I tried going vegan for a month and this is what happened…
| 14th July 2022
I’d like to start off with a confession. My name is Jess, and I am NOT a vegan. I am a huge foodie and if I was to list my top 5 favourite foods, I can guarantee that they will all contain meat or cheese, probably both!
When I think of a vegan diet, I think rabbit food. Don’t get me wrong, I have always had great admiration for those who have opted for a fully plan-based diet, but it’s not a lifestyle that has any appeal to me.
So, why on earth have I decided to take on a totally vegan lifestyle for a month?
It is no secret that veganism is kinder to the planet, and of course to animals. However, I am genuinely intrigued to see how my body responds to a purely plant-based diet. I am also excited to discover all the vegan options available on the market, and I’d like to see how easy it really is to be a vegan in this day and age.
It’s not just the food and drink I will be changing, but my lifestyle as well. I’ll only be using vegan skincare and haircare, even my deodorant will be vegan friendly.
So here I am at the beginning of my 30-day journey to try a vegan diet and lifestyle, all in the name of science!
Day 1
It’s the first day of my 30-day vegan challenge and I’m feeling good about it. My other half is also doing this with me, so for the next month, we are a vegan household (words I never thought I’d say).
We have a fridge and freezer full of meat alternatives and I have our meals already planned out for the next few days. Our bathroom is also now fully vegan!
On today’s lunch menu we have Ramona’s falafel (you can find these in the frozen section of Sainsbury’s) in wholemeal pitta bread with spinach, red onion and tomatoes. I also used Ramona’s red pepper hummus, which I spread on the inside of the pitta before filling.
For dinner I used meatless mince from Beyond Meat and fried it off in a homemade Chinese sauce with broccoli and vegetable rice. Another super tasty and filling meal. So far, I haven’t missed meat at all, and I’ve barely noticed the absence, and yes I know it’s only been one day!
Day 2
For today’s lunch I reheated some of last nights dinner, and it was just as good! Harry went to work in the office today, so he grabbed a Tesco meal deal which included a Mexican rice salad and falafels and houmous from their plant chef range and a coconut water. Full marks to him!
For dinner we decided to go carb free, so I made us a carrot and parsnip soup. I’m not usually a fan of soup but when I can be bothered to make my own, I tend to enjoy them.
To make this I roasted some carrots and parsnips is a little olive oil and sprinkled some salt and pepper on top. I used some Flora plant butter to fry off some white onions which I then added a vegan stock to.
Once the veg had roasted and the onions and stock mixture had cooled down, I whacked them all in the nutribullet with a teaspoon of organic date syrup which I got from The Groovy Food Company, (I would usually use honey but as we are vegan, I have used this as a replacement) and blitzed it.
To reheat I poured it all in a pan and voila, a healthy and tasty soup! If like me, you’d like to add an extra layer of pizazz, I strongly recommend sprinkling a few munchy seeds on top. I used the cumin and fennel mix.
This particular evening, I was scheduled to speak at an online event for Women in Agencies called Sister Sessions. This meant I had to look presentable, so I jumped in the shower whilst my four-month-old Cecelia had her nap. I used Utkeram soothing lavender shampoo and conditioner, which I was most impressed with, along with the Dr Bonner Cherry Blossom Castile soap, which smelt like a Bakewell tart – I love it!
I have to say by the end of the day, we were feeling pretty accomplished.
To treat ourselves we tucked into some Cake or Death brownies (check them out here) and oh my, I can tell you already, this is a swap we will be doing going forwards. They were incredible! So gooey and decadent, I will definitely be ordering more.
Day 3
Three days in and today was a bit tough. By the afternoon we both felt a little under the weather. Harry complained of feeling faint and dizzy and I had a headache that just wouldn’t go (it definitely wasn’t dehydration as I’d drank nearly 3 litres of water). We were warned that we may feel unwell as our body detoxes, however I don’t think we expected it to happen so soon, if at all.
