Best Programs To Help You Go Vegan in 2021

Ready or not, veganism is the future.  Combine this with that time of year when we are thinking about our new year’s plans and resolutions, and it might be a good time to consider giving veganism a try!  

If you’re thinking about trying out a vegan lifestyle in 2021, well first of all, you have a lot of respect from us!  It can be a bit daunting to give something new a try and change our habits, but trust us, although challenging, being vegan is incredibly rewarding.

If you’re able to become vegan overnight with no help or support from anyone, then wow! That’s fantastic!    For the rest of us, what’s needed the most is some sort of support and a whole lot of information!

A useful — and easier — way to try veganism is to try a program or a challenge.  Why?  Glad you asked: 

• challenges can actually be fun!  If you’re a tiny bit competitive, go ahead and challenge others to a vegan duel! 
• programs and challenges contain a lot of the information at the ready, so you won’t need to go scouring all over the Internet to answer all your questions;
• they’re built on some kind of timeframe that allows us to schedule things appropriately, have a clear goal to aim for, and keep us inspired and motivated to get to the end;
• there is some sort of regular support;

Here are the main vegan challenges that are available for you to participate in.  Of course you can start any of these programs at any time of the year but January 1st seems like a really good time…. and not just because you’ll feel a bit guilty from all the holiday food you’ve just ingested!   it also allows for a clear timeframe. 

12 Months Till Vegan, by Brighde Reed and Roweena Humphreys

We’ll start with a shameless plug: this incredible masterpiece of an e-book (hehe) was actually written by one-half of the Vegan Home & Travel team: Brighde Reed!  Along with her friend and co-writer Roweena, they’ll take you by the hand and give you an entire year to switch over to veganism!  Month by month, you’ll be provided with a guide to help you along your vegan journey.   This concept of a much slower transition to going vegan is a little bit different to the other programs in this list.

The book is divided into months, each one bringing up a small challenge that you practice and hopefully master before adding the next month’s challenge.  Hopefully, by the end of your year, you’ll have this whole vegan thing completely sorted out.

 Here are the monthly challenges: 

1. Month One – Breakfast | The Easiest Meal to Veganize
2. Month Two | Make a Vegan Choice and Explore Vegan Communities
3. Month Three | Dabble in Vegan Lunches
4. Month Four | Have Snacks on Hand
5. Month Five | Cheese…. Yes…. Cheese!
6. Month Six | Make Five of Your Favorite Dinners Vegan
7. Month Seven | vEggcellent!
8. Month Eight | You Can Eat Cake! Or Cookies, or Pie, or Candy…
9. Month Nine | Vegan Meats
10. Month Ten | Getting Organized
11. Month Eleven | Holidays, Parties, Family and Friends
12. Month Twelve | Bringing It All Together!

Congratulations!  You‘re Vegan!   As well as the monthly challenges, there are monthly films to watch, inspiring quotes, recipes, YouTube and Blog recommendations, and also a useful meal planning tool.

In summary:

• 55 page ebook
• Go vegan in one year (a different challenge each month)

Pros:

• Lots of information, great for readers.
• Slow approach for those people who want to really take time and make the transition slowly

Cons:

• available as an e-book only

10,000 Black Vegan Women

We love this program. It’s created by Tracye McQuirter a vegan for more than 30 years and author of many books. She created a program especially designed for black women. You can find out more about her motivations to produce this program by watching this interview. This video is a great watch whether you are a black woman or not and it very educational.

When you enter your details, you will be notified when the next program is about to start and then you will enjoy cooking videos, meal plans, vega recipes, grocery tips and more. Find out all about the program right here!

In summary:

• Hosted through email, and a Facebook group.
• Multimedia equipment

Pros:

• Perfect program for black women, obviously.
• Free!

Cons: 

• Run at certain times of the year only.

Challenge 22

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Challenge 22 is an extremely focused program.  Once you’ve signed up you’ll be assigned to a Facebook group with many other challengers and experienced vegan mentors.  During the pre-challenge time, you are encouraged to get ready and ask any questions that you might have to the mentors. When the challenge starts you will be given a challenge each day and active participation is encouraged.

