World Vegan Day is celebrated on November 1st by vegans around the world. The day was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then President and Chair of The Vegan Society UK, to commemorate the society’s 50th anniversary. November is also World Vegan Month, so if you’re not yet vegan and have been thinking of giving it try, this is the time to do it! Here are some tips to get your started:
- Eat Your Veggies! If you want to go vegan and feel good about what you eat, load your plate up with many brightly colored vegetables and make sure you’re consuming lots of leafy greens.
- Make Friends with Starchy Staples Whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa will help you feel satiated and will help keep your energy up throughout the day. Starchy veggies such as sweet potatoes and winter squash can help too.
- Make Friends with Plant-Based Proteins Beans and legumes are loaded with protein, as well as foods such as tofu, tempeh and seitan. Grains are also a good source of protein, and many vegetables such as broccoli and kale contain significant amounts of protein.
- Veganize Your Favorite Meals Veganism isn’t about deprivation. If you love macaroni and cheese, look for vegan macaroni and cheese recipes. If you’re a meat and potatoes kind of person, try some of the vegan meat substitutes on the market, such as Beyond Meat or Gardein.
- Learn to Read Labels Be sure you read the ingredients on all packaged foods that you buy to ensure they don’t contain any animal products.
- Arm Yourself with Cookbooks Often, new vegans aren’t sure what to cook. Buy a few cookbooks and try some new recipes out. We have quite a few books that will help you out!
Here are 5 Meatless Recipes to Help you Celebrate World Vegan Day All Day Long
Cloud 9 Pancakes from The Lusty Vegan by 2014 by Ayinde Howell and Zoe Eisenberg – Start your day out with the best vegan pancakes you’ll ever taste.
Chicken-Free Salad Sandwiches from Everyday Vegan Eats by Zsu Dever – These sandwiches are perfect for lunchtime, and the “chicken-free” salad is incredibly versatile.
Cocoa Crunch Clusters from Practically Raw Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley – With just three ingredients plus a pinch of salt, these crunchy clusters can be made in a jiffy and are perfect for afternoon snacking.
BBQ Sweet Potato and Chile Peanut Tacos from Vegan Tacos by Jason Wyrick – These tacos are messy, a bit decadent, but oh-so-tasty, and they make for a perfect meat-free dinner.
Grown-Up Nanaimo Bars from World Vegan Feast by Bryanna Clark Grogan – This adult version of the Canadian sweet treat makes for an super delicious end to your day.