i went vegan as a joke... it changed me

Summary

The creator and his roommate Cody decided—initially as a joke—to eat a fully plant-based diet for a month. Preparing meant clearing animal products from their fridge and learning to check food labels.

The creator found that the biggest challenge wasn’t missing meat: his cravings faded within the first week. Instead, planning meals, eating out with friends, and making sure he got enough nutrients took effort.

He learned that vitamin B12 is not reliably available from ordinary plant foods, so people eating a vegan diet generally need fortified foods or supplements. He also found that his workout recovery suffered when he didn’t get enough protein, and later mentioned feeling dizzy. The experiment prompted him to pay closer attention to balanced meals and nutrition.

Ultimately, he returned to eating meat occasionally but continued as a vegetarian for at least three months. He felt healthier and said there was still no meat in the house. Cody stopped being vegetarian but switched from cow’s milk to nut milk.

The video also discusses the environmental and animal-welfare motivations behind eating fewer animal products. The creator cites estimates that livestock uses a large share of agricultural land, that food systems contribute substantially to greenhouse-gas emissions, and that cattle ranching is linked to Amazon deforestation. He argues that making plant-based options affordable and common could make the diet easier to follow.

Supportive friends and places with vegan options also helped. He describes community as an important part of the experience.

Practical Tips

• Plan for nutrition: Research nutrients such as B12 and protein, and consult a doctor before making major dietary changes.
• Don’t assume it has to be all-or-nothing: Try a plant-based meal, meatless Mondays, or reducing beef rather than changing everything at once.
• Marinate tofu ahead of time, ideally the night before.
• Think in terms of cuisines and dishes, not just substitutes: The creator found it useful to explore cuisines with strong vegetarian traditions, including Indian, Chinese, and Ethiopian food.
• Keep a few quick meals on hand for busy days. He recommends options that take about 15 minutes, such as oatmeal or baked sweet potatoes.
• Expect substitutes to vary: Some vegan cheeses and yogurts disappointed him, while vegan ice cream and certain burger-style foods worked well.
• Seek support: Friends who cooked plant-based meals and welcoming restaurants or shops made the experiment easier.

Notable People, Places, and Products

• People: The creator; Cody; friends Aiden and Sarah; another Sarah; and vegan-animation creators Jaden Animations and TheOdd1sOut.
• Locations and businesses: A&W, The Vegan Shop, Ramen Dumbo, and Toronto.
• Foods and products: Tofu, flax seeds, oat milk, almond milk, nutritional yeast, vegan protein powder, vegan cheese, vegan yogurt, vegan ice cream, and baked sweet potatoes.
• Sponsor: Farmkind, described in the video as supporting animal-welfare charities.