I had a lazy lunch as Cecelia was teething and feeling particularly clingy. So, I rustled up a baked potato with beans and grated cheddar Sheese. I was very pleasantly surprised by Sheese, it actually tasted like the real thing, and worked really well on a potato.
For dinner we had homemade vegan burritos. I slow cooked some jackfruit and black beans in Potts fajita and taco marinade which I purchased from Tesco. I added Uncle Ben’s spicy Mexican rice along with some smashed avocado and salsa. Another great and filling dinner and another day where meat has not been missed.
As I was feeling a little woozy in the evening and after a two-hour nap, I tucked into some Popcorn Shed butterscotch popcorn, which was not only super tasty, but it made me feel a lot better too. Just the boost I needed.
Day 4
I awoke feeling much better today. The headaches have gone, and I have to say I have noticed that I feel a little less bloated and I have more energy than usual. For today’s lunch I used the last of the jackfruit for another burrito.
As I was feeling a bit rough yesterday, I took a dose of MONAT’s Total Green superfood mix. This is a daily drink mix that contains a ton of goodness, including Vitamin C and Zinc and helps to combat tiredness and fatigue, two things I was definitely suffering with the day before. Plus, totally vegan! In fact, all MONAT products are vegan friendly.
One swap that I haven’t been particularly keen on, is the Dolce Gusto Almond Milk coffee pod. I bought the Almond and the Coconut milk vegan pods, and I have to say I really am not a fan. The coffee is weak, and the alternative milks leave a bad aftertaste.
This afternoon I tried a different tactic, which I am pleased to say worked out a lot better. I used an Americano pod and added the Rude Health Barista Oat milk and added a teaspoon of MONIN vanilla coffee syrup (another vegan friendly brand). This tasted much better, so there’s my coffee crisis over.
Dinner tonight was spaghetti and Future Farm meatless meatballs, topped with Nurishh vegan parmesan (you can try it free here) which I have to say is incredibly close to the real thing. I made my own sauce, just garlic and onion fried off in a little olive oil, chopped tomatoes, oregano and fresh basil. I added the spaghetti in afterwards and gave it a good mix before serving.
Day 5
It’s day 5 and it has occurred to me that we have been skipping breakfast all week. This isn’t unusual in our household, as we only tend to eat breakfast on the weekend.
Today is Friday, so I am already planning some vegan breakfast options for tomorrow. Lunch today was VIVERA plant-based shawarma with Ramona hummus, smashed avocado and a bit of salad in a wrap. I am a huge fan of VIVERA and this isn’t the first time we have had the shawarma. It took me about 10 minutes to cook and prep lunch with the shawarma only needing a quick pan fry for a few minutes.
For dinner I decided to try my usual go-to homemade pie, with a vegan uplift. I used Heura chicken style pieces with leeks and spinach in a creamy veg stock, using Sheese garlic and herb cream cheese. I topped this with some Filo pastry, which I was delighted to find out is also vegan! I served this with some air fryer chips.
Usually, this pie would be packed with chunks of chicken, loads of cream and butter. Comfort food at its best! However, this vegan version felt cleaner, and I actually prefer the chicken alternatives to the real thing! This vegan pie will be a permeant swap for us.
Day 6
The weekend is upon us! I stepped on the scales this morning, and since becoming vegan I’ve managed to lose 3lb.
This morning we had Moving Mountain plant-based sausage sandwiches. We had these on thick wholemeal bread with lots of vegan spread and ketchup. I have to say there wasn’t much of a difference between the plant-based sausages and the meaty counterpart, but unlike regular sausages, the plant-based ones don’t sit heavy on your stomach afterwards.
Dinner was a bit of a treat, we gave the beyond meat burgers a go. We paired this with Mash Direct’s skinny fries and wow. Just wow. The fries are incredible. They have that takeaway texture and taste without the calories that come with it.
The burgers I genuinely prefer to the meat alternative. Like regular sausages, red meat always sits heavy on my stomach but these feel indulgent and light afterwards.
Day 7
Today is Father’s Day! I gave Harry the option to have a treat day and give up the veganism for a day, but he was having none of it which really surprised me.
