Another Veganuary is underway. The annual international challenge to go vegan for a month kicked off on New Year’s Day with predictions of a whopping 2 million signing up.
People go vegan for many reasons — for the animals, for their health, or for the environment. For many, the idea of going vegan seems challenging or plagued with misconceptions that eating vegan means salads and potatoes. But, going vegan doesn’t have to be hard, and you can absolutely eat more than salads and potatoes.
Remember, the whole point of going vegan is to do less harm. There is no such thing as a perfect vegan, and what works for one may not work for someone else. Not everyone has the same access or means to make immediate changes, and that’s OK. Anything you do is better than nothing and makes a difference.
7 easy steps to go vegan for Veganuary
1. Sign up for Veganuary
It doesn’t matter if we are already into January, it’s never too late to make the decision to remove animals and their byproducts from your life. Head over to Veganuary’s website and sign up. When you take the challenge, you’ll get a celebrity cookbook, meal plans, nutrition tips and daily emails to assist you in making the change.
2. Go to restaurants participating in Vegan Dining Month
Violette’s Vegan in Las Vegas has a pop-up menu the entire month.
We’ve made it easy in Las Vegas and Portland to find vegan options when dining out. Simply head to restaurants participating in Vegan Dining Month and offering special dishes all January. If you’re not in those cities, look for restaurants with vegan options in our city guides or check Happy Cow to see what restaurants near you have vegan options.
3. Start by swapping out ingredients
Today, there are numerous vegan replacements for traditionally non-vegan ingredients like butter, milk, and eggs. Popular butter replacements include Earth Balance, Miyoko’s and Milkadamia. For milk, the sky is the limit. There is oat, soy, almond, pistachio, hemp and more. Next, for egg replacements, try JUST Egg. The liquid egg replacement made of mung beans can be used on its own, as well in baking.
4. Swap out non-vegan food for vegan counterparts
Remove the idea that you could “never give up fill-in-the-blank” because the plant-based food industry has made it easier than ever. With spot on textures and flavors, Impossible and Beyond have veganized burgers. Other meats being made vegan and in most grocery stores are Gardein, which makes everything from chicken tenders to crab cakes and grocery brands like 365 by Whole Foods and Simple Truth by Kroger.
Specialty groceries often carry other vegan swaps like vegan shrimp and vegan fried eggs by BeLeaf.
Aside from mock meats, the vegan cheese industry is on fire. Major grocery chains carry VioLife, Miyoko’s and Daiya. We’ve got an ultimate guide to vegan cheese to check out to get you started.
Ice creams are another easy swap to make. Brands like Ben and Jerry’s and Magnum offer dairy-free ice cream to enjoy.
5. Shop the exterior of the grocery store
Being vegan doesn’t have to mean you’re eating mock meats and processed foods. Or spending a lot of money. You can find delicious vegan recipes online and make meals using fresh produce, grains and legumes. Stick to the produce aisles and grain/bean aisles. Between the two, you can get all the protein you need.
6. Replace household products and beauty products with vegan products
When it comes to household supplies, don’t toss what you’ve already got. But, when you run out of products in your home replace them with vegan versions. We’re fans of Meyer’s for household products. As for beauty products, keep an eye out for products that are vegan and cruelty-free. Pacifica is one brand that’s all vegan cosmetics. We love Sunday Riley when it comes to skincare.
7. Choose vegan clothing when shopping
Nix leather, wool, cashmere and silk from next time to go shopping for clothes.
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