We’re halfway through January, which for some means that they’re halfway through Veganuary and are thinking one of many things: “this is great, I’m going vegan full time”, “this is great, I’m going to make sure to eat less animal products in my diet from now on”, or “this is awful, what am I doing wrong?!” For those thinking the latter, or who’d like some more tips on going vegan, help is at hand, with my vegan tips and tricks guide.
Tips and Tricks for Going Vegan
Plant Based Whole Foods Can be Cheaper and Healthier
Is the cost of Veganuary putting you off going vegan full time? There are a few things to remember. First off, any diet change will involve having to stock up on different things. Once you’ve got the basics sorted, eating mainly plant based wholefoods can be so much cheaper than eating meat, dairy, or eating part-prepped vegan friendly ready meal style foods. I’m going to be explaining this further in a future post, but my partner and I have managed to keep our food budget very low per month, most months a lot less than £130 a month including a meal out/take away each month and picking up things when we fancy. If we didn’t have a take away or eat out, and were less impulsive with food purchases, then our £100 a month grocery spend would be sufficient.
Of course, plant based whole foods can be healthier – if you’re looking at improving the health aspects of your food, you’ll need to do a bit more research than just cutting out animal products, as well as doing the following…
Source: Flickr/Creative Commons
Log Your Intake
Is making sure that you eat the correct levels of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals worrying you? Logging your food intake should help. There are a number of helpful apps you can install on your phone/tablet/other device which will help you to log what you eat and keep an eye on things a little closer. CHRON-O-METER and MyFitnessPal are both super popular, and it’s worth reviewing which is best for you when the time comes.
Supplements Aren’t a Bad Thing
So many meat eaters feel the need to take supplements and often have deficiencies for which they’ve been told to supplement. So if you feel you need to take a supplement, don’t feel bad. Some people find some peace of mind through taking supplements, and others find it essential. Guess what? It’s not just vegans who may need them – meat eaters an vegetarians also need to use them for many reasons too. I currently take vegan friendly Vitamin B tablets and Ahiflower oil, which is a great additional source of vegetarian and vegan friendly omega 3, 6, and 9.
Don’t Feel Bad About Meat Substitutes
If you don’t feel as though you have the time or energy to cook from scratch all the time, or you just really fancy a meat substitute, don’t feel bad about it! There are some great vegan meat substitutes out there, many of which are delicious and packed full of nutrients, too.
Some of my favourite meat substitutes include Frys Schnitzels (you can find these in Holland and Barrett and also on Ocado), Linda McCartney sausages*, and Linda McCartney 1/4 lb burgers*, so yum!
Vegan Friendly Restaurants and Eating Out
There are so many places offering vegan options now – most recently chains All Bar One and Harvester launched vegan friendly options, so you should feel less stuck when eating out now, which is great. There are also lots of vegetarian and vegan only restaurants scattered around and I’m hoping to visit more and more of them in the next year or so. I’ll make sure to give reviews when I visit places, and you can also see my Brighton vegan food guide for options when visiting Brighton.
Vegan and Cruelty Free Makeup and Beauty Products
I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a pro at finding vegan and cruelty free makeup and beauty products. I get a lot of my ideas from other blogs and also do a lot of shopping at Superdrug, as I know that many of their own brand products are not only vegan and cruelty free, but are great value for money. There are some great vegan and cruelty free beauty blogs and YouTube channels, including Logical Harmony, Cruelty Free Kitty, Lovely Witches and Vegan Beauty Review.
Source: Pixabay/Creative Commons
Think and Research
One of the best things I’ve found so far about going vegan (apart from saving animals and the environment, not eating meat, the cost and the effect on my health!) is that it makes me think about what I’m eating and what I’m using. You should always read up on anything you hear, and researching about what you’re eating, where you’re going and the products you’re using is so helpful in lot of different ways. Make sure that what you read up on is peer reviewed (if it’s a specific study) and from legitimate sources.
I’m going to be writing a lot more vegan friendly content this year, including lots of vegan recipes, tips and tricks, and thought pieces! If there’s anything you’d like to know in particular, please do let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear! I’ve got some great vegan themed Pinterest boards, so make sure you’re following me!
FYI: I’m not a qualified nutritionist or dietitian, so will not be giving you advice on these things. It’s worth doing research into this, and consulting qualified health professionals for more information, or if you have any concerns.
Disclaimer – this post features affiliate links, which are marked with an asterisk (*). I was sent a sample of Ahiflower oil by a PR company, but my thoughts an opinions are always my own.
This is great. We’ve been eating a lot more veggie meals rather than meat. I’m sure this will continue. I’m also trying to sort out the cruelty free stuff, I have such a huge collection of makeup that seem to be fine until you search and discover they’re sold in China etc. I think it’s going to be a gradual thing as I just can’t afford to replace it at the minute, I’m just more aware of any future purchases. Thank you for this!