As it was his first Father’s Day, we ordered a Wagamama in the evening. They a great vegan range and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Our personal favourite dishes are the miso corn and the sticky vegan ribs. He went for the vegan ramen whilst I tried the vegan Pad Thai Honestly, the Pad Thai wasn’t the best, but standard for a chain restaurant. We paired this with Drift Drinks range of non-alcoholic vegan beers as Harry is also taking a break from drinking (he’s on a major health kick at the moment, which is what spurred him on to do the vegan challenge alongside me).
I am not really a beer drinker, but he really enjoyed them, especially the IPA’s.
Week 2
This week has had its ups and downs. The beginning of the week started well, and I managed to knock up a super tasty vegan cottage pie on Monday night using a Good Food recipe.
I discovered Merchant Gourmet Mediterranean style grains which makes a great lunchtime accompaniment to Heura Mediterranean chicken style chunks, which I paired with a Hass avocado, seasoned with a little salt and pepper.
I notice my skin has drastically improved since I began my vegan diet. I have been taking Nutriburst Hair, Skin and Nails vegan gummies and I have swapped out my skincare regime for vegan friendly products. I have been using Angela Langford bloom and glow face oil in the mornings and a few times a week, (in other words when I remember) I take Raw Beauty Lab Collagen booster. Whilst I think the vegan friendly products have helped with my skin, I do believe that my change of diet has also played a big role.
It’s not just my skin that I have noticed improvements in. I have been suffering with post-partum hair loss for the past month or so. Since embarking on my vegan diet I have noticed less hair has been coming out. I have been using Grow Gorgeous Hair Growth serum to help combat this, but again, I do feel as though diet has gone some way towards these changes as well.
On Wednesday evening I attended Dr Kinsella’s launch event for his new vegan friendly CBD skincare range. We had a great time, but the next day I was feeling a tad hungover and all I wanted to get over my hangover was a full English or a Dominos pizza (my usual hangover cure).
Thursday overall, was miserable. It was the day I totally regretted signing up to my vegan challenge and I was so close to caving, but I held it together and powered through. I did try and recreate the full English using vegan sausages, vegan bacon, hash browns and beans but it just didn’t come close to the real thing, frankly it was a huge disappointment.
For dinner that night I made a Thai style sweet potato curry with coconut rice. I have to say at this point, I am getting a bit fed up with spending so much time in the kitchen, and my brain is feeling a bit fried with constantly coming up with new dishes to cook.
That weekend we took a trip to our local Sainsbury’s to do a shop for the coming weeks, and to look for more convenience foods that we can whip up in a hurry. We also went on the hunt for treats as quite frankly, we deserved it!
Shopping as a vegan is difficult. We found ourselves looking at the ingredients lists a lot. The problem with our Sainsbury’s is there is no vegan section. There are meat substitutes however they are plonked on the end of the aisles and the selection is slim. I found this most disappointing. We were able to find some vegan friendly foods amongst the ready meals and fresh foods, but you really had to search and check for ingredients.
I think for our next shop we will order online as it is a lot easier to find vegan products online!
Week 3
This week has been a little easier, however, we have had some disappointments when it comes to vegan convenience, especially with the vegan pizzas we tried. To avoid you making the same mistakes, I have collated a list of vegan foods to avoid further down this article, to save you from making the same mistakes as us!
Wednesday night was girl’s night. Given my temporary vegan status, we opted to try out Bramhall’s new vegan restaurant Otto, a Mediterranean offering above the Crown and Conspirator. The food was great and none of us noticed the lack of meat or dairy.
I made another new discovery this week, which took the form of Crave energy drinks. Vegan, low calorie and not too sweet they give you a nice boost of energy, especially needed when your child keeps you up most of the night!
Speaking of children, there is a fantastic vegan range of drinks called Jamu Wild Water. It is flavoured water with no sugar and packed full of vitamins. What I absolutely love about this brand, is it also encourages children to connect with nature and learn how to help the planet.
