Vegans in York share the best way to start changing your diet

Research by shopping comparison site finder.com shows that an increasing number of Brits changed their diet in 2020, either going veggie, pescatarian or vegan.

Annual diet intentions research showed that 470,000 Brits successfully started following a meat-free diet in 2020 - that's a 100 per cent increase on 2019.

With a range of vegan options at the city's shops and restaurants and a dedicated Facebook community group, 'Vegans of York', those who want to explore plant-based life have plenty of options.

We spoke to vegan residents about making the most of the increasingly popular vegan lifestyle.

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Michelle Cook said: "Don't try to replace cheese straight away, give your body break to wean itself before trying replacements. Find a milk you like (oat milk usually a fan favourite). Nutritional Yeast is a magical way to get essential aminos and vitamins, cupboard staple. Richmond Meat Free sausages are a winner. We all make mistakes."

Caroline Hunter added: "Try to make your usual dishes but vegan e.g. ragu, chilli, cottage pie with soya mince or lentils, stir fry with tofu or just veg and cashew nuts.

"Don’t bother with cheese, it’s not a replacement for dairy and after a couple of months you’ll stop missing it anyway."

Louise Venables gave her advice by saying: "My advice would be, don’t replace food - you can just leave it out. As and when you are ready to try new things, then substitute. Think curry, chilli, Thai- just leave the meat out."

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Jasmine Rose said: "There are plenty of vegan-friendly ingredients and essentials (such as black salt) available in Rafi's Spicebox on Goodramgate for anyone looking to stock up."

Nutritional therapist Elena Holmes MSc, who runs Elena, Health and Food in York, said every vegan-to-be should stock up on these basic items that can create healthy, delicious meals. 

Here's Elena's list of pantry essentials...

• Pulses in all shapes, colours and forms: dried beans, mung beans, azuki beans, fava beans, all sorts of lentils, split green and yellow peas, marrowfat peas, chickpeas, gungo beans, chickpea flour (also called Gram or Besan flour) – or/and tinned ones.

• Wholegrains or pseudo-grains: brown rice, oats, barley, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, amaranth, plus flours.

•  Wholegrain pasta made from whole wheat, spelt, peas, lentils, azuki, chickpeas, buckwheat, corn, brown rice, etc.

• Tinned goods: pulses, corn, peas, tomatoes, tomato paste.

• Tinned coconut milk

• Jars of olives, capers, chillies, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes.

• Raw nuts and seeds

• Peanuts – shelled or monkey nuts, raw or roasted. Elena said: "Peanuts are not nuts, from the botanical and nutritional points of view they are pulses."

• Peanut, nut, and seed butters without additives.

• Dried herbs and spices – whatever you fancy.

• Tofu.

• Unsweetened non-dairy milks – soy, oat, pea, almond, hemp, rice.

• EVO (Extra Virgin Olive) oil, cold-pressed rapeseed, and sesame seed oil.

• Tahini.

• Vinegar: wine , cider, and balsamic.

• Soy sauce or/and Tamari sauce.

• Mustard – powder or paste, or wholegrain paste, or all.

• Marmite (if you love it!)

• Miso paste - any type/colour you like.

• Baking essentials: baking powder, soda bicarbonate, baking yeast, corn, or potato starch.

• Nutritional yeast flakes

• Dried fruit, such as figs, dates, apricots, and sultanas.