It's January or, for some, Veganuary. But where did the increasingly popular idea of going vegan for the first month of the year come from and how has it become such a craze? We all feel like a detox after the indulgent Christmas period and we know that eating less meat and dairy is better for the environment, but why have we gone so extreme?

Country Living caught up with the founders of Veganuary, Jane Land and Matthew Glover, to ask for their advice for anyone committed to a meat-free, dairy-free January.

How can going vegan help the planet?

We think people were initially most concerned about animal welfare. We have always felt strongly about that – Matthew especially, having come from a family of butchers. More recently, studies have also shown the health benefits – eating a plant-based diet is said to lower your risk of heart disease, cancers and obesity. And then there are the advantages to the environment – 83% of agricultural land is used for animal farming, but only 18% of our calories come from that land.

Veganuary

But quitting dairy’s hard, right?

When we went vegan 10-years-ago, some of our friends questioned whether they could follow our lifestyle. Some said it was too expensive. But fruit and vegetables can be among the cheapest items in a supermarket if you buy in season. Others complained about the taste, but recipe books by the likes of Jamie Oliver to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall demonstrate how versatile plants can be. Others said they would never be able to eat out, which might have been the case back then, but is now less so – even fast-food chains have vegan dishes. You still have to be careful if you want to be a strict vegan – a lot of wine is made using ‘fining agents’, which are derived from animals, but an increasing number of producers are going vegan (see veganwinesonline.co.uk).

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Can you still wear leather?

Strict vegans avoid clothes derived from animal products, but Veganuary is focused on food so that everyone can give it a go.

And if you slip up?

If someone doing Veganuary tells us they’ve had a Mars bar, it’s not a disaster – although we might tell them where they can find a nice vegan chocolate bar (Ombar chocolate is all vegan, as are many bars by Green & Black’s and Divine).

What sparked the idea for Veganuary?

Towards the end of 2013, we were chatting about how we could persuade people to try going vegan – we’d met on a vegan dating website several years before and were both passionate about meat- and dairy-free diets. Matthew was taking part in Movember, the campaign that encourages men to grow a moustache for November to raise awareness of men’s health, and we wondered if we could adopt a different month for our own cause.

Did you think Veganuary would be a success?

We had no idea. We put together a website at the kitchen table and ran the first Veganuary weeks later. During the day, Matthew was selling double-glazing, while I was teaching English. I thought 100 people would take part, Matthew thought 1,000. He was closer – 3,300 people worldwide signed up and a movement was born. Last year, we had a quarter of a million. This year, even more are expected.

Is your whole family vegan?

Both our mums eat a lot of plant-based meals. We invited relatives over one Christmas and everyone turned up with a vegan dish, which was lovely.

Will we all be vegan one day?

We hope so. If we’re going to meet climate change targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, we need to change how we use our land. The demand for land to raise cattle and grow soya crops for animal feed is a huge cause of deforestation. We live in rural Copmanthorpe, near York, so we understand the pressure faced by producers. Vegans still need farmers. This is an opportunity for everyone.

What can you do?

Do it today… Sign up to the Veganuary challenge at veganuary.com. SIGN UP

Do it tomorrow… Look out for vegan ‘cheese’ such as Tyne Chease and ice cream such as Booja-Booja, both made with cashew nuts.

Do it this month… Get hold of How To Go Vegan (Hodder & Stoughton, £14.99), a recipe guide by the Veganuary founders.

This feature is from Country Living magazine. Subscribe here.

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