Why Veganuary matters
There are so many reasons why giving Veganuary a go is the perfect way to kickstart healthier habits in the new year - in fact, last January over 629,000 people across 228 countries signed up for the official campaign, and up to 10 times as many are believed to have attempted it independently. But when January's over, even just carrying on with a few of the new habits has huge rewards!
"But what about cheese and chocolate" - possibly the phrase we hear the most from people who want to try a plant-based diet, but fear they'll be missing out. We get it, cheese and chocolate are delicious, but we can confidently say that our alternatives are even better. Better for you, and definitely better for the planet.
Here's why some plant-based lifestyle swaps are the key to healthier and happier people and a planet.
Healthy people - eating a whole food, plant-based diet (avoiding the processed meat alternatives) is a great choice for your overall health. Our in house nutritionist, Hannah, has given us her top tips for a healthy Veganuary here, including all of the health benefits of eating all the wonderful plants.
Healthy planet - the less we rely on meat and animal products and more on fruits, vegetables and whole foods, greenhouses gases could be reduced by a massive two-thirds! In fact, reducing meat consumption is one of the most effective ways of reducing our individual carbon footprints. Experts predict that without substantial reductions in global meat consumption, agriculture will consume the entire planets carbon budget by 2050.
No compromise - see for yourself, this week why not try grabbing a jar of Rubies in the Rubble Vegan Mayo instead of your usual, or treating yourself to any number of the delicious treats from the Raw Chocolate Company. Why not try dedicating a few nights a week to cooking a plant-based meal? You'll soon find your secret ingredients...nutritional yeast anyone?!
More affordable - you'll very quickly realise that cutting out or reducing meat will instantly bring down the cost of your weekly shop. A common misconception is that going vegan is more expensive, and whilst some meat and dairy alternatives have a higher price point, "good vegan food is all about vegetables and pulses" - Anna Jones. Cooking vegan from scratch is incredibly affordable, and with the help of a little planning and guidance (check out some of our recipes here) you'll be surprised just how easy making plants the focus of your plate can be.
Beyond food - if you've been looking for the cruelty-free symbol on your make-up, household and personal care products, make sure you're also looking for the vegan stamp of approval, too. You'd be surprised just how many pesky animal derived ingredients make their way, unnecessarily, into your favourite products.
Most importantly, whether you're taking part in the Veganuary for this month, trying to reduce meat a few days a week, switching to vegan products in the home, or planning to go fully vegan, be kind and patient with yourself. You're already making the conscious choice - you don't have to go from full carnivore to vegan in one day. Like with everything we believe in, it's all about the small changes that all add up. It's about being aware and conscious first and foremost.
And whilst our shop is always 100% plant-based (not just for Veganuary!), not all of us in store are, and it's super important for us to be transparent about this. It's important to remember that we're all on our own journey, making our own changes, learning things for ourselves and moving forward at our own pace.