The Best Online Resources for Starting Your Vegan Lifestyle

From vegworldmag.com 

It’s no secret that being vegan helps you reap a ton of health benefits. Studies have shown that going vegan can help you lose excess weight and lower the risk of major ailments like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. 

This is why it’s no surprise that more than a third of Americans want to adopt a vegan lifestyle, according to a Wakefield Research survey. This growing interest can be attributed to the need to maintain good health, prioritize animal welfare, and the desire to promote environmental sustainability.

However, switching to veganism can be difficult if you don’t know where to start. Without the proper nutritional tips and information to guide you, sustaining a plant-based diet can be a challenge. Thankfully, there are a ton of valuable tools online that can help you kickstart your vegan journey. Here are some of the best online resources for starting your vegan lifestyle:

Ebooks

Reading books and cookbooks about plant-based and environmentally friendly lifestyles can help you feel comfortable and confident in your new vegan life. However, individual books can cost a lot, take up a lot of space, and aren’t very sustainable if you’re just planning on reading them once. Luckily, Everand hosts a variety of cooking ebooks like Sarah Roslin’s Plant Based Diet Cookbook for Beginners to help you build beginner-friendly plant-based recipes. These ebooks are accessible through a subscription that costs less than a physical book, and you can find other vegan ebook and audiobook resources like Sarah Meyers’ Vegan Diet for Beginners to guide you through your new vegan way of life. Ebooks are also easy to download and can be annotated, allowing you to personalize your learning journey.

Online cooking courses

You can also enrol in online cooking classes that teach the basics of sustaining a plant-based diet. Take Food Future Institute’s online cooking courses, which consist of lessons and modules that help students learn how to prepare meals, utilize superfoods that provide energy, minimize cooking waste through composting and repurposing, and maintain a vegan lifestyle overall. The course focuses on the various nutritional aspects of a plant-based diet, helping you create vegan meals without sacrificing essential nutrients that help you feel full and sustained. Joining online cooking classes also enables you to get used to the vegan lifestyle through actual practice at your own pace and from the comfort of your kitchen.

Educational videos 

If you don’t have the time to enrol and participate in online cooking courses, you can subscribe to shorter, equally helpful videos instead. For instance, YouTube has many vegan channels or videos that can help you adjust to your new lifestyle, such as plant-based cookbook author Nisha Vora’s channel, where you can learn recipes to amp up your vegan meals. Other content creators like Pick Up Limes also provide a helpful beginner’s guide to veganism to help you get started and stay consistent on your new journey. Watching YouTube videos is an educational and entertaining way to learn how to prep plant-based meals and maintain a vegan diet if online workshops aren’t a good fit for your schedule or budget.

Podcasts

Suppose you’re always on the go or simply an auditory learner. In that case, you can plug in your earphones and listen to podcasts that discuss all things vegan – from expert advice and recipes to common issues facing the vegan community. Spotify has a wide range of podcasts you can listen to wherever and whenever convenient, whether in transit or while prepping your plant-based meal. Irish actress Evanna Lynch’s The Chickpeeps Vegan Podcast discusses animal advocacy in connection with veganism. At the same time, Holly Johnson’s The Simply Vegan Podcast talks about a wide range of all things vegan – from health and ethics to sustainable fashion – that can guide you through living a plant-based life. 

Embarking on a vegan journey may only be possible with proper guidance and informed choices. Check out these online resources to help you stay committed to a greener lifestyle.

https://vegworldmag.com/the-best-online-resources-for-starting-your-vegan-lifestyle/

USA: 7 Vegan Online Markets for Plant-Based Meat, Cheese, Chocolate, and More

From vegnews.com

In the US, online grocery sales have soared over the last four years. Popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic, buying groceries online helps consumers save time. And, if you’re feeling under the weather, grocery delivery is a great way to stock up on essentials while you recover from the comfort of home. 

Since the pandemic, online grocery sales have increased a whopping 131 percent in the US. According to CapitalOne, sales are projected to grow at an annual rate of nearly 21 percent. Last year alone, more than half of Americans over the age of 18 purchased groceries online in 2022. And globally, $654 billion were spent on online groceries last year. 

Instacart, DoorDash, and Amazon are just a few platforms where you can purchase groceries online. But, if you’re looking for specialty vegan items, chances are these mainstream services may not always provide exactly what’re you looking for. So, why not shop with an all-vegan grocer?

