Enjoying decades of plant-based eating I have never “slipped-up” in terms of intentionally eating an animal product. I have, on three occasions of which I am aware, eaten a food that included an animal product as the result of an error.

On the first occasion, my sister-in-law in an attempt to accommodate my food choice served “vegan” baked beans at a family picnic. She made me aware that the beans would be available for me to eat even if there were no other choices for me. As it turned out, I learned after eating the beans, she had fixed them from a base of a canned bean product that included pork. Needless to say, she was mortified at her mistake. In tears, she explained the error and asked: “isn’t there someone that you can pray to about that?!” We laugh about the experience some 20 years later.

On the second occasion, I ordered a wrap that sans the ranch dressing and shredded cheese, would be vegan. The waitress mistook my request of “no ranch dressing and no cheese” to be “please add bleu cheese”. I took a large bite of the wrap and immediately recognized something was not right. It tasted sour and spoiled. Within two chews I spit the food out and recognized the crumbled bleu cheese.

Lastly, a vegetarian friend of mine who was aware of my vegan lifestyle offered me a snack food that tasted delicious! Sweet and crunchy. With an interest in finding the snack at the grocery store, I asked “what is that? - it is great!” She replied “honey sesame crunch” and at the same time we said, “Dang it!”. She recognized her error in providing me honey and I was disappointed to learn I had not found my new favorite snack food.

Slip ups happen occasionally and for a variety of reasons. Have a good laugh at the experience and carry on. Your intention will carry you forward and the benefits of plant-based eating are inviting enough to pull you toward your goal!