These are GOING to be your steps above, NOT mine!



* This is a big step, it's not for everyone, so trust me when I say, P-R-E-P-A-R-E-!  

* It takes a lot for you to be here, and I C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-L-A-T-E you for doing so! 

* My T-R-A-N-S-I-T-I-O-N stages into veganism are below!

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Discover essential tips and resources for beginner vegans transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle. Embrace healthy and clean eating. Start your vegan journey and learn how to transition smoothly and enjoy delicious plant-based meals every day. Make your transition to a plant-based diet easy and enjoyable. 

 

Important:  YOU DO NOT NEED to cook 5 recipes a day.  A lot of first-time Vegans fail because they think they need to sweat it out in the kitchen all day.  Your recipes do not need to be fancy or made for a king & queen.  They need to include a wide variety of nutrients; that's how you will succeed.  The recipes on this website are not meant to be hard and are not meant to break your bank.  As long as you have a wide variety of foods in your pantry / fridge, your nutritional needs should be met.  



There are a few reasons why people fail to make the switch into veganism:

* Not being prepared

* Not having a variety of food

* They don't research 

* Rush into things to0 soon

* Eat boxed Vegan junk foods

 

If you have made your mind up 100% about transitioning, here are my steps below. This is the way I did it.  It was the right way for me, because that's the type of person I am.  I did it in stages.  I broke each stage down and completed that stage before going on to the next stage.  This is a step-by-process on how I made the change successfully.  The keyword is successfully.  I cannot tell you how many times I have spoken with people who just couldn't do it.  The steps have worked for me, and I am proof!  Most importantly you will see these words all over my website, and I cannot stress this enough >>> Theses steps are MY steps, these steps are what i created to get where I am today.  I am not a doctor, and I do not diagnose, cure ailments or diseases. It's up to you to decide what works for you.   

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MY TRANSITION     

I researched Veganism for about 8 months straight before I made the change.  It cost me about $350.00-$400.00.  I purchased the racks, ball jars, cast iron pans, spices, and all the food within days of each other (no joke).  It took me about 7 days to set everything up and do the shopping.  It was something that I was mentally and physically prepared for, and I couldn't wait!   

 

THE SUPPLIES I PURCHASED FOR MY 7-DAY TRANSITION INTO VEGANISM

* $200.00 for food, which included spices 

* $120.00 for ball jars, wide mouth quart jars + pint + half pint jars 

* $170.00 for two large racks 

* $100.00 for cast iron pans + utensils

* I did NOT need to buy any type of cookbooks to get me started, because I graduated in 2000 with a Culinary Degree, which is very helpful.  It's perfectly o.k. if you don't       have a cooking background, it's not needed to become Vegan.  Creativity, trial

by error, and your willingness to learn are all you need.  

 

* I am sure there are other ways you can transition, but this is my health, and I did not

want anything to happen to it.  So, I made sure that during my transition, my body

was fed with high-nutrient-dense foods.       

   

My transition week went very smoothly.  I knew exactly what I had to buy, and I bought it.  There was nothing stopping me.  I didn't jump into anything, and I didn't rush it.  I was on a mission to succeed!  I felt so relieved and confident inside. Relieved that the hard part was over, confident, because all the research I was doing was paying off...BIG!!  I was so proud of myself and felt incredible inside.



I completed one stage at a time.  I broke them down into stages one by one.  It's too overwhelming to complete all stages at once; it's too confusing.

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REMEMBER: "organization" is your best friend.  The hardest part is to get enough calories in so that your caloric intake is steady, meets your nutritional needs, is nutrient-dense and is relatively clean foods.

     

Stages



 

STAGE #1 = MONEY 

If you don't have money for racks, ball jars, containers, cookware, food and utensils,

then how are you going to store all that food?  You don't want to starve yourself and not feed your body the nutrients it deserves.  Plus, we don't want any vitamin or mineral deficiencies. These stages worked for me and still do. I always go back to the basics.  The basics of understanding and listening to my body. 

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STAGE #2 = RACKS

I invested in a storage or shelf system.  I don't recommend buying any

type of plastic shelves, because the ball jars will be very heavy if you decide to go

with those.  Having 60-80 ball jars as I do will make plastic shelves sag and bow, and we don't want that.  I don't use anything but wide-mouth ball jars.  This enables me to put my whole hand inside to clean it, vs. regular-sized ones. 

 

* The racks that I use are on this product page > > >      

 

* The racks on my product page, are heavy-duty, very sturdy, and easy to assemble.    

 

* To give you an idea of how I store my food, click here > > > 

 

* After I purchased the racks, I set them up and put them in place! 

