Once I got past the "ew, that's gross" phase, I started eating dairy-free and vegan foods all the time, and enjoyed them.

"Dairy-free? Do they even have that?" "How can you eat dairy-free pizza? That's gross!" I'm sure many of you have had these thoughts, and that is why I'm here to tell you that the dairy-free food I've eaten is NOT gross but GOOD and completely natural. I would have never thought about eating food with "fake" cheese or milk in it until I met a friend who can't tolerate real dairy and eggs. I sometimes ask him if he wishes he could eat milk and egg products, and he usually shrugs and says "not really," which kind of amazes me considering how many foods contain these ingredients. But, fortunately, milk and eggs can easily be replaced by other natural ingredients that taste just as great.

Believe it or not, I've eaten "fake" eggs made from algae! Sounds gross, right? But they were just as good as real eggs when eaten with bacon or in pancakes. Another dairy-free and vegan food I've eaten is vegan pizza. This may be available at your local grocery store (shoutout to DAIYA®) and is sold in some restaurants (another shoutout to MELLOW MUSHROOM in Charlottesville). Honestly, vegan pizza was not love at first sight for me, but the more I ate it, the more I loved it, and the happier I was buying it, knowing that it supports "ethical eating," which I'll mention in the following paragraph. Other dairy-free items I've eaten include butter, milk, ice cream, cheesecake, and mayonnaise, and none of them disappointed!

Ethical eats include foods that are not processed or produced using methods that endorse animal cruelty, which branches off into several different practices/views such as factory farming, violence towards animals, and philosophical standpoints. Eating vegan or dairy-free food makes me feel good in that I am not supporting these industries, and in that I am (mostly) eating healthy.

Since dairy-free companies like Daiya® and Follow Your Heart® follow ethical eating guidelines and work hard to create quality products that support the earth and global sustainability, they should be offered more in grocery stores and restaurants! Plus, it sucks for people like my friend to have to abstain from eating dairy/eggs in entirety just because other options or accommodations aren't offered or available in restaurants.

Would I strictly eat dairy-free foods for the rest of my life? Probably not, but I have no problem eating dairy-free if it's in the interest of those around me or if I feel like buying another vegan pizza (which will happen). Also, eating dairy-free and vegan oftentimes improves my mood, so choosing it is never a bad option. I fully support those who decide to eat vegan or dairy-free and hope that more people will consider it, as the food is actually quite tasty!