10 tips for Veganuary: How to go vegan for a month

Over 580,000 people tried Veganuary in 2021 with the numbers increasing year on year. Whether you want to reduce your environmental footprint, go fully vegan or try something new, there are literally dozens of reasons to give it a go. New year, new diet? So you’re interested but aren’t sure where to start. Read on for 10 quality tips that will have you doing Veganuary in no time. 

1. First thing’s first, start slow. For most people there is no miracle switch to make them vegan (unless you’ve watched Okja). It should be regarded as a transition and ideally started prior to January. 

2. Secondly, eat more vegetables. 

3. Be prepared for social engagements. Being the only vegan at a friends’ dinner party can leave you feeling isolated (and hungry). Hopefully you have fairly nice friends that won’t ridicule you and you’ve given them advance notice, or told them you’ll bring your own food, easy. 

4. Batch cook. It can be quite difficult for a newbie vegan to decide what to cook and eat. Why not cook a big batch of vegan lunches or dinners that you can take with you wherever you go for the week. It will save you time, money and the hassle of deciding on new recipes to try every day. 

5. Be wary of deficiencies. Some nutrients can only be found in animal products, notably Vitamin B12, which is important for red blood cell formation, DNA production and central nervous system function. Lucky for you our gummies contain Vitamin B12, along with a bunch of other essential vitamins that you’ll need. 

6. Remove all the non-vegan temptations at home. No brainer really. 

7. Have tasty snacks within arms reach. This could actually stop you from getting caught out. Nuts, vegan chocolate bars, vegan crisps, hummus and fruit are solid options. 

8. Plan your meals in advance, especially in the beginning. A weekly planner might benefit you. Here’s some breakfast ideas to get you started.

• Oatmeal with dairy-free alternatives milks, add nuts and fruits.
• Toast with almond butter or dairy-free cheese.
• Homemade acai bowls.
• Vegan pancakes.
• Toasted homemade muesli.
• Fruit smoothie.
• Cereals with dairy-free alternative milks.

9. Remember the health benefits of going vegan. Plant-based diets can help reduce the chance of a moderate to severe COVID-19 illness. Check out this blog post for more. 

10. Why not join a community of people that are trying to achieve the same thing as you? 

Lastly, be patient - trust the process and have fun with it!

Dr Alexander, MB ChB, BSc (Hons) - Senior Writer