserts — you name it!

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.…

Well-planned vegan [pure vegetarian] and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.

Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.

Please note: Simply avoiding animal products will not ensure optimal health. Like everyone, vegans should eat a balanced diet. Protein, Vitamins B12 and D, omega-3 fats, calcium, and iodine are important.