Why I'm Taking Part In Veganuary This Year
Over the last few years there has been a number of topics that have almost been fashionable to take a pop at online. Brexit, Trump, the #FitFam and social influencers are all examples of punching bags that receive constant trolling, memes and other forms of lighthearted (and sometimes serious) slagging on their pages.
There is one group however, who seem to be dealt an unfair share of criticism on social media - The Vegan Community. I think this is in many ways due to how vocal a minority of its members are on online and the extreme ways in which they protest farming, animal products and react to their detractors. At the end of the day though if they're not harming anyone (other than those who have to listen to some of them) with their lifestyle then what's the big deal?
Bread becomes a luxury food item when you’re Vegan
I've set out to fully understand Veganism by throwing myself into the lifestyle for the month of January. Veganuary is a charity that encourages people to try “going vegan” for January and the rest of the year. Its social media hashtag #Veganuary currently has over 400,000 corresponding posts on Instagram alone. #Vegan on the other hand has over 70 million posts showing just how popular the lifestyle choice has become worldwide. The UK pastry franchise Greggs got on board the Veganuary bus by releasing their very own “Vegan Sausage Roll” on social media last week.
The launch was genius not just because their stores will be more attractive to vegan customers, but because of the anticipated subsequent storm on social media around it. Meat eaters took the tofu bait passionately commenting and sharing the twitter post decreeing this as just another example of PC culture gone mad. Vegans shared it with an equal vigour while pledging to buy the product as soon as they could. Publishers and news outlets then picked up the story and produced what is no doubt millions of pounds worth of free PR for the brand.
With 2019 being touted by none other than Jay-Z and Beyonce as a big year for Veganism, maybe there’s something cynical meat lovers like me are missing out on? Would it be possible for someone like me to survive and even thrive on bean burgers, almond milk and other vegan products for 30 days? Would I come out the other end with more energy, clarity and that feeling of inner peace that vegans swear by? I wasn’t sure but I decided to put myself in their ethically sourced vegan friendly cardboard shoes anyway and give it a go!
Like most challenges in life there's always some sneaky ways to make things easier. A lot of people taking part in Veganuary would have rushed straight to the perfectly manicured multi coloured palettes of plates strewn across Instagram and cook books for inspiration. Or they'd have spent the better part of December listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos to gain insights into how they could make the month a wholesome, educating and enlightening experience. My approach was slightly different. I asked myself one important question - What can I still eat in order to maintain my general functionality, mental wellbeing and friendships?
How I assume Vegans greet one another
Well despite the blanket ban on beef, fish, eggs, cheese, fun, chicken, milk, butter, happiness, garlic sauce and essentially everything else that makes life worth living, there are some staple items out there that are actually vegan friendly! Red Doritos, some pot noodles, Oreos, bourbon creams, sweet chilli and Franks hot sauce are all examples of foods that are vegan and will be there for me whenever things get tough this month. Many vegans also highlight the fact that most dark chocolate is vegan friendly which is good news for any of the 4 people who would ever think to reach for that when they need a snack.
As I write this I’m just about a week in and it’s actually not as bad as I had imagined. Once you’ve stock piled vegan meat alternatives and some of the treats I’ve listed above, then you can feel like you’re not depriving yourself too much. Where you encounter hurdles is when it comes to eating out. I chanced a cafe for lunch one day during work and ended up having to opt for a wrap filled with just mixed peppers, gherkins/pickles, onions, jalapeños, spinach and sweet chilli. In the end I could only stomach the wrap itself with nothing but the remaining sweet chilli and my tears to help it on its way down!
Getting it toasted made things even worse
The biggest challenge so far came at a family quiz night where there was all the usual favourites a meat and dairy fan would dive head first into. Chicken curry, lasagna, coleslaw, garlic bread, banoffee pie, cheesecake, ice cream and endless boxes of chocolates were all staring at me. It wasn’t until this night that it fully dawned on me just how limited the vegan diet really is.
Thankfully, my auntie Noeleen had whipped up some Falafel, humus, mixed bean and sweet chilli (surprise) wraps just for me. I’m not just saying this just because she will most likely read this but they were really nice and filled me up enough that I didn’t crack. If I could survive a night like this, then surely the rest of the month would be a breeze? Only time will tell!
Are you taking part in Veganuary? Or are you a vegan who thinks I’m just appropriating your culture for website clicks? Let me know your experience or thoughts in the comments below or get in touch here. You can also get me on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the month and future content.