World Vegan Day

World Vegan Day

World Vegan Day is a holiday for celebrating and raising awareness of veganism. Living a vegan lifestyle can come in many forms, but the main focus is to avoid eating or using animal products derived from or tested on animals, as well as any activities involving exploitation.

When is World Vegan Day?

People celebrate World Vegan Day every year on November 1st. The holiday has recently even been extended through the month of November to become World Vegan Month.

Why is World Vegan Day celebrated?

There are many different reasons people choose to live a vegan lifestyle, but one of the most common is to protect animals. World Vegan Day is an opportunity to encourage others to learn more about veganism and incorporate some vegan elements into their own lives.

When did World Vegan Day start?

World Vegan Day was founded in 1994 by Louise Wallis, former chair of The Vegan Society, the oldest vegan charity in the world. The first Vegan Day was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the society, which is also when they first coined the term ‘vegan’.

The Vegan Society itself was founded by Donald Watson in 1944.

How to celebrate World Vegan Day

Here are just a few ideas to help you celebrate World Vegan Day.

World Vegan Day activities

Around the time of  World Vegan Day, you’ll likely see more vegan products in stores than usual, so the easiest way to celebrate is to try something new and cook a vegan meal. Some of the main protein sources in a vegan diet include beans, lentils, tofu, and nuts — so there’s lots to choose from.

It’s also a good time to learn more about vegan points of view and why animals should be protected. There’s a lot you can read about on this subject, from the problems caused by factory farming to the benefits of meat reduction. Learning more about animal sentience is another great way to celebrate, especially if you’ve wondered what animals think and feel or how they see the world.

World Vegan Day FAQs

What do vegans eat?

Vegans eat a range of foods but don’t eat anything that is an animal or an animal product like meat, fish, shellfish, insects, dairy, eggs, or honey. Most plant-based diets include fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, beans, nuts, and pulses. You can even bake vegan cakes with special products like flax eggs and plant-based milk.

Where do vegans get protein?

Vegans tend to get the protein they need in smaller amounts from more sources than meat eaters. High-protein vegetables like potatoes and broccoli can be paired with beans or legumes, served with high-protein carbohydrates like quinoa, and topped with nuts. Tofu is also a great source of protein that can be seasoned and prepared in various ways — you can even make it resemble meat.

Why do people go vegan?

People choose a vegan lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Some choose to be vegan because they find factory farming cruel and inhumane and prefer not to contribute to the industry while also maintaining control over their diet in today’s modern food systems. Some people adopt a vegan diet for health benefits or to minimise their impact on the environment.

What are plant-based diet benefits?

Plant-based diets can have a range of benefits. Meals can be more cost effective and are often easier to make and store than meat and dairy.

If you follow a good diet and take care to get all of the right nutrients, it can also help lower your BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It’s also helpful for lactose-intolerant people because you’ll never accidentally eat dairy.

In addition, plant-based diets can also have a positive effect on the environment, and they don’t contribute to animal suffering.

What’s the difference between vegan and plant-based?

While the two overlap in some areas, the main difference is that vegans actively avoid any kind of animal-derived product. This can extend to non-food products like make-up that use animal testing in their development process.

Plant-based, on the other hand, refers to the main lifestyle focus being centred around the diet and not necessarily other areas such as home goods and clothing.