Here, we’ve gathered 7 vegan online markets (listed in no particular order) to shop with. Some even carry home goods, body care essentials, and closet staples—all made without animal cruelty. So get ready, get set, shop!

Online vegan markets for all of your shopping needs

Vegan Essentials

1Vegan Essentials

As one of the original online vegan markets, Vegan Essentials has paved the way for others to open up shop. As the name indicates, it has all the essentials—pantry staples, vegan meats and cheeses, pet food, and more. But this store also has a whole section dedicated to “rare vegan finds.” This is the page to check out if you’re in the mood for British favourites like Heinz Baked Beans With Vegan Sausages, Cadbury’s Plant Bars, and Galaxy Hot Chocolate.
FIND IT HERE

Mind Blown

2GTFO It’s Vegan

This virtual grocer carries many of the coveted brands that may be hard to find in mainstream stores. Fill your cart with Vegaliano Vegan Truffle Parmesan, Plant Based Seafood Co. Mind Blown Coconut Shrimp, Jacked! Jackfruit Jerky, and so much more.
FIND IT HERE

Besties Vegan Paradise

3Besties Vegan Paradise

If you’re looking for the very best independent brands in the plant-based food industry, you have to check out Besties Vegan Paradise. As the name suggests, it’s a corner of the internet dedicated to building a dreamy destination of entirely vegan brands “free of human oppression, corporate profiteers, animal cruelty, and all of those putting profit over people.”
FIND IT HERE

Thrive Market

4Thrive Market

This wellness-focused virtual Costco isn’t completely vegan, but we can’t stay away from the discounted prices that come with an annual membership. For $5 a month ($59.95 billed annually), members receive up to 30  percent off retail prices of popular products. Purchase everything from spices and seasonings to plant milk and vegan wine.
FIND IT HERE

PlantX

5PlantX

PlantX is, without a doubt, one of the biggest online market spaces dedicated to vegan-only foods and products. Founded in 2011, the Canadian retailer offers everything you could possibly desire to fill up your fridge and pantry (including Tofutti cream cheese and Partake cookies). Approach with caution, because once you start scrolling, you will want to keep spending.
FIND IT HERE

Vegan Black Market

6Vegan Black Market

Need a sweatshirt that says “Eat Beans, Not Beings?” Check out the Vegan Black Market. This shop offers a range of vegan-themed t-shirts, sweatshirts, and vests, as well as handy essentials like water bottles and cutting boards, too.
FIND IT HERE

The Vegan Warehouse

7The Vegan Warehouse

Consider this warehouse an Etsy-meets-Target situation. The shop houses apparel and accessories, home goods, makeup, and body care products from multiple trusted vegan brands. Click around to find independent companies you’ve yet to discover and fall in love with their products. From bucket bags to hair spray, find it at the warehouse.
FIND IT HERE

https://vegnews.com/products/vegan-online-markets

Plant-Based Grocery Stores in the U.S., for a Fully Meat-Free Shopping Experience

From greenmatters.com

These days, shopping for plant-based foods is far easier than it was 10 — or even five — years ago. But have you ever wished your food shopping experience could be totally meatless, to avoid even having to question if something is made with off-limits ingredients? Although it seems too good to be true, plant-based grocery stores totally exist in the U.S., which is why we've rounded up a few of our favourites across the country.

SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Plant Based Grocery (Frisco, Texas)

Since 2015, Plant Based Grocery has been serving North Texans with vegan groceries of all kinds. What started out as a pop-up proved to be popular enough to get a full-time location. And although its flagship store is located in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, it offers delivery to all U.S. residents — so if you're in a bind and can't make it to the store, it's totally going to come in handy.

The Vegan Grocery Store (North Tonowanda, N.Y.)

The Vegan Grocery Store is a Western New York gem — according to UBS Spectrum, it carries a wide range of cruelty-free, ethical, and allergy-friendly groceries, from vegan chocolate to frozen delicacies. You can find several different varieties of nut milks, egg substitutes, snacks, and cereals. Although the Buffalo area isn't necessarily known for its vegan community, it's certainly serving a purpose — and encouraging others to do better.

Plantbelly (online)

On Monday, Nov. 15, a brand new online vegan grocery platform called Plantbelly officially opened its virtual doors. According to a press release sent to Green Matters, it offers eco-friendly food products, gifts, and even monthly subscription boxes. It carries a wide range of small business products, in addition many women- and BIPOC-owned brands — needless to say, we're huge fans.

