While, for some, the image conjured up by the uttering of “whole foods” or “vegan friendly” is that of bark garnished with leaves, the range and accessibility of veganism has never been wider than during Veganuary.
Home Cooking
While Veganuary might be a wonderful excuse to taste platters of mouth-watering vegan dishes in restaurants and cafes around Dublin to really find out if the vegan diet is for you, home cooking is a must. Luckily, the sheer magnitude of delicious, diverse recipes to be found online will see you through the month. Many dishes, like tofu with fresh lime and cilantro salad, are sure to become fast favourites.
Jamie Oliver’s website is a treasure trove of vegan recipes. Similarly, the Veganuary website has hundreds of recipes divided by region meaning that for whatever cuisine you’re craving or whatever takeout you wish to order, there’s a fully formed vegan recipe waiting for you to try.
Aldi also does a “Super 6” offer every week, with six discounted types of fruit and vegetables on sale. While some vegan ingredients may be new and on the more expensive side, the money saved on meat – which is surprisingly pricey – should balance out the scales.
The beauty of preparing meals at home and making multiple portions is that most pastas, rice and rice noodles are vegan. Within 20 minutes of arriving home, you can have a piping hot plate of tasty goodness to enjoy.
Eating Out
Often the hardest part of switching to a new diet can be the impact it has on family and friends. Beware of exclamations like: “Wait, you were serious about that vegan thing?” and cries of “well I’m not paying €10 for a handful of leaves!”. Nowadays, however, the fallout from the changeover seems minimal, seeing as so many popular Dublin restaurants now have vegan options on their menus.
Your Instagram streak of flawless breakfast spreads can remain unblemished at Powerscourt Townhouse with the full vegan breakfast there. For coffee dates, you can replace your traditional brownie with vegan banana chocolate cake or banana bread with herbal tea in KC Peaches. Trips to Mooch to satisfy that sweet tooth can continue uninterrupted with the dairy-free frozen yogurt options.
Cornucopia on Wicklow Street offers a comprehensive vegan menu, with students receiving 20 per cent off main courses. The Mongolian BBQ deal can also be used to its full advantage by substituting the egg noodles for vegan-friendly rice noodles and loading up on the vast array of vegetables or tofu.
If you’re willing to make a trip slightly further afield, two stops on the Luas will take you to Jerusalem on Camden Street, which offers very generous portion sizes. On Camden Row, the Fat Fox also has vegan options so yourself and non-vegan friends can leave equally satisfied.
Dinner dates at Milano can continue to be a roaring success with the special vegan pizza. Other Italian restaurants offering vegan meals include the ever-stylish Zizzi on Suffolk St and La Caverna in Temple Bar, which boasts a full vegan menu in 18th century brick-walled surroundings.
Snacking
In developing any new habit, one of the most important factors of success is to make it as easy as possible to follow through with your changed behaviour. For people aiming to commit to Veganuary, an emergency supply of vegan snacks could make the difference between staying true to your new lifestyle or caving in and ordering a burrito.
Fortunately, the number of common, universally loved snacks that coincidentally happen to be vegan is astonishing. The biscuit cupboard at home won’t be neglected, as McVities original and chocolate-chip hobnobs, gingernut and light rich tea biscuits are all on the list of vegan friendly goodies. Equally, bourbon biscuits and Oreo’s can still be eaten in shocking amounts.
For on-the-go snacking, the obvious options are chopped vegetables and fruit pieces. The wealth of fruit out there (beyond the classic banana, apple or orange) is vast and the low price tag should be a welcomed addition to the student budget. In nearly every supermarket, you find small pots and bags of dried fruits, as well as nuts and seeds which can easily be thrown into your bag for when you’re feeling peckish.
If pandering to your lazy side is inevitable, Belvita Tops in the choco-hazelnut flavour are a satisfying alternative to the traditional chocolate bar. Lunches can also be enjoyed accompanied with the many flavours of Walkers or Kettle chips.
Nights Out
Veganuary doesn’t have to pose a threat to quality nights out spent with friends. Some alcoholic beverages are processed using animal products but fear not as notable safe options include beers like Heineken, Carlsberg, Budweiser and Corona.
When it comes to wines and spirits, the vegan friendliness is on much more of a case-by-case basis however a quick google search offers long lists of vegan wines and spirits. Fortunately, the spirit of Captain Morgan can continue to fuel many of Dublin’s nights out with his vegan rum.
In short, it has never been easier or as painless to try out a vegan diet. Even if you find yourself unconverted by the end of the month, you’ll have gained the effortless ability to quote Happy Pear-esque recipes and name drop that up-and-coming vegan place you casually popped into last week. Or you could help continue to improve the health of the planet, your bank account and yourself. But as always, the health of your Instagram feed must come first and foremost.
