Veganuary - 6 Top Tips for Veganuary and Beyond
What does it mean to be Vegan?
Is it just a dietary choice? Is it a lifestyle?
Can being Vegan be accessible for everyone? The answer is YES.
This January, we have been thinking about how important every little choice and change we make is. How having a Vegan meal once a week, or swapping out animal tested products from our make up bag can really make a difference.
It isn’t accessible for everyone to go completely Vegan overnight, however we want to show you that making choices with animals and the planet in mind can be accessible - and sometimes easier than we think!
Take a look at our Veganuary top tips for you to try this next year - and maybe take into the rest of 2023!
1. Top Vegan Product Swaps
Here at Plastic’s Free, we have consciously tried to add many products to our range which are Vegan as well as plastic free.
Take a look at a few of our top picks you could swap out this year.
- Natural Deodorant
Keep your pits smelling fresh and reach for the Vegan variety of our natural deodorants - you won’t go back!
https://www.plasticsfree.co.uk/collections/bestsellers/products/natural-deodorant
- Handmade Soap
Looking for a plastic free AND vegan alternative to needlessly packaged soap? Why not check out our handmade soap which is not only vegan, but palm oil free and cruelty free!
https://www.plasticsfree.co.uk/products/copy-of-handmade-soap-turtley-awesome?_pos=4&_sid
=3f7805e63&_ss=r
- Lip Balm
Hand your eyes peeled for the perfect lip balm that doesn't contain beeswax? Why not try our Pura lip balm which is vegan, zero waste and cruelty free!
https://www.plasticsfree.co.uk/products/lip-balm?_pos=2&_sid=df54ede99&_ss=r
2. Vegan Meal Ideas
Being Vegan is a lifestyle. Not only does it refer to the products that you use (lip balms, body washes, soaps) it also means an alteration in diet.
Here are a few of our favourite websites with great Vegan recipes for you to try - why not have a Vegan night every week?
Let us know in the comments some of your favourite Vegan meals you have tried to cook at home!
3. Inspiring Vegan news stories
Still debating whether you want to integrate more Vegan meals and products into your life?
Check out these amazing news stories from the past few months to inspire you to take action for yourself, the animals and the planet!
- McDonald’s has launched the Vegan Double McPlant Burger in over 1400 locations!
- Grazer launched: an app for vegetarian and vegan people to find friends or dates!
- Greggs launched 4 new product lines for Veganuary!
4. Vegan Resources to Check Out
Looking for more info on Veganism and how to adopt it into your own lifestyle? Have a look at a couple of our favourite resources to help guide you along your way.
Don’t forget that you don’t have to learn everything all at once and go Vegan overnight? Why not spend an hour a week researching and slowly bring a few Vegan principals into your life a month and see where you are in a year - sustainable change and forming habits is the best way to make a habit and a difference!
Veganuary - Great for Recipes, Eating Guides and Getting Started!
https://veganuary.com/
Gaz Oakley - Vegan Youtube Chef
https://www.youtube.com/@gazoakleychef
NHS Guidance on a Vegan Diet
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/the-vegan-diet/
Vegan society - Great advice on going Vegan for the first time
https://www.vegansociety.com/
5. Our favourite meat and dairy alternatives to try in this year
We are very fortunate to be blessed with so many different plant based alternatives in the UK. There are whole sections at the supermarket for us to take our pick from. We have made a list of a few of our all time plant based favourites for you to try out at your next shop (it was hard to make this list but we managed to whittle it down to just 3!)
- Oatley (Oat Milk)
If you haven't heard of or tried Oatley yet - we are desperately excited for you to try it! Such a creamy flavour and so many different varieties to pick from: Barista Oat Milk, Skimmed Oat Milk - even Oat yogurt now too!
https://www.oatly.com/en-gb
- Plenish (Alternative Milks + Plant Based Juices)
Looking for that brand which uses the best plant based ingredients to create plant based products which are great for you and the earth? Well, that is Plenish. Their products are naturally delicious, only organic and no nasty stuff like preservatives added - we love them!
https://www.plenishdrinks.com/
- THIS (Meat Alternative)
Looking for that alternative that hits the spot like meat? Why not try out THIS - the brand which makes incredible meat alternatives which you can barely tell the difference between them and the real thing! Pick up the streaky bacon or sausages on your next trip to Tescos and let us know what you think.
https://this.co/
6: Veganuary all year: how you can slowly bring veganism into your daily life?
Now you're kitted with resources, vegan products to try and recipes - how do you start bringing these ideas into your daily life?
Here are a few tips on how to bring Veganism into your routine.
- Vegan day once a week
Make a new vegan meal for dinner or pack the kids a vegan meal for school - try out new recipes and have fun with it!
- Try out Vegan cafe’s in your local area
Why not search Instagram for Vegan cafes and restaurants in your area and treat yourself to a Vegan coffee and cake? Not only are you supporting a local business but also a great cause.
- Baby steps - don’t try and swap everything at once!
The best piece of advice we can give you is to make small steps to a big goal like veganism. Try to create a repertoire of recipes, swap your products out slowly and use what you already have first - and be kind with yourself, it’s not an easy swap it’s an entire lifestyle!
Do you have any tips for going Vegan? Share them with us in the comments or on social media! Good luck!