Usually, these challenges are simple.  For example, making a vegan sandwich, or trying to cook with tofu.  They have plenty of meal plans, nutritional information, tips, and tricks in the form of photos.  You can share photos of your vegan creations and ask any questions you might have in a very safe and supportive environment.  In case you have any specific health issues, the mentors can refer you to a registered dietician to advise you appropriately, and overall there is considerable science-based nutritional information.  After a challenge of 22 days, you are then transferred to an alumni group where you can continue to get free help and advice for as long as you want! More information on the program can be found here!

In summary:

• hosted through Facebook;
• lots of individualized support and encouragement;
• support of a dietician if needed, and a huge amount of information;

Pros:

• all of this is FREE!
• very structured;
• very supportive.  You even have your own personal mentor;

Cons: 

• you need to use Facebook and actually enjoy using it.  Frequent contribution is encouraged.  Some people might feel overwhelmed.

30 Day Vegan Challenge

Popular author, podcaster, animal activist — and traveler!! — Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s 30 Day program may very well have been the first of its kind.  It’s an email program where you’d receive daily emails with audio, video and articles, and since then there’s been the adition of a supportive Facebook group which is moderated by some lovely vegans.  The program is also available as beautiful hardback full color book.

Each day is broken up into different topics that will address important areas to work on on your journey to veganism, such as the power of cravings of fat and salt (day 12) and eating confidently and joyfully in social situations (day 24). 

You also get tons of information from a very knowledgeable, wise, supportive and kind person who will give you all the information exactly when and how you need it.

Want to learn a bit more?  Check out this YouTube video.

In Summary:

• it’s an email program with support through a Facebook group
• also available as book version

Pros: 

1. very reasonably priced (USD $19.99); 
2. includes a supportive Facebook group;

Cons: 

• doesn’t have meal plans, but does give you the skills to make your own!

Veganuary

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Veganuary is probably one of the most famous programs.  Originating in the UK, it’s extremely popular there with much media hype during the main month, which is of course January.   Many brands and restaurants jump on board the Veganuary train by increasing their vegan options, and lots of British celebrities help with its promotion.

You can of course take this challenge at any time, not just January!  The program comes through the form of a daily email that contains lots of tips and tricks. It also has information on vegan nutrition, shopping lists, meal plan ideas (that are calorie counted), and even a celebrity cookbook. They do have a Facebook page and a big social media presence, and while questions are encouraged, it does not appear to be a focus of the program.

In summary:

• designed for January but can be done at any time;
• very slick, well-designed, well known;
• daily emails to keep you involved and focused;

Pros:

• Free!

Cons

• not much personal support;
• based in the UK and features British celebrities, foods and British vegans news (though there ae specific veganuaries in some other countries);

The Roadmap From Brownble

source: Brownble

The Roadmap is the brainchild of Kim from Brownble, and is one of her several beautiful online courses to help you go vegan.  Kim is the host of a lovely, highly recommended podcast and her course is highly comprehensive.

The Roadmap comes with a huge amount of content. There are more than 21 modules, 180 lessons, some nutrition basics, and the information comes in HD videos, audio, and written articles.  Of course, you also get loads of recipes!

Kim is such a kind sweet and compassionate person, and even if it’s an online course, it really feels like Kim is right in the room with you as kindest and most supportive friend!  The price is only $97 and would make a lovely gift.

In summary:

• online course;
• multimedia, including videos, audio, and articles;
• can be gifted to someone else;

Pros:

• feels like you have a friend in the room with you;
• very comprehensive;
• highly engaging content;

Cons:

• higher cost — but excellent value!

There you go.  Hopefully these help you in your transition to veganism, or least give you ample information and support to give it a try! 

Let’s Discuss!

We’d love to hear from you!  Do you have any questions?  Ideas?  Have you tried any of these programs?  Which one feels like the best fit for you?   Any other programs out there we might have missed? 

Let’s have a discussion in the comments below.  We’d love to hear from you!