Eating out (and some eating in) tips for new vegans. 

As 2018 moves into summer the Veganuary movement (going vegan for January) has become a permanent choice for many of the estimated 168,542 new people that joined the campaign this year.

A recent study suggests that 7% of the population is now vegan, showing a huge increase in the number of those opting for a plant-based diet in the past two years. Whilst in 2016, polling showed that around 540,000 people in Great Britain above the age of 15 identified as vegan, accounting for around 1% of the population. With animal welfare, environmental concerns and health reasons being cited as the top reasons for choosing to be vegan, it’s a serious subject and more than just a passing trend for anyone committing to a diet and lifestyle that rejects the consumption of any products derived from animals.

Part of our job is to create tasty dishes for the foodservice industry. Giving restaurants and chef’s a helping hand when it comes to serving up a delicious vegan dessert, main course or starter. We’re continually studying, researching and tinkering away in the kitchen to bring tasty plant-based and free from food choices to the table, making -“I’ll have the salad” a thing of the past.

Through our journey, we’ve collected tonnes of recipes and tips on how to fully embrace veganism and ways to make vegan life a little easier. Here are the top picks –

Eating out (and some eating in) tips for new vegans.  

Being a vegan can be challenging at times, especially when eating out. Many restaurants (and supermarkets) are responding to the rising demand for vegan food and products but there is still some way to go in making veganism feeling like a permanent member of the party.

Eating out

Get digital.

Free apps like Vanilla Bean and Happy Cow are restaurant finders that work based on your location. All you need to do is type in your postcode and the vegan-friendly eateries nearby will be listed.

Call ahead.

If you’re going out for dinner somewhere unfamiliar and worried that your menu choices might be limited then call the restaurant ahead. Any restaurant worth their salt will be accommodating and willing to run through the options with you. If the standard menu is not particularly vegan-friendly most chefs will be willing to make some adjustments. A quick phone call is all it takes to guarantee that you won’t be earning a salad!

Embrace the curiosity.

Be prepared to answer any questions that your dining companions might have. Not everyone knows and understands what veganism is and what it’s all about. At times it can be tiresome answering the same questions, try to remember that us humans are curious beings and remain good humoured.

Clear communication.

If you’re dropping in somewhere and haven’t had a chance to research somewhere try and find out what the vegan options are as soon as possible. It can be disappointing to get conformable only to realise the pitta and humous is your only option…

Eating in and cooking at home.

Breakfast

Overnight oats are healthy, quick to prepare and super cheap and best of all can be made the night before.
Mix together and leave in the fridge overnight –
1 cup rolled oats.
1.5 cups almond milk.
1 large mashed banana or other fruit
berries or brown sugar

Lunch

Tomato and Turmeric soup (soups are great for batch cooking and freezing).
Blend heat and serve –

3 large peeled tomatoes
2 cloves garlic (minced)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 can of coconut milk
1/2 tsp of turmeric

Dinner 

Linguine with avocado, tomato & lime.

A quick and easy vegan dinner recipe that can be served hot or cold, the best thing about it is the use of everyday ingredients.
115g wholemeal linguine
1 lime, stoned, peeled, and chopped
2 large ripe tomatoes chopped
½ pack fresh coriander, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

Cook the pasta according to pack instructions – about 10 mins. Meanwhile, put the lime juice and zest in a medium bowl with the avocado, tomatoes, coriander, onion and chilli, if using, and mix well.

Drain the pasta, toss into the bowl and mix well. Serve straight away while still warm, or cold.

Find out more about the vegan dishes we create for restaurants and the foodservice industry – here

Sources:

Veganuary, BBC Food, www.vegansociety.com/
April 2018 research conducted by www.comparethemarket.com