It only takes a few easy steps to be vegan
As the Veganuary month is approaching its last week, I thought it would be very useful to give you even more resources and tips on how to go vegan in a few very easy steps.
Veganism has become extremely popular over the last years. It’s not just a small movement. Veganism has grown to the worldwide, huge diet style that has helped thousands of people live a healthier, more sustainable and ethical life. Not to mention that a vegan diet really helps lose weight!
If you are one of the thousands of people who join the Veganuary challenge this year or you’ve been in a transition for quite some time now, this article is for you!
There might be a few tough things you’d like to get some help with. Or you only consider trying vegan for a while and want to know about easy steps on going vegan.
Either way, I come up with 8 steps and tips on how to go vegan easily and how to make your Veganuary more enjoyable!
1. Substitute one animal product at a time
Whatever your favourite non-vegan food is, get ready to substitute it with its vegan variety in the near future. It doesn’t have to be scary if you choose one food at a time.
As you might know, the vegan market is growing very quickly and there is a vegan substitute for literally everything. Or even better, for every non-vegan product, there are five vegan ones! Isn’t it amazing?!
It’s easier than you may think. For example, if you like to drink coffee with milk, replace cow milk with its non-dairy variety. Almond, coconut, soy, hemp, rice, poppyseed, macadamia milk… You name it.
In case you have never tried any plant-based milk, check this article on how to easily make your own non-dairy milk at home!
The same goes for non-dairy cheese, yoghurt, sour cream, thickened cream, heavy cream, ice-cream… These products have their vegan substitutes.
One of the most important ingredients you will use often is tofu. You won’t cook with it only if you are allergic to soy or you absolutely hate its taste. In this article, you will find all the information you need to know about tofu.
if you don’t want to cook with tofu, there are many soy-free alternatives, such as lentils, beans or fermented soy products (tempeh).
2. Discover new vegan varieties
This tip goes together with the above step number one. Allow yourself to discover new vegan foods. Don’t be afraid to try things that they look (and mostly like the taste, too) like real meat or cheese.
The contemporary market releases many new and very exciting vegan varieties. The good thing is that the prices of these vegan foods gradually drop as well!
The times where the vegan food in supermarkets wasn’t widely available and it was freaking overpriced are totally gone! We are lucky enough to live in the world full of vegan food that also happens to be mostly cheap!
Make a trip to your nearby supermarket today and look around for vegan products. You will be very surprised by how many vegan things you find! It might be your favourite brand that has introduced a vegan variety to something non-vegan!
3. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit
You probably know that eating vegetables and fruit brings many health benefits. But… how much vegetables and fruit do you REALLY eat??
Some of the latest research shows that eating about 10 portions of fruit and vegetables daily has the greatest influence on your health. Does it seem too much?
Well, not really. Imagine that you cook vegan stir-fry for lunch and you use about 5 different kinds of vegetables. The same day you also eat a snack that consists of some cut fresh fruit. That’s more than the recommended daily intake of fruit and veg for a day!
So as you see, it’s easier than you may think. The goal is to focus on real, whole foods rather than processed and junk foods and sugar. These are not healthy even though they are labeled vegan.
Try to avoid processed foods and sugar as much as you can and always cook with as many fruit and vegetables as possible. Of course, you can still treat yourself with occasional vegan hamburger, pizza or non-dairy ice-cream! You don’t have to give up your favourite junk foods. Only reduce their consumption to a minimum and you’ll be fine!
4. Approach a new vegan lifestyle step by step
There are many different approaches on how to embrace your new vegan lifestyle and diet. They all have one thing in common. They don’t want you to jump into veganism right away!
Why? Because this rigid approach wouldn’t be sustained in long term and you soon would feel left out. Of course, there are a few people who tried a vegan diet and gave up all the non-vegan foods and eating habits all in once and never went back.
But that doesn’t have to be you! If you are worried that you could never go vegan (which is, by the way, one of the common excuses why not to go vegan), there are alternative ways.
Have you heard about “Vegan before 6”? This term, also known as “VB6 diet” was introduced by Mark Bittman, a renowned nutritionist. How does this diet work? You eat vegan before 6 p.m. and also try to eat healthily. That means you also try to avoid processed foods.
Another approach to follow is “Meatless Monday“. It’s a global movement that people have been joining since 2003. The goal here is to reduce meat consumption by 15%. Just this little step can have a huge impact on your health and on our climate and environment!
