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    Why You Should Stop Eating Dairy Products and the Best Non-Dairy Alternatives

    Jul 8, 2016 • Videos, Wellness & Lifestyle

    Energizing Green Smoothie Bowl creation. From The Glowing Fridge

    Energizing Green Smoothie Bowl recipe (picture from my instagram)

    As we settle into our summer routines, I want to share a dose of healthy inspiration before the weekend hits.

    Some of you may be vegan, some vegetarian and some of you may just follow along for the plant fueled recipes. Either way, there’s always something we can learn to refresh motivation for more plant foods and more compassionate living, no?

    This past weekend was the 4th of July which I spent up in Wisconsin with magical fireworks, pear martini’s and endless bowls of my Spicy Kale and Quinoa Black Bean Salad. To this day, I still cannot believe the success of that salad recipe. People literally go CRAZY for it… I’m only telling you this because I know there’s still a lot of skeptics out there who question all the nonsense that is kale and quinoa.

    At one point, I didn’t want to believe in the hype surrounding veganism. I don’t affiliate myself with the hardcore vegans nestled in the vegan community who like to exclude anyone that is not a strict vegan, just for the sake of excluding. They scare me and do not help the “vegan” name whatsoever. I’ve talked about this before on the blog (here) but I will always promote baby steps and mindfulness towards living plant based over being a strict vegan; otherwise it drives people away from the lifestyle altogether. People like to be apart of something good but this lifestyle is so much more than just good – it’s rewarding and compassionate and green and fresh and delicious and beyond healthy. 

    Gaining popularity by the minute with incredible momentum, the world is changing before our eyes and it’s because YOU are starting to ask the hard questions. YOU are demanding for better ingredients and ethical options. YOU are pushing for more information with better labels and you guys, IT’S WORKING! 

    Progress, not perfection. 

    IMG_4868

    morning bowl of Kite Hill blueberry almond milk yogurt and Love Crunch granola (from my instagram)

    In this little vegan bubble that I live in, I like to believe that everyone sees what I see at the grocery store… meaning the abundance of dairy-free options and vegan-friendly items. Apparently, most people stick to the usual list… rarely venturing away from their norm which means they probably do not see what I see, LOL.

    Like what? That most grocery stores now have a dedicated vegan section? That Ben and Jerry’s came out with vegan ice cream? That there’s dairy-free coffee creamer and butter and yogurt – yes, YOGURT! That there are aisles dedicated to gluten-free and vegan snacks, soups, cereals, cookies, flours, sauces, condiments etc.?

    I’ve been buying these items for some time now but I really had to hunt for them in the beginning and most items could only be found at Whole Foods. Now? They are everywhere!!! Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Mariano’s, Jewel… even the little local grocery store in Wisconsin, which let me remind you, is the land of CHEESE. 

    You guys, the options are everywhere, you just have to look and do some exploring. TRY SOMETHING NEW! Venture away from your usual greek yogurt to a coconut or almond based yogurt. Try the vegan pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey instead of your usual Phish Food. The swaps are SO stupid simple, I will be mad if you do not try at least a couple new options. Seriously though! Why not try a cruelty-free plant based item instead of a dairy-based item? Don’t be scared of these products – they are not weird, they are incredible. 

    Are the vegan options any good though??

    YES.

    YES.

    and YES.

    They’re amazing. Do some taste testing and work on removing those negative connotations you have toward vegan products. I know you’re not used to it and your family or boyfriend or husband might complain. Yeah, they’ll definitely complain and make a face because men hate change.

    You know what I tell my dad and my boyfriend when they make a face? Do it for your heart. LOL. They can’t help but smile and it helps maybe 10% of the time but like I said earlier, baby steps. Get them used to the idea and with enough exposure, they’ll eventually cave and try whatever you want them to try. You have to make them think it was their idea before they try it, ya know? Haha. 

