Kelly Ruiz is a 28-year-old passionate advocate for the environment, animals, and living a conscious lifestyle. Hailing from the picturesque coastal city of Huntington Beach, California, Kelly’s connection with nature runs deep. Her love for the outdoors is palpable, and you’ll often find her at the beach, indulging in activities like scuba diving and kiteboarding, or simply reveling in the beauty of the natural world.
Kelly’s journey towards adopting a vegetarian and eventually vegan lifestyle began at a young age. At just 13 years old, she made the empowering decision to become vegetarian, taking charge of her own food choices and distancing herself from supporting the meat industry. The motivation came from impactful campaigns and videos by PETA that deeply moved her, igniting her passion for animal welfare and sustainable living.
Meatless Movement had the opportunity to chat with her recently.
For the past 8 years, Kelly has embraced the vegan lifestyle wholeheartedly, aligning her actions with her principles, and she hasn’t looked back since. Through her choices and dedication, she stands as an inspiring example of how one individual’s conscious decisions can make a significant impact on the world.
With her deep connection to nature and unwavering commitment to animal welfare, Kelly is a force to be reckoned with, working to spread awareness and inspire others to join the journey towards a more compassionate and sustainable world. So, let’s join hands and get to know Kelly Ruiz, the trailblazer, the animal lover, and the eco-warrior!
Tell us more about yourself, please
Being vegan plays a huge part for my love of ocean conservation
Kelly’s Vegan Kitchen
Hello my name is Kelly Ruiz Im 28 years old, and I’m from Huntington Beach California. I am a very outdoorsy person and I love connecting with nature and animals. You can always find me at the beach scuba diving, kite boarding or just doing anything outside!
I’ve been vegetarian since I was 13 years old and that’s when I was able to make my own food choices without my parents permission I actually became vegetarian from PETA campaigns and videos! They really moved me and I wanted nothing to do with supporting the meat industry. Then in 2014 a day before new years I wanted to become vegan for the new year and I looked more into the facts and I didn’t realize I was still killing animals as a vegetarian! So I quit cold turkey the next day no more cheese or egg and it was the best decision I’ve made. And I’ve been vegan for 8 years now!
Anything you can make I can make vegan🌱
Kelly’s Vegan Kitchen
I’ve helped so many people turn vegetarian and have helped educate people on animal agriculture and the environment! I started a business during COVID for meal prepping and catering vegan food and surprisingly it took off !!
How easy or difficult is it to follow the vegan diet?
I think for me personally I am totally ok with eating rice and beans as a meal haha ,I could eat that everyday, but when people are quick to judge and say their opinion when I order it’s a bit of a bummer but I’ve learnt over the years how to over come it.
I flip the conversation and help them understand my “why” and it is an opportunity for me to educate them on how their food gets on their plate. I’ve learned to be patient with people and not to get angry when people are so quick to make comments that aren’t the most positive towards my food. I think keeping your composure and taking the high road helps give vegans a good reputation.
How do you feel about being a vegan?
I would say it’s about half of my personality lol I am VERY passionate about saving animals, connecting with what goes in your body and healing the planet with day to day choices and it’s such a beautiful way to live! Cruelty free and not only living but thriving on just plants is an amazing feeling, I have so much energy and it helps be go go go!
How to persuade people to become vegan?
The food you eat says a lot about your carbon footprint!
Kelly’s Vegan Kitchen
I would ask them first to find their reason and to explore all the reasons out there! All the documentaries like game changers, food inc, and what the health I think really helps push people and help them understand the food, then depending on how passionate they get suggest eliminating meat and dairy first and then ease their way to eliminating eggs.
Also helping them with the common mistakes like replacing meat with bread and extra carbs and having a balanced diet! If they can’t give up scrambled eggs but can give up everything else then keeping that in the mix until they find a better substitute! Not everyone is perfect and we all make mistakes the end goal is to fuel your body while saving animals and lowering our carbon footprint.
Recommend some good vegan places or food
Oh my goodness so many yummy places so hard to choose !! In the Southern California area- Tama sushi is absolutely amazing !! They help curve all your sushi cravings and the atmosphere and chefs are so amazing! Vegan Galaxy have the absolute best vegan shrimp and fish tacos yum yum yummm and Ofcourse last but not least Gracias madre in Newport Beach a fabulous whole food high end Mexican restaurant with the best brunch menu! There are so many wonderful vegan restaurants but those would be my top 3 in Orange County !
To someone who’s just beginning to go meatless, what is your advice?
Today is a great day to reflect on how you can help fight climate change and help keep our planet beautiful ❤️
Kelly’s Vegan Kitchen
I think a few misconceptions is all vegans eat is salad and plain tofu and soy and although I love a good crunchy salad that’s definitely not the case! Especially now in 2023 the vegan food industry has changed completely and so many vegans creating recipes it’s never ending Buddha bowls and recipes from all over the world turned vegan it’s amazing how the vegan community can come together and co-create!
Find your reason! Get passionate on your “why” and then if quitting cold Turkey is to hard start with meatless Monday’s ! Then add two days a week then three the following and if you still need to cheat on the way it’s fine to “relapse” nobody is perfect but stay strong and have fun adventuring on new food sources!
The world is so BEAUTIFUL and magical
Kelly’s Vegan Kitchen
Since being vegan I feel like my conscious has been wiped clean, the appreciation for food is so much more fulfilling and I appreciate it so much more knowing no animals had to die for it as well as all the different types of food from all over the world that we have access to! Having to rewire your brain to not only eat 4/5 different animals and now having to switch over to learning and creating meals its a really fun way to live life.
Anybody can be vegan! If you need any help transitioning please feel free to DM me and I’d be more than happy to help! Life is to wonderful and short to take somebody else’s away and our responsibility as human beings is to take care of our planet for the following generations thanks for having me!
Kelly
Anything you can make I can make vegan🌱 Dog mom to the bestest @heff.the.cockapoo
all images courtesy of Kelly