Plant-based and Vegan in a Greek Cypriot family

After 10 years being Vegan, my mum still worries that I might die, if I don't start to eat meat or dairy'.

She'll often say 'come on, its been many years now! At least start eating a little cheese or a little fish!'

It's sad that she worries about me, but at the same time, it is quite amusing to think that they worry about me, but this Vegan here is actually much healthier than they are.

In fact, I ask that they could consider being a little more plant based! If not for the animals, at least for their health.

My family, like most other Greek and Greek Cypriot families love Souvlaki, and unfortunately, I can't see them changing this.

The Sunday barbecues’ central piece is a massive tray piled up with all animals, from pigs, lambs, cows and chickens.

All the family fill their plates with these animals and it’s the main part of their plate, with an odd sprinkling of veg on the side or a potato or two, if any at all.

This is one of the toughest parts of being a Vegan! Being around people you love, family and friends, who are not connecting to the fact that these animals on their plate are sentient, caring, docile, loving baby creatures who felt pain, and great suffering in their lives.

Family and friends who continue to sabotage their health and the health of the planet.

Greek Cypriots are very into their animal consumption with this consumption growing day by day. Lamb, pig and goat intake grows year by year.

Nonetheless, as a Vegan from a Greek Cypriot background, I have seen small glimmers of hope;

Cypriot coffee shops and restaurants in the UK are stocking up on non-animal milk -soya, oat and almond! They are creating spaces on their shelves for greek vegan cakes.

On my visit to Cyprus this year I wanted to check out how the supermarkets have adapted their Vegan plant-based offerings.

I was happily surprised to find that you can easily find a large range of vegan cheese options, alternative milks and more.

Yes, the truth is that greek restaurants in the UK and in Greece and Cyprus still had a lot of work to do, with often no vegan options available at all. At the same time, though the options are limited for plant-based diners, you won’t go hungry.

Fasting in Cyprus and Greece is a big part of the Greek Orthodox diary,. During this time, animal and dairy are left off the plate. Therefore during these periods you’ll find plenty of Vegan options and staff would be familiar with such requirements and are typically accommodating to make changes to the dishes outside of these festive periods of lent.

Back to my family, and after initially telling my parents 'coming out' about me going Vegan, it is now normal for them to make adaptations when invited over for our every other sunday dinner.

Even today, after 10 years as a Vegan, it is very difficult for my parents to understand.

They are still concerned about my health, and I am yet to die from a protein deficiency or to suffer from any health concerns - yet this worry seems to still not have been put to bed.

My mum often prepares a Vegan meal or makes simply adaptation to several her specialities. My family do cautiously try the food but my mum keeps insisting on telling people 'Eat, It's Vegan!' which puts them off.

Overall there is a sprinkling of change, with a sign of plant based eating becoming more acceptable in the Greek communities in the UK, Cyprus and Greece and world-wide.

This is hugely positive, and I can only hope that such changes are being seen on a much bigger scale around a growing number of Greek Cypriot family gatherings in the UK, Cyprus and Greece.

For the sake of our health, the environment and of course the animals, hopefully we'll be seeing more plant-based foods on the menus, supermarket shelves and on the tables of fellow greek and cypriot tables soon.