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What Does it Mean to Be a Vegan?

Changing one's lifestyle is not easy. It includes altering and modifying dietary practices, even leaving one's favourite dishes and recipes. Being a vegan is not easy, not even for those who are vegetarians because it includes shunning every product that is produced by an animal from the diet chart, and that includes milk and milk products, leave aside the meat. You need to stop eating milk, cheese, honey, gelatin, etc. and incorporate into your diet soy, nuts, beans to get the most of the vitamins and nutrients while missing on to the other foods.

The Challenges of Buying Gifts for a Vegan

Changing into a vegan is although a difficult task but is not an impossible one. As a girlfriend, you can help your boyfriend into successfully making the transition to a vegan lifestyle. While the initial phases are the most difficult ones because the person is not able to taste the typical flavours he was used to, the last phase is quite easy because now the person is getting into the flow of a vegan lifestyle and is enjoying it. Even so, with so many items like leather, chocolate with dairy and romantic dinner in most restaurants off the table, getting a gift for a new or old vegan can propose unique challenges.

Have Sensitivity Towards His Preference and Be Supportive

It needs positive attitude and support from near ones, a desire that should come from inside of the person so that the goal can be accomplished. It also requires a change in the direction of the grocery aisle and select only those foods which are full of protein and are vegan. As a partner, you can help your boyfriend in successfully becoming a vegan by following the steps below.

  • Discuss why he wants to become a vegan and clear any doubts and queries related to the transitioning by doing research and consulting with a medical professional. It will help in the long run and will strengthen the foundation of the goal of becoming a vegan. Positive response from your side will help him and make the whole process easier.

  • You both can sit together and plan out the whole course. Making a list of foods which do not come from animals, foods rich in protein like beans, soya, tofu, quinoa, nuts, etc. should be included. You can also find creative, healthy and interesting vegan food recipes online and can add those recipes and ingredients as well in the list to make it a list full of balanced diet.

  • Your boyfriend also needs to get a medical checkup by a licensed practitioner so that he can be declared fit for such a lifestyle change. It is also important so that deficiency of any vitamin or mineral can be found on time which can come in the way of being a vegan. It is necessary to get a surplus of that lost vitamin or nutrient if any before going to change the dietary patterns.

  • Look into the foods that your boyfriend will eat from now on and brush up your facts and knowledge about food, nutrition, and health. Be sure to focus on foods rich in protein, calcium and healthy fats.

  • Make a timetable and include a cheat day when your boyfriend can eat a non vegan dish so that his body can easily cope with the dietary changes and in addition to this, it will also make it easier for him to get through this lifestyle adjustment, because sudden changes can impact the health in a negative manner. You need to reassure him that there is nothing for which he should force himself, instead he should take it easily so that the conversion can be made effortlessly.

  • Some vegan foods still consists of a cheese alternative known as casein which is a milk protein. So it is better to read and gather every detail you can to avoid any confusion.

  • Research the alternatives of milk and milk products like tofu, soy milk, soya products, almond milk, rice milk, chia seeds, nut butter, hummus, oatmeal, seitan, etc so that you can have a wide variety of ingredients.

  • Positive reinforcement can help in sticking to the goal. Rewarding him from time to time and appreciating him for his efforts can really aid in becoming a vegan.

  • You can also share his chosen lifestyle by trying vegan foods sometime which will surely make your boyfriend feel supported as well as happy.

How Can You Help Yourself in Finding the Perfect Gift for Your Vegan Boyfriend?

Little steps can go a long way in strengthening the foundation, deepening the roots, and expanding the horizons of your relationship. Helping each other in accomplishing goals will definitely help you to know each other better and communicate and share meaningful thoughts and deeply intrinsic feeling which helps in directing the relationship to a more intimate level. You both will be able to think and envisage more about the long term goals.You need to be honest, open, and build a strong foundation on trust to make it work. Communication is the key. The more you talk and let the other person know about your thoughts, feelings, future plans, the more you will be able to understand each other better.

Pay Attention to Details

It is understandable that finding gifts for vegans is not an easy task and finding the gifts which are cent percent free from animal cruelty is not a piece of cake. Even the smallest of things contain a part of animal which if ignored can hurt the feelings of your boyfriend or in fact any vegan person. This is why you need to do all the research and homework before you buy him a present. You need to be sensitive towards their liking of produce free from animal cruelty.

Opt for those gifts which can help them in realising and sticking to their motive of becoming a vegan and which will also help in motivating them. You need to think like a vegan yourself in order to get a sense of what it feels like to be a person undergoing such big changes including those in diet, lifestyle, habits and routines. Not everyone develops sensitivity towards animals and you should appreciate and reinforce him with positivity and supportive attitude and environment to help him fulfill his motive.

Think Like a Vegan

Understanding his psychology and love for animals and mother nature will help you in knowing him better as a person and will also strengthen your relationship. The more the amount of effort will be, the more you both will be able to make it.

The 14 Best Gifts to Give a Vegan Boyfriend or Husband

Following are some gifting ideas that will be best for presenting them to your vegan boyfriend, husband or anyone you care for.

