As Veganuary comes to a close, it is the perfect time to celebrate the most planet-friendly diet in the world and explore how to continue a vegan diet beyond January. In collaboration with eco-influencer Kayla we bring you: Vegan tips beyond Veganuary!
So before we get to our collaboration post with Kayla, let’s start from the top and explore the benefits of a vegan diet. At ecoLogic we are keen to carry on the dietary conversation with our planet in mind so let’s see what all the vegan hype is about.
Benefits of a vegan diet
The major benefits of veganism can be broken down into 3 main parts:
- Environmental: The meat and dairy industry constitute a massive proportion of global emissions (both carbon dioxide as well as methane) and if reduced can help tackle climate change.
- Ethical: Standing up for animal rights is a huge pull towards veganism as the meat industry is brutal and slaughters millions of animals every day.
- Health: Many meat and dairy products have negative impacts on our health, particularly when overconsumed like they are in western culture. Introducing plant-based meals or simply eating less meat can improve health for many, although it is specific to the individual.
With all the benefits of a vegan diet, it seems surprising there are only an estimated 79 million vegans in the world.
Perhaps it is to do with the difficulty involved with overhauling your diet, particularly if you are born into a culture that fetishises animal products, like western culture for example.
So for Veganuary 2022, it is time to celebrate and explore the benefits of veganism and maybe it will tempt you to try vegan meals here and there beyond just in January.
But why listen to a non-vegan about this amazing diet? Let’s hear it from the amazing Kayla. We at ecoLogicc are buzzing to give some creative space to eco-influencer Kayla to write all about her journey with veganism and inspire the rest of us to think about such a beneficial diet in Veganuary 2022!
Kayla’s journey with Veganism
After 3 years of being on a vegetarian diet and having done so much research into veganism, I finally decided it was time on 3rd January 2020 to participate in Veganuary and cut out the dairy and eggs. Honestly, I haven’t looked back since.
If you are someone who has completed Veganuary… congrats! It can be challenging, especially if you’re someone who has transitioned from a diet of meat, dairy, and eggs to completely excluding these food groups.
All the Veganuary content about how to survive it and the restaurant discounts are a massive help but what we don’t see much of is what to do after Veganuary. The buzz of the new year and new year resolutions have started to die down, along with the Veganuary content and deals. So, what next?
If you’ve enjoyed it, hopefully it’s something that you’re looking to continue with (whether that’s as a fully blown vegan or just cutting down on animal products).
If so, I’ve got 5 tips to remind you why being vegan is so important and how to make it a more effortless part of your lifestyle.
1. Be organised and have a sharp eye
- Meal Prep
I know, you hear it all the time, but it is true. Meal prepping is an absolute life saver and other than making your new vegan lifestyle easier, it makes your LIFE easier.
How I like to meal prep is the day before my food shop, I sit down and make a list of the weekdays (you can miss the weekend if you know you will get a takeaway or go out to eat). I list the meals I’m going to have on each day and then make my food shopping list from the recipes. This saves you so much time and money.
- Check Labels
I promise this will just become an unconscious habit after some time. I even check labels of products that are certified vegan, just because I’m soooo used to doing it.
The reason why I say this is because you see a lot online about ‘accidentally vegan products’ which is always so cool to find but sometimes they vary within supermarkets, brands and even products. For instance, bourbons aren’t all created equally. Most are vegan but some do have skimmed milk powder…
Just be careful and check before you buy.
2. Have staples in your cupboard
This is key.
There are certain staples like nutritional yeast, veggie stock, beans, dairy-free milk, that are useful to stock up on.
I would also suggest having a lil stash of vegan treats. There’s nothing worse than having a craving for something sweet and the shops are closed, or you’re too cosy to go to the shops. Having some vegan chocolate in the cupboard is a great way around this.
3. Look up new restaurants
It’s really useful to explore your eating-out options. Most chains do have vegan menus but eating at fully vegan restaurants is way more exciting because 9/10, the food is so much better. Here is a list of spots I would recommend:
- Eat of Eden
- Ready Burger
- Stem & Glory
- Loving Hut Archway
- Wagamama (not a vegan restaurant but deserves a shoutout for the 50% vegan menu)
4. Stay motivated and informed
This is truly what will keep you on a vegan/part-time vegan path. The more you keep informed, the more you will feel motivated and be reminded why you are making this change. Watching documentaries and YouTube content creators who make informative content is super useful.
Here are my recommendations:
- What the Health
- Cowspiracy
- The Game Changers
- Seaspiracy
- Earthling Ed
- Jack Harries
5. Be influenced
Despite the often-bad press of influencer culture, a lot of influencers make amazing content and there’s a whole world of vegan influencers inspiring people to make positive changes. They make amazing recipes, recommend different vegan food products, and have useful advice.
Some of my faves are:
- RG Vegan
- Makeitdairyfree
- Maxlamanna
- Sauce Stache
- Thelittlelondonvegan
