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Top 3 picks - December 2024

2/12/2024

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How has Christmas come by so quickly? In three weeks, it will be the usual family fare: you have to defend your eating choices, tell your mildly deaf great aunt that you’re not a humanoid species from Star Trek and that yes, you do have energy for ordinary activities, and it’s just that you’re trying to change your diet. So, what are our top Christmas picks to keep you chirpy over the festive season?
 
1. Aren’t you bored of Christmas trees with tinsel and reflective glass baubles, or candles that risk lighting the needles and setting your home ablaze? We are too. And we love these novel Christmas baubles. Mini-cakes free from animal products from master cake-makers, Sponge.co.uk. So there’s genuine happiness, rather than slight apprehension, as you see what surprises lurk on the Christmas tree. 
 
2. So, you’re full. But you still want something sweet. Maybe something alcoholic to send you off into a sweet post-Christmas food coma, so you can sleep through Scrabble or Who Wants to be a Millionaire? But vegan Baileys has been discontinued. Fear not. Amarula have perfected a vegan cream liqueur with a coconut base rather than cream. 
 
3. And what to wear? You’ve told grandma you’d rather not have another Christmas sweater, which you’ve been able to justify on grounds other than good taste, but you still want something Christmasy. If you’re looking for something a bit tongue-in-cheek, then how about Vegan Outfitters’ cotton Christmas sweater: “Vegans – Ruining Family Gatherings”. It’s perfect for you.

Merry Christmas!

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Top 3 Picks for October 2024

1/10/2024

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​Here’s something different this month. Top 3 for those who are starting their journey. Get on the train!
 
Top 3 Fun and Simple Ways to Begin Your Plant-Based Journey This Month 🌱🥑


Switching to a plant-based lifestyle might seem daunting, but it's easier (and more fun) than you think! Whether you're motivated by health benefits, environmental concerns, or ethical worries, going plant-based can be a rewarding experience. You don't need to make drastic changes overnight, either.
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Let's explore three simple and fun ways to start your vegan journey this month in the UK.

1. Try Vegan Versions of Your Favourite Comfort Foods 🍔🍕🍦

Who says going vegan means giving up your favourite meals? With veganism growing in the UK, you'll find plant-based versions of nearly everything you love—burgers, pizzas, and desserts!

Pro Tip: Check out vegan-friendly spots like Wagamama  with a 50% plant-based menu or The Vurger Co  now in Brighton, Manchester and East London, or make your vegan comfort foods at home. You can recreate those comforting flavours with added health benefits from a plant-based diet using readily available substitutes like vegan cheese (Cathedral City vegan cheddar is a must) and meat alternatives (obvious choices being Beyond Meat and This Isn’t).


​2. Explore Vegan Protein Sources 💪🌾🥗
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Where do vegans get their protein? There's no shortage of plant-based protein options. Vegan nutrition offers a wide range of protein-rich foods, from lentils and chickpeas to tofu and quinoa.

Fun Idea: Create a "vegan protein plate" every week using three different sources, such as quinoa, lentils, or a tofu stir-fry. This will diversify your meals and ensure you're meeting your nutritional needs. You'll soon discover that eating vegan can be both nutritious and delicious!

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​3. Join Local Vegan Communities 
🛍️🌿

Going vegan doesn't have to be a solo journey. The UK has a thriving vegan community, with regular events, markets, and festivals. Getting involved is a great way to meet like-minded people, discover new products, and learn more about veganism.

What's On: Visit a local vegan market or attend events like the Vegan Camp Out festival or check out Vegan Events who run markets around the country throughout the year: their next one is in Glasgow on 12th October and after that in Essex in November. These events are fun and inspiring ways to explore veganism while supporting ethical businesses. Plus, you may pick up some valuable tips and delicious recipes to make your transition even smoother.
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Conclusion: Make Veganism Fun, One Step at a Time 🌍

Transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated. By trying vegan comfort foods, exploring plant-based protein sources, and engaging with local vegan communities, you'll find veganism is simple and fun. And who knows? You might inspire others to make the switch!
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Ready to begin? Try one of these steps this month and see how enjoyable and rewarding a vegan lifestyle can be. Let's make veganism a fun and delicious adventure together!  
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Top 3 - September 2024

26/8/2024

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​Yes, high winds mean that Reading and Leeds festival-goers have to stay inside. The rains have stopped play repeatedly. It can only mean that it’s the tail-end of the British summer.

What are our top 3 then, to cope with the rain and the coming Autumn?

​No.1    Before the mornings get too dark and cold, keep that summer feeling going with vegan brunch. Wagamama, which has become a favourite since opting for a 50% plant-based menu, is testing out a vegan brunch at a limited number of its UK restaurants up to 11.30am. In London, you can head to Bankside, Battersea, Camden, Covent Garden or the Festival Hall. Further afield, check out Sheffield Meadowhall, Clifton in Bristol, St Albans and others in this link. Firm favourites for us: bang bang hash browns and vegan sausage bao. For those who can’t wait for the katsu curry at lunch they’re doing the tofu katsu too. Of course they are. Our only issue: are we getting out of the house before 11.30am on a Sunday?

No.2   New kid on the block Beanstalk Foods www.beanstalkfoods.com which is aiming for the double whammy of processed food which is vegan and healthy, with foods that are high in proteins, fibre, vitamins and anti-oxidants. They want to put the fun and decadence into vegan snacking and seem to be on the Extraveganza mission. Products include pastrami, chorizo and meatballs. At the time of writing, products aren’t yet in the shops so this is one to look out for. 