This week I also made a great beauty discovery in the Face Halo make up remover pads. I was a bit dubious at first, I have always relied on make-up wipes, and I didn’t quite believe that they could really take off a full face of make-up, without any product involved. I am happy to admit how wrong I was.
The pads are made from HaloTech fibres that draw lingering product from the pores while eliminating the need to scrub. Once you have stained the pad with make-up, all you need is a little soap under a warm tap and voila, whiter than white and looking brand spanking new. I am shocked and amazed, and will be using them religiously from now on.
In other news, I must admit that this week I have been craving meat… a lot. In fact, we both have. When the meat cravings kick in, it’s hard to find a substitute to satisfy.
Week 4
The final stretch! This week we thought would be hard as we had a family get together in the new Capital Walk food hub in Congleton. We planned to visit Bangkok Street Grill a new authentic Thai street food restaurant. Neither of us thought we would make it through without eating meat, as the temptation was just too much.
We told the staff we were currently vegan and explained the challenge we were doing. They couldn’t have been more accommodating. They recommended some dishes and told us that nearly every dish on the menu they can make vegan versions of. We tried the spring rolls (which are vegan anyway) which were huge and had a perfect ratio of filling to roll. The vegan Pad Thai is simply the best Pad Thai I have ever had.
We also tried a Mushroom Laab, using four types of mushrooms including king oyster, shimeji, white button and oyster, a spicy cold dish packed with chilli, garlic and herbs and a Som Tam, otherwise known as Papaya salad which is a gorgeous and refreshing side. The final dish and one of our favourites were the Tom Kha Hed. This is a coconut-based broth with mushrooms and herbs. Overall, I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. I am not usually a fan of Thai food, but this restaurant is unlike any other. Vegan or not, you NEED to visit this restaurant!
With our biggest hurdle out the way, we spent much of the week looking towards our first non-vegan meal. I was massively craving a full English, a roast dinner, a kebab, a KFC… anything with meat!
This final week, we have been snacking a lot more than usual, I think it’s probably because of the cravings and the excitement of being so close to the end.
As the weather has been a lot warmer, we haven’t been eating very big meals, instead having sandwiches and salads, leaving room to snack in between. There are some great vegan snack options available. Some of our favourites are the Perkier bars which are protein rich and low calorie, as well as the Doughlicious edible cookie dough range, I tend to eat them straight out the freezer on a hot day.
Veganism and the beauty industry
In terms of my buying habits, I have noticed I am more mindful of ingredients. Not just from a food and drink perspective but from a health and beauty perspective too.
I personally can’t think of a reason why I wouldn’t carry on buying vegan products and let’s face it, in this day and age do we really need to test on animals? I am genuinely surprised that this still happens and as a consumer, it has not really entered my mind in the past, as I just presumed products weren’t.
Going forwards, I will absolutely be using only vegan hair and beauty products, because simply, why wouldn’t you? It is better for the environment and no animals are harmed in the making.
Some great vegan beauty brands I have come across in my 30-day journey include:
- MONAT
- Dr Kinsella
- WestLab
- Nailberry
- Amika
- Saving Grace
- Olverum
- Angela Langford
- Odylique
- Dr Bonner
- Mavala
- Science of Skin
- Raw Beauty Lab
For those interested, I found this article on PETA’s website which lists some of the beauty brands that test of animals, and ones that from now on I will be trying my best to avoid.
MONAT is an incredible vegan hair and skincare brand. The face mist and shampoo and conditioners are my favourite, and it is a brand I will continue to use going forwards. Dr Martin Kinsella recently launched a skincare range which I use on a daily basis, and I have really noticed a difference in my skin as a result. My skin is clearer, firmer and more hydrated.
Amika have a fantastic range of hair products that smell incredible. They also have a deep conditioning hair mask, which is great when your hair is feeling dry, something which I always suffer from in the summer months.
I’ve also been using Starpowa gummies for my hair, skin and nails. This brand and the Nutriburst equivalent are both great vegan gummy brands and both have an extensive range of vitamin gummies. Raw Beauty Lab also have a drinkable collagen booster which helps support healthy hair, nails and joints. I recommend using this in a smoothie as it can be a little tart on its own.
