Are you considering giving Veganuary a try this year? If so, I hope that this beginner’s guide to Veganuary makes things easier for you.
I’ve packed it with tried and tested tips and advice that should help you make the most of this opportunity to dip your toes in a different lifestyle, with no strings attached.
Read on to discover my go-to vegan nutrition recipes, favorite vegan YouTubers and Instagrammers, science-based nutrition advice resources, and a troubleshooting section to keep you on track.
Veganuary is a movement that encourages people to try out veganism in the month of January.
This annual challenge is run by a UK nonprofit organization by the same name that promotes and educates businesses and individuals about veganism.
According to their website, in 2024, more than 2,100 new vegan products or menu options were launched for Veganuary worldwide. So this organization is having quite the impact!
I actually went vegan around the same time this nonprofit organization first launched, back in 2014. And I, for one, definitely appreciate all the new vegan options that have appeared on my supermarket’s shelves ever since!
Partaking in Veganuary can help improve your health, reduce your carbon footprint, and show some compassion for animals – especially the ones that typically end-up on our plates.
It gives you the opportunity to explore a different way of eating and living with no strings attached. It’s also a great opportunity to discover some new recipes and alternatives to the animal products you’re currently consuming.
In sum: Veganuary is a movement that encourages people to try out a vegan diet in the month of January. It’s set up by a UK nonprofit organization that promotes veganism at both individual and company levels.
Benefits of a vegan diet
No beginner’s guide to Veganuary is complete without mentioning the benefits you can expect when opting for a vegan diet.
Health benefits of a vegan diet
First, a well-balanced vegan diet can be tremendously beneficial for your health.
The most often talked-about health benefits are weight loss and a healthier heart.
However, plant-based diets have also been linked to a lower risk type 2 diabetes, cancer, and premature death (1, 2).
A plant-based diet, when combined with physical activity and stress-reduction, also appears very effective at lowering symptoms of osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis (3, 4, 5).
What’s more, people eating plant-based diets have a healthier gut than those who eat a diet rich in meat, dairy, or processed foods. This can help improve both digestion and overall health (6, 7).
The same risk factors linked to heart disease are also linked to developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Because of this, a well-balanced plant-based diet may also indirectly protect you from developing dementia later on in life (8, 9, 10).
Finally, plant-based diets may also help improve fertility. They may also help protect against, or reduce symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. (11, 12, 13).
Keep in mind that these benefits are linked to minimally-processed plant-based diets. Not those rich in highly processed plant foods like vegan McDonnald’s burgers or oreos.
Environmental benefits of a vegan diet
A vegan diet uses less land and water and produces fewer carbon emissions.
This makes it more environmentally-friendly than a diet containing meat, eggs, or dairy.
In practical terms, replacing animal-based foods by plant-based alternatives can significantly reduce world hunger and malnourishment, by feeding an additional 350 billion people (15).
It can also more effectively help limit greenhouse emissions, and thereby, limit global warming to below 1.5-2 degrees Celsius per year, than reducing fossil fuel emissions alone (16).
Animal compassion-related benefits of a vegan diet
Opting out of eating animal-based foods equals opting out of an animal-based food system that separates mothers from their babies so their milk can be sold to humans.
It opts out of the killing of male animals that’s necessary to maintain the current meat, dairy, and egg industry.
It also opts out of the unethical practices often present in the commercial production of honey, as well as the negative environmental effects that result from them.
There is no humane way to kill an animal that does not wish to die. Nor to exploit one that does not wish to be exploited. Partaking in a plant-based diet is a way to take a stand that’s consistent with these beliefs.
In sum: Opting for a vegan diet affords a wide array of benefits. Not only does it reduce animal killing and suffering, but it can also improve your health, reduce world hunger and malnourishment, and help preserve the environment.
Tips to get you started
Switching from an animal-containing diet to a vegan diet can be daunting. Especially at first. Here are a few tips that can help smooth the transition.
1. Adjust your mindset
Dieting often conjures images of restriction, and foods that you should or shouldn’t eat.
Yet, thinking of food in this way can make it more difficult, even frustrating, to meet your dietary goals.
I propose you try seeing this month as an opportunity to dip your toes in a different lifestyle, with no strings attached.
For instance, rather than thinking about all the foods you’re no longer “allowed” to eat, try looking forward to all the new recipes you get to taste.
This month’s focus should be about discovering new ingredients, trying new recipes, learning about cruelty free beauty products or plant-based sustainable fashion brands.
A month for learning and experimenting. Not one riddled with pressure to succeed, or guilt for failing.
So if you struggle at times, or feel like you’ve “fallen off the wagon”, give yourself some grace and simply keep moving forward from there on out.
2. Learn about some vegan nutrition basics
Nutrition education is an integral part of any beginner’s guide to Veganuary.
No matter the diet, a diet on which you do not feel great is not a diet that’s sustainable in the long-term.
Check out these free and paid ressources for an even deeper dive into various vegan nutrition-related topics.
3. Stock up on vegan staples
Having the right plant foods on hand is instrumental to helping you succeed during your Veganuary challenge.
Find out more about which vegan staples I personally keep on hand in my vegan pantry, refrigerator and freezer.
If you’re short on time, download a copy of my vegan grocery list, and customize it to your own preferences and needs before hitting the shops!
4. Find your go-to vegan creators
Veganuary is a great opportunity to discover new recipes and learn more about a vegan diet.