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​STAGE #3 = BALL JARS 

Before I went out and purchased all those delicious fruits, vegetables, beans, and    

nuts, I needed to figure out how I was going to store them.  That's where the        

balls jars come into play.  These are non-toxic, no chemicals, BPA-free, and are          

made in the United States.  These are the containers I recommend for everything.  I

have no recommendation for any other type because I don't use any other type of

containers, except ball jars.  They work incredibly well, are easy to maintain, have no rust, no lingering smell, are inexpensive, last forever, won't break, crack or discolor.  I believe the going price for a dozen ball jars with lids will run you about $11.99

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STAGE #4 = COOKWARE / BAKEWARE / UTENSILS

Everything is falling into place.  I have my racks set up, ball jars in place,

and now it's time to purchase some cast-iron cookware.  You can visit my cast iron

page here > > >                         

 

* I devoted a few shelves specifically to the cast iron pans. They are very heavy!

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STAGE #5 = GLASS BOWLS

If you click on my storage tab right here > > >                              you will see just how

many fruits / vegetables I purchase(d).  I keep them in glass bowls, which have no

chemicals or toxins.  Plus, glass gets colder than plastic!  You can purchase any type of   bowls you like, but I prefer glass.  Personally, if you're lucky enough to have one of      

those expensive double-door refrigerators, you can devote all your drawers to your

fruits and vegetables.   

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Let's Go Shopping! 

​I cannot stress this enough; I DID not make a list when I went shopping for the first time.  I repeat, I did not rely on a list!  I only needed to make a list when I shopped for my staple foods.  I purchased the same things over and over to get a feel for what my body likes.  MY goal was to purchase a huge variety of foods, not to look at a list.  

My staple food list was 2-3 months after everything was set in place.

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STAGE #6 = FRUIT

I purchased a huge variety of fruits!  I didn't buy small quantities; I bought large quantities.  I consume 5-8 different types of fruits a day.  There is no fruit I dislike; I love them all, which gives me a wide range of vitamins / minerals and amino acids for my body.      

    

Remember: TRY and complete one stage at a time.  You can do three stages in a day, but when you go to the grocery store, try to do one stage only!  After each stage you complete, come home and put your items away.  Then, you can go back to the store and shop for another stage.  This is very important.  You always want to make sure you have food on-hand available for you to eat.  If you don't eat, and you don't fast on a regular basis I do then your blood sugar might drop.  You will more than likely start to get confused, hungry, and irritable.  Do one stage at a time, come home and put it away, eat some food, relax and, do another stage if you like.  

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STAGE #7 = VEGETABLES

Now that you have your ball jars or containers in place, you're ready to buy some

fresh vegetables.  It's not rocket science, just purchase a wide variety, but purchase the ones that agree with you and that you will consume.  I don't know if you have any allergies, ailments, or diseases that prevent you from eating certain types, so consult with your MD, NP, CNP, or whoever oversees your food intake.  I am not going

to tell you to purchase cucumbers when you don't like them.  For some reason, the

hardest part for some first-time vegans is buying fruits and vegetables.  There's no

limit to the amount you buy, the more you buy, the better you will be, in my opinion.  You can buy 5-10-15 different types of vegetables, go crazy!  This goes the same for beans, nuts, and seeds.  But just don't buy them and eat them because I suggested it. 

This website is MY TRANSITION, MY OPNIONS, AND HOW I SUCCEEDED. 

 

Additional recommended vegetables would be:

* Garlic

* Lemons

* Limes 

* Ginger

* And anything else you can find!

  

I do recommend frozen vegetables.  The nutrient quality of frozen vegetables is very

high.  Non-GMO and organic would be my first choice, but only if you can afford

them.  I can tell you that frozen vegetables are higher in nutrients than fresh.  If you

have never heard of the term flash-frozen vegetables, please Google it.  That's why I am a big fan of frozen vegetables.           

    

* Purchasing vegetables is one of my favorite things I like to do.  I buy them so much,

   I can tell you what months are cheaper than others.     

 

* NOTE: Purchasing the fruits and vegetables first will provide you with a lot of

   nutrients, and then purchasing your dry food first.  If it takes you a few weeks to

   purchase your fruits, vegetables, milk, nuts, seeds, and beans, it's fine!  As long as         you have quality food in your fridge / pantry, you're doing fabulous.  

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* REMEMBER: If you have any questions, look at the very top of this page in the cloud

   that's says contact me, click it.    

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STAGE #8 = BEANS / NUTS / SEEDS / LEGUMES

Out of all the stages, this was the easiest for me.  All beans have a different type of

nutrient profile.  So, the best thing that I did was to eat a variety of them.  If you click the is tab right here > > >                        it will take you to my bean page.  There, it will explain which beans will give you the least amount of gas.

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STAGE #9 = SPICES / FLOURS / BAKING ITEMS 

After calling every single manufacturer that produces flour, I can tell you that ALL

flour is NOT created equal.  Anything organic would be my first choice, along with

Non-GMO.  While these might be expensive to some, the quality is 100x better than

most, in my opinion.  

