good foods for a starting vegan?!

I am almost positive that Ghiradelli's bittersweet chocolate chips are vegan. You can use them for baking.
Also, http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7678.0 is a good page about egg replacements.
Smoothies are a favourite (try peeling and chopping bananas and then freezing them. Makes them colder and adds creamy-ness) also. Oreos are also vegan friendly!
I suggest you look on vegan cooking forums to find vegan-friendly ingredients and snacks, as many people check ingredients and post them on the internet.

The money you spend on your food honestly just depends on where you shop, whether you go towards fake meats and substitutes for everything or if you buy fresh vegetables, dry nuts, legumes, beans, etc., and how you cook. I suggest making foods with a slight surplus, putting it in bags, and freezing it. You can eat them on a later date, and you are not wasting food! Also, when you reheat them, you will have unbelievably easy preparation.

Try stir-frying vegetables and putting them in soups. This is how I got to like them.
I now prefer raw everything, and have my eye on becoming a raw vegan when I leave my house. The easiest solution is to try everything! Experiment vegetables with different spices, sauces, dressings, spreads, etc. and put into different sandwiches, salads, etc. because you may find something you especially like, despite a detest for the vegetable in its raw state.

Try Daiya for vegan cheese. I suggest you not eat it straight out of the package, but cook it into things. It melts really well, and is the one vegan cheese I have tried that does not have a distinct "vegan taste."

Vegweb.com is recipe mecca. Use it as such.

Snack on hummus with pita, veggies, crackers, chips, or whatever. Great protein!
McDonald's fries are made with beef seasoning. Just stay away from them, because everything about that establishment is chemical filled and they seem to be able to fit cruelty into all of their foods.

Make sure to get plenty of whole grains, dark leafy green vegetables, nuts (raw almonds are suggested), lentils, beans, and other products coming from beans such as tofu and hummus.

Also, look into supplementing vitamin B12, Iron, Calcium (you will probably be fine if you use a lot of calcium fortified nondairy milks), and protein (whey protein is not vegan. Look in your local health food store or vitamin store for vegan protein shakes or protein powder to mix with smoothies or whatever you want).

http://www.vitalita.com/vcg/cookbooks/
Check out their cookbooks as well. They properly break down the vegan diet in at least one of them, as well as providing the reader with a lot of awesome free recipes.

Vegan.

It's hard to be a vegan at first... it takes time to get used to it.
I would suggest that you try different types of food that you may not have had before. It's hard to turn the typical American diet into a vegan diet. But there are many foods, like hummus, falafel, tofu, lentils, etc. that you will probably enjoy. Just try new things, experiment with recipes, and find out what you like. For recipes, you should try www.vegweb.com. All of their recipes are vegan.
As far as sweets go, it may be hard to find vegan alternatives to your favorite desserts. You can get vegan cookies, ice cream, brownies, etc. at places like Whole Foods, but they will be expensive. Your best bet is to make them on your own.
And it's okay if you don't like raw vegetables. Just try to eat a balanced diet and you will be fine.

experience, was vegan for 3 years

1 Never start being a vegetarian because it is fad
2 Don't do any major switch over in diet. The body revolts in more ways than you can imagine!
3 Reduce your normal diet to half. Add fruits nuts and cooked vegetables in lieu
4 In due course if you want to continue make it 100% VEGETARIAN. ensure 40 carbs 30% protein and rest as veggies and anything else you want!

there is always homemade fired rice add some rice to the frying pan pea, and mushrooms and POW! got your self some goood food if u want sweet try ratatouille

have you tried Ham??