Veganuary Tips for Students

From studentnews.manchester.ac.uk

By Daisy Coggin

If you’re thinking about trying Veganuary but worried about the feasibility whilst being a student, then look no further. This January will be my fifth year of being vegan and it all started with Veganuary 2019, when I was in my first year of uni. Being vegan is second nature to me now, but it wasn’t always this easy. In 2018, I tried and tragically failed Veganuary, within the first two weeks I caved into a chicken mayo sandwich because I was sick to death of eating falafel every day. So, from a self-proclaimed Veganuary veteran, here are my tips for having a successful Veganuary as a student. 

Don’t rely on fake meat and dairy products.

The market for vegan food is drastically improving every year, and in some of the higher end supermarkets you can find every kind of fake meat, cheese and dairy product your heart could desire (Tesco’s I’m looking at you). Whilst they are fun to indulge in every now and then, trust me when I say that relying on expensive fake meats and cheeses for all your meals will simply bankrupt you. Stick to having them as treats.

Shop at budget stores

It’s hardly a secret that Aldi and Lidl have some of the best bargains for your food shop. Not only do these shops offer cheap tins of any kind of bean you’re after, but both sell cheap own-brand vegan staples such as tofu and falafels. Aldi’s frozen plant menu selection is also one of my favourite supermarket vegan brands and they are always adding new products to the range. 

Stock up on sauces and seasoning 

The key to good vegan cooking is seasoning and sauce. If your spice rack is lacking, I highly recommend building up your collection in preparation for Veganuary. For example, I tend to eat a lot of stir fries, so I make sure to always have five spice, ground ginger, soy sauce and plenty of garlic in the cupboard. I also love the bottles of hoisin and sweet chilli sauce you can get in Aldi. 

Experiment and work out what you enjoy.  

Veganuary is all about experimenting with new recipes and finding out what you like. Figure out what protein sources you enjoy, be it tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, or lentils, and look for recipes that use them. @bosh.tv are a great Instagram account to follow if you want to get some recipe ideas but you can pretty much “veganise” any food you enjoy now! Just google the vegan version of the recipe and try some out. 

Buddy up 

If you can convince someone to try Veganuary with you then I recommend doing so! You can share recipes and tips, it’s also good to have someone to push you to keep going if you’re struggling, think of it like having a gym buddy holding you accountable. 

Don’t give up if you slip up

My biggest mistake was giving up completely when I slipped up my first Veganuary. Being vegan isn’t about being perfect, it’s about making a lifestyle change for a bigger purpose.  Remember every time you swap out animal products from your meal, you’re making a difference to+ the environment and for animals everywhere. Stick to it and trust in the process. I’ve also included some links below for a bit of Veganuary inspiration. Best of luck and happy Veganuary! 

https://studentnews.manchester.ac.uk/2024/01/01/veganuary-tips-for-students/