Veganuary is now a global movement with participants from almost every single country, and of these, Canada is the 18th largest participant
Growing up in Sault Ste. Marie with a father who worked as a butcher, Tony Vernelli loved to eat meat. But it wasn’t long before she noticed that the food she was eating was coming from the farm animals she loved. When Vernelli was 18, she switched to veganism.
More than 30 years of animal activism later, Vernelli is now the head of communications for Veganuary, a 31-day pledge that challenges participants to go vegan for the month of January.
The challenge gives people a chance to “dip their toes” into the lifestyle, Vernelli said.
Vegans refrain from consuming any animal products. This means not eating meat, dairy or eggs, and for some it extends to not wearing leather or fur or using products tested on animals.
People love challenges, she said, pointing to Dry January, a month dedicated to giving up alcohol, or Stoptober, when people give up smoking for October.
Previously, promoting a plant-based diet was based on awareness, promoting vegetarianism or veganism cold turkey.
“That’s not the way people operate,” Vernelli said.
The challenge began in 2014 in the UK when Veganuary co-founders Jane Land and Matthew Glover decided to create the pledge to go vegan.
Veganuary is now a global movement with participants from all over the world. Canada is in the top 20 countries by number of participants, taking 18th place.
A 2018 Statista study estimated that 0.85 percent of Canadians are vegan and another 2.3 percent are vegetarian.
In general, there are three main motivations for signing up for Veganuary, Vernelli said: animal protection, health benefits and environmental concerns.
Even Canadian companies have begun to recognize the monthly challenge.
Four years ago, while on a business trip to the UK, Rob Felix noticed the Veganuary campaign in a number of UK stores such as Tesco.
“From that journey and seeing it in retail, we brought it back and held our first Veganuary event about three years ago,” said London Drugs’ senior vice president of merchandising.
While initially focused on food, Felix said London Drugs tripled the number of vegan products it sells, from cleaning products to toothpaste and baby food, in January and throughout the year.
“During the year, vegan alternatives become more and more important,” he said.
Plant-based meat substitutes are projected to reach about $148.9 million by this year in Canada, up more than $40 million from 2019.
Earlier this year, the federal government invested $1.4 million in plant-based protein company Big Mountain Foods Ltd.
“Plant-based foods are becoming increasingly popular as Canadians increasingly seek opportunities to include more variety in their diets,” Agriculture and Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said in a news release at the time.
When Vercelli first went vegan 32 years ago, she said it would be difficult to find vegan-friendly alternatives. For example, non-dairy milk was once only available at an Asian grocery store or specialty coffee shops. But now, she said, it’s hard to find a cafe that doesn’t offer a range of plant-based milk alternatives.
“Thirty years ago, they thought you were crazy, like, ‘What are you eating?’ How can you survive?’
She said veganism is now a much more ambitious goal, where people often talk about the ways they have reduced their meat and dairy consumption.
“Most people don’t like the idea of eating animals … but changing a lifelong habit is difficult,” Vernelli said.
Once signed up, Veganuary pledges will also gain access to a private Facebook group for support from other participants and receive daily recipes and nutrition tips via email.
If you’re participating, Alyssa Fontaine, founder of Plant Based Dieticians, recommends making sure you don’t skip protein and getting it from sources like soy milk, tofu, beans and chickpeas.
Although many vegans need to replace vitamin B12, a vitamin found primarily in red meat, Fontaine said a one-month change requires no additional supplements beyond multivitamins and omega-3s.
To weather the cold winter weather, Fontaine said stews and stir-fries are easy meals that can be packed with protein.
While there seem to be more vegan substitutes than ever, she said not all plant-based meat and dairy substitutes are created equal, and it’s better to stick to natural, whole foods to get the most health benefits from the way of life.
For Vernelli, transitioning to a more plant-focused lifestyle starts with making manageable substitutes.
“Then you can start experimenting with wacky things like quinoa and things you’ve maybe never eaten before.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on January 1, 2022.
The Canadian Press
Add Comment