What I learned from Veganuary 2024 [plus recipes!]

Food is such an integral part of life. It brings people together, fuels our body, sustains us, provides comfort, represents cultural traditions, and generally plays a huge role in defining our human experience.

One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well if one has not dined well.

Virginia Woolf

I love food, but I’ll be honest, I grew up with an unhealthy relationship with food, which has taken me well into my adulthood to address. I’ve always been privileged to have access to plenty of food, which led me to over-indulging on many occasions in my adolescence and gaining weight to an unhealthy level. I then spent the majority of my twenties trying every fad diet under the sun to lose some of this weight, only to feel too restricted & end up in a binge eating spiral. I’ve since spent lots of time researching nutrition and learnt how to fuel my body with things that honour my cravings but also fulfil my body’s needs, and I’m so proud of the progress I’ve made on this journey so far.

This year I decided to give myself a new challenge for the new year by tackling “Veganuary”. For those of you not familiar, Veganuary is the practice of going vegan for the month of January. It’s organised by a charity (which also goes by the name of Veganuary), and is done with the hope of showing people that eating plant-based foods is not as difficult as it first seems. They hope that people will continue with their vegan eating habits throughout January and beyond (and indeed, many people in their dedicated online groups seem to have taken this route into their long-term veganism). The newest UK data shows that in the 10 years since the campaign has been running, a huge 4 million people have taken part, and that veganism is up 370% since 2019 (now at around 5% of the overall UK population), so the initiative certainly seems to be having an impact.

I decided to take on the challenge for a few reasons. Firstly, and probably predominantly, I was ready for something to kickstart my return to healthy eating after an over-indulgent December. Since spending more time learning what my body needs, I also now love cooking, love finding new recipes to try, and love a challenge, so it just felt like it would be the perfect fit!

I was also influenced by the yogic principle of “ahimsa”. Ahimsa is the practice of non-violence and is intended to encompass all living things, extending to our lives off our mat too. Not harming animals for food is a perfect example of non-violence, and is the reason why so many yogis practise plant-based eating.

My experience of Veganuary has been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve eaten so many great meals, tried new things and been excited about planning out my food each week. I learnt that there are so many amazing vegan swaps (including some really convincing meat replacements if that’s your thing), so it’s easy to find enjoyable things to eat. I’m a big believer in eating with your eyes, so I always try to prepare plates that look enticing, which I really think adds to the experience. Food is such an important part of life and it’s so crucial to take the time to enjoy it, savour it, share it and really find the joy in it. Food is fuel for the body, but eating the right things can nourish your soul too.

Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.

Dorothy Day

I was originally a little nervous about missing out on foods I love the most, as I usually eat a lot of chicken, cheese and chocolate. But it actually wasn’t as difficult as I expected. Vegan cheese isn’t the same at all, but I found the vegan Applewood to be the best brand of the ones I tried. As for chicken, I often replaced it with tofu, but some of the plant-based chicken breasts were also a good substitute. Chocolate is my real weakness, but I added a square of dark chocolate to my daily breakfast, and the Lindt Vegan Hazelnut bar was my fave for an evening treat. Below I’ll outline an example of a full day of plant-based eating for me, with a couple of basic recipes that you might like to try. I like to make things as easy as I can in the kitchen so I’m all for simple recipes with great taste!

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So, will I continue with plant-based eating moving forward? As I’m still on my journey of healing my relationship with food, I don’t want to restrict entire food groups as this just makes me crave them more. However, I’ve eaten so many great things during Veganuary that I will absolutely make again, and there’s still so many yummy vegan recipes that I’m yet to try, so it’s had a hugely positive impact on me! I’ll definitely be reducing my meat intake and trying to make more plant-based swaps and more mindful choices wherever possible.

If you’re tempted to try going vegan, my top tip would be to keep it as simple as you possibly can. Eat more fruits and vegetables, find ways to “veganise” your existing meals, use simple recipes… just don’t over-complicate it. There is no expectation to have fancy meals with expensive ingredients or exotic vegetables to be a “real” vegan. Eat the things you enjoy, but where possible, try your best to make them a little better for the planet.

Would you try plant-based eating? What are your favourite vegan meals? I’d love to hear your experiences!

Natalie x