IIf you’ve spent any time here, you already know I’ve lived on just about every food path imaginable — eat‑everything, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, and now flexitarian. So how did I get here? And how did I find my way back? The story goes like this.
I’m a food writer and editor — or at least I was — which means I actually got paid to write about everything from emerging trends (hello, cauliflower) to food policy (yes, I’ve worked with folks at the FDA and USDA), to celebrity chefs and swanky restaurant openings. When COVID hit and the industry went quiet, I used the downtime to study plant‑based nutrition. I also used it to taste‑test vodkas and learn the difference between cacao and cocoa, and maca and matcha… but that’s a story for another day.
After a few months, I decided to give veganism a try. And honestly? My biggest challenge wasn’t the food — it was finding a plant‑based cream for my morning coffee that didn’t taste like absolute shit.
Because let’s face it, a lot of plant-based creams taste like shit.
I did eventually find a plant‑based cream that worked, and for a while I was… semi‑satisfied. But after some soul‑searching, the real deal — dairy — made its way back into my morning mug. These days I use half and half (gasp, I know), and to be honest, at first I felt guilty. I felt like a failure. Why? Because I’d taken so much flak from people still walking the vegan road — comments about my “unconsciousness,” my “lack of commitment,” all the etceteras. As if someone was going to show up and revoke my vegan card. Which, let’s be honest, is complete bullshit.
Flash forward seven or eight years, and guess what… I’m fine. I still pour half and half into my coffee every morning, and shockingly, no one has shown up at my door to scream at me or accuse me of single‑handedly killing the planet. Sure, I’ve earned my fair share of haters online, but why? I’m doing what I can to be aware of our planet and her failing immune system. I use cloth napkins. I usually remember my grocery bags. I turn off the water when I wash dishes. I use a refillable bottle. I try not to waste food. And I eat a plant‑based diet most days.
And — insert drum roll — I like half and half in my coffee. It tastes better to me. It makes my mornings better. So there it is. Feel free to DM me and tell me I’m horrible. I don’t care. I’m just doing what I can to live consciously and enjoy my time here on Earth for as long as possible. And yes, like Chardonnay, a damn good cup of coffee with real cream is always welcome.
What about you? How do you drink your coffee? And have you ever had someone chastise you for eating or drinking something based on “principle”?
Note, if you search my blog for “dairy,” you will find this article, Why I Don’t Eat Dairy, a candid post reflecting my 2020 perspective. My views have shifted since then — I now include some dairy in my diet and no longer believe nut milks are the better choice for our bodies or the planet. I’m leaving the original post as‑is, though, because evolution is part of the story, and transparency matters.
And … for the curious: what makes milk, “milk”?
According to Webster’s Dictionary, milk is (1) “A fluid secreted by the mammary glands of females for the nourishment of their young” and (2) “a food product produced from seeds or fruit that resembles and is used similarly to cow’s milk.”
Now the dairy farmers of America would argue the point (and have argued and are arguing) that the word “milk” means the product comes from a mammal, and all the other nutzos (if you will) need to come up with another word. Of course they aren’t the ones who get to make that final decision. But Webster’s isn’t exactly a governing body when it comes to terminology either, at least not in the legal sense.
The Food Institute cites the legal definition of milk as follows: “Milk means the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows, which may be clarified and may be adjusted by separating part of the fat therefrom; concentrated milk, reconstituted milk, and dry whole milk. Water, in a sufficient quantity to reconstitute concentrated and dry forms, may be added.”
AND THE FEDS? The FDA defines milk products as: “Food products made exclusively or principally from the lacteal secretion obtained from one or more healthy milk-producing animals, e.g., cows, goats, sheep, and water buffalo, including, but not limited to, the following: low-fat milk, skim milk, cream, half and half …” SOURCE: RegistarCorp
The dairy farmers argue that using the word “milk” to describe a plant-based product misleads consumers. But I don’t buy that. I mean come on … how stupid are we? Wait. Don’t answer that … But you get my point, eh?
Anyhoo … that’s all I have for you today. It’s a lot. Now I’m going to go get some more coffee ; )
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