Veganuary has been growing in population for the last few years. If you've never heard of it before, Veganuary encourages people worldwide to try eating vegan for January (and beyond!) So that's no meat, fish, eggs, dairy or other animal products. The aim is to show how a plant-based diet can help protect the environment, prevent animal suffering and improve your health. If you're thinking about taking part this year and are looking for some veganuary tips to start you on your journey then you've come to the right place.
I first took part in Veganuary in 2017 (see my blog posts here and here) but failed on the 3rd week when I went on holiday to Iceland and struggled to find affordable vegan-friendly places to eat. I did it again in 2018 and made it through the whole month, and even kept it up for a while afterwards.
I won't go into the reasons why I started eating eggs and dairy again. I'd been struggling for a while, and then I was diagnosed with cancer and found it difficult to prepare nutritious meals. However, now that I'm in remission, I'm ready to get back on the bandwaggon.
So let's get stuck into my top 5 tips for eating vegan this January...
*This post was updated on 30/12/2019
1. Where to begin
I've been a vegetarian since 2010 and rarely drink cow's milk, so switching to veganism wasn't a huge jump for me. However, I know that for others it's much harder, especially if you're used to eating meat!
If you're not sure where to start, check out the Veganuary website for loads of amazing advice on nutrition, meal plans and tips for eating out.
I'm also a big fan of the Veganuary Facebook group. I'm more of a lurker than a sharer, but I love seeing other people's recipe ideas, and it's nice to know you're not alone! I've found that most people are friendly and happy to help if you ask a genuine question.
2. Stock up on the essentials
When I've done Veganuary previously, I noticed I was a lot hungrier than usual, especially in the first week. Before you begin, make sure you have plenty of snacks handy. There are loads of "Accidentally Vegan" snacks you can buy in the supermarkets. My favourite vegan-friendly snacks (other than fruit and nuts) include Bournville dark chocolate and Tesco "Free-From" Cheese Flavour Nachos.
Some *essentials* to add to your shopping list;
- Plant milk - make sure it's fortified (my favourite brand is Oatly, but there are cheaper alternatives)
- Dairy-free butter (I really like the Pure free from range)
- Tinned tomatoes
- Canned coconut milk
- Peanut butter
- Chickpeas
- Mixed beans
- Quinoa/rice (I get the microwave packets from Aldi which have rice and quinoa)
- Tofu (my favourite brand is Tofoo)
- Stir-fry sauce packets
- Bread
- Pasta
- Porridge oats
- Spices (I keep turmeric, cumin, garam masala and paprika in my cupboard)
- Frozen fruit/vegetables (I find mixed berries, chopped onion, peppers, green beans, broccoli and butternut squash are helpful to have)
Most of these are non-perishables which can really help you out if you need a last-minute meal.
One of the biggest misconceptions of going vegan is that it's really expensive. If you avoid all the processed junk food and "meat alternatives" it's actually not as bad as you might think. I do the bulk of my shopping at Aldi, then I'll pop to Asda, Tesco or Sainsbury's if there are any "specialist" items I need, like tofu.
3. Planning is key
It may sound boring, but make a rough meal plan at the start of every week. It'll save you so much time and effort. Most evenings I don't get home from work until 6pm, (even later if I've been to the gym) so I find it so much easier if I already know what I'm going to cook.
It's also worth planning a few "go-to" meals for those days you can't be bothered to think. Mine are:
- Breakfast: Overnight oats with nuts, seeds and fruit OR avocado on toast
- Lunch: Falafel wrap with hummus and salad OR vegetable soup
- Dinner: Tofu stir fry OR chickpea stew
If you're cooking a big batch of chilli or curry, ALWAYS make more than you need. You can then have the leftovers for lunch the next day, or freeze a couple of portions to defrost at a later date.
4. Be prepared for lots of questions
"But... why?" is one of the most common questions I get asked when during veganuary. Whatever your reasons, you may want to have an answer pre-prepared. I know it helps me feel less awkward when that question inevitably crops up!
Hopefully your friends and family will be supportive (most of mine have been amazing!) Unfortunately there are a few people out there who are just never going to understand. I've found it's easiest to ignore those people. Keep reminding yourself that what you're doing is a really positive thing.
5. Dining out? Don't panic!
So many restaurants nowadays offer vegan options. Some of my favourites include Turtle Bay, Wagamama (who have a separate vegan & vegetarian menu) and Handmade Burger Co. If you live in the Midlands, you might find it helpful to check out my post on my favourite vegan-friendly restaurants in Birmingham.
If I'm ordering a takeaway I'll usually go for an Indian, as most vegetable curries are suitable for vegans (just make sure they don't use butter in the cooking process). It's also good to know that Papa John's do vegan takeaway pizza.
If you don't have control over where you're going to eat, it's worth calling the restaurant ahead of time to see what they can do. Sometimes they can make vegetarian options suitable for vegans by removing any butter, cheese or mayo.
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Are you taking part in Veganuary this year? What are your best veganuary tips?
Image credits:
- Bowl of salad photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash
- Green food photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash
- Strawberries photo by Ali Yahya on Unsplash
- Citrus fruits photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash
- Bread photo by Rodolfo Marques on Unsplash
- Burger photo by Deryn Macey on Unsplash