There are so many vegan creators currently sharing their knowledge and skills with the world.
I’ll share a few of my current favorites in this beginner’s guide to Veganuary to get you started. I encourage you to add to this list by discovering your own.
Learning something new requires extra time and energy. So try to make this process as easy on yourself as possible.
Aiming to make all of your meals and snacks from scratch when you aren’t accustomed to doing so can feel overwhelming. Instead, try incorporating a few pre-made meal or snack options to help you ease into Veganuary more easily.
To do so, identify what’s vegan in your supermarket by looking for a vegan logo or the ingredients list. Avoid foods that have animal ingredients such as milk, eggs, honey, whey, gelatin, carmine, or lactose.
Most of these ingredients can be easily identified as they are often considered allergens (thus bolded in the ingredients list).
Foods that “may contain traces of” animal products are vegan, but made in factories that produce other non-vegan foods. These can be considered vegan.
6. Find vegan-friendly restaurants near you
This tip goes hand in hand with the previous one.
Finding a few vegan-friendly restaurants near you can be great both for eating in, or take-out.
In my experience, many restaurants that do not specifically caiter to vegans are able to accommodate plant-based eaters with a meal if called ahead of time.
The amount of vegan-friendly restaurants that are available to you can vary wildly depending on where you live. For this reason, I won’t include any specific restaurants in this beginner’s guide to Veganuary. Instead, I’ll share two of my go-to options for identifying vegan restaurants:
If you’re not accustomed to doing so already, I strongly encourage you to try batch cooking.
To do so, simply double-up the amounts required to make your recipe, and freeze half of it. This is a great tip to include in a beginner’s guide to veganuary because it can build you a freezer stash of nutrient-rich plant-based meals very quickly, with virtually no extra effort.
Then, simply pick and choose from those meals when you’re pressed for time, or not in the mood to cook a meal from scratch.
It’s almost as easy as picking up a pre-made meal from the supermarket, but likely much tastier, more nutritious, and cheaper!
8. Find a community
Change tends to be hard. Support tends to make it easier.
Try connecting with an online vegan community for meal ideas, tips or tricks. The official Veganuary website is a great place to do so.
Alternatively, why not get some friends or family members to join in Veganuary with you?
The more, the merrier. Plus, everyone will have at least one loved one to lean on if/when things get tough.
In sum: Change is hard. I hope that the 8 tips I shared above can help you smoothe into Veganuary and enjoy it to the fullest.
Easy beginner-friendly vegan recipes
Here are a few ideas for each meal to get you inspired. Most are so easy to make that they don’t even require a recipe!
Breakfast
Toast with peanut butter, banana, flaxseeds and an oat milk cappuccino
Oatmeal with pecans, blueberries, and shredded coconut
Granola, soy milk, walnuts, and fresh raspberries
Overnight oats topped with fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds
Vegan pancakes topped with plant-based yogurt, nuts, fresh fruit and a little maple syrup
Lunch
Sandwich with hummus, chickpeas, lettuce and your choice of veggies.
Tortilla wrap with scrambled tofu, vegan mayonnaise, and fresh arugula
Meal salad with fresh greens, tofu, tempeh or beans, avocado, couscous, rice, or potatoes, and your choice of veggies.
In sum: Vegan meals don’t have to be overly complicated. The meal, snack, and dessert options above are easy to make, and require only simple ingredients you can find at most supermarkets near you.
Veganuary main challenges (and easy solutions)
To round up this beginner’s guide to Veganuary, I thought I’d share a few of the main challenges you may run into, and a few possible solutions for each.
Eating out: check menus before going. Try calling ahead of time to see what’s possible if you find no vegan options on the menu. Eat a protein-rich food before you go and make a meal out of plant-based sides once there.
Finding well-balanced vegan recipes: check out my favorite vegan blogs, instagram and youtube channels listed above. Or google your meal idea + vegan and see what pops up. It’s balanced if it resembles this vegan plate.
Missing comfort food: try veganizing your favorite meal. Nowadays, you can find a vegan alternative for pretty much any ingredient. With so many talented vegan recipe creators out there, chances are someone’s already done it!
Feeling hungry all the time: if you’re feeling continuously ravenous, it’s likely that you are either not eating enough volume, or not including enough protein or fat into your meals. Try eating larger volumes of protein-rich vegan meals.
It’s expensive: try cutting back on the amount of vegan convenience foods you’re buying. Instead, stock up on beans, peas, and lentils, whole grains, and fresh, canned, or frozen fruits and veggies.
I’m short on time: buy some pre-made vegan meals or snacks. Batch cook, freeze, and reheat leftovers on days you don’t have time to cook. Try ordering takeout from vegan-friendly restaurants if they’re within your budget.
In sum: Eating out, missing comfort food, feeling hungry, short on time and uninspired can make things challenging. I hope that the tips above can help make it easier to successfully complete Veganuary.
To sum it all up
Veganuary is the perfect opportunity to try out a vegan diet for a month, while learning all out its health, environmental, and animal compassion-related benefits. .
This beginner’s guide to Veganuary is intended to help you get started. Feel free to refer back to it when you’re looking for nutrition knowledge, inspiration, or a new vegan recipe to try.
If you’ve done Veganuary previously, I encourage you to share what’s helped you get through it in the comments below. This way, all readers can benefit from your experience. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
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