7 Reasons to Join Veganuary

This will be my third year doing Veganuary. My first year was a bit of a disaster because I tried to go completely vegan from the beginning and it was just too much for my lifestyle at the time. And I didn’t spend enough time actually planning my meals. But I did manage to cut out meat completely for the month and reduced my meat consumption dramatically. Last year was a lot easier because I was already eating much less meat. 

This year I have spent a lot more time planning and finding new recipes to try and I have managed to convince David to join me which will make dinner time a lot easier. One of our neighbours is also joining which is also going to make it easier.

My understanding of Veganuary is not to get everyone to go vegan (right away) but rather to educate about a plant based diet and get people to reduce their meat consumption and live more sustainably. If you approach it like that it does make it a lot easier. If you are trying it for the first time, try switch out one meal a day for a plant-based meal. For me the easiest meal is a quick stir-fry – you can use any veggies you have in your fridge, add some soya sauce and you have a meal in minutes. 

My goal for January is two plant-based meals per day. I struggled each year with breakfasts – currently I have an egg most mornings for breakfast and have yet to find an alternative that keeps me as full as the egg does. My compromise is that I have found a local chicken farm that has free-range chickens, they are hormone and other nasties free.

These are some of the reason why I am joining Veganuary again this year. 

1. Environmentally friendly – You can read more about the impact of meat on the environment in this article. Farming vegetables obviously also has an impact on the environment but it is a lot less than that of meat. Also I can easily get my fruit and vegetables plastic-free and most of the vegan condiments, sauces come in glass bottles. Currently where I stay it is impossible for me to get meat that does not come in plastic – so from that point of view alone, I am reducing my plastic consumption by buying less meat.  
2. Animal friendly – It is no secret that animals are treated horrifically in the production of meat.It is also no secret that they are pumped full of chemicals, antibiotics, hormones etc etc. Cutting out meat is one way to try to reduce animal abuse. If you are not prepared to cut out meat completely, find out where your meat is coming from. Look for local farmers and find out exactly how they treat their animals and whether or not they use hormones, antibiotics etc. We buy all of our chicken from a local farm, they are completely free range and hormone free – we can taste the difference. 
3. You can try new dishes – When you actually start researching recipes and ideas for vegan meals you will discover very quickly that there is more to it than salads. Some of the most amazing dishes I have made have been made plant-based. Onions, garlic, ginger, spices and herbs are incredible things and can make your dishes taste delicious. It is also a good way to change up what you are eating and get everyone to try new things. Check out these scrumptious vegan loaded nachos.
4. You will feel better – When I started eating meat again 2 years ago I immediately started to feel sluggish and just meh. Eating more plant-based meals definitely helps me to feel better. I haven’t noticed weight loss but I just feel better and never have that “over full” feeling I do when I eat meat. 
5. Avoid toxins – It is a lot easier to find organic fruit and vegetables than it is to find organic (affordable) meat. When you ditch the meat you are avoiding a whole lot of nasties that are added to meat based products. Obviously you do still need to read labels of processed items but it is so much easier to avoid toxins when you are plant-based. 
6. Easier than you think – I was one of those people who assumed it was going to be a huge mission to cut out meat, but it really is a lot easier than I thought it would be. I did initially take some planning and adjustment but now it is pretty easy to avoid animal-based products. Just like with any lifestyle change, if you change the foods you have in your home, it will be easier to grab a handful of nuts than biltong if you just stop buying the biltong!
7. Healthy – I am not going to argue that meat based in healthier than plant-based but I have found it to be a lot healthier for us because I pay a lot more attention to what we eat now. While my family is not meat-free, we have increased our intake of fruit and vegetables and switched our meat suppliers where we can. We support local farmers and suppliers and I try to limit processed food as much as I can.

If you want to join Veganuary – sign up here. They will send you a recipe book, a meal plan and some other tips to help you get started.