Veganuary: now what?

Make it stand out

A vegan future is bright for everyone.

Congrats for going a whole month vegan! Welcome to the party. Here are some next steps from an old-school vegan I hope will keep you on the righteous path.

Have a sustainable plan for protein

This is usually a mix. You can try to live off faux meats, but it’s not as healthy as people give it credit for, and it’s kind of expensive. Look into TVP, vital wheat gluten, and my favorite: Soy curls.

Soy curls are great because you an marinate them in (v) stock and cook them like you used to cook meat. They’re commonly use in Mexican and Asian cuisine, but there are recipes to make them taste like ham and bacon.

Smoothie season is coming, so think about soy protein powder.

If you hear anyone badmouthing soy, dismiss them. It’s a great source of protein, in fact most livestock is fed soy to build muscle.

Don’t over think it, but think about B-12

Add nutritional yeast to sauce recipes, use it as a thickening agent, and put it on popcorn or pizza or pasta like parmesan flakes. It’s a great source of B-12, it tastes good, and it’s cheap.

Don’t forget most non-dairy milks are fortified with B-12.

I also take a supplement once a weak or whenever I feel low-energy or even hung over. I think of it like a caffeine pill except with no side effects. Look out for non-vegan ones though. Some use gelatin capsules (gross).

Zinc

Nuts, oats, nutritional yeast, and soy. Every time I get a cramp in my foot I think I’m zinc deficient. It’s never been the case. There are also supplements if you want that peace of mind. But I like eating nuts as snacks. You should have some healthy snack options around the house anyway, so consider making a nut medley of your own.

Have a reason why

I made a video about my journey with this question, so you can check that out, but you need to have a quick response to this question. Preferably have a long one and a short one. “I’m an ethical vegan” is one I use a lot. I also keep this sentence handy: A vegan is a person who holds the principle of emancipation of animals from slavery and exploitation.

Buy a t-shirt or some stickers or pin

This might seem like a joke, but I really like meeting vegans when they see I’m wearing a pin or a shirt in public. Now that you’ve been a vegan for 30 days, it’s also a great time to support any activists you like.

Set up your Amazon smile

Go to smile.amazon.com and tell it to give a portion of your purchases to vegan causes. Mine is set up to support Vegan Outreach, but you can have it go to Greenpeace or Peta or Farm Sanctuary or anything else you thing is a good cause.

Be adventurous with ethnic food

Go to all the ethnic food restaurants you can. Almost every one has a vegan option you’ve never heard of that is going to be mind-opening, horizon-broadening, and likely delicious. Part of veganism is about exploration.

Learn about some historical vegans

Einstein is a good place to start, but why not learn about Pythagoras and Nietzsche and Schopenhauer and Schweitzer? There are a lot of great philosophers who led plant-based lives.

Also check out Peter Singer’s book to get more bang for your buck in this ethical vegan life.

Get some go-to recipes

In the beginning there might be some things that you miss. That’s normal. So get a couple recipes that you can learn and make over and over again. Get them down pat. Work your way to a point you can make some favorite dishes from memory to impress your friends, family and lovers. You’ll never look back.

Hey thanks for going vegan. You’re making a huge difference.

Here’s a video for new vegans and next steps on their journey after Veganuary!