Vegan Challenge Recap

We are happy to report the the Laptop Lunches team has successfully completed our vegan challenge! Although none of us have converted to full time vegan diets, we are definitely more conscious about what we're putting into our bodies and the effects different foods have on us. Below is a recap from one of the founders of Laptop Lunches who was joined in the challenge by her husband and teenage sons:

We are happy to report that we just completed “Vegan Week” and did not fall off the wagon…not even once! My family expected that it would be a big sacrifice, but at the end of the week they all agreed that it wasn’t as “bad” as they expected. Preparing the daily menus in advance was the key to our success. It also helped that I sprinkled in some yummy treats to give the boys something to look forward to.

Our vegan diet also spurred some thought provoking conversations and debates at dinner time. Some of the things we discussed were: What are the impacts of a non-vegan diet on the Earth? Why would a vegetarian opposed to animal cruelty eat dairy or eggs? Is a vegan diet more expensive than a non-vegan diet? What types of foods do you have to eat to get enough protein when eating a vegan diet?

Overall, it was a great experience for all. I think the lesson we walked away with is that it’s best for the Earth, animals and our bodies if we eat a mostly vegan diet and that there are lots of delicious vegan dishes available. The boys missed eating cheese the most. I was worried about not having milk for my morning coffee but was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the taste of vanilla soy milk. We avoided “meat substitute” foods and we all gave the “cream cheese substitute” a big thumbs down. We decided that most of the substitutes had too many ingredients forced together to make something that didn't even taste like what it was trying to be. We found that we ate more avocados and peanut butter than normal and we quickly discovered that dark chocolate is vegan!

While we won’t be switching to an all vegan diet, we will definitely be eating more conscientiously in the future.

Thank you to everyone that supported us through this challenge. We are looking forward to April's challenge which will be revealed in our upcoming newsletter and hope you'll join in!

Vegan Challenge: Day 2

The Laptop Lunches® Vegan Challenge is in full swing, so we thought we'd give you a little update on how we're doing. After some conversations, it seems like the only constant amongst the office is that we are all missing cheese. Beyond that, it is obvious that we all have our own preferences.

While one staff member feels that soy milk, rice milk and non-dairy creamer have ruined their morning coffee, another is perfectly content with soy. We've learned who the big meat eaters of the office are as well as who's willing to try just about anything. We've even heard the tale of the tofu that ruined dinner... and the special treats that followed.

Although many of us have immersed ourselves into the world of vegan cooking and exploration, some of us are stuck in a rice, beans, and salad rut which can be a bit frustrating. Please let us know if you have any ideas on how to get out of this rut or if you would like to suggest any easy-to-prepare vegan dishes.

The good news is that we are all moving forward together and gaining an appreciation for the vegan lifestyle. After only two days, many of us are already feeling more energized and less weighed down and we are all looking forward to continuing the challenge... as long as we can bring the special treats with us!

Preparing Ourselves for Vegan Week

Beginning Monday morning, the staff members of Laptop Lunches® will officially become vegans for the week as part of our first in a series of weeklong challenges. Each month, we will announce that month's challenge and dates in our newsletter in hopes that you'll join us as we venture outside of our comfort zones.

Our challenge series was inspired by a recent episode of Oprah in which Oprah and members of her staff decided to go vegan for a week. Their results were pretty amazing and, yes, inspiring. Check out the following link: http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Oprah-and-378-Staffers-Go-Vegan-The-One-Week-Challenge to learn more about their challenge and to get some great information and tips about becoming vegan. We really hope you will join us and look forward to swapping stories with you.

While the majority of the Laptop Lunches® team looks forward to learning more about the vegan lifestyle, we're also feeling a little bit nervous... What are we going to eat?

We've downloaded the vegan shopping list from Oprah's site but the idea of putting together actual meals is a bit daunting. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to chime in... Living a busy lifestyle, one staff member is worried that she'll be at such a loss over what to make and how to make it that she'll end up eating stir fry and salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

In addition to concerns over what we will be eating, the elimination of cheese from our diets is the talk of the office. Well, that and the large stack of cookies sitting on our kitchen counter. Hopefully the cheese and cookies will take a back seat to the fruits, veggies, whole grains and unprocessed foods we'll be replacing them with.

Stay tuned and please be sure to share your stories and tips with us!