February is more than just the month of love and heart-shaped chocolates, it’s also Vegan Cuisine Month – a 29-whole-days of conscious dedication to things plant-based.
The History
The idea sprouted from the American Vegan Society (AVS) which opened its doors in 1960 by President Freya Dinshah. She herself being the writer of the first vegan cookbook in America, wanted to shine the spotlight on veganism and the vast flavours that can be achieved without using meat.
As the pallbearer for veganism in the United States, she also advocated for accessible meat-free meals by negotiating more vegan varieties at conference catering. Through that endeavour, she is credited as the first person in the country to develop volume recipes for universities, hospitals, and other large institutions.
Together with her husband, she has gone on vegan-centric food magazines, host cooking classes where vegetables were king. Throughout the years, AVS has been able to gradually create greater awareness for meat-free diets as well as bestow onto the world many great vegan recipes.
In continuation of their efforts, they created Vegan Cuisine Month, a celebration of vegan food that takes place for the entirety of February to encourage greener diets and lower environmental footprint.
The Impact
To this day, Vegan Cuisine Month gathers participants from across the globe – and more importantly, large institutions than those mentioned above.
The movement doesn’t mandate a completely meatless diet, but rather just one month to give veganism a shot. As of 2023, there are approximately 88 million vegans in the world as either a direct or indirect result of the movement.
But why February? Well, apart from being the shortest month of the year, February also brings a fresh start to the new year. It’s a time when many people are still holding onto their New Year’s resolutions, making it the perfect moment to inspire change and encourage a shift towards more sustainable and compassionate eating habits.
How to Start Incorporating Vegan Diets Into Your Life?
While it may be difficult to wean yourself off animal protein, small steps can be taken to kickstart your journey.
Start by eliminating one or two animal-based proteins from your lunch or dinner – replace them with alternatives such as lentils, quinoa, tofu, and buckwheat, which are chock full of protein.
Next, you can start exploring vegan products that are in the market. Items such as vegan butter, vegan tuna in a can, or even vegan eggs are increasingly more accessible now.
Add these items to your usual favourites like pizza, or fried rice and you can still have a great meal without the guilt!
Conclusion
While you’re on your journey, just remember that the idea here is to eat healthier and contribute less to global warming – by incorporating vegan diets into your usual omnivorous fare is plenty good enough.
