There are many reasons that individuals go vegan, and many of them are quite compelling. More often than not, a vegan will tell you that it’s far less wasteful to try this lifestyle. Veganism uses far fewer natural resources than if you rely on animal products for your nutritional needs.

On top of that, being a vegan is healthy. The only issue is that some people who go vegan miss particular foods that they once ate made from animal products.

However, there are substitutes for many of those foods if you get a little creative. Let’s look at a few vegan-friendly food substitutes for the most popular foods.

Sour Cream

Many people like to put a dollop of sour cream on:

• A baked potato
• Crepes or pancakes
• Some scrambled eggs
• A vegetable platter, to use it as dip

Traditional sour cream is animal-derived, and that’s against vegan tenets. You should know that there’s a vegan-friendly substitute for sour cream. The taste is similar, and it is made entirely from plants.

You can use it for all the same things as you would traditional sour cream. You might even try something new with it, like using it to make potato or pasta salad. You could add it to your biscuits or other baked goods as well.

Butter

Some people use butter for just about everything, but again, that’s not the vegan lifestyle. However, there are a few options if you want something similar, that’s also vegan. Some ideas are:

• Coconut oil
• Vegetable oil
• Sunflower oil
• Olive oil

Each of these oils has its own taste and flavor, and you can use them for many of the same things as traditional butter. You can experiment with using them if you’re making baked goods.

You can dribble some olive oil on your bread or stir it into some mashed potatoes. The taste isn’t quite the same as butter, but you’ll likely come to love it.

Eggs

For some people who go vegan, giving up eggs is a tough task. They like the taste, and eggs are also so critical if you do a lot of baking. There are some viable substitutes, though.

Flaxseed is one of the best options. What you need to do is combine it with water. That makes a substance that is similar to egg whites.

Chia seeds are another way to go. The idea is the same: you mix them with water until you get the right consistency. One more option would be silken-style tofu.

Steak

For some, the hardest thing about going vegan is giving up that thick, juicy steak. Luckily, several options closely resemble steak both in taste and consistency.

One possibility is a mushroom steak. Several mushroom varieties grow to be steak-sized, and there are tons of tasty ways to prepare them. You might grill one up with smoked paprika and fresh garlic.

You could also try a cauliflower steak with some lentils or spiced corn. You can even do a butternut squash steak on the grill that’s lip-smacking good if you can get some fresh farmer’s market squash during the summer months.

Sausage or Hot Dogs

Staying by the grill, there are also some possible substitutes if you’re vegan now, but you miss sausage or hot dogs. The most likely candidate would be some of the veggie dogs that are on the market.

Morningstar makes a full hot dog and sausage line, and the main ingredients are corn, water, wheat gluten, and syrup solids. You can also try a Tofurkey Original Sausage Beer Brat.

Impossible is another company that’s making a splash this year with hot dogs and burgers. The Burger King Impossible Whopper is one of their creations. Many carnivores can’t even tell the difference between their patties and beef.

You can snag many of their products in your grocer’s freezer. Most of them are lower in fat and cholesterol than their meat equivalents.

Yogurt

Since being vegan means you’re dairy-free, you might miss your morning cup of fruit and yogurt if you make this lifestyle change. You can try several alternatives, such as soy yogurt. They make it from active cultures and soy base, and it’s excellent for gut health.

You might go for a cashew or almond milk-based yogurt as well. Some of them are very flavorful and creamy.

There are few foods that you can’t duplicate to some degree as you go vegan. You’ll love this new lifestyle choice and doing your part for your health and the planet.