This month I celebrate my 1st Veganniversary! 2016 was the year I made the decision to become a vegan 💖 In my research to make the decision, I came across the Veganuary website, and found so much useful information. Check out everything they have available, including a Vegan Starter Kit and daily, step-by-step emails to help during vegan month 🌿
So first thing I recommend is make sure you are on the Veganuary site. This initiative has eight different country sites, which I find to be amazing! Each site caters to their country’s language (obviously), but also products, recipes, and eating out tips…just to name a few! I use the US site since I am in the United States. To switch from their UK site (home), just go to their About Us page and scroll down. You will see different flags. Just click on the one that corresponds to you, and let the new site load 😊
In my opinion, the best place to start is their Vegan Starter Kit. I found this page to be the most helpful in terms of getting started and being able to make changes immediately. Thank you Veganuary!
My favorite part of the Vegan Starter Kit is Accidentally Vegan Products. I was so happy when I found out that a lot of the items I already had in my pantry or refrigerator were already vegan! This area is divided into: the More Obvious, the Surprising, Beers & Ciders, and Wine. Of course, you knew there would have to be an easy way to get your buzz on the vegan way 😉🍷
My favorite “Accidentally Vegan” product you ask? It’s Oreos!
Another awesome part of the Vegan Starter Kit is the Vegan Food Essentials. I found that once I had a substitute for any non-vegan items I consumed on the regular, the process was so much easier. I am a creature of habit, especially when it comes to what I eat. Once I had my regular go-to items replaced, my routine didn’t change very much! Most of those items were in the dairy section. I was a big consumer of milk, cheese, butter, and cream cheese. I had already stopped eating meat a few years back so dairy was my main vice. Let me tell you…there are some amazing vegan “dairy” products out there!
There is also a Vegan Baking Guide, Vegan Eating Out Tips, Vegan Label Reading Guide, and Vegan Meal Plans. Once you have all the basics down, living a vegan lifestyle is not just healthy and humane, but also incredibly easy and delicious!
I also happen to cook dinner pretty regularly for my family. Being the only vegan in my household, this can be pretty difficult. I found that meal planning is a big help…I find recipes that I can make easily for myself to eat along with a shared starch such as rice, pasta, or potatoes. Some of my go-to daily dinners are usually stir fry, veggie burgers, or chick’n tenders. I’m also a big fan of ground crumbles on taco night 🌮
Looking for help finding some go-to vegan recipes? I would definitely check out the Veganuary site’s Recipes section for some inspiration 😍
2016 was a year of vegan learning, motivation, and encouragement for me. I have connected with people online through social media, attended vegan festivals in my area, and even created my own vegan recipes to share with my readers! Check out my Tropical Goddess Vegan Summer Salad and Vegan Lentil Stew 🍛
This year I want to start experimenting with different ingredients, develop new recipes, and connect with local vegan restaurants to highlight on my blog! One ingredient I am really intrigued with is jackfruit! I found a recipe for BBQ pulled jackfruit tacos that looks delicious!
Show Veganuary some love & connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram 💜 I also highly recommend signing up for their daily emails to make your January a Veganuary!
Will 2017 be your Year of the Vegan? Have any good jackfruit recipes to share? Let me know in the comments below!
Cruelty free lucy 