5. Make a shopping plan
For your next shopping, make a good plan. Write down all the plant-based ingredients you need for cooking. These ingredients might be something that is missing in your kitchen and pantry.
Reach out for easy and delicious vegan recipes that you are confident of making. Make a list of ingredients necessary for those recipes.
Whenever possible, try to shop in bulk. Shopping in bulk can save you a lot of money. Some of the vegan products are great for shopping in bulk. Beans, lentils, maple syrup, nuts, seeds, oils… These all can be purchased in bulk and also in waste-free shops where you refill your containers over and over again.
Going to shops just before their closing time might also save you some money as a lot of fruit, vegetables, and other products go on discounts before they go bad. One great example is a sushi bar in which sushi rolls are almost always cheaper before the closing time!
Meal preparations is another way how to save money because you know exactly how much food you need to buy to prepare your food in advance. Get some resources for vegan meal prep recipes.
6. You don’t have to worry about getting enough protein
One of the greatest misconceptions about going vegan is to worry about not getting enough protein. People often don’t realize that protein does not come only from non-vegan food sources.
You only need 0.75g protein for 1 kg of body weight. This amount of protein is easily manageable if you follow a balanced, healthy diet that includes cruciferous vegetables legumes, grains, nuts, soy products, and sprouts.
The best plant-based sources of protein are lentils, tofu (and other soy products such as edamame beans, soybeans, tempeh, seitan), black beans, hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, amaranth, spinach, broccoli, tahini, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, green peas, peanut butter, almonds, etc.
If you still feel like you don’t get enough protein on a vegan diet, you can always prepare a protein shake or protein smoothie by adding one or two scoops of your favourite protein powder.
7. Do your research about crucial nutrients
Getting enough protein is not the biggest worry for some vegans. If you are completely new to a vegan lifestyle, you might also think that other nutrients are difficult to get.
That is just not true and there’s no issue with getting enough of all other necessary nutrients! Once you get used to a vegan diet, you will easily learn about nutrient basics and what vegan ingredients you should be specifically focused on.
Some nutrients require more attention than others if you are a vegan. These nutrients are iron, calcium, iodine, omega-3 fats, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and vitamin A.
The great news is that as a vegan you won’t suffer from a deficiency of any of these if you know what to eat!
Some nutrients have to be eaten together to work properly in our bodies, such as vitamin D and calcium. If you’re not sure what the calcium-rich vegan foods are, you can read this article.
8. You can still be social
Going vegan doesn’t mean that you have to cut all your social connections. You can still go out with your friends, go to family gatherings and celebrations or have a work lunch with your workmates. You are not restricted from any social events happening in your life.
If you want, you don’t have to tell anyone (even your closest friend) that you are a vegan now. A really good friend notices some changes in you anyway! Anyway, just in case you want to avoid any social tensions, misunderstandings, and millions of questions, don’t tell anyway immediately.
It’s absolutely normal for human nature that you are going to be asked many questions, sometimes very uncomfortable and personal questions. What questions should you get prepared for? And what are the right answers for them? See this article for the best answers on how to satisfy even the biggest disbeliever!
The same goes for dining out. You better get ready for a few very uncomfortable situations that will occur sooner or later in your new vegan life. To know how to react in different dining situations and still maintain a friendly and cozy atmosphere, check out this great article!
If you find yourself in an unexpectedly uncomfortable station at your workplace, make sure you stay calm and maintain positive working vibes with your co-workers. For a little inspiration on how to do this read through this article.
Don’t feel overwhelmed, you get this!
There you go! 8 great tips on how to enjoy your new vegan life and continue this amazing vegan journey! If you follow these 8 very easy steps I guarantee you that not only will you finish the Veganuary with all the success and grace, but you will remain vegan for the rest of your life!
Soon you will experience all the positives and prons of vegan life if you haven’t already! Remember of all the right reasons why you went vegan in the first place. Don’t feel overwhelmed, you are not alone in this!
There are entire communities out there, feel free to join any of them anytime you want to reach out for help or advice! Thank you for being vegan:)
Klara Walterova
Klara is a professional freelance writer for hire. She offers web content, blog posting, ghostwriting and copywriting. She writes for a healthy lifestyle, wellness and travel websites. She focuses on veganism and the vegan diet. When she's not writing, she develops new tasty vegan recipes, travels the world or plays with her cats. Please contact her for her online writing services on her website writtenbyvegan.com or visit her Instagram profile @writtenbyvegan.