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Veganism for a lot of people is more than just a diet; it’s a way of living. Following a vegan-food diet includes giving up meat, fish, all dairy, honey, and any other animal-derived products. Some people can also choose to ensure the shoes, clothing, and makeup they wear are vegan-friendly too.
Taking up veganism or a short period of veganism such as ‘Veganuary’ can be challenging. A lot of people find it challenging to stick to a specific diet for a long time. Veganuary is a perfect opportunity if you’ve ever thought about switching or exploring a plant-based diet.
Veganuary tips:
1. Have a reason. Before you even start, you should think about all the reasons why you’ve decided to take it up. It’s even better if you can write it down somewhere so that you can refer to it when needed.
Having this list will help you to stay motivated during your journey. There will be times when you feel tempted to quit. Remembering why you’ve chosen a vegan-based diet plan can help you to stay on course.
2. Preparation. Find a link to various vegan meal recipes online that take your fancy, and then plan the meals out for the week and make a shopping list for the week in advance. You may even want to prepare some meals for the next day the night before or in batch at the weekend if you have a busy weekly schedule. If cooking for a family, incorporate a vegan family meal into the evening meal (and the rest of the family could always add something extra to the side).
3. Keep temptation out of your sight. Now, it’s more difficult if you have children or family members who are not taking up Veganuary. But if you can limit, hide, or remove the temptation, it can help you to stay on track and get you further.
4. Have a plan before you go out. Checking out restaurants' menu can be beneficial when going out with your family or friends. Veganism has become a massive lifestyle and diet movement, with many more people choosing to follow a plant-based diet. You can see how many options are there available right now for those who are taking up veganism.
5. Have a snack on the go. It’s also important to always have something to munch on when you are out and about. Here are some great vegan snacks we recommend for ‘on the go’: Fruit, nuts, seeds, oatcakes, rice cakes, banana & peanut butter sandwiches, jam sandwiches.
What’s more, you can browse our selection of vegan products that are individually wrapped and are good on the go.
6. Bring your vegan meal when invited to dine at a friend’s house. To make sure everything goes right, prepare a vegan dish and bring it with you. It’s a great way to share with your friends the fact that you’re doing Veganuary and to show them that a vegan meal also tastes great.
Make sure you bring enough for everyone to try. You don’t want to end up with no vegan meal left. Also, go for a dish that tastes delicious, and you are confident about cooking it.
7. Get a friend or a partner to join you. We’re stronger together. Having a friend alongside can increase your chance of success. What’s more, it brings some competition aspect as well and makes the diet much more fun. You can also share recipes and shopping tips and ideas.
Try to cook a vegan dish or eat out together. Share some new information that might be valuable for your friend or partner. Encourage each other whenever you feel like giving up. There is a lot more you can do together.
8. Join vegan forums and communities. Community is a big part of veganism. There are millions of people who are willing to help everyone who is making their first steps in veganism. Here are some of the vegan forums you can join if you feel confused or discouraged: https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/, https://www.veganforum.org/, https://www.happycow.net/forum, http://www.veganvillage.co.uk/contacts.html
9. Download vegan apps. You might not know, but there are plenty of phone applications that can help you to stay on the course. It’s an easy way to find new vegan recipes and get more information about veganism from people who are passionate about it.
We would recommend VeGuide app. It can be downloaded on both Android and Apple phones. It’s designed to help you stick to the vegan diet for 30 days by The Vegan Society. The app contains a lot of useful information about veganism, as well as the vegan recipes. And, it’s all presented in digestible video format that would require you just a few minutes a day to stay on track. This app has helped dozens of new vegans and is a good starting point.
10. Share your vegan journey. Sharing your goals with others help your chances of success. Being held accountable commits you to do the work and improves the results. What’s more, sharing your journey can get you more supporters or encourage other people to try the same thing.
It also shouldn’t be complicated. Just post a picture of a new meal you prepped and write a little bit of text of how it’s going so far or how you’re feeling. That should be enough to get some likes and warm comments from your friends and family.
Good luck with your vegan challenge for Veganuary if you have decided to do it. You can find a range of vegan-friendly Blackfriars products that are perfect snacks on the go and will ensure to keep you full for longer.