Being vegetarian is a huge part of my identity

Li Yun 麗云 is a vegetarian and a food blogger. She knows exactly the best places to enjoy super hearty & fulfilling vegetarian meals in Singapore. Meatless Movement recently had the chance to chat with her.

Please tell us more about yourself

My name is Li Yun and I am 22 this year. I am currently pursuing a science degree in Singapore.

I was taught the values of respecting all life
Li Yun 麗云

I was born into a family of lacto-ovo vegetarians.

From a young age, I was taught the values of respecting all life, with a simple story that my father shared with me about a family of fish:A family of 4 fish were swimming in the ocean, and one of the parent fish got caught in a net. This fish was then captured by fishermen to be sold and eaten. How would the other fishes in the family feel when they see their parent fish being caught and eaten?

It might sound silly at first glance because I was just a small kid listening to bedtime stories. However, I was taught about compassion, appreciation and honour for every life through it.

I have been a full-time vegetarian for 22 years. I had various experiences, both good and bad ones. People who did not understand why I am a vegetarian offered me to consume meat-related foods and joked about the lack of nutrient intake. People who understood why I am a vegetarian always find me incredible for not submitting myself to the convenience of meat options and find it shocking at the number of vegetables I consume in a day. I personally find it quite funny from the different reactions, but I think that being vegetarian has taught me a lot beyond the health and environmental benefits it offers.

What are the challenges of being a vegetarian?

Eating out with friends has always been a challenge. In my group of best friends, I have a friend who can consume everything, a friend who can’t take beef and a Muslim friend. Honestly, I find it amazing that we still can find food options that cater to all these dietary requirements. Most of the time, we would look into Halal restaurants first and check whether there are plant-based options there. I am thankful that my best friends are respectful and understanding of my diet, and there are instances where my friends would not mind dining at a full vegetarian/vegan place.

Having meals in school is also another struggle because many educational institutes do not provide plant-based options. For most of my primary and secondary school life, I never had a proper meal from the canteen vendors before as my meals were mostly homemade prepacked. Even though I am grateful for my parents’ care in my meals, it is still a worrying cause for others who have the same diet as me but do not have the same privilege as I had.

The lack of plant-based meals in educational institutes is a cause of concern when big franchises have already started providing meatless options. I think that the younger generations are much more aware of the rise in plant-based diets and they should be given daily vegetarian/vegan options at their local school canteen.It was once a huge challenge for me as a student and I do not wish to see others going through the same struggles as I did.

Being vegetarian is a huge part of my identity and something that I can never let go of, no matter the circumstances. I am happy to be a vegetarian and it will surely stay that way.

You are what you eat
Li Yun 麗云

I think that the idea of going meatless has been misconceptualized as “losing out”, hence I would try to revamp that idea of losing out into light-hearted inclusivity. I would say things like “no harm trying”, “we can share the food together” or “let me know what you think after”.

The stereotype of vegans and vegetarians coming off as strong-headed people who force their ideals onto others has given everyone a bad sensation whenever the topic of meatless food comes about. That is why I’m light-hearted about it whenever someone tries meatless with me because I don’t expect them to suddenly agree and change their lifestyle after 1 meal.

Hence, I always make sure to respect their choices and encourage them to try together with me so that the experience of having meatless food is more personal and enjoyable.

Must-Try Meat-Free, Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Singapore

Plant-based food has always been tasty, filling and delicious
Li Yun 麗云

I love Japanese cuisine and my go-to places would be Lucky Cat at Hougang CC, Saute Sushi at Paya Lebar Square and Herbivore at Fortune Centre. All of these places provide such different yet amazing food experiences at different price points, and I think these are also the few places I would bring someone to try meatless food for the first time.Also, I would like to say that the Mushroom Soy Carbonara at Real Food is nothing but amazing. It is my favourite pasta and I would eat that everyday if I could.

Going meatless can either be a temporary thing or a whole permanent lifestyle change, and I think that both are equally valid. At the end of the day, the concept of respecting all life forms should not be just towards animals, but also the people around us. Even though I agree that there is so much more we can do to encourage the love of plant-based diet, these changes should be approached with joyful, small and consistent steps in mind, rather than a sudden overnight haul.

Plant-based food has always been tasty, filling and delicious. It is just a matter of expanding your horizons and stepping out of your comfort zone.