Hand Blender

Source www.amazon.in

A blender is one of the must haves for a vegan’s kitchen. Blenders helps in making healthy and delicious juices, smoothies, shakes, and other delicacies. Your vegan boyfriend will be so happy when he will see an aesthetic blender being gifted to him. This will make him feel loved, his choices respected, and his decision supported. Solimo 200-Watt 3-in-1 Hand Blender can be a beautiful gift with which he you can blend, puree, crush, and mix ingredients with ease. It also comes with a whisker. You can buy it from Amazon for only Rs.1,199.

Food Processor

Source www.amazon.in

Another artsy and useful gift, food processor is also necessary for a vegan to have in his kitchen. A food processor aids in making the ingredients a mixture so that they can be converted into a delicacy.A food processor will help him in making new and creative recipes and will also motivate him to experiment with something new ingredients and come up with an altogether different creation.Philips Food Processor HL1660 700W link is available on Amazon for only Rs.6,599.

The high quality chopper is useful to make purees and cake batters and the sleek design saves space in the shelf. It has 2 speed settings for your convenience and the accessories are dishwasher safe. The whole processor includes blade unit S-blade, fine shredding tool, fine slicing tool, jar, kneading tool, mixer, and a spatula.

A Non-Stick Frying Pan

Source www.amazon.in

Another home essential, a non-stick frying pan will be of so much use for your vegan boyfriend. A frying pan is inexpensive and and makes cooking easier and he will also love all your contribution in helping him realise, motivate and achieve his aim, and a 10 1/4 inch skillet is just the right size. Hawkins Futura Non-Stick Frying Pan can be bought only for Rs.795 on Amazon and the size options available are 22 cm and 30 cm.

Ice-Cream Maker

Source www.amazon.in

Give him this pretty gift; and who does not like eating ice-creams? Gift him an ice-cream maker and see the joy that will come on his face. An ice-cream maker can be easily bought in a normal price range. Since regular dairy ice cream is off his menu and the sheer lack of enough vegan frozen desserts can make him feel deprived, with an ice-cream machine he can churn up his own versions to satisfy his sweet tooth. Kitchenif Digital Ice Cream, Sorbet, Slush & Frozen Yoghurt Maker is available on Amazon for Rs.5,331.You can easily make ice-creams and other sweet dessert without any hassle.

A Rolling Pin

Source www.amazon.in

Who can forget the contribution of rolling pin. A single household has seen a rolling pin serving its generation and generations. Rolling pin is a traditional yet important tool because it helps in giving the dough a right shape so that it can be later cooked or baked. Gifting your boyfriend a rolling pin will always be a good idea. Handcrafted Wooden Rolling Pin is available on Amazon for Rs.345. The size is 40 cm and is made from dense, and moisture resistant maple hardwood.

Moulds and Cookie Cutters

Source www.amazon.in

Vegans are a rare breed across the globe, and in India, despite the large number of vegetarians, there are few good options for vegans when it comes to dining out. Just because he cannot buy his favourite foods, he can always make them himself; so give him kitchen accessories that help him create tasty and good looking treats at home. A cute gifting idea, moulds and cookie cutters come in variety of cute, little shapes. Working on to make a cake or cookies and trying these little cookie cutters makes the whole process of baking fun and interesting. Gift him the moulds and cookie cutters and your vegan boyfriend will feel encouraged. Allium Cookie Cutter is a set of 12 cutters and moulds of flower, star, heart and round shape. The moulds are made of stainless steel and are available on Amazon for only Rs.299.

Spiralizer

Source www.amazon.in

A spiralizer is always a good thing to gift when your vegan boyfriend loves eating vegetable noodles in different shapes. Most spiralizers come with at least 4-5 different shape blades. It also makes cooking pasta easier. Spiral Vegetable Slicer Cutter is made of stainless steel and costs only Rs.1,799 on Amazon. It includes three blades and will make cooking a fun and easy process.

Food Dehydrator

Source www.amazon.in

Gifting a dehydrator will be of so much use for your boyfriend. Gifting a dehydrator will help him in dehydrating the nuts that have captured moisture. A dehydrator will also assist in in making flour, drying berries, herbs, flowers, making own prunes and doing do much more. Moradiya Fresh Countertop Portable Food Fruit Dehydrator is electricity compatible and comes with an adjustable thermostat. You can buy it for Rs.6,427 and it has five BPA free trays. It includes 2 herb trays and 2 roll trays. Buy it from Amazon.

Vegan CookBook

Source www.amazon.in

Gifting him cookbooks of vegan recipes is a good idea. This will introduce him to a new world of innovation and he would also be able to create and experiment with different and unique ingredients. Some of the best vegan cookbooks are Thug Kitchen, Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking, The Homemade Vegan Pantry, Forks Over Knives, The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook, Vegan Under Pressure, Vegan Bowl Attack!, and Raw. Vegan. Not Gross. All of these are available on Amazon and are priced, on average, between Rs.445 and Rs.1,775.