Besties Vegan Paradise (Los Angeles, Calif.)

BESTIES Vegan Paradise markets itself as the first-ever vegan marketplace nationwide to exclusively sell products from 100 percent vegan companies that refrain from using animal ingredients in anything that they produce or sell elsewhere. Per the company's website, the store accepts EBT, which makes vegan food much more accessible, and store profits go to building a VegEconomy — fingers crossed this will help make it happen.

Food Fight! Grocery (Portland, Ore.)

It comes as no surprise that Portland has a vegan food shop — Food Fight! Grocery opened its doors in 2003, offering vegan junk snacks, meats, cheeses, produce, and even a bulk section. They accept EBT as well as online orders for local residents, so it's definitely something you should get in on if you're in the area.

NOOCH Vegan Market (Denver, Colo.)

Looking for a vegan snack between hiking some of the 14ers, or skiing your heart out? NOOCH Vegan Market is a Denver-based vegan food retailer that finds the most innovative foods and beverages from across the country. The space may be small, it offers everything including: groceries, snacks, ready-made meals, books, body care items, kitchenware, and even gifts.

The Vegetarian Site (online)

Again, if you aren't keen on leaving the house, The Vegetarian Site is a PETA-approved vegan shopping platform that expands beyond groceries, into vitamins, personal care products, shoes, accessories, and more. It's a pretty impressive spot that's constantly updating its inventory — and it even has fun seasonal products to shop, if you're into that.

VEDGEco (online)

Finally, if you're looking to shop vegan in bulk, check out VEDGEco — it's an online wholesale delivery service that started in Hawaii and expanded to the U.S. mainland. Whether you have a huge family or simply want to save a little cash, it's an economic way to stock your fridge. It also offers a wide range of vegan brands you might not be able to find anywhere else.

Orchard Grocer (New York, New York)

For next-level "bodega" sandwiches, vegan soft-serve, and a small selection of groceries, we strongly suggest stopping by Orchard Grocer. Located in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighbourhood, it offers exclusively palm oil free items and delivery, making for a seriously amazing and ethical shopping experience.

https://www.greenmatters.com/p/plant-based-grocery-stores

 

8 Online Vegan Markets You Need to Check Out Immediately

From vegoutmag.com

If you’ve ever tried to zoom in your computer screen 200% to read the ingredients on something you’re shopping for online to make sure it’s vegan … this list is for you

It can be difficult trying to make sure everything you buy is vegan when you’re shopping online. Luckily, these vegan markets have you covered. Everything is 100% vegan and cruelty-free, so you can leave straining your eyes for trying to decipher those IKEA instructions instead.

GTFO It’s Vegan

GTFO It’s Vegan is for the consumer that’s not vegan yet, but wants to make better dietary choices for the planet and for their health. Their mission is to curate an online market with the best of the best in the vegan food game to show people how delicious it can be to eat vegan food!

They have everything from snacks and sodas to small-batch craft vegan meats and cheese, and they ship nationwide! Check out the “Family Packs” section of their website to grab bulk items from your favorite vendors, and if you plan on being a regular shopper, make sure you sign up for a membership to gain access to discounts and free shipping.

What you can find at GTFO It’s Vegan: Food

Vejii

Veiji is another relatively new online marketplace that is making it easier than ever to shop for all of your favorite vegan products in one place. With a price match guarantee, over 3,000 products to choose from, and a points system that gives you even more savings, Veiji has it down.

Need some specialty vegan food ASAP? Check out the “Veiji Express” tab on their website for a list of products that can be shipped within two business days!

What you can find at Veiji: Food, vitamins & supplements, beauty & skincare products, apparel, home supplies, pet food & accessories, sports nutrition

Only Vegan Organic

Think of this online store as the vegan and organic Costco of your dreams. They offer tons of bulk items, so you’ll never have to run out of your favorite Amy’s Kitchen soup or Harvest snap peas again!

But don’t worry, not everything is in bulk. You can still buy your dog those treats he likes without breaking the bank.

What you can find at Only Vegan Organic: Food, vitamins & supplements, beauty & skincare products, pet food, home & garden supplies

Plant Based Grocery

What started as a pop-up of locally curated products from Dallas Fort Worth has now expanded into a full-service online grocery that ships nationwide.

