As with any new lifestyle choice, it can take a little time to adjust, but Veganuary is here to help you! Most people get into the swing of being vegan within a couple of weeks and 99 per cent of Veganuary 2017 participants said they enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to others. Most also reported that they felt healthier, had more energy and ate a far wider variety of foods than they had before.
There is a vegan version of almost everything you could ever want but you have to know it exists and where find it. Once you know which supermarket shelves you should be looking at or which of your favourite brands are already vegan, it becomes second nature. Many Veganuary participants save themselves the bother of reading loads of product labels by simply asking the Facebook group: ‘where can I get vegan croissants?’ and the group replies: ‘Most supermarkets stock the Jus Rol ones you can bake at home’. Job done.
Your cupboards are already full of vegan items: peanut butter, yeast extract, jam, marmalade, almost all bread, baked beans, dried pasta, rice, some gravy granules, vegetable stock cubes, chopped tomatoes, oven chips, coconut milk, lots of curry pastes, many breakfast cereals, herbs, spices, tomato ketchup and HP sauce, pickles, sugars and sweeteners, olive oil and vegetable oils, soy sauce, hummus, fruit juice, fizzy drinks, tea and coffee, many biscuits, crackers, crispbreads and crisps, and of course fruit and vegetables – fresh, dried and frozen.
So, then it’s just a matter of checking out the other products available in your local supermarket and health food shop and switching: dairy for plant-based cheeses, milks, yoghurts, cream, custard and ice cream; mince for soya mince; sausages, burgers, hot dogs, sausage rolls, schnitzels and other meaty items for their vegan versions; and checking out the recipes on our site. As for eating out, we’ve got that covered, too!
Of course, the practicalities of what to eat are one thing; the sense that you could be the odd one out among your family and friends is another matter. It’s up to you whether you make a bold statement about your new-found veganism or whether you just quietly order the vegan options when you eat out, or slip a vegan pie in the oven beside your family’s meat ones.
Many people have found that, when they become vegan, their friends are interested, ask questions, try the food. Some go vegan, too. For those who do not have vegan friends, there is no need to feel isolated. There are vegan fairs and festivals all over the world now, and there is bound to be a vegan group not too far from you. If there isn’t, join a vegan group online, and you’ll find compassionate people like you.
One of the most common phrases we hear is: ‘It really isn’t as difficult as I feared and I wish I had done it sooner’.
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