Veganuary: How to be Vegan in a non-plant based household

Firstly - I feel you! I grew up as a vegetarian in a non-veggie home, and for a long time J ate meat - I never thought I'd see the day when he went vegan! Whether your household is likely to transition or not, here are a couple of tips for how to live harmoniously. 💚

- Try and make the main part of shared meals plant based: this is a more efficient way to cook. Even if your meals have differences when plated up, this is a good habit to establish for long term ease.

- Know your audience. Will they respond better to classics that feel familiar (i.e. bean chilli, vegetable curry, mushroom risotto) or are they more likely to be wowed by something they've never tried before?

- Establish mutual respect: maybe you need to have a word about cross contamination of cutlery, checking ingredients when cooking, or want a vegan section in the fridge. Don't forget their boundaries either: hounding them about eating meat or dairy might actually make them less likely to want to listen! It's harder for some than others to make the connection between animal foods and sentient beings - patience is key.

- The following works better for households where you shop together and all food is shared: try and make sure most (or all!) snacks, seasonings, sauces etc are vegan. This is one of the easier swaps to make as you're unlikely to notice a difference.

- Avoid substitutes. Let plant based wholefoods sing rather than trying to convince them of vegan cheese. It's likely to be better received.

-Tempt them with vegan cake or treats.

- Keep trying lots of different recipes, you're sure to find something vegan you'll all love!

Has anyone else experienced this? What are your best tips for living with a different diet to your household?