Going vegan comes with a myriad of benefits to take advantage of such as the opportunity to protect yourself against certain cancers, improved kidney function, easier weight loss, and better health overall. But being a new vegan comes with it's downfalls too – such as the inability to enjoy the same foods your friends and family do and that you've enjoyed throughout your life so far.

For example, ordering pizza might seem like a thing of the past. But nothing could be further from the truth! Here is how you can have your pizza and eat it too:

Ask a Few Questions

When calling a delivery order in to your favorite pizza shop as a new vegan, it's important to ask a few key questions that will help ensure that you don't end up eating any meat or dairy before the night's over. While most pizza shops work with dairy-free dough and marinara, don't assume this is the case at your favorite restaurant. Simply ask if any dairy is in the dough, marinara, and pesto sauce before placing your order.

You should also inquire about whether any dairy or eggs are in the veggie meats that might be offered on the menu. If dairy is in the dough or sauce, don't be discouraged. It's likely that the restaurant you're ordering from has alternative options to consider as most places want to cater to customers with specific dietary needs. Just ask for alternative options if you find yourself in a bind and they should be happy to customize your order for you if possible.

Go for the "Meaty" Toppings

Just because you're skipping the meat doesn't meant that your pizza has to be bland and boring, featuring nothing but a few vegetables. There are many vegan toppings to consider adding to your pizza that will provide you with the "meaty" textures and that you crave. Consider ordering one or more of the following toppings on your pizza:

• Mushrooms

• Eggplant

• Zucchini

• Cauliflower

• Sun Dried Tomatoes

While these items may not be on the restaurant's regular toppings menu, they may have them in stock to use in other menu items such as salads and sandwiches. Ask the restaurant to saute one or more of these toppings with some barbecue or other vegan-friendly sauce before putting them on your pizza and baking it.

Customize the Specialties

An easy way to get your pizza fix without breaking your new vegan diet is to order a customized specialty pizza. There should be at least one vegetable based specialty pizza already on the list, all you'd have to do is order it without cheese. But if the veggie specialty doesn't get you excited, there should be a few other options that can be ordered with a little customization.

For example, a Hawaiian pizza can be just as enjoyable without the ham and pesto if you add some olives, vegan pesto, and bell peppers to the mix. Or maybe the Mediterranean pizza is calling your name – you'd just have to omit the meat and cheese to enjoy it as a vegan.

Add Your Own Toppings at Home

The good news is that even after omitting all the cheese, meats, and eggs from your pizza order, you can dress your pizza up at home to make it more like the pizza you remember from your omnivorous past. Keep your fridge stocked with shredded vegan cheese, vegan bacon, and even vegan pepperoni so you can add it to your pizza when you have one delivered. Stick it in the oven for about 5 minutes, and enjoy every bite just as you have in the years past.

With the help of these tips and tricks, you should find your pizza experiences to be just as enjoyable as they always have been.