We need to push ourselves in ways that aren’t necessarily convenient or comfortable

Antonia was a vegetarian for 6 years before becoming a vegan. She originally became a veggie when she was working at a bar and her bank card was stolen. She simply couldn’t afford meat so took the challenge to cut it from her diet, sticking to it when she learnt the horrors of the industry.

She showcases vegan recipes on her Instagram account @tuckinwithtoni which she has run for nearly a year. Meatless Movement recently had a chance to chat with her.

Please tell us more about yourself

Hello there, my name is Antonia (@tuckinwithtoni). I am half Japanese and was born and raised in London. I currently live in Brighton which is an amazing hub for vegan food. I work in the charity and education sector but will probably pursue a career in psychology/ psychotherapy at some point – that is the dream! I also love flowers, long walks, cooking and my two (cat) babies.

I became a vegetarian about 6 years ago, but wasn’t very good by any stretch; I “lapsed” many times at first to the point my friends would jokingly call me a flexitarian.

At university, a group of us went out for a big birthday meal to a tapas restaurant and as we were passing things around and tasting dishes as we went, I paused to go on emphatically about how delicious one tomatoey dish was.

My friend months later said she didn’t have the heart to tell me it was chorizo – I didn’t even notice – because I was enjoying it so much! So you can imagine how hard it was to give up meat, based on flavour.

My male friends, particularly, cheered me on every time I tripped up, because you know, real men eat meat and by their standards if you care about animals, you’re weak.

I was so aware of a sort of social stigma that came with adopting a meat-free diet, which both put me off and spurred me to stick to it better. About a year ago I wasn’t clued up nor had I “found my why,” but noticed that my diet was predominantly vegan. There are so many good meat and dairy alternatives now that the transition was relatively easy and just made sense. I thought my reduction in meat and dairy consumption was good enough, so stuck with the diet absent-mindedly.

Around the same time, I started a foodie Instagram page and started to engage more with vegans through it. Being closely entwined with such a warm community on the one hand exposed me to the horrors, yet cruel realities, of industrial farming, but on the other, revealed how delicious, effortless and nutritious vegan food was.

I was soon drawn to “doing better” ethically and morally, but also to being more culinarily creative. I didn’t realise at the time that I needed the introduction (which the vegan community online offered so freely) to an education that now serves as a life-long commitment to “do my bit” to protect animals and the planet. I have been a vegan for just 6 months, and I only wish I had made the change sooner.

I think it’s a total myth that vegans are limited for choice food-wise
Antonia – tuckinwithtoni

Brighton was named the most vegan-friendly city in the UK, so in that respect I am very lucky and very spoilt for choice. But wherever you are geographically, we are fortunate to be living during an extremely inclusive time where many, if not all, dietary requirements are met in most establishments. I had vegan fish and chips recently from No Catch. The flakey texture and fishy flavour were impeccable. I really believe that the more you embrace alternatives, the less you miss meat, fish and dairy products; you realise it is possible to live without those things.

Even for those who don’t like or can’t afford plant-based alternatives, a vegan shopping list could include a range of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains, herbs and spices, and still be so cheap and so exciting.

Crown Prince, Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

How do you feel about being a vegan?

Full of beans! (literally, lol). Truthfully, I feel great thanks! I was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition at a young age, one of the symptoms being fatigue. I have felt, on a completely plant-based diet, energised and healthier both mentally and physically. I think there is a common misconception that vegans lack and are restricted of B and D vitamins, proteins, iodine and so on, but if anything, I have a greater awareness of what I am putting in my body. I consciously consume so many varieties of food that are so much better for me.

One reason being a conscious consumer is empowering is that you realise you aren’t giving up anything other than animal exploitation. The list goes on and on the more you delve in, though!

What suggestions would you make to a person who was considering changing to a vegan diet?

It is understandable, tempting and easy to ignore how cruel these industries are, especially when we know deep down that learning about them will challenge our current habits and lifestyle. It is far harder to reconcile that the facts about the industries aren’t compatible with our beliefs, and that is why we turn a blind eye.

I would encourage people to confront facts and statistics when mentally, they have the capacity for it; engage with animal exploitation (for example, some starting points are Animal Liberation by Peter Singer or Cow/Seaspiracy), the climate crisis (onegreenplanet; SOS: What you can do to reduce climate change by Seth Wynes), or health (Bosh! How to live vegan), or human exploitation (did you know indigenous people all over the world are losing their homes to companies who are using the land to graze and raise cattle for humans to consume?). I think an initial willingness to “find your why” is fundamental to making the personal shift.

Once you have found it, on a practical level, incrementally removing things from your diet is the method I found effective. Eventually my brain made a connection where I stopped craving things. In that regard, though it is daunting to begin with, give it time and be kind and patient with yourself.

Lastly, and perhaps the most powerful bit of advice, is something I learnt from a podcast with @EarthlingEd. He implores listeners to change their language.

For instance, it is not a cute “pig in a blanket,” or pork, it is a pig, an individual, a being, a mother, father, sibling or child. If we start to shift our thinking and stop sugar-coating what these animals actually are, and what is needlessly done to them, we’d all be pretty disgusted. Compare “Steak au Poivre” to “brutally killed, premature cow’s flesh, drizzled in premature cow’s blood with a side of fear and torture.” Sounds delicious.

I think what he eloquently does is highlight how we have manipulated language to make these industries and exploits seem humane. Learning that our, as Earthling Ed puts it, “sensory pleasure” is not worth their suffering, is something I hope resonates with us all and motivates those of us who are currently vegan to keep going.

What are common misconceptions about vegans?

I try to engage in veganism debate as little as possible, largely because I think there’s a misconception that “vegans think they’re better” than non-vegans. I worry about how to present veganism to others, although I am very keen and happy to give pointers and encouragement.

A lot of vegan activists highlight that you can’t think you’re better for being vegan because the whole point is that you should be honouring animals and the planet anyway.

Perhaps we aren’t so much responsible for the viewpoints of each other, but rather, our actions should be held account to our beloved Mother Nature.

It might be a bold claim, but I actually think at the source of rejecting veganism is in fact an admiration for it. You inevitably encounter fear, because in order to embrace the change towards veganism you have to confront guilt, take accountability, and almost forgive yourself for the harm you have caused up until that point.

Dwelling on how much harm you have caused, however, is not conducive to change, but hopefully helps flick that important switch.

I would be delighted if this contributes in some way towards someone’s pursuit to delve into veganism
Antonia – tuckinwithtoni

Of course, there are some disturbing facts and statistics, but there is also so much good. You may feel more connected to nature, animals, feel healthier, eat way more delicious things!

To share some impact, Veganuary.com and veestro published that you save 30 animal lives, 126,742 litres of water, 548kg of grain, 91 sq.m of forest land and 274kg of C02 in just one month. I am also going to speculate you save £4920810 too. Amazing?!

Throughout much gloom I think it’s vital to remember, and notice, the speckles of hope for a better, more sustainable future, and we must each do our bit.

In sum, we need to push ourselves in ways that aren’t necessarily convenient or comfortable; I really hope more and more people make the connection.