No. 3  DIP. Again, you cry. Please stop already with the cleaning products. Anyone would think we’re trying to tell you that you have a hygiene problem. But we really are blown away by this laundry detergent. It’s more animal-friendly than traditional washing capsules and liquids, and it keeps winning us over on sustainability grounds. Tear off one strip for a light wash or two for the post-Glastonbury heavy soiling.  And it’s cheaper. So, it’s more sustainable, better for the environment, less harmful to animal life and it saves you pennies. It wins on every count. It makes you wonder why Procter & Gamble or Unilever didn’t do something similar earlier. ​
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Your festival summer

8/6/2024

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Well, summer is just around the corner, although with the predicted 50 days of rain, it might not feel like it. As the raindrops patter on your windows, here are some fun festival ideas to keep you going through the embers of spring
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First up is Vegandale on Saturday 13 July in Clapham Common, London from 11am to 8pm. Go from teatime until close and entry is only £12. They promise 75 traders from around the world, free samples, an all-day DJ and interactive artwork for those plant-based selfies. London is one of two UK stops (the other is Manchester later in the year) on their annual journey around the UK and North America (Chicago, Toronto, Miami, Dallas, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and New York) aiming to show that the vegan world has all the fun of our current world, just without using animals.

Want something more like a weekend festival and you're happy to travel? Second on our list is Vegan Camp Out in Bicester from 26 to 29 July. Line-up includes Simon Amstell, Kate Nash and Chris Packham or for Drag Race fans, Bimini. With that line-up, and house and techno DJs, there should be enough to keep it bouncey.
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Or want to go somewhere further afield to what is said to be the world’s greenest festival in Norway? It’s from 6th to 10th August. It’s not 100% vegan, so it’s more for the flexitarians, but food vendors only serve organic food and there is no red meat at all and plenty of plant-based options, there are zero single use plastics, waste is hand-sorted and the arena is run fossil-fuel-free. Line-up includes Andre 3000, Janelle Monae and Jessie Ware  A 4-day pass is roughly £300, but there are various options for 2-day passes and day tickets. The English website isn’t yet up-and-running, so booking a ticket is going to be all part of the fun!
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Hell for Leather

12/5/2024

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You’re on the road to living a more vegan lifestyle, but the clothes you have aren’t cruelty free. What’s your next move?
​A diet change isn’t the finish line to living a more vegan lifestyle. It extends to a mindset of compassion towards all living things, a commitment to sustainability and a conscious effort to make ethical choices in all aspects of life. But the right thing to do isn’t always in black and white.

A particularly murky grey area is fashion. What is clear is that the industry has relied on animal products such as leather, fur and wool for years which have contributed to animal cruelty. These practices also lead to environmental degradation—the leather industry alone relies on intensive farming practices and the use of toxic chemicals in production. 

So, we’re all agreed: leather = bad. 

But you’ve had that leather jacket, belt or pair of shoes for years and now they are staring at you every time you open your wardrobe like a shining reminder of your contribution to the problem. What do you do? 
 
Throw it away 
PETA says: “If you can do so, we recommend throwing the shoes away or donating them to PETA (for use in protests) and replacing them with leather-free products.” 

Apart from being quite vague about how they use the items in protests, there are also problems with just throwing old leather away. For starters, doing so contributes to environmental pollution and waste accumulation as leather takes a long time to decompose and may release harmful chemicals into the environment as it breaks down. 

Also, the unfortunate truth is that what’s been done has been done and the leather items you have already exist. Wouldn’t throwing them away render the sacrificed animal’s life even more worthless? 
 
OK, so keep it 
You decide to honour the animal by holding on to the product and taking care of it until it is no longer usable. You’re back to looking cool in that leather jacket, strutting your stuff and turning heads. But are you also sending a silent message of approval for the cruel treatment of animals by wearing it? Now, you could wear your leather jacket with a giant badge that says ‘I don’t approve of this’ to highlight that you don’t condone and that you’re not a hypocrite for wearing it, but that might be a fashion statement with its own statement about your sanity.

Also, with your understanding of the leather industry’s exploitation of animals and disregard for the environment, can you wear them and feel truly comfortable? 
 
So give it away 
One of the simplest ways to give old leather products a new lease on life is by donating or selling them. There are plenty of individuals who may still appreciate and use leather goods, and by passing them on, you’re extending their lifespan and reducing waste. Charity shops are great places to consider and giving them away means that you are not exploiting the animal that died for it for profit. 

Phew, that’s that then. Finally, a solution.  

​Hang on… by giving it away aren’t you just encouraging more people to purchase leather? What if the person that gets it loves it so much that they go out looking for more leather products? 
 
Every turn 
I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted. It feels like every road you look down presents a new moral quandary.
Perhaps the key lies not in finding the right answer but in continually questioning our choices, striving to minimise harm, and being open to evolving our perspectives as we learn and grow. Even the smallest glimmers of enlightenment on the subject will spark widespread change in the industry. And raising awareness about cruelty-free fashion and the impact of leather production is essential for driving systemic change within the industry. By supporting brands that prioritise ethical and sustainable practices, consumers can influence market trends and encourage the adoption of cruelty-free alternatives. 


By Essam Aljaedy
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