Whether for climate change, health reasons, or limiting animal cruelty, the vegan population worldwide continues to rise. In fact, more than 620,000 vegans across 220 countries and territories signed up for the 2022 Veganuary Campaign. In the United States, people are turning vegans six times faster in 2022 as compared to previous years.
But going vegan isn’t easy, especially when you don’t know what things to consume and avoid. The vegan market has many plant-based and vegan food options, but finding the right alternatives to your favorite food items can be a little daunting.
So without overwhelming you with this challenging transition into the vegan lifestyle, here are a few amazing hacks and tips to find the perfect vegan options for your meats, milk, and other go-to grocery items. We’ve tried to keep the nutritional needs of a vegan diet in mind while preparing this list to add high-energy and healthy food alternatives for you.
1. The perfect meat alternative
If you’re new to veganism, giving up your usual meaty diets will be challenging, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You can find the same fibrous texture and nutritional values of chicken, beef, or sausages in their vegan alternatives, including tofu, jackfruit, and soy-based protein.
Lentils make the perfect protein-rich substitute for minced meat. You can use the same spices and a variety of boiled lentils to make vegan patties for your burgers and sandwiches. Moreover, lentils are one of the most affordable meat alternatives for vegans.
2. Say yes to the right dairy products
Thinking about how you can give up your milky cappuccino while going vegan? Well, you don’t have to. You can ditch your regular cow milk with creamier, thicker, and sweeter vegan options like soy, hazelnut, and almond milk.
You can use coconut milk as it’s thicker and sweeter, whereas rice milk makes a perfect vegan option to add to your smoothies, shakes, overnight oatmeals, and cereal bowls. Cheese is a food item most vegans miss in their diet, but you can swap your cheese with the nutty hemp seed or vegan kimchi queso alternatives.
Also, don’t forget to add peanut or almond butter to your cart while grocery shopping, as they make the perfect vegan option.
3. An ideal vegan option for spreads
Love mayonnaise? Try hummus. The creamy texture of blended chickpeas with herbs and garlic of hummus makes a healthier and tastier vegan option for your regular mayonnaise. You can swap maple syrup with honey to drizzle on your waffles and pancakes as a vegan option. Avocados, apple sauce, and pumpkin puree are among some vegan spreads that complement toast the best.
4. Vegan options for ice cream
Don’t worry about giving up ice creams while going vegan because you’ve many healthy and vegan substitutes for your regular ice creams. To relish a creamy dessert, try frozen bananas, strawberries, or blueberries blended with your favorite nuts. Add any fruit of your choice and freeze it to prepare vegan sorbets and sundaes.
5. The perfect vegan option for weight loss
If you’re a vegan and want to lose those extra pounds, you can try my 100% organic green juice. It’s healthy, vegan, and made from seven superfoods, including green kale, black kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, and green chard. All these green ingredients are packed with essential nutrients, minerals, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help you lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Moreover, this green juice for detox helps you stay energized by making you feel fuller every time you consume it, eliminating the urge to eat non-vegan or unhealthy food items. You can begin your weight loss journey with a 3 day juice cleanse plan and move further with the specially designed 21-day detox challenge.
Chef V strives to help you achieve your health goals, which also includes debunking myths about what you and can’t eat as a vegan and helping you discover tasty vegan alternatives.
Want to learn more about the available detox and cleanses? Visit the Chef V website.