Plant Based Grocery focuses on small businesses and small-batch products, so this is the place to find that one chocolate bar you had two years ago but haven’t been able to locate since!

If you’re looking for an online platform that supports small and local businesses, look no further than Plant Based Grocery.

What you can find at Plant Based Grocery: Food, vitamins & supplements, apparel

Vegan Black Market

Vegan Black Market was founded with one goal in mind: to bring vegan products to the masses. In doing this, they hope to help people reduce their carbon footprints by doing their shopping in one place, as well as make vegan products more accessible in smaller, more rural towns.

Check out their “Bundle & Save” option to save a little extra when you buy in bulk!

What you can find at Vegan Black Market: Food, vitamins & supplements, beauty & skincare products, apparel, pet food & accessories, home & garden supplies, sports nutrition

Vegan Essentials

What were you doing back in 1997? Chances are, veganism wasn’t even on your radar! But 1997 is the year that Vegan Essentials opened their online doors, and they’ve been serving the vegan community ever since.

Voted best online vegan store from 2005-2018 in the VegNews Veggie Awards, Vegan Essentials stocks everything from the best vegan dog food for your pup to creamy new vegan cheeses.

What you can find at Vegan Essentials: Food, vitamins & supplements, beauty & skincare products, apparel, pet food & accessories, home & garden supplies

The Vegan Warehouse

Think of The Vegan Warehouse as the Etsy of vegan marketplaces. It’s your one-stop shop for all the scented soy candles, vegan leather purses, and smudge kits you’ve ever wanted. Instead of messaging Susie from Oklahoma to ask if she puts lard in her candles, you can shop with ease at The Vegan Warehouse knowing that everything is vegan and cruelty-free!

Check out their “Bundle” section for curated gift ideas that support small businesses.

What you can find at The Vegan Warehouse: Beauty & skincare products, apparel, home supplies

Super Vegan Market

Super Vegan Market was launched in 2020 as the owners of Seasoned Vegan in Harlem realized the demand for consumers to have a one-stop shop for all of their vegan needs. The site houses everything from jalapeno chips to french fry-shaped baby teethers and is currently offering a free membership to everyone (which qualifies you for free shipping!)

Check out the “Learn a New Word” category on their website for an extensive list of non-vegan ingredients to use as a cheat sheet next time you’re squinting at those ingredients on the bag of chips someone gave you.

What you can find at Super Vegan Market: Food, beauty & skincare products, apparel, home & garden supplies

If you’re tired of contacting customer support on Amazon to have them send you a clear picture of the ingredients to make sure the product you’re looking to buy is vegan, try supporting one of these vegan online platforms instead.

https://vegoutmag.com/food-and-drink/8-online-vegan-markets-you-need-to-check-out-immediately/

Online Store Launches In UK To Help Vegan Businesses Struggling Due To Coronavirus Crisis

From plantbasednews.org

'Now more than ever vegan and plant-based communities are coming together to support vegan businesses'

Ethical marketplace VOS (Vegan Online Store) launches in the UK on May 11 in a bid to help vegan businesses struggling due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The 'all-in-one webstore' curates vegan products from more than 30 ethical brands into a single place - 'making it easy for shoppers to discover new brands, find great deals, and enjoy conscious living'.

While the majority of VOS's launch partners are based in the UK, the company plans to expand overseas in the 'near future'.

A 'compassionate future'

In a statement sent to Plant Based News, Wicked Healthy's Derek Sarno said: "Eating animals is so pre Covid-19! Now more than ever vegan and plant-based communities are coming together to support vegan businesses working towards alternatives to animal use.
"Whether it's food, media, ore free-from animal products, it all helps work towards our goal of integrating into a more sustainable and compassionate future."

'Help vegan businesses'

Food-blogger Clare Every, who was recently appointed as Papa John's first-ever Chief Vegan Officer, added: "I firmly believe that the vegan community is one of the kindest and most supportive around and the VOS marketplace proves thus.

"This is the perfect way for all of us to help vegan businesses not only survive but thrive during this difficult time."

Vendors can join the marketplace and receive a free first month of trading - as long as the product is '100 percent vegan'.
You can visit VOS here

https://www.plantbasednews.org/news/online-store-launches-in-uk-to-help-vegan-businesses