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After researching companies that manufacture spices, I can also tell you that ALL

spices are NOT created equal, also!  Not only do I research the companies that

manufacturer spices, but I go a step further and RESEARCH THE CONTAINERS THEY

COME IN.  The only company that I know of that produces their spices in

BPA / Phthalate free containers are Badia Spices.  For more information on Badia Spice, click here > > >                                        I'm sure there are a ton of other companies that pack their spices in small glass jars, those are also good choice!                 

Remember:  Have patience, and everything will fall into place.  Ball jars, racks, and cast-iron pans are needed first, in order to make the transition smooth. 

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STAGE #10 = ALMOND MILK / SOY MILK 

My recommendation for this category would be to make your own almond milk. 

The best thing about making your own almond milk is that there's NO synthetic vitamins, sterilization, or cross-contamination issues.  You can purchase your almonds in bulk to keep the cost low per pound.  A little bit of almonds will go a long way!  

Bulk Almonds can be purchased here > > >                           make sure you purchase  

one of the nut milk bags to strain your almond pieces.  There is also a video tutorial

of how I make my own almond milk > > >      

 

Some Vegans will choose to drink commercial milk, while other Vegans choose not

to it will be up to you to decide.  I can tell you this: there is a huge variety of Almond,

Soy, Hemp, and non-dairy varieties on the market.  I don't think you would

have a problem finding one you like. 

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STAGE #11 = BREAD 

I did the same thing in the bread stage as I did in the milk and bread stages.  

I called every single company to find out their ingredients.  The number of customer

representatives I spoke with was crazy, but I learned so much.  With that in mind, 99% of the time, I make my own homemade bread.  When I am in a pinch, I usually only trust 2 brands of commercial bread, and those are:

1. Alvarado Street Bakery 

2. Food For Life (Ezekiel)

                              Click here   > > >                              for pictures breads! 

            

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STAGE #12 = FAKE MEAT 

I recommend doing this stage last.  Why? because there's not a lot of nutritional

vitamins / minerals in fake meats.  Tofu, yes, but others not so much.  Fake meats

are really not needed in a vegan diet, but they add variety, and that's what a lot of

people enjoy.  This is something you have to research and experiment with yourself.    Fake meats usually cost anywhere from $3.99 - $7.99 per package. 

A tremendous number of Vegan meats on the market today, some are very good,

while others are very bad.  I have had the experience of tasting a few varieties, but I

find them to be very salty, but that's me.         



Important notes on fake meat:

All of the fake meats are loaded with SALT!  A particular fake meat with the highest

salt content is Seitan.  Some Seitan products contain over 400 milligrams in one

serving.  Please read your nutrition labels closely when it comes to fake meats.

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WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU COMPLETE ALL THE STAGES ABOVE?  

*You start tweaking your pantry and food areas  

*You start to get a feel for what you like and what you don't like  

* Start to tighten up your staple list

* Purchase more ball jars, if needed 

* Purchase additional cast iron pans and additional bakeware 

* Start to really think about which grocery stores you're going to shop at the most

* And most of all just relax and soak it all in!

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

After a 3-4 few months, you should be getting an idea of what foods you buy on a regular basis vs. those you just buy on occasion.  You should also be getting an idea of which stores you're going to shop at regularly.  Once you hit your 3–4-month mark, your staple list should start to form...HOORAY!  

 

WHAT IS A STAPLE LIST? A staple list is a list of food that you always have on hand, no matter what.  There might be a few slight changes / variations, but for the most part, your staple list should be consistent.  After your staple foods have been purchased and stored in your dry pantry, you're on your way.  If, for any reason, you don't like any of your dry staple foods like beans, nuts, or seeds, just swap them out with something else; it's not a big deal.  Your body is adjusting, and it will let you know if a food doesn't agree with you.  

 

My storage picture page has all my staple foods that are stocked every day!

Some items might change, but for the most part, this is it! 

 

I receive a lot of emails from first-time vegans who fail because they say

The transition is too difficult.  During the conversation, I would ask them a few questions to see exactly what was so difficult.  Below is a list of responses they gave me:  

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* I cook 5-10 recipes a day

* I am in the kitchen literally all day 

* My hair started to fall out

* I didn't know what to eat

* My doctor told me I was deficient B12 or some other type of vitamins

* I became malnourished, because I ate too little

* I didn't know what to cook

* I didn't have any money to keep up with my grocery shopping 

* I couldn't give up cheese

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OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Feeding your body quality food is the key.  Do not go off of the path.  Stay on the path and do not detour.  If you have any questions, go to the top of the page and look in the clouds.  You will see a contact me button.  Click on that, and it will take you to my contact page.  These stages above have proven to work for me and other colleagues of mine me. It's simple and easy, just be organized, and everything will fall into place. There are reasons for each stage and why some come before others.  If you have any questions, just email me; it's that simple!

 

Do not copy, do not paste, do not distribute any content on this website.  All content is copyrighted with the United States Copyright office and all images are Digimarc.  I will not hesitate to take action.  I do not want to find any of my content on anyone's website