Veganuary is the world’s largest vegan movement that inspires millions of individuals globally to try going vegan for January (and inspires some to become vegan permanently). Veganuary’s mission is all about nurturing the planet and our bodies – by doing less harm to the environment and more good to our overall health.

Veganism might seem daunting. There is a common misconception around a vegan diet consisting of just greens, or food being bland and boring. It’s quite the opposite. There are so many substitutes for dairy and meat products nowadays, and a whole array of vegetables, grains, legumes and other foods that you probably have never heard of before – but it’s all the more fun when you get to experiment and try something new.

If you’re considering trying vegan, we want to make it as smooth sailing as possible. Here is our guide with tips and tricks to help you along your journey.

Remember, be easy on yourself. You don’t need to have it all figured out by day 1 and switch out every single ingredient you own. Start with what you have and slowly implement vegan alternatives. It’s all about trial and error and figuring out what works for you and your body.

Vegan Ingredients:

Switch out meat for alternatives such as tofu, seitan, tempeh, frozen vegan ‘meats’ such as ones by Beyond Meat, Quorn or Linda McCartney that are easily accessible.

Switch out your regular milk for other milk alternatives from hazelnut, hemp, oat, soya, coconut and almond milk (you name it, there’s a milk for it!)

Switch out dairy for vegan cheeses, tofu scrambled ‘eggs’, cashew/coconut cream cheese and nutritional yeast which can be added to almost anything for a nutty/cheesy taste

Switch out eggs in baking for apple cider vinegar, flaxseeds, chia seeds, apple sauce or ripe bananas

Make sure to stock up on spices/stock cubes which are key in any form of vegan cooking. Common spices include cinnamon, turmeric, garlic powder, paprika, allspice, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cumin, curry powder and mixed green herbs.

Keep your pantry filled with dried and canned goods that can be used in practically any dish, such as coconut milk, chia seeds, chickpeas, tomato paste, oats, quinoa, couscous, lentils, black beans and kidney beans.

Vegan Cooking Tips:

• Write down food you already love and turn those into a vegan option by eliminating or changing the key ingredients, such as using tofu for a stir fry instead of chicken.
• Marinating is key. Especially when it comes to ingredients like tofu which can take a while to soak up flavours.
• Meal prepping is the way to go. It’s easier to keep meat-free dishes in the fridge for days without it spoiling. It also means less work for you during the week.
• Make staples rather than buying them, such as hummus. You can buy the ingredients in bulk and it’s usually cheaper this way. You’re also using fresh ingredients that will make it tastier and more enjoyable.
• To tame your sweet cravings, make in bulk snacks that will last you a while and also helps save you money, such as protein balls, oat cookies, roasted chickpeas, avocado brownies and banana muffins

Here is a list of Vegan Recipe Blogs that will give you an array of beautiful dishes to help you get started:

• Loving It Vegan
• It doesn’t taste like chicken
• Veganuary
• Simple Veganista
• I love Vegan
• The Veg Space
• Simple Vegan Blog
• Minimalist Baker

Did you know that 98% of those that try Veganuary say they would recommend it to a friend – those figures alone may convince you to take the plunge this January.

We would love to hear all about your Veganuary Journey. Reach out to us and tag us on Instagram with photos of your incredible vegan meals.

We can all inspire each other to try something new and Uncommon.