There are a lot of reasons, from the ethical to the economic and even health-related, to consider choosing a vegan diet. However, eliminating animal food products isn’t as easy for some as it is for others. Be it a force of habit or even just because you love the taste of meat, a few tips can make it easier to make the transition that you want.

Make it a more gradual slide

The big difference between veganism and vegetarianism is that vegans consume no animal products at all, as you should know. However, starting by only cutting out meat can make it a little easier to make the transition in the long term. Starting with a vegan recipe such as this vegan fried chicken can help you replace the meat that you love, but you might still take eggs and milk until you’re used to your new normal. Once you’ve acclimated to one change, it can be a lot easier to make another, and then another, until the transition is complete.

Find vegan replacements that you love

Simply switching from one diet to another can be a major change and such large transitions can be difficult if you’re leaving behind some foods that you used to love. As such, it’s important to make sure that you can find adequate replacements or alternatives that can play much the same role as the foods you used to eat. There are plenty of great plant-based alternatives to meat, eggs, fish, milk, and cheese that can all help you make the switch a little better so be sure to do your research.

Ensure you have some easy options

One of the big problems with vegan cuisine, as far as the layman is concerned, is that it takes so much more work than simply slapping some meat on the grill, right? Any long-practicing vegan would tell you that’s not right and recipes like this vegan broccoli cheese soup which can be made in just over half an hour can prove that. Of course, spending a little more time in the kitchen does eventually help you become a much more versatile cook, so it’s worth doing it anyway.

Try to cut out processed food at the same time

Trying to take on too much, too quickly, can make it difficult to stick to big dietary changes. However, if you make the transition straight from meat and animal products to whole fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients without getting stuck in the mire of processed vegan foods in the meantime, you can make sure that you’re getting much more of the nutritional content that every ingredient is supposed to have. This is especially important in your vegan sources of protein, which you have to ensure you’re topping up on when you get rid of the more easily available animal proteins.

While some people seem to have no trouble at all in making the transition to veganism, there are plenty more who don’t find it all that easy. With the tips above, you can make it a little easier to stick to it, helping you turn your goal into a habit.