Veganuary 2021: What Is It + 9 Tips For a Successful Vegan Month.
The new year is right around the corner— and with a new year comes new goals, challenges, and habits. We’re finally leaving 2020 behind— with all its ups and downs and it’s time for a fresh and hopeful start.
And who doesn’t want to start off the year on the right foot? Healthy habits, productive work weeks, traveling… Whatever it is you want to do— January is the time to start.
If one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to have a more eco-friendly lifestyle or healthier eating habits, there’s something perfect for you— Veganuary.
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is a non-profit organization helping people from all over the world adjust to a vegan diet. For the month of January, they created “Veganuary”, a pledge to go vegan for the first month of the new year— and beyond.
Since 2014, over a million people have taken the pledge to go vegan for a month.
To help you succeed in your Veganuary quest, when you take the pledge you get a free meal-plan, cookbook, recipes, and more. They offer full support to you in making the most out of this experience.
They also partner up with restaurants and other companies to bring more vegan options to restaurants, supermarkets, and more. They’re amplifying the vegan voices of the world by raising awareness of the importance of a vegan diet and expanding the available options.
Their mission is a strong statement of what we desperately need on our planet nowadays: to protect our environment, our animals, and our health. Veganuary does all three.
In 2020, over 450,000 thousand people signed the pledge to go vegan for a month. In 2021, the hope is to grow that number and create an even bigger impact.
Want to be part of this amazing movement? Take the pledge here.
My Top 9 Tips For a Successful Veganuary... And Beyond
1. Get Set… Meal prep!
If you’re going vegan for the first time this Veganuary, meal prep will be your best friend. Starting any new diet is hard, simply because it’s new. But preparing yourself (and your meals!) makes it easier.
An easy way to avoid sneaking a slice of (non-vegan) pizza into your diet is to be ready. You don’t need to cook every single meal before the week starts, but knowing what you’re eating every day is a game-changer.
If you sign up for Veganuary, your meal plan is a huge help. Take a few recipes and make a calendar with your meals for the week. If you can, have some of those meals ready or have the veggies and fruit already washed, chopped, and ready to be cooked.
You can also have rice, quinoa, or any other grain already cooked a couple of days before eating it. Whatever you make ahead of time is a big help if you’re on the run.
It’s the best way to succeed, and as the weeks go by, it becomes easier and easier.
2. Don’t Overcomplicate It.
Some people think that eating vegan is super complicated and requires a lot of cooking. The latter might be sort-of true, but it’s definitely not complicated. Vegan meals can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make them— just like omnivore meals.
There are many simple vegan recipes to try. These are a few people on Instagram who have great easy & quick vegan meals, as well as more elaborate ones:
Follow them or check out their blogs for many easy-to-make vegan recipes. You can also check out these recipes from my own kitchen or use the recipes by Veganuary.
3. Veganize Your Kitchen And Lock Temptation Away.
It’s easy to fall for temptation when on a diet— especially if your kitchen is full of appetizing non-vegan snacks. The best way to avoid this is by getting rid of anything non-vegan. You can gift it to a friend or lock it away for the month... but please don’t waste good food.
If it’s not possible for you to clean out your kitchen or your family/roommates are not vegan, don’t panic. Success is still possible. Just make sure to stock up with enough vegan foods for you to eat, so you don’t need to look for other options.
Try to keep enough last-minute snacks around like nuts, hummus, fruit, rice cakes, peanut butter, and anything else you love. Check out Veganuary’s snacks ideas here.
4. Be Open-Minded And Try New Things.
When I first tried Veganuary 2 years ago there were a few foods I didn’t like, like tofu, peas, and kale. But I wanted to go into my vegan month with an open mind, so I decided to give them all a second chance.
Of course, tofu and kale are some of my favorite foods right now. And the truth is the reason I didn’t like tofu is because I didn’t know how to cook it, so I made sure to change that.
