What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is a pledge to not eat or purchase any animal products for the whole 31 days of January. The pledge was started by Veganuary, a non-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to try being vegan for January and beyond.
Why try it?
New research from the University of Exeter suggests that taking part in Veganuary leads to sustained reductions in meat consumption and produce fundamental shifts in people’s attitudes towards meat and their own self-identity as a meat-eater.
Prof. Natalia Lawrence explained, “Many people feel mixed emotions about eating meat – they enjoy the taste and convenience but feel guilty about the animal suffering and environmental destruction. Our findings suggest that when people temporarily stop eating meat they view it less positively, perhaps because they no longer need to suppress their negative feelings towards it.”
Is it easy?
I tried Veganuary in 2023, and I’ve been vegan ever since! At first it was tricky to find meals I liked and that were affordable. Once you get the hang of it, it’s really quite easy.
Here’s my quick fire guide on how to survive Veganuary.
- Explore all milk options. Once you find the right one, you’ll never go back. Whether it’s soya, almond, oat, rice or coconut. You WILL find one for you!
- Consume as much vegan media as possible. Watch documentaries on the importance of veganism, so every time you’re tempted by a Galaxy bar or ice cream, it’ll be easier to remember why you started this.
- Quorn is NOT vegan! I still don’t understand why, but most Quorn products are made with egg whites, therefor, not vegan. So steer clear.
- Try substitutes of your favourites, if your favourite meal is bangers and mash, have bangers and mash! You don’t have to miss out just because you’re vegan and there’s no ‘wrong’ way to eat vegan.
- Get your vegan cookbooks out for inspiration or head to social media for foodie influencer expertise.
- Breathe! It may seem overwhelming at first, but the beginning is always the hardest. It’s okay to slip up occasionally and no one is perfect. I promise it gets much easier and you’ll soon pick up what you can’t and can have without having to think.
Our reporters headed out to see if they could find the best vegan options in the supermarkets this Veganuary.
Watch it here-
@merseynewslive It’s Veganuary! 💚 Follow along with our reporter to find out the best supermarkets for your vegan food shops! 🌱 Head to our website to see Daisy’s blog on Veganuary. Are you trying to be plant based this January? 🥑 #fyp #liverpoolvegan #veganuary #liverpoolfoodie #unifood
