Fish & Spaghetti. Vegan, Vegetarian, Plant-Based - What’s the Difference?

I’ve started doing a monthly family potluck with my best friends (and godmothers of my girls), Vicky and Briana. They keep us connected in the super busy worlds we live in. April’s get together fell on Easter Sunday.

In typical potluck fashion, everyone brought a dish. Of course I try to bring something plant-based. The wives typically try to coordinate so that everyone doesn’t bring the same thing. Vicky suggested a fish fry. I responded that we had to have spaghetti to go with it which left Vicky (who is Haitian) very confused about the connection.

Bri chimed in that she also grew up eating fried fish and spaghetti. I eagerly volunteered to bring the spaghetti plotting to bring my special plant-based “meat” sauce and garlic bread. I live for these type of opportunities! It’s a chance to take foods that everyone loves and put a plant based spin on them. People that swear they would never eat vegan food are shocked to find out how delicious it can be.

When we arrive on Easter Sunday, we are late and the last to get there (SMH…I’m working on it!). The guys are watching the NBA playoff game. The kids are running and playing. The wives are in the kitchen drinking rose.’

As I start prepping the spaghetti to be served. Bri and Vick took a peek and quickly asked with surprise, “YOU cooked MEAT?!” The spaghetti had the appearance of your typical meat sauce. I smiled slyly and replied, “Nope, it’s vegan.” Upon hearing that exchange, I was asked by the newbie monthly potluck (and highly approved!) wife, Ronnie if I was vegan. After telling her I’m plant-based she responded with something I hear a lot, “I’m just learning about all this and I’m not sure of the difference”.

That was a VERY long-winded way of saying:

• Fish and spaghetti are a thing
• Potlucks are dope…if you know the people cooking the food. Like know them, know them. Work potlucks with your coworkers can be sort of a landmine of, “this tastes like dirt” and “I know that crazy cat lady’s kitchen can’t be clean”. BUT if you know who’s cooking, potlucks are a great way to get your peeps to try something new (like plant-based foods!).
• I’m about to describe the difference between vegetarian, vegan, plant-based

Vegetarian

Vegetarians don’t eat any meat but do eat animal products like milk, butter, cheese and eggs.

Vegan

Vegans don’t any meat or animal products. Vegans won’t consume dairy or honey because they come from animals. Some vegans won’t buy anything or wear clothing that comes from animals (like leather couches pants or purses).

Plant-Based

A plant-based diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of foods derived from plants. This includes vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and fruits with few or no animal products.

Being plant-based doesn’t mean that you are vegetarian or vegan. It also doesn’t mean that you never eat meat or dairy. It simply means that your diet mostly consists of foods that come from plants.

You may have heard me describe myself as “vegan-ish,” “flegan” (a flaky vegan) or a “seagan” (my new favorite term that means a vegan who eats seafood). But I wholeheartedly stand by and identify myself as being plant-based because I love the flexibility it allows me.

I eat mostly plant-based foods but I also eat honey because it has profound health benefits AND it’s yummy. I eat fish occasionally. Those two dietary habits alone disqualify me from being a vegan. Folks would say if you eat fish that qualifies you as a pescatarian. But I don’t eat eggs, milk or cheese all of which most pescatarians consume.

This is why I identify most as being plant-based. In my opinion, it’s the most flexible, easily adaptable and sustainable. You can still eat some chicken and cheese in moderation if that’s what works for you but your diet still is beneficial to your health because it mainly consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts.

This is what currently works for me!

What’s working for me is what I call a 90/10 plant-based diet. 90% of the time I consume foods derived from plants. 10% of the time I’ll allow seafood, honey and every once in awhile I won’t shy away from something that may contain butter or cow’s milk (like cake or cookies!). This has helped me transform my health in a way that’s sustainable for me. And that’s truly what it’s all about. It’s about finding what you can consistently change about the way you eat as a step towards optimal wellness.

The goal is not to convince you to become vegan or vegetarian. It’s to encourage you to eat more plants, more real food and get educated on what you’re consuming, feeding your family and it’s impact on your body. It’s to aid you in finding what that means for you – fish, spaghetti or both?

EPP Crew – Let’s hear from you…

Do ya’ll eat fish and spaghetti?

What would make a plant-based diet more sustainable for you?

If you’re already eating a plant-based diet, how have you made it work for you?