Is your New Year’s resolution to take a break from dairy and meat? Then come to Lakeside Village for all your Veganuary treats!
A record number of people all over the world have pledged to eat a plant-based diet in January for health, animal welfare or environmental reasons.
As the global campaign has grown in popularity, so have the options and variety for vegan food. And Lakeside Village is the ideal place to embrace Veganuary, with stores and eateries offering plant-based products to help you on the journey.
Grape Tree boasts a wide selection of “feel good foods”, including everything from vegan sweets and snacks to supplements and wholefoods. Stock up on snacks or find the ingredients to cook up a delicious meal at home.
Health food shop Holland and Barrett offers Vegan multivitamins and mineral tablets as well as tasty vegan snacks. If you’re wondering how you’ll manage Veganuary without chocolate, head here to try the vegan chocolate range.
Veganuary is also the perfect excuse to treat yourself to some new cookwear to prepare all those yummy meals you’ll be making. Cook N Dine has an extensive range of quality brands and ProCook offers British-designed products focused on outstanding performance.
If you’re after a post-shopping snack that won’t break your new diet, Lakeside’s eateries have plenty of vegan options.
See if you still miss meat after trying Etto’s mouth-watering The Vegan toastie, packed with falafel, vegan cheese and chilli chutney. Or try the vegan sausage roll at Greggs, a popular meat-free alternative to their classic sausage roll.
Di Rodgers, centre manager at Lakeside Village, said: “The New Year is a wonderful opportunity for people to make resolutions and eating a healthy diet is often at the top of the list.
“At Lakeside Village, we offer lots of options for people who are doing Veganuary or regularly eat a plant-based diet. So if that’s your resolution, we can help you stick to it!”
Three top tips for Veganuary:
Plan meals
Eating a vegan diet for the first time can be a challenge, but meal planning will make it a lot easier. Try to plan a balanced menu at the start of the week, with a clear list of ingredients to get from the shops. Need inspiration? There are countless vegan recipes and cooking videos online.
Use meat and dairy alternatives
Some people think a vegan diet means bland meals of broccoli and beans every day. Of course, that’s not true, but to ease your transition consider meat and dairy alternatives. Use vegan sausages in your toad in the hole or plant-based mince in your spaghetti bolognaise – you might be surprised how little you miss meat!
Think about protein
Many vegans are used to receiving questions about how they get enough protein in their diet. But red meat isn’t the only source of protein out there. Vegan protein sources include tofu, lentils, chickpeas, black beans and products made from pea or soy protein (like some vegan sausages). A vegan diet doesn’t mean missing out on protein, but it’s worth checking you are receiving what your body needs.
