Dry January? Veganuary? How’s it going?

It seems ridiculous to me to do it for one month and then spend the rest of the year “toxing”....detoxing for one month will do nothing for your health unless you stop altogether!

Many people find they cut down on the alcohol after Dry January. That’s not a bad thing is it?

The thinking is that some people use it as a starting point to change their habits for good. Some do, too.

When my husband was alive I drank quite a bit because he was a drinker and I tended to have one if he was having one. Since his death it doesn't often cross my mind to pour an alcoholic drink, I love coffee! So no need for me to go dry. As usual I put on a few extra pounds at Christmas so am now watching carefully what I eat as I want to get rid of the extra pounds, having spent 2 years losing quite a lot of weight. I have no wish to be a vegan myself but chose to eat a healthy basic diet with lots of vegetables, salad and fruit, some meat and fish, and as little processed food as possible. January for me is always a kick start month for everything that needs improving!!!

I don’t drink alcohol and have been vegetarian off and on all my life so am finding it very easy to go vegan. I’ve bought supplies to cook lots of middle eastern and Indian recipes. Flatbreads, grains and vegetables are cheap and good for us.
I also bought a kg tub of peanut butter, which I love and keep dipping a finger in.

I use agave nectar instead of honey.

Don’t see any point to either, going vegan or giving up the odd glass of hooch.Especially for just a month.

Noones forcing anyone to do it, and if you don’t see the point, fine.

I don't see the point of anyone saying they don't see the point.

Except that it’s their point of view

Watermeadow, I have a recipe book by Arto der Haroutunian called Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East, half of which are vegan.
It's over 30 years old!

So everyone’s got their own point of view. Some of us can see the point of others views, some of us don’t. My point is that I’m doing dry January and veganuary as I ate and drank too much over Christmas and new year and wanted to cut down. Some others in the family are doing it and we can support each other, share recipes etc. I hope to continue with cutting down on alcohol and dairy products in the months to come. So hopefully it will last for more than a month. Sorry if people don’t see the point of that, I’m not asking anyone else to do it, but I know a few people are and I wondered how they were doing.

It is possible to be vegan for January, then decide you want to continue. However many months, weeks, days you do it for, it helps the animals.

So far this year I haven't been out shopping. It's easier doing online shopping for vegan products.

Do you shop at a particular place, Jen?

Fresh food at Waitrose.
Other sorts from
www.ethicalsuperstore.com
They have 20% off cleaning and household goods at the moment. 50% winter sale, too.

I don't work for them, by the way; nor does anyone I know.

Thank you. I've been considering at least trying vegan food for a while. I'll have a browse.

www.viva.org.uk for recipes and lots of information.

Thanks again. I just clicked onto the books section, and saw lots of pink snouts poking through bars on the covers.. it just seems such a massive undertaking.

Tesco has just introduced a vegan range, and Sainsbury’s do quite a few vegan lines in their “free from” section ( though not all vegan) lots of of supermarkets do the Alpro yoghurt, dairy free marg, plant milks etc, so not too difficult. Veganuary have a website with loads of recipes.

Thank you. I'm glad I'm having veggie sausages for my dinner tonight, anyway.
I just feel veggie doesn't really do enough, and I'm such a creature of habit. (Plus I'm lazy!)

Obviously anything marked vegan will be vegan but I was surprised at this list of things I assumed were vegan but may not necessarily be so. I know about beer/wine & Lea & Perrins but some orange juice and sugars? I had no idea!
www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/10-surprising-food-drink-products-arent-suitable-vegans/

On the other hand, apparently Frys Chocolate Creme is vegan!

Started Dry January but didn’t last I’m afraid. We are only having a drink at weekends though. Not going vegan, but we are trying to eat healthily and have been eating a lot of vegetarian,meals.

Just heard Peter White on You and Yours on R4 introducing the subject of Veganuary by saying that 'the Vegan Community were taking over Dry January and trying to persuade people to adopt a meat-free and dairy-free diet.'

Nice bit of impartial reporting there!

vegappg.org.uk/

There's a vegetarian /vegan group in parliament, just in case anyone wants to go to any of their meetings.
vegetarianforlife is about elderly vegans and vegetarians, and what happens when you need to go into a home.
There's a paper on it about labelling of medicines.

Half way through the month and still drinking only tap water for WaterAid. I drink it warmed as well as straight from the tap as it's so cold lately.
A friend asked for a glass of tap water for me in a café, I was pleased they warmed it but surprised when she later mentioned that it cost £1.50!! I've now bought her a cappuccino in a much nicer café where they provide my warm water without charge!! They also keep full carafes and glasses available for customers to serve themselves to cold water.