If you're looking for a specific recommendation, we suggest Aquafaba Cookbook. Aquafaba is a name given to thick and viscous water in which legumes are cooked. This aquafaba can be whipped later on and it can be used as an egg white replacement. Gifting him an aquafaba cookbook will add to his collection an altogether different set of recipes which will make his eating choices versatile. It is a must have for every vegan. Aquafaba Cookbook is available on Amazon for Rs.1,144 and it includes recipes to make quiche, burgers, macarons, waffles, crepes and marshmallows.

Funny Aprons

Source www.amazon.in

You can gift your boyfriend a funny and colourful apron describing the qualities of a vegan. The apron will look charming and will also make him feel responsible towards his ambition and will help him sticking to it. A funny apron by YaYa Café is available on Amazon for Rs.599 and is made of glazed cotton and the straps are adjustable with velcro at their ends. The size of the apron is 22 cm × 34 cm.

Salad Spinner

Source www.amazon.in

A salad spinner will be of interest to a vegan and he will surely love it. A salad spinner will help in cleaning the salad and vegetables and remove dirt and excess water from them by using centrifugal force. Gifting a salad spinner is a healthy choice which will also keep him healthy. Home Puff Salad Spinner costs Rs.1999 and the capacity is 5 litres. It is easy to clean and dry and the spinner is BPA free and dishwasher safe. Buy it here.

A Set of Knives

Source www.amazon.in

Different knives are required to cut and slice different types of fruits and vegetables, because a regular knife would not be able to cut a pineapple. Gifting a nice and sharp set of knives will assist him in making food, creating new recipes and eat healthy. Prestige Tru-Edge Kitchen Knife Set is a nice option to choose and it comes with a free peeler and a wooden stand only for Rs.469 on Amazon. The handles are contoured for better grip and the blades are made of tempered steel.

Vegan Bath Bars and Bath Bombs

Source www.amazon.in

Indulging in a bath after a hectic day at work relaxes all the nerves and releases the tension and pressure. Gift him bath bars and bath bombs which are cruelty free. Lush creates organic bath bombs which can be a great and supportive gift. Seychelles Bath Bombs is a pack of 6 bath bombs which are handmade and organic and costs Rs.664. Each soap has a unique scent and includes epsom salt, Himalayan salt and dead sea salt. The colours are edible and will surely make bathing experience an indulging one.

A Cooking Class Subscription

Subscribing him to a vegan cooking class will make it easier to understand the different ingredients easily and will help him in making his food easily. These cooking classes can be either offline or online. Most Indian men don't really learn to cook and if your boyfriend is new to the kitchen, a class to introduce him to the basics of cooking will go a long way in avoiding disappointment and frustration while trying to cook for himself.

5 Things You Should Not Gift a Vegan

Following are the things which should not be gifted to a vegan person. Most people don't fully understand what it means to be a vegan and can thus wind up giving something which isn't entirely appropriate. Vegans aren't just vegetarians; they avoid consuming any product which is sourced from animals, and that means that they not only do not eat meat, but they also do not drink milk or use any of the following products.

Non-Vegan Food

Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle is not easy. It requires sturdy mindset, positive changes and changes in dietary patterns. You should not gift anything which is coming from any kind of animal. Being vegan is about living a life which is free from animal cruelty.

Animal Based Makeup or Body Products

Source www.ldnvegans.com

Most of the skincare products have in them some kind of animal products including skin. Gifting such items can be disappointing for a vegan person. It can easily hurt your boyfriend's feelings.

Clothes Made of Animal Skin or Fur

Silk ties, fur and wool caps, sweaters and anything coming from animal product should be refrained from. Yup, that's right, that rules out many clothing options. Fortunately, cotton is one of the best fabrics suited to the Indian climate and you can gift cotton clothes. Look for other natural, plant based fabrics like jute and bamboo.

Dishes Made of Bone China

Dishes made of bone china includes powder of animal bones. Bet you didn't know this one! These have been hugely popular and you'd know of aunts, grandmoms or your own mother boasting of their fine bone china dinner sets; well your boyfriend would rather sit in a corner nibbling a carrot than eat off those fancy plates. You should check before buying any such gift.

Non-Vegan Alcohol

If you're to gift alcohol then make sure that it is vegan and should not contain any kind of product coming from an animal. While most alcohol and hard liquors are vegan, certain beers and wines are processed using animal products like gelatin and egg white, and creamy liqueurs will have used dairy, so it's best to check and be sure.

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Be ready to go all the way

Choosing to step away from the herd and follow your own path is not for everyone, and the people who do so are more likely than not extremely driven, determined folk. Being a vegan may seem like a simple dietary choice but is in fact a complete lifestyle change, and not an easy one at that, and especially not in India. You may have learnt, or will be starting to that being a vegan poses unique challenges in seemingly ordinary things - eating out, hanging out with friends, and of course, buying gifts. Be prepared to support him all the way; there will be days when his choice seems ridiculous and unnecessary, but that's also when he will need you most.