Did you know November 1st is the annual celebration of International World Vegan Day and kicks off an entire month of Vegan Awareness? While this doesn’t quite rank up there with your typical holidays, it’s still fun to take a moment to celebrate your commitment to veganism and maybe even spread the word a little about the benefits of living a vegan lifestyle.
Try these fun ideas for honoring this special day.
- Try a new recipe. Even though cooking vegan requires more knowledge and creativity, we still all get stuck in our ruts and eat the same thing over and over. Pick a new vegan ingredient (or cooking technique or tool) and create a meal around that. You might find a new favorite to add to your regular menu.
- Or just try out an entire box of new vegan snacks! We’ve tried all the Vegan snacks out there and put our very favorites into one big box (with a couple different variations). Guaranteed vegan and delicious with some unique treats that will surely become your new favorites. Shop here.
- Adapt a non-vegan recipe to vegan. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to find substitutes for non-vegan products such as milk, butter, or eggs. Experiment with your family favorites and swap in the vegan ingredients. Try it out on your family and see if they can tell the difference.
- Share the food you love. Cook a vegan meal for your non-vegan family and friends (please check for their food preferences and allergies first). Tell them ahead of time and share with them the ingredients you plan to cook. Then deliver or serve up the meal and ask for their honest opinion and questions. They will likely be pleasantly surprised.
- Volunteer with a community garden project or vegan store. This time of year, a lot of end of the season work is needed to clear out garden beds and prepare for next year. These fun group projects love a helping hand and you’ll find lots of like-minded folks and probably come home with lots of just-picked produce.
- Be an advocate. Vegans all over the world come together on social media to share their stories of living a plant-based lifestyle. Join in and share your experiences and your favorite recipes. Use the hashtags #WorldVeganMonth and #WorldVeganDay and help newcomers navigate grocery shopping, food prep, and field questions.
- Start a vegan challenge with friends. This can be fun for everyone and you can be the leader. Encourage your friends to adopt one small vegan activity every day for a month (try giving them a list of things to do). Check in with them regularly (yay, another Zoom!) and coach them through the road blocks.
- Shop local, shop vegan. Give your favorite brands a shoutout whenever you can. Consciously choose to support businesses committed to plant-based lifestyles. Encourage the other businesses you love that aren’t vegan to try improving their practices.
From all of us at The Good Grocer, we hope you enjoy this celebration!