    Anyways, I know you came here to learn about why you should STOP eating dairy so I’m leaving you with TWO of my newest YouTube videos to explain. I’m proud of these creations and I hope they’ll be beneficial for you guys, especially for anyone leaning on the fence with being over dairy products, which you should be.

    PART ONE: Why You Should STOP Eating Dairy and How To Get Calcium from Plant Sources?  

    PART TWO: the BEST Non-Dairy Vegan Alternatives to Milk, Yogurt, Ice Cream, Cheese and lots more! 


     

    Let me know what you think! Leave me a comment, give it a like and please be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you can see my latest videos when they are published. I’m off to the gym and then Sephora for a little shopping 🙂 

    See you guys next week with some new recipes!

     

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    « This Week’s Yummy Eats and EBOOKS
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kira

      July 14, 2016 at 9:24 pm

      I absolutely love you and everything you’re trying to accomplish! You’re such an inspiration. I decided to go vegan at the end June and I’ve been struggling a bit, I really do love your posts, keep up the great content!

      Reply
    2. Natalia

      July 11, 2016 at 1:43 pm

      Loved this post! It is so great that more people are speaking out against dairy, and more people are becoming educated! I am almost one-year dairy-free (and vegan) and I’m never looking back!

      Reply
    3. Sabrina

      July 09, 2016 at 7:41 am

      Hi there!
      Though im not vegan, i do love your blog, and yummy recipes. Something to consider for those of us with families is that all those non dairy alternatives are crazy expensive. I have 4 children ages 18months-8 years old. It is considerably cheaper to buy them plain whole milk yogurt than a non dairy alternative.

      Reply
      • Shannon Leparski

        July 10, 2016 at 10:37 am

        Hi Sabrina, I understand – I’m just trying to share alternatives for those who can’t eat dairy or are vegan but like I mentioned in the videos, these products are treats for me and are definitely not required – only for special occasions if I want to make pizza with vegan cheese or buy a yummy yogurt once in a while.. I know they can be expensive so unless they are on sale, I’m not buying them either. The only items I regularly buy are almond milk and coffee creamer because they’re convenient for me.

        You can make homemade oat milk at home in the blender with plain oats, water, vanilla and maple syrup, which is considerably cheap. Dairy products are highly acidic in the body and I do not recommend them to anyone, especially little ones because like I said in the video – dairy is addictive. I know everyone does what works for them and their family so I only share what works for me and hope some people find it helpful.

        Thanks for following along! Love hearing from you.
        Shannon

        Reply
    4. Melissa

      July 09, 2016 at 7:04 am

      Hey Shannon!

      I’ve only been following your blog for a couple months but love finding out more benefits to plant based lifestyle.

      As I’ve been transitioning I’ve had trouble getting enough nutrition throughout the day and I wondered if you had any tips? I’ve tried food tracking apps before but honestly I’m just not sure what’s the most effective. I’m a recent college grad working on getting a job so that can also be challenging.

      Thanks!
      Melissa

      Reply
      • Shannon Leparski

        July 10, 2016 at 10:44 am

        Hi Melissa! If you are eating a whole foods plant based diet, you shouldn’t be worried about adequate nutrition but rather getting enough calories. That can be tough in the beginning if you are not used to eat larger volumes of food but as your body balances out, you will get used to it and crave it! In the beginning of my transition – I used the Cronometer app which I find to be really helpful in listing out the nutrients and where you are lacking or getting too much of. You can customize it to your needs as well. It’s a process and takes time to get used to so don’t give up! Give yourself enough time to get the hang of it! I promise it’s so rewarding. Stick to the basics and stay away from processed and you’ll be getting more than enough nutrition.

        I wish you the best!
        Shannon

        Reply

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    Shannon is a health enthusiast and plant based nutrition advocate, living in Chicago. She studied Health and Fitness at Purdue University and loves everything about the plant based vegan lifestyle, especially creating colorful, nourishing, happy hormone recipes in her kitchen. Read More…

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