Article & Photography by Tacy Brown | Owl Staff
As a vegetarian, I loved this appetizer at the “Mint Room,” in Bel Air, Maryland.
Growing up vegetarian in the middle of nowhere Harford County wasn’t always easy. I loved the food I ate and never felt like I was missing out, but socially, it could be isolating.
I’d hear jokes about my parents, comments on how people felt “bad” for me or that it was an extreme way to raise a child. Those reactions always confused me as a child. I was proud to be a vegetarian until it seemed like something to poke fun at.
What stood out the most to me as a child was the double standard. I never judged anyone for what they ate, but I felt constantly judged for what I did not eat. When people would ask why we were vegetarian, I would simply say, “because we love animals,” but that seemed to make people uncomfortable and automatically defensive.
Although I grew up vegetarian, I rarely considered going vegan. I didn’t know anyone besides my family who avoided meat, let alone dairy or eggs. Veganism felt extreme, almost unrealistic. Finding vegetarian options at restaurants was already hard enough. On top of that, I heavily relied on dairy and eggs for my protein intake since I didn’t understand how a full plant-based diet could be sustainable.
“I was proud to be a vegetarian, until it seemed like something to poke fun at.”
When people would ask me if I would eat meat when I got older, I would tell them “maybe.” I said this even though I knew that was something I was never interested in. It always felt easier to say that then explain all the reasons why I never would.
As I grew older, I realized I was choosing vegetarianism for myself and not just following how I was raised. Meeting other vegetarians reinforced that. Ironically, many would tell me they wish they grew up the way I did with supportive parents.
My favorite meal at Oleum is the “Surf and Turf,” which mimics steak and crab cake with a side of potatoes and green beans.
It wasn’t until about a year ago that I even considered going vegan. Meeting my girlfriend was a breath of fresh air when it came to my diet. She never said anything ignorant about the food I eat and surprisingly she seemed inspired by it. She slowly cut out all meat without me even asking her to. She told me she had always questioned it and just needed a reason to follow through.
We started sharing meals, exploring food together, and building routines around what we ate. I introduced her to Indian cuisine, a culture where meals often leave out meat. As we became more immersed in vegetarian spaces, I realized that a lot of vegetarians experiment with veganism or become vegans later on. I had always been skeptical of that, but I realized I was judging vegans the same way people had always judged me. I was judging based off assumptions and not experience.
“I realized I was following vegetarianism for myself, not just following what I was raised.”
This all changed after a meal at The Land of Kush, a vegan soul food restaurant, in Baltimore.
Mac and cheese has always been my favorite meal and one of the reasons I never wanted to go vegan. However, when I tried their plant-based version it genuinely surprised me. it was the best mac and cheese I had ever eaten! We also tried their vegan barbecue ribs, and suddenly vegan food didn’t feel like a substitute – it felt like its own category.
That experience shifted something in me. Not just because of the flavor, but because it challenged a belief I had carried for years: that going vegan meant giving something up.
Breakfast at Oleum is always top tier; this day I got the Pina Colada french toast and crab cake egg benedict.
Around the same time, I started paying closer attention to how I felt physically. I had dealt with frequent stomach aches since childhood. Even though I wasn’t lactose intolerant, I began to notice a pattern. I was stuck in the cycle of dairy-heavy meals that often left me feeling worse. Cutting back on dairy made a noticeable difference for me physically.
From there I started researching more, not just about nutrition, but about the dairy industry itself. What I learned made it difficult to justify continuing as I had been. While practices vary, the reality is that large-scale dairy production often involves separating calves from their mothers and repeating cycles of breeding and milk production. Understanding that forced me to confront something I had previously overlooked – that being vegetarian “for the animals” didn’t fully align with my choices.
In November 2025, my girlfriend and I decided to go fully vegan.
“Over time, it stopped feeling restrictive and started feeling freeing.”
The transition wasn’t instant or perfect. At first, it meant checking every ingredient label and navigating family meals where butter, milk, and eggs were standard. That adjustment could feel inconvenient at times, but surprisingly it also made us more intentional. Cooking at home became the norm, and we started paying closer attention to what we were actually eating.
Over time, it stopped feeling restrictive and started feeling freeing.
As a vegetarian, I often relied on whatever options were available at chain restaurants, fast food, and convenience stores. As vegans, we had to be more deliberate. This shift led us to discover new foods, new recipes, and new places that aligned with our diet.
Leaving Harford County also made a difference. Access to vegan options, both in grocery stores and restaurants, became much easier. This had removed a barrier I always had dealt with. All my current favorite restaurants are fully vegan, and I wouldn’t have found them myself if I wasn’t intentionally looking for vegan options.
This is not about telling people what they should or should not eat. Everyone’s body handles food differently and diet is shaped by culture, access, and upbringing. I do not know what my beliefs would be if I hadn’t been raised vegetarian.
Although, I do believe small change is better than no change.
Simply reducing meat and dairy consumption occasionally can have a measurable environmental impact. Some estimates suggest that cutting back, rather than eliminating animal products entirely, can significantly lower an individual’s carbon footprint. It does not have to be all or nothing.
It all started with being willing to question what I thought I already understood.
If you want to check out vegan food for yourself my all-time favorite vegan restaurant is Oleum in Fells Point, Baltimore.
https://www.earthday.org/actions/plant-based-once-per-week