For many people, the idea of eating a vegan diet intuitively sounds restrictive, and yet studies show that most people already have a highly restrictive diet and eat the same meals on repeat week in, week out.
By looking afresh at the foods they eat, Veganuary participants often tell us that they scramble out of that tired old food rut and fall in love with food all over again. Far from being restrictive, they find their culinary horizons are blown wide open.
Veganuary alumni Lisa Farrell from Leeds, for example, cites the creativity of vegan food as a notable improvement in her life, while Rachel Avenell from Sussex sums it up perfectly: “Taking part in Veganuary encouraged me to fall back in love with food as I… cook lots of delicious meals for all the family. I was worried it would be restrictive, but it’s opened up more possibilities for me!”
Lisa and Rachel are not alone…
Charlie Smith, Essex
Charlie took part in Veganuary 2022, and it’s fair to say, she absolutely loved it! Alongside the new friends she made, she found she had more energy and focus, a new zest for life and a renewed passion for cooking. That’s quite the radical life upgrade!
Charlie had been introduced to veganism two years before by a man she was dating who happened to be vegan. Vegan Man, as she calls him, bought her The Little Book of Veganism, which piqued her interest, and the first vegan food she tried was an utterly delicious burger. With her research done and excited about the journey, she was ready to take part in her vegan month.
“I had never been a big meat eater,” Charlie told us, “so this helped me. I was also very lucky that my son, who was six at the time, was happy to come along on the journey with me.”
Charlie took to eating plant-based easily and loved creating new dishes for herself and her son. She made lots of chilli non carne recipes, homemade pizzas using Violife cheese, and vegan shepherd’s pie. She even made homemade sausage rolls from scratch.
Since taking part in Veganuary, Charlie has found that she eats a healthier and much more varied diet than before. “I love being vegan,” she told us. “You’ve helped change my life, for the better!!”
Ali Lewis, Bedford
Ali took part in Veganuary 2024 and found two significant and very positive changes. “As someone with a weakened immune system, I noticed that switching to a vegan diet greatly improved my resilience to illness and increased my energy levels,” she tells us. “In fact, I was well while the rest of the family were not.”
Improved immunity from eating a plant-based diet is not simply an anecdote. Research backs this up!
While the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet are many and wide-ranging, it can also bring joy and pleasure, and spark creativity that ripples out to others.
“Going vegan has made me more adventurous with trying new foods,” says Ali, “and has even encouraged more family members to choose more vegan options. My one change has made others be more open-minded about trying new things too.”
Caroline, Suffolk
Caroline took part in Veganuary 2022 and says it helped her escape from an over-reliance on convenience foods and ready meals.
“I really expanded my knowledge of vegan cooking from taking part in Veganuary,” she tells us. “The free cookbook helped me become more adventurous when trying out new recipes at home and I now have the skills to cook delicious meals with fresh wholesome ingredients.”
That is music to our ears! Not only does Caroline enjoy cooking and eating so much more now than before, but she has noticed that this has had a knock-on effect and improved her health, too.
Caroline has also spotted that the work Veganuary does with restaurants has really paid off. “I have found most restaurants now cater for a vegan diet, lots having some really tasty options and not just a beanburger!”
We couldn’t be happier that all these Veganuary alumni have fallen in love with food again, but you will never find us knocking a bean burger!
Feeling inspired by these stories? Hear from these former participants who say Veganuary changed their lives.
