Save money eating plant-based this Veganuary with up to 50% off pizza, burgers & more

izawa

i started eating vegan food and it changed my life. i can now run 2 km daily

jon81uk

I'm trying to cut down on meat slightly, but for me I'd rather have lentil, sweet potato and spinach dahl as a vegetarian meal rather than going for the fake stuff thats meant to look like meat.

MrsStepford

I'm a college-trained former chef and I'm training as a nutritionist. I have already taken and passed course from Stanford University, University of Reading, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, NNEdPro, Food Standards Agency, National Institute of Practitioners in Holistic Medicine, University of Aberdeen and EIT Food. I'm finishing off a NCFE CACHE course and have already started on an online course from Monah University. one of the best unis in the world for food and nutrition courses. 

I'm still learning but I want to make some observations here. 

'Plant-based' is a term used to avoid 'vegan', which seems kranky to many. 'Plant-based' has a built -in get out for meat, dish or seafood 'lapses'. It enables people to be more coy about their food choices. Novak Djokovic (who owns a vegan restaurant in Monaco), doesn't like to be called 'vegan' and prefers plant-based. He's not the only celeb saying this, Sir Lewis Hamilton is another and I'm sure that there are more. 

A vegan diet can provide adequate nutrition IF a lot of attention is paid to it. A vegan diet doesn't naturally include vitamin B12 for example and amino acids from plant proteins are less bioavailable (useable). 

Looking at plant-based food in supermarkets, it's necessary to look at the dodgy ingredients eg in Linda McCartney's Vegetarian Sausages, you'll find rehydrated textured soya protein, soya protein concentrate, rapeseed oil, sulphites, dextrose, red iron oxide (colouring), methyl cellulose, calcium carbonate (chalk) and ammonium carbonate. We are expected to believe, that this sort of product is healthier than meat, poultry, fish and game,. The sausages are approved by The Vegetarian Society, but there's no certification, proving the claim that they are planet friendly. Where is the info stressing that the soya is non GMO for example ? Not mentioned. There's no info about the food miles undertaken by the ingredients, either. The sausages aren't gluten free either. 

The NFU produced stats showing that British cows are 63% less harmful to the environment than average cows, because cows don't live on vast feedlots in the UK. BEIS (government department) showed that agriculture is bottom of the pile for emissions in the UK and the real culprit is transport. 

The Vegetarian Society says 3 - 4% of the UK population is vegetarian/vegan. 

If you want to do Veganuary, please buy real food and cook it, not junk food. 

Cornucopia

To be fair to Linda McCartney's Sausages, soya protein is used in many, many vegan/vegetarian products, and also as a filler in some meat products.    There's no requirement in the UK to indicate whether Soya is GMO-free.   There is no requirement for any given product to be gluten-free and supermarkets generally have a special section for such products.

Calcium Carbonate is chalk, but also in a more relevant sense to human consumption, it is found in indigestion products.

I agree with you that we shouldn't necessarily assume that a vegan/vegetarian product is "healthier" (whatever that means).  

Realistically, simple "substitute" products are an easy route for some people to try/to remain vegan/vegetarian.

lucky77

Worth noting that the coupon for a free omnipork product is only valid at SELECTED Sainsburys and none anywhere near where I live - only valid at 13 Sainsburys in the whole of East England.

MrsStepford

Sainsbury's sent me an email with offers on plant-based food today, so I unsubscribed. No offers on vegetables or fruit just on ultra-processed stuff.

veggiehouse

It was different back in 1988 when I became vegan. You pretty much had to make all your meals. Soya milk was like wet cardboard 🤢. I buy the odd processed thing and it’s great to see vegan cheese in pizza restaurants, but make 90% of my meals. And that’s my point - everyone trying to be plant based can. I couldn’t cook in 1988, but over the months and years and after a bit of trial and error you find your path and make lovely meals. I also accept that some people will find it easier to eat processed plant food. Maybe not as healthy for you, but certainly healthy for the animals and the planet. So if you’re an experienced vegan or new this Veganuary then good for you! Stick at it. If you’re relying on processed stuff that’s also fine and maybe when you have a bit more time find a good vegan cookbook that’s not overly fancy and try cooking a meal from scratch 🌱

Mnoee

Mind the bump!

Plenty of plant based offers this year too - good for stocking up the freezer with veggie sausages, even the omni OH doesn't mind them - and my 'chorizo' sausage rolls are always welcome at a barbecue if any are still lurking in the freezer come summer. 

I don't eat much of the processed meats but I'm glad more options are available for those who want to dip their toes in, or those who rely on convenience food due to time, disability or any of the other things that mean cooking from scratch isn't an easy option. 

mac.d

Cornucopia said:

Bald Foodie Guy has finally found a vegan product that he likes - the Aldi "No Chicken" burgers.

I used to like these on the odd occasion I had a burger, but its only been the Spicy No Chicken burger they've had in stock for ages, and I tried it but thought it was revolting and couldn't even finish one of them. 

bouncydog1

DH eats meat but a lot less than previously since we moved to a more plant based diet.  I haven’t eaten meat for years and since stopping it the improvement in my health is amazing.  No more IBS for instance.  We eat very little processed food and have always cooked from scratch.  Best health benefit for me to date has been an assessment for heart disease because of significant family history.  Although my cholesterol is towards the higher end of normal scans etc have found no evidence of any heart disease and I’m sure it is because of my healthier diet.