I learned different ways to cook tofu and now even my non-vegan tofu-hater husband loves it! Along with kale. I’m not gonna lie, peas are still not my fave but I do eat them— especially to add a boost of protein to my meals.
When going into a new habit, especially when it comes to food, you must be open-minded. You need to try new things and see what you like and what you don’t. Foods that might not look appetizing have the potential to surprise you.
It’s a new year… you might as well try new things 😉.
5. Find a Veganuary Partner
Having support makes anything easier— and going vegan for a month is no exception. Tell your friends and family about Veganuary and find a partner in crime to go through it with you.
Not only is having someone to do it with easier, but it also makes it way more fun. You get to share your favorite recipes and tips, hold each other accountable, and maybe get together for a vegan-brunch.
If no one you know is up for the challenge, try finding an online partner or community for support. Follow Veganuary’s Facebook page and connect with others who are doing it too. You might find a good partner and friend!
6. Read labels.
When you go vegan for the first time, learning to read labels is a must. You’ll be surprised to see how many foods have animal products in them. Certain brands of apple, orange, and grapefruit juice, beer, marshmallows, sauces, and more have animal ingredients in them.
To ensure the products you’re getting are vegan, make sure to read the full ingredient list. I have bought SO many products thinking they’re vegan only to realize they’re not once I get home. It’s pretty frustrating and sometimes a waste of money.
The first supermarket trip when going vegan might be longer as you’ll have to read many labels and find substitutes. But don’t worry… it only gets easier, and with time you’ll be able to easily spot vegan products.
Check out Veganuary’s shopping tips here.
7. Carry Vegan-Friendly Snacks.
Hunger strikes anywhere, anytime— and being ready is the way to stay on track. Always have a snack ready and available in case of hunger-emergency.
Anything you can carry in your pocket makes the cut— nuts, fruit, or vegan chocolate. Also carry your reusable bottle of water, in case you’re confusing hunger with thirst.
8. Don’t Aim For Perfection
When you’re feeling discouraged and ready to give up on Veganuary, remember why you signed up in the first place. To be healthier? To help the environment? To protect animals? Or simply to challenge yourself this new year?
Whatever your reason is to try a vegan lifestyle, remember it, and stick to it— but don’t get discouraged if you cheat.
It’s normal to feel cravings and to occasionally fall for them, but don’t let a small slip stop you. Let it go and start again. A vegan diet takes time and it’s okay to not be perfect— as long as you keep trying.
The first couple of weeks might be tough, as your body goes into detox and adjusts to your new habits. But that’s perfectly normal. And after the four weeks, you’ll feel amazing… and you get to decide if you want to stick to a vegan lifestyle, a plant-based one, or go back to your ways.
Whatever you decide, it’s okay.
9. Learn About Vegan Foods and Substitutes.
There are many misconceptions about vegan diets, both good and bad. No, not all vegan food is healthy. And yes, there are more than enough plant-based protein options for you to have a healthy diet.
The important thing is to learn what foods are vegan and good for you and your health. But also learn about vegan comfort food options. We all deserve a cheat-meat, and there are more than enough options for you to do that— especially now.
Check out the vegan corner at your local supermarket and you’ll find substitutes for meat, cheese, yogurt, milk, and even eggs.
To learn more about healthy vegan options check out Veganuary’s tips here.
A Final Word of Advice...
A vegan lifestyle is as simple, fun, and delicious as you want to make it. My most important advice is to enjoy it! Don’t feel pressured to be perfect or to craft elaborate vegan meals every day. Do what works best for you.
And don’t forget to take note of how you feel— Do you have more energy? Has your digestion improved? What about your skin, hair, and nails? Did you lose weight?
To me, those were all a big YES when I first went vegan. I felt better than I’d ever had before. Even as I was training for a big hiking trip, my endurance in the gym soared. But that’s me.
Take note of how YOU feel and what foods make YOU feel good— and stick to those.
Veganuary is about creating new, healthier habits that help you and the planet.