Okay, so we get it, eating vegan is tricky. We aren't going to pretend it isn't. Yet there are a few ways we can simplify it as much as possible, so you can make very simple changes to your diet and have more time for reading (obvs!)
1. Swap your milk for alternate milks.
This includes anywhere you would normally drink milk (in your coffee, on your cereal, simply in a glass!) The easiest swap to dairy milk would be oat milk, however my personal taste preference is Hazelnut in my coffee (think Kinder Bueno....!) There are loads of different brands out there but Asda's own label milks and Alpro are lovely. If you're a hot drinks connoisseur you may want to try a milk that says "barista" on it as these are more easily foamable.
2. Accidentally vegan foods are a god send.
Lots of foods are just accidentally vegan simply because they just naturally don't contain meat and dairy. This means you don't need to pay any premium for the "vegan" label too! My favs are most supermarkets own label dark chocolate (around 30p a bar) which I use in baking, but there's all sort of accidentally vegan foods out there. Try this list here as a starting point.
3. Cook your regular meals by swapping ingredients for vegan replacements
You can still have all your favourite meals (Korma, Chilli Con Carne, Shepherds Pie), just swap the ingredients for vegan replacements. If you're a little pushed for time there are loads of jars of sauces out there now in the free from section. Swap meat for meat alternatives. Egg can be replaced by tofu (for texture) or chia seeds soaked in water (for baking).
4. If you're eating out download the Happy Cow app
5. There are some vitamins that you need to keep an eye on (which is no different to meat eaters either by the way!)
To keep a check of which vitamins you may need to keep an eye and which foods these contain you can visit The Vegan Society page. For vitamin B12 you can purchase B12 yeast flakes which have a slightly nutty/cheesy taste and are great sprinkled on top of savoury foods (you can also include them in recipes to make a yummy mac and cheese!!)
6. Vegan chocolate can be yummy!
There are sooo many vegan chocolates out there to try (some significantly better than others). We have been trial and testing them for a long time now, so if you like the idea of receiving a different yummy vegan chocolate every month check out our Book and Pamper Subscription box here.
And most importantly remember Rome wasn't built in a day. You will make mistakes, you may cheat and have a bit of meat, but you are amazing and each meal where you manage to make the swap is better for you, better for the animals and better for the planet!