There is nothing better during exam periods than to spend a nice evening having dinner with your friends. It's so relaxing and always gives me something to look forward to when studying all day. Now, I know that it can be though having dinner with friends when you are vegan and they're not, but offering to cook yourself often does the trick. Also, my friends are quite supportive of my eating choices and so we always try to make dishes that are vegan . One way to make sure that everyone is satisfied with their dinner is to let everyone build their own salad.

This time we've had spinach as base and then topped up our salads with all kinds of veggies, falafel balls, nuts and a delicious mustard dressing and we've also had some baguette with lime hummus.



To switch it up a little, it's nice to grill some mushrooms and also cut up some apples to add to your salad. But again, it's all about making it possible for everyone to decide how they like their salad.


Yes, eating out or eating with friends can be a challenge if you're the only one not consuming any animal products, but once you learn a couple of tricks it can be really easy. First, I've always been pushing the issue way to much around my family and friends which rather seems to put people off instead off getting them interested in veganism. Try to stay calm when explaining why you are eating a certain way and answer their questions. When it comes to eating together, just suggest vegan recipes or offer to cook. My friends were all happy to try the vegan mushroom risotto I've made the other day and they loved it. And the great thing about creating your own salad bar is that even if your friends want to add in some cheese, you can still eat vegan yourself. Showing people how easy, healthy and delicious a vegan diet can be, is often a first step in getting them interested in other issues surrounding a vegan lifestyle. And after all, your real friends should be happy to help you eat the way you want to anyways.

- Svenja