Written by Vaania Kapoor Achuthan, Sustainability Officer (2022-2023)
Veganuary is an annual challenge that promotes and educates individuals about veganism by encouraging people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January. Aside from the health and environmental advantages of a vegan diet, one of the biggest advantages of Veganuary is that in the month of January, most grocery stores, cafes, and restaurants also offer a variety of price deals to incentivise plant-based consumption. Therefore, this Veganuary, here are some simple swaps that you can make to your diet:
Dairy Milk -> Plant Milk
Perhaps one of the most convenient yet noticeable swaps one can make is swapping out dairy milk for a range of plant-based options instead. In fact, cafes and restaurants across the UK usually now offer plant-milk alternatives free of any additional charge. The options are limitless- oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, hazelnut milk- veganuary is the perfect excuse for non-vegans to try delicious plant-based milks. Our very own union cafes- Gordon’s Café, Print Room Café, Bloomsbury Café, and George Farha Café, have all adopted a default oat-milk approach - oat milk, rather than dairy milk, is the default milk provided with your coffee/ tea. I also recommend trying the delicious vegan raspberry croissants and a vegan blueberry muffin, both of which are available in our Union cafes and are made from plant-based milk.
Egg -> Tofu
For a much-needed protein hit and a perfect breakfast option, you can’t go wrong with scrambled tofu for breakfast, particularly the one made at the Refectory. Tofu is packed with all eight essential amino acids, and also has a much longer shelf life than eggs, so if you would like to try making a tofu scramble at home- knock yourself out! Just tumble it around a frying pan over medium heat in a little oil, add salt, pepper and any other spices you like to taste- and enjoy! Other vegan breakfast options this Veganuary include the vegan breakfast pot in George Farha Café and the vegan pancakes available in Print Room Café. In fact, the vegan breakfast pots are available for just £1.95!
Meat -> Beans
For those that enjoy a heavy lunch or dinner, replacing meat with beans is the perfect way to ensure you still consume adequate levels of protein on a vegan diet. Particularly, black beans have a dense and meaty texture, which makes them a fantastic alternative to meat. The vegan cheeseburger available in the Print Room Café is the perfect example of what a good tasting and healthy bean burger! However, there is more to beans than just a burger- toss it in a blender and make a soup, toss it in a curry or stew for some added protein with rice- the options are endless!
Mayonnaise -> Hummus
What goes well with a burger? Mayonnaise. This Veganuary, why not try replacing mayonnaise with hummus - a delicious spread made out of chickpeas, high in protein and fibre and can be used as a spread for burgers, wraps and tacos. Our Student Union Cafes have a variety of hummus based wraps, salads and sandwiches to choose from! Hummus is available in small pots in any grocery store, including our brand new shop on campus. So, if you aren’t the best cook, hummus can be used as a dip for any vegetables- just chop up some carrots, cucumbers and peppers, dip and enjoy!
Meat Bolognese -> Lentil Bolognese
And finally, an easy swap to the iconic bolognese is lentil bolognese- replacing the mince meat with lentils. Lentils are a lean vegan protein and so make a great substitute for meat, packed with flavour, and are really filling too. For convenience you can buy lentils in tins which will require no cooking- throw a tin of lentils into a jar of pasta sauce, heat up on a pot or microwave and there you have it- your lentil bolognese! Alternatively, lentils can also be added to chillies, casseroles and tacos.
Handy hint: You can pick one of these tasty Kirsty's lentil bolognese ready meals from one of our shops! You can find them at One Pool Street (UCL East) and in the Bloomsbury Shop (Main Campus).
