Oh wow. I didn't think it works this way! Do they have to stay away from all meat (that's why op is eating just vegan substitutions) or just human meat?

But OP is still human, right? I don't think it's the same case like turning into werewolf, I hope.

I don't know about Donner party. But I'm listening a lot of stories about wendigos, skinwalkers, big foot, ect. And very ofter people telling these stories are confusing one for the other, so had to actually google what is what. When reading about how the first wendigo was created, through cannibalism I was actually surprised that there isn't more wendigos, as people from all around the world results in eating other humans for whatever reasons. Even Hollywierd throwing spirit cooking parties 🤷

Isn't it how the very first wendigo was created? Hunters lost in the woods, resulting eating the other hunter.