5 tips to help you succeed this Veganuary

Veganuary is a 30-day challenge whereby participants follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January by avoiding animal derived products including milk, cheese, eggs, and honey. It can also include purchases such as makeup and clothes that contain animal skin (e.g., leather) or fur. Whilst this is a fun campaign to get people excited about trying a vegan lifestyle, many people struggle to know where to start and fall off the bandwagon within weeks.  

Find alternatives for your favourite foods 

You don’t have to miss out on your favourite foods as there is a plant-based alternative for almost every ingredient out there, and most popular brands and restaurants are also expanding their vegan offerings! This makes it far easier to stick with foods that aren't too far out of your comfort zone and allows you to "veganise" your favourite meals. 

For example, you could swap a beef burger for a veggie burger and a regular bolognese to one made with lentils. You may also be surprised at how many foods that we enjoy regularly are "accidentally vegan" already such as rice, pasta, some crisps, crackers, peanut butter and so much more! 

Swap out one thing at a time

Don't stress too much if you still have some non-vegan foods in your cupboards left over from the festive period. You can gradually ease your way into it as you learn more about maintaining a vegan diet.

Instead of cleaning out your cupboards and deep diving into the unknown world of plant-based alternatives (and inevitably wasting a lot of food you already have!), try switching out one product at a time as things run out. 

You could start by swapping out cow’s milk for a nut milk, then swap butter for margarine and eventually work up to trying vegan cheese and meat alternatives.

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is essential and will help you have a stress-free Veganuary. Batch-cooking meals and meal prepping is a great way to stay on track and saves you time having to think about what you're going to eat every day.

Order yourself some Vegan cook books, or find recipes online, and add them to a food planner so that you know exactly what you're shopping for.

You can also download the app "Is It Vegan?" which allows you scan barcodes and find out if a food is vegan or not. So, if you’re ever unsure, it’s very handy to have this app downloaded and ready to go when you’re out doing your weekly shop.

Try Meatless Mondays 

You may be tempted to go full-throttle and become 100% plant-based overnight. If you plan to stick to these changes long term, a transitional approach may be more effective to help you achieve and stick to your goals.

Ease your way in by dedicating one or two days at first. Some people take part in #MeatFreeMondays where you stay clear of animal products on a Monday. This is a great way to introduce new meals at a manageable pace. 

Once you’ve cooked a few vegan meals and discovered some new favourites, it will become easier to incorporate them into your weekly menu more frequently.

Get your friends involved 

Approaching Veganuary with a group of friends or joining an online community may help you to stay on track and have more fun! You can keep each other motivated throughout the month by sharing tips, recipes and advice.

BBC Good Food have some great Vegan student recipes that you and your housemates could try this month and they won't break the bank! You could also plan to visit some vegan cafes and restaurants on the weekends and try some Vegan "junk foods" as a fun little treat.

Have fun and don’t forget that every small change can make a difference!

We can all benefit from eating more plant-based foods including fruits and vegetables, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to adhere to a vegan lifestyle every day for the rest of your life after January. Take this opportunity to be open minded, to learn more about cooking, your health, animal welfare and the environment.

Whether you choose to go completely vegan, try vegetarianism or even just reduce your meat consumption, it is a step in the right direction towards bettering your health and the health of the environment.