It’s January again, and that means Veganuary is back and bigger than ever! Veganuary is a campaign that aims to inspire people to try going vegan for January, and encourage healthy, plant-based lifestyles for the rest of the year. It began in 2014 with 3,300 participants and since the movement started five years ago, and participant numbers have more than doubled each year. So far, more than 250,000 people in 193 countries have signed up for the 2019 campaign,and if you’ve ever wanted to give veganism a try, this is a great opportunity to do it!
While it may seem daunting to try out Veganuary, it’s important to remember that the challenge is all about trying your best, and being open to a plant-based diet. Now don’t panic, it doesn’t have to be perfect! Even if you only choose to take on Meatless Mondays or even just a single plant-based meal per week, those decisions are still going to make a positive impact on your health and the environment.
In order to make your Veganuary the best it can be, check out the resources below. They’ll help you understand how a plant-based diet works, why it’s beneficial, and how to eat and prepare delicious meals for the month.
So, what exactly does it mean to be vegan?
Great question! According to the Vegan Society:
“Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.”
The overall goal of veganism is to work towards reducing animal suffering as much as possible and practical, not to be perfect in never consuming, using, or buying animal products. Use your own discretion and current lifestyle to determine how far you want to dive into Veganuary, whether you just take on a partial or full vegan diet or the entire vegan lifestyle is up to you. For more general information on veganism, check out these resources:
Why do people go vegan?
People have many reasons to go vegan but the most popular are to help the environment and improve animal welfare. A vegan diet can save 200 animals, 1.3 million gallons of water, and 1.5 tons of carbon emissions in a single year alone according to vegan.org. To read up on the many reasons why people go vegan, check out these resources:
How do I get started?
To get all the resources, meal plans, nutrition information and more to start off your month check out Veganuary’s Vegan Starter Kit. They include everything you need to know to get started and share additional resources for further information.
Where do I find vegan recipes and inspiration?
There are so many vegan bloggers, chefs, and Instagrammers out there that you should never find yourself eating sad salad mixes for lunch. From delicious lasagnas to flavorful curries and even burgers there’s always delicious vegan recipes out there. Check out these vegan chefs and bloggers for delicious and affordable recipes.
Minimalist Baker: Plant-based recipes that take less than 30 minutes or a single pot to make.
The Happy Pear: Easy to follow recipes that a nutritionally balanced and affordable.
The Stingy Vegan: Super cheap and delicious vegan meals.
For the times you don’t cook at home, check Happy Cow, the vegan version of Yelp, for vegan restaurants near you.
Happy eating!