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Hi there, Jennifer here – you may know me by my Instagram handle: @yeahthatveganchick.

I once thought veganism was eating salads. I was so wrong. After traveling to some vegan-friendly cities, I quickly found out that most things can be veganized. Even some of my already favorite treats were vegan without me even knowing it. (Shoutout to Chocolate Moose’s chocolate cupcake!)

The vegan scene in Greenville has grown leaps and bounds over the past year. Almost every restaurant can accommodate a plant-based diet now. Some have even created new items or whole menus to keep up with the demand. Foodie bloggers are highlighting new finds, even if the bloggers aren’t vegan. It is everywhere.

Even with the increase in vegan meal options and available products, it was not easy transitioning. There are a lot of things that have hidden animal products in them, so I got really good at reading labels. The one thing I learned was that it is about progress, not perfection. Every meat dish you replace with a plant-based one makes a difference. Not just to that animal, but to the environment and your health.

Pro Tip 1. When going out to eat at a restaurant, look at the menu online first. If you don’t see anything on the menu or vegan items aren’t marked, call and speak to a manager during slow hours. I have only had positive experiences doing this. This gives them time to check with the chefs to verify ingredients when they aren’t slammed with guests.

Pro Tip 2. Don’t feel like you are bothering the staff or being too much. I have spoken to many chefs that say they love the challenge of creating a new dish. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to challenge oneself.

Pro Tip 3. Don’t expect the staff to know everything about veganism. Chances are, you didn’t know most of it before going vegan. Ask direct questions like, does the dressing contain dairy or are the potatoes sautéed in butter?

Attending a plant-based dinner is also a wonderful way of trying several dishes in a single night. Due South, a local Greenville coffee shop, offers a monthly wine-pairing dinner event called Topsoil. Email Patrick to get more information, and make sure to get on the mailing list because this dinner sold out before it was advertised. Farm Fresh Fast also holds a quarterly dinner, which you can explore by contacting Jonathan Willis through social media. Ji-Roz also has a weekly vegan day on Thursday where they feature a new specialty dish.

Bonus: Check out this article on vegetarian and vegan eats in the Upstate.