I just ate what I was raised on eating, without understanding the horrors

Samantha is from Birmingham, UK. However, she spent roughly 10 years in Lake Garda, Italy. After discovering the auto immune disease, she decided to explore eating a healthier diet. That’s when she started looking into the food industry, and discovered the horrors of the diary, eggs and other meat industries.

Meatless Movement recently had a chat with her. She told Meatless Movement that she feels healthier now. She has been vegan for such a long time, and knows that eating animals etc, was definitely making her sick.

Tell us more about yourself, please

I am currently working as a nanny. However, I have just completed a diploma in HR and I’m looking to pursue a career leading up to a business partner level for an ethical/environmentally friendly company. I want to help these types of businesses become successful and hence, am striving to bring good into the world giving me a positive purpose. Knowing I am contributing to leaving this planet in a better state, will be a fulfilling career and peace of mind.

So, I have now been vegan for nearly 6 years
Samantha Clarke

Nearly 6 years ago, I turned vegan. I was already a pescatarian for about 2 years. I always lived in the city and enjoyed going out and shopping etc, I was never very outdoorsy.

However, I spent some time around a farm and stopped eating meat (except fish), this was the first connection I made.

I had never connected the dots of how my “food” was being made.
Samantha Clarke

Nearly two years after I discovered I had an auto-immune disease and started researching about diet and food to become healthier. That’s when I discovered the dairy industry, I then looked into eggs and fish etc and turned vegan almost immediately.

When I look into my dog’s eyes and think about how similar a pig or cow would be inside, it breaks my heart to know what they go through. My dog feels love, happiness, sadness and fear… I’ve been a non-vegan for many years and a vegan for 6 years, I can actually make a real judgement and honestly say being vegan is the best. Don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it!

Italy was not very vegan friendly 6 years ago and I gave up something that I thought I couldn’t live without, cheese. When I moved back to the UK over a year later, I found lots of vegan cheese and I was amazed by how great they tasted. It was like a reward for being so good all that time, quite surreal after pledging to never eat cheese again 🙂

Every storm in your life is followed by a rainbow
Samantha Clarke

I feel like I should have always been vegan, I could never go back to eating animals, ever. I really enjoy trying new foods and veganising dishes for family and friends.

At first, I felt very alone. I didn’t know any vegans when I first went vegan and friends and family were challenging me. I then started to follow vegans on social media and it really helped. Seeing how many vegans there are in the world helps you feel human and less of an outcast.

Food places I enjoy: Worth every calorie
Samantha Clarke

Although I try to eat lentils instead of mince, I do enjoy Richmond Mince from time to time. It goes very well in shepherd’s pie, spaghetti bolognese and lasagna with Sacla vegan cheese sauce.

Plant Pioneers Vegan Spicy Pepperoni Pizza, Vivera Shawarma Kebab Meat and Vivera Plant Steak are some of my other supermarket favourites.

Apart from enjoying Italian food in restaurants, I enjoy the following very frequently:

Vegan Munch (Selly Oak) they make amazing vegan kebabs
Walk to Wok do really nice tofu noodles
I also really enjoy the McPlant and Plant-Based Whopper
I really love Nandos’ vegan choices too, I can make home-made vegan Nandos by using the vegan Perinaise, vegan peri peri sauce, any fake chicken burger, chips with peri peri salt, vegan coleslaw and spicy rice

Myths about vegans

That vegans are limited with food choices. I educate by making food and sharing on social media, or inviting friends for food.
Vegans are unhealthy or lacking nutrients. I make sure I eat a balanced diet so people can see how healthy I am.

Don’t give up, even if you have days where you mess up. Keep following vegans on social media and reading into food and health.

It’s really strange how you can have vegan “friends” online that you’ve never met. But you feel like you are closer to these people than the ones in your life as they have travelled the same journey as you and want the same things in life (to protect innocent animals)