How to Start Veganuary: Tips for Students Going Vegan
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The beginning of every year gives us all a chance to start afresh, to reassess our goals and targets for the year ahead, and to try out new things.
We’re always here to help point you in the right direction for new challenges, whether it’s finding the best free workout apps for students to help you get in shape or guidance to try out dry January or Veganuary, which is what we’ll be discussing here – Veganuary tips!
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary was launched just over a decade ago, in 2014. It is a campaign that encourages all types of people to go the whole month of January consuming only plant foods.
It began from people with multiple viewpoints around veganism, from those who wish to protect the planet, who want to prevent the suffering of animals, and those who wish to improve the health of people around the world.
Any person can do Veganuary, even if you’ve never tried veganism in the past.
What it means to ‘go vegan’
Before you decide to go vegan, we would always advise that you speak with your doctor about a meal plan if you have any underlying health concerns.
Going vegan is a lifestyle change as much as just changing your diet. There are a wide range of naturally vegan food to choose from but understanding what you can and can’t eat takes more of a holistic approach.
You might also want to branch out at first with a list of plant-based alternatives to what you would usually cook and eat, to help you get into a routine during Veganuary.
Some vegan produce includes:
• Almond, soy, coconut and oat milk instead of cow and goat’s milk
• Nuts, lentils, beans, and peas, instead of protein from meat, fish, and eggs
• Molasses and dates instead of honey
• Agar-agar instead of gelatin
• Clothing made from materials like cotton, linen, rubber, and nylon, instead of wool, silk, fur, and leather
• Shampoo and other cosmetics that don’t contain animal substances
This might seem a bit daunting and challenging if you have never even considered veganism before, but there are so many fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, and whole grains, that make it at least very easy to change your diet to be vegan.
Reasons to go vegan
There are quite a few reasons why you should consider going vegan. Veganuary helps to point out the benefits of veganism not just for you as an individual but for the world as a whole. Reasons to try veganism include:
Environmentally-friendly
Modern animal agriculture has a massive impact on the environment in terms of carbon emissions, water pollution and deforestation to name just a few.
By adopting a plant-based diet, you can help reduce the demand, which in turn will reduce the impact on the environment. Choosing local, sustainably grown alternatives will help us all to reduce our global carbon footprint.
Better health
Diets that are rich in plant foods help to encourage balanced cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
This can help to reduce the potential for heart disease and other types of disease and illnesses that are more likely in people who eat meat and heavily processed foods.
A rich and varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is beneficial to your health.
Lower bills
It is less expensive to buy certain vegan foods in bulk, such as rice, beans, grains, pasta, and lentils.
They are rich in carbohydrates, protein and other essential nutrients.
You’ll gain from a healthy and balanced diet, while helping your grocery budget to become much lower in the process.
Better for animals
Animal welfare is a big reason why many people choose to go vegan.
Animals that are raised in modern, mass farming, are more likely to suffer in harsh conditions, so choosing to not eat these animal products is a great way to lower demand and to be kinder towards animals.
Tips for Veganuary and beyond
Now, if you’re interested in taking up veganism for the month or thinking of changing your lifestyle completely, we’ve put together some Veganuary tips to help you.
Shift your mindset
It’s easy to think about veganism as being restrictive when you are considering making the switch, but it is important to look at it differently.
Think about how this is an opportunity for you to try different food and different recipes that have interested you. Veganuary is an exciting time where you can shift your mindset and open up opportunities.
Learn the basics
Understanding nutrition is important for all of us, but when you are a beginner with veganism it becomes even more important.
Take the time to learn more about plant-based food and the impact of different vegan produce and what you can use and when. This will help you when it comes to the next bit of advice.
Plan ahead and cook alternative favourites
A well-planned vegan diet will help you to get to grips with Veganuary.
Look for specific recipes that can help you get started, and a good idea is to search for alternative recipes for some of your favourite non-vegan meals.
Head to the supermarket and buy a range of vegan staples, such as lentils, beans, grains, pasta, oats, and nuts.
Seek out the experts
One of the best things about the modern age is that you can find experts in pretty much anything, withing a few seconds. Find vegan creators on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other social channels.
Look at what they are cooking and how, discover new vegan trends, and have fun with what you are trying to achieve this month and beyond.
Have you decided to go vegan this year? Whether just for January or beyond or balancing your lifestyle to eat more veggie and vegan food than you have previously, there are many benefits to going vegan.
Veganuary itself is a great idea and we’re always happy to provide Veganuary tips and guidance like this alongside our usual best cafés for students in various towns and cities throughout the UK.
We want you to have the best student experience wherever you study, and Veganuary can be a big part of that, or help you to learn and understand more about food and the vegan lifestyle even if you don’t end up becoming vegan full-time.
