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Veganuary

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Veganuary

Postby Pepper Pig » Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:31 pm

If I wasn't a carer and having to provide such boring food I think this is the first year I might be tempted to undertake Veganuary. And before anyone challenges it's a complete no-no as OH has very set ideas on food and digs his heels in, refusing to eat anything he doesn't recognise..

I liked this for two reasons. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... t-overhaul

Adam Lyons, mentioned later in the article, is one of my son in law's best friends (a Harrow lad natch) and , aside from this year, the family goes up a lot to York to stay and to eat at Source. I hope they have weathered the storm.

And I think Busybee ate there on my recommendation. :crossed

So. Anyone giving Veganuary a whirl?

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Busybee » Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:44 pm

I did eat at Source and much enjoyed the experience.

Unfortunately COVID has done for their separate deli which has closed. The restaurant is temporarily closed, but with plans to reopen.

BB

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Pepper Pig » Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:52 pm

Daughter tells me they are doing this as mentioned in the article.

https://www.vfc.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR2hbLE ... PSCuGtDfLo
Last edited by Pepper Pig on Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Earthmaiden » Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:54 pm

I am all for everyone eating less meat and exploring interesting plant based alternatives but feel annoyed by the aisles of ready made chilled foods which have appeared in supermarkets as many seem a bit over-processed (and many of those I have tried have been quite unpleasant). Seeing Nestle get in on the act does not improve that image. I know that people will argue that it is a good way of getting people onto the bandwagon but I'm not sure it is the right way for the planet.

I would like to see Veganuary as a time when people can be educated about ingredients, sensible recipes and, most importantly, nutrition rather than a time when they rush for ready meals which, I'm afraid, seems to be a lot if what happens at the moment. I won't dedicate a month to doing or not doing anything but will certainly continue to enjoy exploring alternative foods to those I am used to (and there are so many influences out there now).

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Re: Veganuary

Postby herbidacious » Tue Dec 29, 2020 1:00 pm

I was going to say that it's telling that the main picture is of a burger, and there is a lot of focus on meat subs in the article. I suppose that that's sensible if you are trying to sign up young meat eaters, and just for a month. However, for a longer term dietary change, more education is required, as EM says. I am pretty sure those 'pulled jack fruit' alternative protein sources are pretty low in protein, for example. I am also dismayed by all the junk food on offer in the supermarkets and indeed pubs. (Especially when they have replaced all non meat and fish offerings, which before were 'proper' food, often.)

If I had thought it through, I might have done this, but I have too much food (dairy) that would go to waste. I don't eat, or want to eat, a lot of meat subs, so I'd have to think more carefully about protein sources.

I do so wish someone could invent a credible and tasty vegan cheese...

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue Dec 29, 2020 1:28 pm

My problem with Veganuary, as with so many things, is that it seems for so many people to be total immersion for a month then ignore it for 11 months, and I wonder if the slightly stealth approach of Meatless Monday, for example, doesn’t work better for many households?

Having said which now when you aren’t going to restaurants is probably as good a time as any to give it a go, though winter when fewer veg are in season isn’t the most obvious time to do it in one sense

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Re: Veganuary

Postby scullion » Tue Dec 29, 2020 2:56 pm

meat eating friends, in the past, have asked me if i was going to do veganuary. i've pointed out that as i've been vegetarian for (now) over fifty years i think i'm doing my bit without needing to change for a month.
if the consumption of animals and animal products were outlawed i think we'd find it easier than many - although cheese would of course be the great loss.
do people give up their leather shoes for january?

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Re: Veganuary

Postby scullion » Tue Dec 29, 2020 2:58 pm

Stokey Sue wrote: though winter when fewer veg are in season isn’t the most obvious time to do it in one sense

do people really eat seasonally any more?

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Re: Veganuary

Postby karadekoolaid » Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:42 pm

Like Scully, I´ve been vegetarian for over 50 years as well; with the occasional bit of fish, or minced meat - but basically a vegetarian diet. NOT because I´m on a crusade; simply because I don´t like the flavour, nor the texture of meat.
Over those 50 years, I´ve learned how to ensure a balanced diet, so I get enough proteins, carbs, fibre, etc.etc.etc.

Just a word of warning. Embarking on what is, for most, a radical change of dietary habits just might cause more harm than good. Gung-hoing off into Vegan Paradise is all very well , but it´s very important, in my non-medical opinion, that you are very clear about what this involves and how it might affect your metabolism.

I had two friends, years ago, who decided to go "Vegetarian" because of their concerns about the environment, about health, about killing animals, etc. After 6 months, they had to give it up, on doctor´s advice, because they had lost too much weight and had vitamin deficiencies.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Earthmaiden » Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:12 pm

Exactly KK and Scully. IMO it takes a good deal of nutritional education to convert to veganism even if you are already an experienced vegetarian. I have a vegan cookbook written in a style that students might appreciate by someone who appears young and inexperienced. The flavour combinations are great but if you made a meal plan from the offerings in each category you would be seriously lacking nutrients in no time. The old rules of working out where your protein, minerals, vitamins, carbs etc will come from have not changed even if we can do with less of some than previous generations thought.

I may have missed it but think trendy TV could play a greater role in this useful kind of education.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby scullion » Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:28 pm

i think the tv dipped its toe in with the clean eating, hemsley sisters. i can't say that i was impressed with their style and content but i agree, it's probably time for some well thought out programmes on vegan cooking/nutrition aimed at the converting/newly converted.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby herbidacious » Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:01 pm

Boots are pushing vitamins/supplements for Veganuary.

As I have said before, I feel a bit pissed off, having been regularly disapproved of/made to feel a nuisance/ had people picking arguments with me for my just mentioning that I am a vegetarian on and off for the last 34 years, only now to feel disapproved of by a younger generation for not being vegan ;) But I am even more pissed off that my vegetarian options in eateries are being replaced by vegan burgers and pizzas with vegan sheez etc. Not that I have been to 'eateries' more than a handful of times in the last year.

I don't remember my sudden conversion to vegetarianism causing any difficulties. I was in halls though. Maybe the not very appetizing food was actually nutritious. I really can't remember what they served us, apart from vegetable spring rolls. Certainly not faux meat.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Pepper Pig » Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:18 pm

I know this will sound sniffy but my son (29) and niece (30) have been committed vegans for over a year now. They don’t get their recipes from the latest trendy vegan cookbooks - Helmsley and Deliciously Ella are very old hat and Josh recently gifted his Joe Wicks goes vegan book to me. They follow the science (both very clever kids, science based knowledge) and use British dedicated vegan websites/food plans. The number of people on my FB page, even my age, who are becoming almost long term vegans is astonishing.

Only time will tell. Herbi mentioned vegan cheese. I would mention eggs.
Last edited by Pepper Pig on Thu Dec 31, 2020 10:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby mistakened » Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:19 pm

scullion wrote: it's probably time for some well thought out programmes on vegan cooking/nutrition aimed at the converting/newly converted.

I think that the TV production companies have really missed a chance here.

One thing that always bothers me about vegetarian/ vegan food is the amount of produce that needs to be imported
I was laughing to myself before I read this thread. There is someone on local Cypriot social media getting very worked up about being unable to buy Jackfruit here, canned will not do.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:24 pm

scullion wrote:
Stokey Sue wrote: though winter when fewer veg are in season isn’t the most obvious time to do it in one sense

do people really eat seasonally any more?


I do
And I think price hikes in imported veg will make it more of a thing

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Badger's Mate » Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:32 pm

do people really eat seasonally any more?


Plenty don't of course, but many do. Most of the time at home we'll be eating seasonal veg. Of course the global nature of food distribution means that anything is available to us any time, but we eat loads of local asparagus in the late Spring and don't buy it the rest of the year. Similarly strawberries in summer. Obviously in our case it's being produced seasonally and we eat most of it in that season, but of course any surplus is freezable so can be consumed aseasonally. Naturally we also eat some more exotic produce which isn't seasonal but most of our food is.

As for Veganuary, my veg are not suitable for vegans.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby scullion » Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:38 pm

herbidacious wrote:As I have said before, I feel a bit pissed off, having been regularly disapproved of/made to feel a nuisance/ had people picking arguments with me for my just mentioning that I am a vegetarian [...], only now to feel disapproved of by a younger generation for not being vegan. But I am even more pissed off that my vegetarian options in eateries are being replaced by vegan burgers and pizzas with vegan sheez etc


how true.
and as for eating out options - well, easiest option, all or nothing.
it's a shame they aren't as flexible on cheese options as they are for the 'doneness' of steak!

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Re: Veganuary

Postby Earthmaiden » Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:48 pm

PP, it is commendable that a lot of intelligent people have chosen the vegan way of life and read up on how to live it properly. It is a different balance of science to that which we were taught and quite interesting. I know people who've been vegan since the 70s and are healthy as can be because they did it properly.

Sadly, many of those who just want to jump onto the trendy bandwagon don't care much about nutrition or where their food comes from r seasons and are happy to eat a badly balanced diet of overpriced chilled ready meals or vegeburgers all the time. A tray of jackfruit smothered in a vile BBQ sauce was one of the worst things I have ever tried to eat.

That said, I really do support a greater take up on sustainable plant based meals.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby dennispc » Tue Dec 29, 2020 6:51 pm

This time last year I posted Professor Key’s advice, himself a vegan and Head of Epidemiology at Oxford. He thought January was not the best month to be starting it because of the need for more energy to keep warm. He’s not prepared to say whether it’s healthy because there isn’t yet enough evidence. He advised taking B12 supplements every day.

I think it it’s healthy, but I fear the bandwagon folk may not realise some products have a lot of saturated fat as well as other additives.

Daughter and partner tried last year, didn’t continue because they lacked energy.

I'm not that bothered about cheese anyway, but the vegan version I tried was even worse.

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Re: Veganuary

Postby scullion » Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:18 pm

dennispc wrote:Daughter and partner tried last year, didn’t continue because they lacked energy.

don't know what they were doing wrong then - many fats and carbohydrates are vegan - if they were getting/trying to get their energy from protein they were well off the mark.

if they were vitamin deficient then a supplement would have helped - as would have a bit of research.

Earthmaiden wrote:I know people who've been vegan since the 70s and are healthy as can be because they did it properly.

snap.

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