Bree is a 33-year-old mother of three who has been thriving as a vegan for 4.5 years. She grew up in a small community in Northern Saskatchewan where animal exploitation was a common practice. However, her journey towards veganism began during her pregnancy when she found her body wasn’t digesting meat anymore. This led her to switch to a vegetarian diet and eventually to become a vegan along with her sister in January of 2019.
She is a passionate person who loves to grow and forage food, weight train, camp, listen to and play music, take photographs, and live minimally. But above all, Bree is passionate about living a vegan lifestyle and being a shining example of how families can thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually as vegans.
Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with her.
Bree believes in introducing veganism to others through cooking delicious and unique meals that stand on their own, rather than trying to replicate meat products.
Tell us more about yourself, please
Vegan is not just a diet
Bree Chalifour
Hey there all you beautiful beings!
My Name is Bree and I’m a 33 year old mother of three. We are all thriving vegans!!
I was born and raised in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada. I grew up in a very small community. Smaller than most of you can imagine. Exploitation of animals is a big money maker where I am from and I grew up constantly being desensitized to animal violence. I moved away from here in my late 20s looking for a more mindful and compassionate community, but things just keep pulling me back here. Now I Live in this community with the goal of being a shining example of how families can thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually as VEGANS 🌱
I am a very passionate human! Some of my passions other than veganism are growing and foraging food, weight training, camping, listening too and playing music, photography, and living minimally.
How Going Vegan During Pregnancy Led Me to a Plant-Based Lifestyle
My journey to veganism started when I was pregnant with my youngest in 2018.
I was quite sick through my pregnancy and found that my body wasn’t digesting meat anymore. I quickly made the switch to a vegetarian diet and also switched to plant based mylks at thats time.
I stayed the course of a vegetarian for 8 months still consuming eggs and cheese, and claiming I could never give up cheese, until my sister (a meat eater) came to me and said you know I have been doing some research since you went vegetarian and it doesn’t make sense to me not to just go the entire way. I’m gunna go vegan!
I was like WHAT!!! Your gunna just give up all animal products over night!? Well if you can do it I can do it!! And my sister and I went vegan together January of 2019. My vegetarian/ vegan journey started out for health but the longer I went without putting death into my body the more Ethical Veganism became for me. In 2020 my family moved to the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia (away from the meat eaters in our life) and my 3 children joined me in my vegan journey. I have now been vegan for 4.5 years and my children have been vegan for 3 years.
My Journey to Finding Protein Alternatives and Vegan Products
Where I come from the grocery store was very small. And had zero protien options that were not meat, and also carried zero plant Mylks. Not even coconut oil. My first year was defiantly an adventure. I was happy to have my sister by my side who was a red seal chef. That first year I ate A LOT of chickpeas black beans and lentils. And then my sister discovered seitan!!
Once a month We would drive two hours to the closest city and stock up on tofu, veggie ground, vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast. (There still wasn’t very many vegan protein options available yet) then we would spend our entire day in the kitchen making enough seitan nuggets and steaks for the next few weeks. When my family and I moved to the coast (British Columbia is much more progressive than Saskatchewan) I was so excited by the vegan options in the stores there.
There still wasn’t as much as there is today but still!! We had access to veggie burgers, vegan hotdogs, vegan sausage, and cheese! Vegan cheese!! What a game changer for feeding kiddos.
How to Win Over Meat Eaters with Delicious Vegan Food
My favourite way to introduce vegan food to meat eaters is to cook for them. My disclaimer is not to compare it to a meet product. When I cook I am not trying to imitate meat. The food I cook is it’s very own thing. When non vegans taste the food, it’s delicious, they are almost always surprised.
My family lives remote so we don’t eat out often. Although We do make some great foods at home! Some of our favourite are waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, and smoothies. We like our breakfast foods at any time of the day.
Tacos are also a staple in our home and Beyond burgers are my kid’s favourite.
Eating from the garden is what brings me the most Joy when it comes to food!
The biggest misconception I see about vegan diet is that it’s expensive. From my experience a vegan diet has been more wallet friendly. Another big misconception I often hear about Vegan diet is that you can not consume enough protein. My family has a very nutrient rich diet! And that includes Protein. My favourite way to educate people is to just simply lead by example. My family is vibrant, healthy, and full of energy. People can visually see that.
I have been training consistently over the last 10 months and have put on a lot of muscle mass with zero animal products. I’m strong, and fit, and people can see that.
You don’t have to do it all at once, and you don’t have to try an entirely new menu. Make the foods you already love to make and swap out animal product for plant based options.
GO VEGAN 💚🍉🌱
For The ANIMALS 🐮 🐷 🐔
For the PLANET 🌙 🌎 ☀️
For your HEALTH 💕✨🌻
Bree Chalifour
Mom of 3 💙💚💛
Adventurer 🏕️
Heathen 🔥
Vegan 🌱
all images courtesy of Bree Chalifour
What a great interview!! So interesting and reassuring to know that one can thrive on vegan lifestyle, even if they dont live in a place with “all the options”