I am living with 20 Americans right now. They have pretty much come straight from their American families kitchen to a university cafeteria.

For the first time in some of their 20 year old lives they’ve had to cook for themselves full-time.

I am pretty open about the fact that I don’t regularly eat meat and/or dairy. It’s NOT something that I was raised with. In fact, I was raised on a 10,000 acre farm in Oregon. We bought a cow each year at the local fair from a local 4-H kid.

I was raised on hamburgers. Ranch. Ice Cream.

However, as I have had to deal with some MAJOR dietary issues in the past 2 years, I have been sparked to think about the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle by the likes of Maria, Angela and MamaPea.

Can a farm girl really be veg/vegan?

I have committed (99%) of the time to a vegan lifestyle. YES, I still have bites of ice cream and even the occasional spoonful of meat if I am tasting something that the students are making.

However, I haven’t felt deprived and am finding that those bites have no satiating factor to them anymore. But I have found that sometimes I make random mix-ups of food.

Lunch: Toast, Baked Beans, Avocado!

Dinner: Indian Chickpea Salad.

Dessert: Vegan Chocolate Cake.

I have to say that my digestive issues that I have had, have almost completely cleared up since going mostly-vegan.. I do make sure to take B12 and Iron, cause I need to make sure that I am keeping up on those things.

When the kids ask me why I am mostly-vegan, I tell them the truth…and ask ‘Do you actually know where your food comes from?’ Most of them don’t…most Americans don’t have any freaking idea.

I just don’t feel like putting the little money I have as a student into a caged chicken or pregnant pig.

I feel like putting my money into creative, wholesome, and animal-less dishes! A reformed farm girl, I am.

Have you switched after coming from a heavy meat-eating family?
Do you share your reasoning with those around you?

~ Mish

If you loved what you read here as much as I did (and how could you not?) feel free/OBLIGATED to check out Mish’s blog Eating Journey. I promise it will be one of the best things you do!

You can also follow her rants, jokes, informative and thought provoking tweets in 140 characters or less on twitter. 

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