Whether you’re vegan all year round or are trying to reduce your meat intake, World Vegan Day is for everyone to celebrate.
The annual event (1 November) celebrates the benefits of veganism for humans and the natural environment. Through awareness of the lifestyle and observance of the day, millions become knowledgeable about the pros of this way of living.
Where can I celebrate in Nottingham?
Thankfully the rise in availability of vegan food has witnessed a surge in recent years. With more chain restaurants acknowledging the population who follow the vegan lifestyle, more dishes have become vegan-friendly. Likewise, wholly vegan restaurants are also gaining popularity as they welcome more customers (meat and non-meat eaters alike).
Nottingham is home to some incredible vegan eateries. 13th Element, found down Castle Boulevard, is the “vegan joint everyone’s talking about.” Specialising in burgers, shakes and cocktails, it’s a foodie’s delight. They also have a menu of utterly mouth-watering sides.
Next up is Prickly Pear. Located in The Golden Fleece pub, you’ve got the best of both worlds. Serving up a huge range of options for brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert, the most challenging part will be choosing what to order. The fact that they’re situated in a pub just makes the experience ten times better.
If you’re looking for a more elevated dining experience, best get dressed up for a meal at No.Twelve. The award-winning plant-based restaurant is cornered away in Eldon Chambers, making the venture that much more elusive. Offering a “casual fine dining experience,” No.Twelve has mastered the small plate menu.
Now, of course, it’s not a meal without dessert. Or you may just have a sweet tooth! Doughnotts – practically a landmark at this point – is your one-stop shop for vegan goodies. It’s hard to go in there and not leave with at least three!
How about adopting a vegan diet as a university student?
Most people will join university as a vegan/vegetarian and experience the drunken slip-up – likely McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets. But following the lifestyle doesn’t have to be tricky! If you are willing to allocate some time to meal planning and ensuring that the lifestyle works for you, then you’ll have an easy time.
Of course, most people’s primary concern is whether vegan food is more expensive. Fear not; as the diet becomes more popular and companies begin testing more vegan-friendly recipes, the price is coming down. You may even be surprised at how cheap some of it is! Similarly, a wealth of everyday items are accidentally vegan, so you’re practically halfway there.
However, for those still on the fence, here are some top tips offered by BOSH!, the vegan duo hoping to increase the vegan community:
- Stock up on reduced items or on offer – if you’re victim to the Tesco Clubcard, then you’ll already be fond of their great deals. Take advantage of these!
- Resist the products trying to oversell their ‘veganness’ – alternatives can be wildly expensive. As you become more familiar with the lifestyle, you’ll notice that the cheaper options are likely the accidentally vegan ones.
- Choose own-brand products – given the cost-of-living crisis and the way students spend money; I fear that this one is slightly obvious.
- Attend markets where you can – Nottingham hosts some brilliant markets if you can get yourself there. Across the city centre, you will often find fresh food stalls home to great deals.
- Batch cook and freeze & always keep leftovers – this goes without saying. Never waste food! Bulk cooking / meal prep is a growing trend and one that many of us can get behind. It also helps alongside a busy university schedule.
Where can I get inspiration?
Aside from the obvious Google search, there are so many resources out there that can guide you into a meat-free diet. The most popular is Instagram. An app most of us will use every day is also the app home to a vast amount of food bloggers. The inspiration found there is phenomenal and super helpful. Some notable accounts: @vegan_food_uk, @_sunflowerseeed, @myvegan, @bunchuk, @this.uk and many more!
If you prefer to follow recipes and can afford to allocate some time to cooking, invest in a cookbook. Waterstones have a whole section dedicated to this, and you can often find some great deals. Alternatively, charity shops always manage to collate a variety of cookbooks so it’s worth searching for vegan options in those.
Being vegan doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, about 10% of Americans over the age of 18 consider themselves vegan or vegetarian as of this year. So, one could say it’s quite trendy. Happy World Vegan Day everyone!
Lead Image Credit: Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash