Veganuary – How and Where to go Vegan

Veganuary – How and Where to go Vegan

Veganuary started out as a Crowdfund Charity in 2014. Veganuary is one of the latest New Year trends for January 2020. The aim is to encourage people to try a month long meat free diet. And with warnings by scientists of the impact of meat farming on the environment, it’s not such a terrible movement to join or encourage.

In 2019 a record-breaking 250,000 people from 193 countries signed up to take part via the official Veganuary site in the UK (United Kingdom). 

Plus there were more people who went ahead with a meat free month but without officially pledging via the site.

In 2018 and 2019, The Philippines featured among the Top 20 Countries with the most sign-ups.  The Philippines final sign up position in 2019 was number 7.

If you pledge officially via the official sign-up page Veganuary.com, you will receive a downloadable “starter kit” and daily support emails. For participating countries people signing-up also receive restaurant guides, product directories, and a database of recipes database.

What is Veganism?

Being a vegan means avoiding consuming food and products that come from animals.  This includes:

• Dairy Produce (Milk, Cream, yogurt, butter etc)
• Eggs
• Honey
• Meat
• Fish

Can I give up meat?

Research has shown it can take up to 21 days to form a new habit (University College London).  That sounds tough, right?!

Here are some helpful tips for those wanting to give Veganuary a go, but worried that they’ll find it hard to do

• Sign-up to Veganuary – sign up to the official site and receive daily support, meal plans and recipes for 31 days, no matter what day you start
• Break the habit – Get organised! If you still have dairy products around you and don’t want to throw them out, move them to an out-of-reach shelf.  Move your vegan products to their usual spots in your fridge and cupboard.
• Find a meaningful reason to stop – whether it’s health related, for the environment or because you are an animal lover struggling with the fact that you eat those that you claim to love. Choose a reason and remind yourself.
• Make a shopping list ahead of your shop – if you go in to the shop unprepared, you’re more likely to put your usual groceries in the cart or basket. Stock up on herbs and spices, miso, nutritional yeast (results in a cheese taste), chilli sauce, mustard, grains, beans and lentils.  Check out the vegan and vegetarian aisles too.
• Check Labels – You may well be shocked out how many packaged items include animal products or animal by-products (gelatine etc)
• Accidentally Vegan – check this list of popular snacks and foods that are ‘accidentally vegan‘
• Veganise your favorites – don’t cut out your favourite meals, veganise them; try a vegan or meat-free burger or pizza, make a vegan lasagne, spaghetti Bolognese or chilli .
• Create completely new meals – instead of substituting your usual meals with non-meat alternatives look up some great new completely vegan recipes to follow.  Check out Instagram and Pinterest for ideas too, not just traditional recipe sites.
• Visit a Vegan or Vegetarian restaurant – check our list below

Try your own recipes

• Pinoy Vegetarian Recipes –  https://www.facebook.com/pinoyvegetarian/
• Bosh! Veganuary Meal Plan – https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/veganuary-meal-plan
• Cook Veggielicious – 20 Easy Vegan Pasta Dishes https://cookveggielicious.com/20-easy-vegan-pasta-recipes
• Cook Veggielicious – 15 Vegan Jackfruit Recipes https://cookveggielicious.com/15-vegan-jackfruit-recipes-that-youll-love
• Cook Veggielicious 21 Delicious Vegan Recipes https://cookveggielicious.com/31-vegan-dinner-recipes

Vegan and Vegan-Friendly Restaurants:

Manila:

Other Areas in the Philippines:

Vegan Suppliers:

• In a Nutshell – Vegan Cheese
• Jack’s Produce
• The Vegan Grocer Ph, Addition Hills, Manila: egg-free, diary-free, cruelty free.
• Vege-Meat Products, Laguna
• OscarAnn’s Vegetarian Store, Pasay
• Veggie Fruit Burger Bash
• The Superfood Grocer
• Raw Bites
• Beach Born – Vegan shampoo & Conditioner
• Post Pocket Shoes – Marikina, Vegan Shoes
• Theo and Phil – Vegan Dark Chocolate
• The Green Grocer Manila, Vegan Butter

Facebook Groups to join:

• Vegan Phils
• Vegan Philippines
• Vegan Philippines (EPA)