Sure what else would you be doing in January?

  When I causally announced a few months back that I was considering taking on the Veganuary challenge, I honestly didn't expect to go through with it. As you'll soon see, I'm a gal who likes to eat a bit of everything, whether it be meat, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan. I've never made such a drastic change to my diet before, but hey, here's to trying new things. Before we get started (although January 1st is fast approaching) I thought I'd take you through my typical diet, and why I've decided to embark on this journey. So without further ado, here's a quick introduction to Lovin Dublin taking on Veganuary.

Location:

Dublin

Current Diet:

Not to use a somewhat annoying phrase, but I would consider myself a flexitarian. I eat more or less everything, from meat, to fish, to dairy, to eggs. The only thing I strictly don't eat anymore is pork, for three years now, so that's something I'm at least used to not having. While I'd happily eat pescatarian, or even vegetarian for a day, I'd say my totally vegan days are few and far between (and largely accidental). If you want to grasp my regular eating habits, you can read my What I Eat In A Week article from last year. It should clearly demonstrate how difficult Veganuary is going to be for me.

Why I'm doing it:

January is notoriously boring and slow, but it also tends to be a great month for motivation. While I have no plans to go fully vegan following this month, I moreso just wanted to challenge myself and see if I found any new recipes, or if it inspired me to cut down on my meat consumption once the month is over.

What I'm excited for:

Even though I'm admittedly pretty poor at it, I do love to cook. I love flicking through recipe books, buying ingredients, and whipping something up, which rarely looks like the picture that accompanies the recipe. Luckily for me I had some friends and family aware of my Veganuary goals who bought me a few cookbooks to help me along the way. Another thing I'm excited about for Veganuary is if there's any effect on my skin. Dairy has long been blamed for issues such as acne, but I believe the main culprits for any blemishes in my life are eggs. I love eggs, scrambled, boiled, fried, you name it. But having gone off them before, and my skin magically clearing up, I know they aren't good for me (if you are unaffected, I'm eternally jealous). So much as I'll miss them, I'm looking forward to seeing any possible changes that come in, mentally or physically, with this challenge.

What I'm dreading:

While I do love beef and chicken, the main thing I'm going to miss throughout this month is fish and dairy. I'm a huge fan of sushi, and while I know there are vegan alternatives, I'm not sure my norimaki rolls will be as exciting without the tuna and salmon. As for dairy, cheese and yoghurt in particular make up a large portion of my daily eating. I've tried my fair share of vegan cheeses, and while the VioLife stuff is decent, it's no gouda. I can't bring myself to enjoy dairy free yoghurt, and I only really enjoy plant-based milks in hot drinks like tea and coffee, so that's going to be interesting.

Dublin spots I'll be trying:

I have a fair few spots on my list to try this month, including It's A Trap, Cornucopia, YumGrub, The Saucy Cow, and more. Even on a regular day I'm curious about trying vegan alternatives to the usual meat-y dishes (burgers, takeaways, you name it), so January will see me tick some spots I've been wanting to try off the list.

Where to keep track of my progress:

I will be documenting my Veganuary journey weekly on Lovin Dublin, as well as on TikTok (you can follow along HERE). Header images via Instagram/its_a__trap_ READ ON: 40 of the Lovin Dublin team’s favourite dishes from 2022