Veganuary is a movement that has really taken off in the past few years. This year there are more than 300,000 new signers on, a great sign of veganism’s growing popularity and inclusion into mainstream culture.
I went vegan in 2008 after three years of transitioning from a omnivore to a vegetarian, to then mostly vegan to a fully vegan diet and lifestyle. It has been an entirely blessed journey for me, full of wonderful discovery and a welcome return to my former love of food and cooking. I found veganism is an entirely new world, but one that’s not much different from the old world. It is one that can be an easy or elaborate, as exciting and new or as familiar and comforting as you want to make it.
It wasn’t always easy at first. It took me a year, for example, to like tofu at all. I found out I was just not cooking it properly and I once I did, it quickly became my favorite food. As for missing foods, with advancement in vegan food technology, taste and texture, there’s not a food that you can’t satisfactorily replace with a vegan version. The same goes for recipes.
Going vegan is a fun and rewarding experience, and for the unsure and doubtful, alot easier than they may think. Why not give it a try? There is plenty of help, support, recipes and tips to be found online. Here are a few tips from me on what you may need to know to make your Veganuary a fun, enjoyable and successful one. I’ve also posted the link to the Veganuary website for more information and inspiration.
I’d like to wish all of you a happy 2019. Veganuary can be the beginning of a great, kind and healthy vegan adventure and future, and hopefully you will try it, enjoy it and stick with it. Happy Veganuary!
How to Have a Successful Veganuary
1. Be prepared. Collect recipes, and meal plans from social media and vegan blogs, read vegan books and do your vegan shopping. Going vegan does requires some adjustments and it makes the transition easier if you do a little ahead planning.
2. Make it fun. Join with a friend, with co workers. Make a food to try list including products and recipes you’ve seen on line or on social media.
3. Stick with a healthy diet. A diet of Oreos, Pringles and vegan jerky may be vegan but it’s obviously not healthy. Try to eat at least half you food fresh, raw and home cooked, and stick to healthier vegan groceries.
4. Be sure to cook your food properly. As I mentioned, I hated tofu for the first few months of eating it until I found out I wasn’t cooking it to my taste. There are recipes for every taste now so just google vegan versions of your favorite non vegan recipes, and you’ll be a pro vegan cook in no time. Buying or borrowing vegan cookbooks from the library also is helpful.
4. Eat out in vegan restaurants for the month or those with vegan options. You can use the Happy Cow app to find reviewed restaurants in your area.
5. Be sure to supplement with vitamins. You need B12, Vitamin D and possibly other nutrients like calcium or iron as a beginner vegan that you can’t get or fully get in your diet. I just take a vegan 100% multivitamin everyday. It’s easy and I don’t have to worry.
6. If you fail and slip up, just get back to it the next meal or day. You can make mistakes and still complete your Veganuary experience. It’s practise that makes perfect, so don’t be too upset if you fail.
Veganuary website:
