Guides

‘Pledging to Go Vegan, at Least for January’

Alyson Krueger for the NYTimes:

Move over Dry January (abstaining from alcohol) and Whole30 (no processed or refined foods). Veganuary, which asks people to ditch meat this month, has emerged as this year’s trendy resolution.

The campaign was started in the United Kingdom in 2014 by Jane Land and Matthew Glover, a husband-and-wife team who met on a vegan dating site and were inspired by Movember (growing a mustache for men’s health). Participants who pledge to go vegan on the site receive daily recipes, tips and information about how a vegan diet benefits animals, the environment and our bodies.

According to Veganuary, 750,000 people from 192 countries have joined the pledge, with about half signing up for 2020.

It’s easy to forget that things like Veganuary started with people who had an idea. When things appear around me and feel fully formed, it seems like they just fell out of the sky and occurred. But I love learning their names. Thank you, Jane Land and Matthew Glover. You’ve done a good thing.

Our Favorite Meals & Stories of 2019; Jesse’s Family-Altering Experience with The Game Changers

Episode 9 of the Vegan-Carne Alliance podcast is live.

For our ninth episode, C. W. Moss is joined by Jesse Mullenix and Alex Irit. Jesse talks about his gripping experience with the documentary Game Changers and how it effected him and his family. Next, they talk about their favorite stories (18:40) and meals (55:02) from 2019.

Find it on:

‘How to Eat Less Meat in 2020’

A NYTimes video from Melissa Clark on how to use less meat in your cooking. Great for anyone interested in more plant-based eating.

‘Why is vegan shōjin ryōri cuisine so deeply compelling?’

This is a really nice breakdown of one of the most celebrated veggie-focused meals on the globe. And, yes, it’s the opposite of the extreme. It’s the anti-Doritos. I’ve only had meals like this a few times, and the flavors were soft and subtle in way that I’ve probably never had before or since.

‘The Meat-Lover’s Guide to Eating Less Meat’

Mellissa Clark for the NYTimes:

Becoming vegan would be the most planet-friendly way to go, followed by going vegetarian. In my case, those diets would be a professional liability, and to be perfectly honest, I don’t know that I’ve got the willpower to stick to either one. I love meat and dairy too much to give them up entirely. But eating less of them — that I can do.

On the upside, eating less meat and dairy means there is more room on my plate for other delectable things: really good sourdough bread slathered with tahini and homemade marmalade, mushroom Bourguignon over a mound of noodles, and all those speckled heirloom beans I keep meaning to order online.

She has 6 good tips for people who are starting to dip their toes into the plant-based world.

‘The Long Beach Post is going vegan for January—and you can, too’

This January, the entire Post team is making a New Year’s resolution; to give up all animal products, like meat, dairy and eggs for 31 days—and we’re inviting you to join us.

We know it’s hard to stick to your resolutions, and you may not have the benefit of accountability buddies like we do around the Post offices, so we’re launching a special short-term newsletter to help you stay motivated.

Doing things like this especially difficult to do cold turkey, so it’s excellent their organization is doing it together. They’ll be able to help each other and share tips, which should make everyone’s life easier—and this whole thing possible.

Veganuary is upon us. Welcome, my new friends!

‘The Secrets of Shopping Vegan at 99 Cents Only Stores’

Giorgina Paiella wrote a nice guide for Tenderly about how to shop vegan at 99 Cent stores. This part here is worth highlighting:

Santa Barbara County has an abundance of high-end grocery stores, but I love the 99 because it provides a deeply discounted option for those otherwise unable to afford the more expensive markets, or for those who don’t want to overpay for quality products. Corporations aren’t the answer to our deeply broken food system (no ethical consumption under capitalism!) and we need more robust social programs that eliminate these inequalities to begin with, but these discount retailers provide affordable access to fresh food for people on a budget and those living in food deserts.

I would add that the main reason this is can be a necessity for many people is that vegetable crops for humans are essentially not subsidized while crops to fatten animals for slaughter are. And for many areas, 99 Cent stores are becoming the only option for groceries.