Kickstart Veganuary with our top tips, recipes, and resources. From prep hacks, plant-based cheeses, and meat alternatives, get ready for a sustainable, delicious year ahead!
As the new year unfolds it brings with it a sense of renewal and opportunity for change. Many of us set resolutions to enhance our general well-being—common goals are to quit smoking or hit the gym. But now, more than ever, there’s a growing trend towards rethinking our food choices. Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, however, can be challenging. Fear not!
To guide you through this year’s Veganuary challenge, we’ve compiled tips and recommendations that not only help you navigate this journey but also inspire a more sustainable lifestyle, all year round.
How to Take Part in Veganuary?
1. Unleash Your Inner Chef: Creative Vegan Cooking Tips
When first starting vegan, our best advice is to fall in love with raw ingredients, spices and heat! This way you will learn how exciting and surprising vegan recipes are. Challenge yourself with vegetables you have never cooked with before–those bizarre enormous winter vegetables are culinary mysteries to discover!
Pumpkin can be a great storyteller, see London host Marc’s Roasted butternut squash velouté or Paris host Catherine’s own organic pumpkin risotto for inspiration. Most importantly, take your time, use your own cooking references and skills and start creating.
2. Vegan Meal Prep Hacks to Stay On Track and Satisfied
Temptation lurks everywhere, from the office to your friend’s house, and vegan options are not always available. Be prepared to fight temptation by always carrying snacks like fruits and nuts.
Making vibrant, rainbow-colored lunches for the office not only ensures you stay on track but might also inspire others to join the Veganuary challenge. Carrying food with you will guarantee pleasure and good nutrition, meaning you won’t need to settle for a dull dish of vegetarian sides.
3. Explore Vegan Restaurants and Food Experiences Near You
Ever wondered what a menu of only vegan delights looks like?
Vegan restaurants and experiences are popping up in cities all around the world and vegan chefs are exploring amazing and creative ways to craft fully plant-based dishes that will satisfy all your cravings and provide, well, a rather extraordinary experience.
Exploring the vegan scene is also a great way to discover other food cultures and their own vegan creations. So, become a locavore, explore your city, order the vegan option at restaurants, and go to vegan experiences near you–let yourself be surprised and inspired!
The Best Vegan Meat Replacements for Flavorful Plant-Based Meals
In Western societies, we often build our plates around a meat dish. Meat is a central component of many diets–it’s the pièce de résistance. The vegan food industry has managed to recreate almost any form of processed foods–from ham and bacon to burgers and nuggets. The industry’s provoking communication campaigns tackle cultural stereotypes and encourage people to try plant-based products. There’s no doubt that you’ll find great vegan options!
When starting a vegan or a vegetarian diet, it’s important to recreate this dish structure and, believe it or not, there are vegetables that provide that flavorful and “meaty” element to elevate a dish.
Whole cauliflowers can be roasted with spices and smoked paprika and shared with friends or family (after trying this, you won’t ever miss roast chicken again!), eggplants are great meat replacements in any stew due to their firm structure and heat-resistant form, jackfruit mimics pulled pork or is the perfect chicken replacement that I dare to say tastes even better. And if you crave a burger, Portobello mushrooms are your go-to, with their spongy texture and earthy flavors.
There are many soy-based proteins that perfectly mimic ground beef for an amazing vegan Bolognese and, don’t forget, you can always rely on the classic vegan best friend in all its forms: tofu!
Fauxmagerie Delights: Discover the Best Plant-Based Cheeses
Many people say that one of the most difficult things to let go when going vegan is cheese. We think that’s exactly why the vegan cheese industry is blossoming.
We’re in the age of breakthrough innovations inspired by age-old traditions. Modern cheese makers are uncovering the secrets of Gruyère, Roquefort, and Cheddar, transforming nuts into incredible cheese platters. Join in at home by making your own cashew cream cheese and share it with your friends!
Discovering the incredible array of faux-cheese options is one of the most exciting parts of the vegan challenge.
How to Make Vegan Desserts That Everyone Will Love
It can be a challenge to avoid pastries and desserts during Veganuary, as most of them contain eggs and dairy. The good news is that vegan pastry chefs are truly taking it to another level, offering an amazing repertoire of classic and avant-garde vegan pastry recipes for you to choose from. Morven's mouthwatering vegan desserts will definitely impress your guests.
Tips? To treat ice cream cravings choose the deliciously refreshing sorbets–better if they’re natural!
Craving something crunchier or sweeter? Meringues can easily be made vegan with aquafaba (chickpea water) and you won’t be able to taste the difference.
Not all foods need to be veganized though- classic Oreos are already vegan as they aren’t made from any animal products.
Your Veganuary Starter Pack: Tips, Recipes, and Resources
If want to tackle this whole month following a vegan lifestyle, getting informed is key!
Recent research has shown that vegan diets improve many aspects of our overall health and energy. For example, Netflix’s recent documentary experiments with plant-based diets and identical twins. The results are fascinating and we recommend watching it to find out more.
For more information, visit the Vegan Society website. You can also download their app for tips and recipes.
Ready for Veganuary?
There are an overwhelming number of ways you can enjoy Veganuary this month without restricting your diet and missing animal products. If you're in a cooking rut or what some vegan inspiration, check out the plant-based meals available on Eatwith.
No matter if you're trying the plant-based diet as a challenge for the month, or it's your segway into veganism for life, we salute you! The biggest risk you're making is that you'll learn some ridiculously delicious recipes and fall in love with plant-based food!
So, what are you waiting for? DM us and let us know what new things you try!