Olverum is a bath time favourite of mine, I’ve been using the bath oil for some time and I have recently added the firming body moisturiser to my routine, it smells amazing – just like a spa, and doesn’t leave a greasy film on the skin afterwards.
The best vegan products
- Gusto Organic Drinks (The slim cola and the cherry cola are to die for, plus low calorie too)
- Nurishh Gran Vegiano (Tastes just like parmesan but made from plants. A permanent swap for us)
- Moving Mountains burgers (Great on the BBQ and you can cook from frozen)
- Squeaky Bean (The vegan pastrami is divine, as is the marinated vegan tikka and goes great in a wrap)
- Vadasz (This entire range is brilliant, the sauerkraut and the red onion pickle are my two faves)
- Wunda Original Plant Based Milk (The best for cooking when you need a milk alternative)
- The Protein Ball Co. (Perfect for a healthy snack, the lemon and pistachio are by far the best)
- Popcorn Shed (Low calorie and super tasty and surprisingly filling)
- Happi Oat Chocolate (The closest tasting to chocolate and incredible moreish)
- Play-In-Choc (Another vegan chocolate brand, I made the best vegan chocolate mousse with the dark Cacao bars)
- Great British Porridge Co (packed full of flavour and healthy too)
The worst vegan products
- White Rabbit Vegan Calzone, Pizza’s and Foccacia (dry, tasteless and an overwhelming taste of salt)
- Quorn takeaway vegan buffalo wings (no buffalo in sight, just plain breaded quorn nuggets)
- Subway “tastes like chicken” sub (it’s not the one. It has a slightly cheesy taste and not in a good way)
- Wagamama Vegan Pad Thai (not much flavour, go to Bangkok Street Grill instead if you can)
- Plant Pioneers No Sausage Rolls (Just very bland and a bit tasteless)
- Nescafe Dolce Gusto Plant Based Pods (Very weak and watery, both the almond and coconut were not good)
Conclusion
Overall, we have genuinely enjoyed these 30-days. It has been very eye opening to say the least. We have both watched a lot of documentaries about the benefits of a plant-based diet (Game Changers is a great documentary on Netflix) and we have experienced first hand how a vegan diet can have positive effects on the body.
Before the challenge, I suffered daily with a bad back. I recently had an MRI scan which shows the discs in the bottom of my back degenerating. After a week or two into our challenge, I noticed I wasn’t suffering nearly as much. I genuinely do put this down to switching to a plant-based diet as apart from the food and drink, I have not really changed my lifestyle in any way. I have had more energy as a result, and I believe that being plant based has reduced the inflammation in my back.
The million-dollar question however, is are we going to stay vegan? The answer unfortunately is no.
We have however, changed the way we think about food. We will be remaining plant-based for most of our time; however, we will be adding some fish into our diet and maybe once or twice a month having an indulgent day where we eat as much meat and dairy as we like (just for the day) and then going back to plants for a period of time before indulging again.
This change isn’t ruled by the environmental impact of the earth, or saving the animals, but instead by our health and the way we feel whilst eating a plant-based diet. Don’t get me wrong, the fact that it is kinder to the planet and of course to animals is a massive pro, but it isn’t the defining reason behind our choices.
We both agreed that we appreciated meat more when we had it for the first time (our first meal was a big bucket of KFC, and it was magical) but since the KFC, we haven’t really been that bothered about incorporating meat back into our diet, and apart from some salmon and tuna here and there, we haven’t had any meat or dairy since.
I would implore anyone reading this who isn’t vegan, to give it a go for 30 days, or even two weeks if 30 days feels too much, just to see how you feel afterwards. Being vegan was a lot easier than we ever thought it would be, with so many options available in the supermarkets now, some even rivalling their meat counterparts.
If that isn’t enough to convince you, my total weight loss for the month (without starving myself or dieting in any way) came in at 11lbs!
So give it a go, and see how it makes you feel.