5 Vegan Challenges To Try In The New Year

If you're looking to make some positive changes in the new year, it's not too late to add more items to your resolutions list especially if you'd like to experience more than visiting vegan national parks! Adopting a plant-based diet is a great way to improve your health and the health of our planet. And these days there are so many great resources, recipes and options for those who want to try a vegan lifestyle. If you're still on the fence, check out these five challenges that you can start right now!

Challenge #1: Try a New Vegan Recipe Every Week

The first challenge is a simple one, but the rewards are great. The idea is to make a new vegan recipe every week. This will give you a reason to go out there and explore the boundless possibilities of plant-based cooking, even if you're already quite familiar with it. It can also help motivate you to keep going on your plant-based journey, because variety and novelty are two major factors that can keep you engaged.

It's more fun if you pick recipes that are at least somewhat healthy—vegan desserts may be delicious, but they won't do much for your body or the environment. Other than that, sky is the limit! If there's a non-vegan ingredient that's one of your favorites (e.g., cheese), look up some recipes that use vegan versions of those ingredients and try them out! Most people don't know this, but there are many varieties of vegan cheese made from cashews and soybeans, which make for an excellent substitute in dishes like lasagna or macaroni and cheese.

Challenge #2: Go Out of Your Way to Explore the World of Vegan Dining

Make it a point to go someplace new every week, whether it's a vegan restaurant or just a kitchen you've never seen before. Make sure that any new recipes you try are as healthy as possible, and don't be afraid to look into vegan cookbooks for inspiration.

If you're going to a restaurant, make sure that they have plenty of options and ingredients available; there's nothing worse than showing up at a trendy new vegan place only to find out that they don't actually have much aside from kale salad on the menu.

Making an effort to broaden your dietary horizons is important in many ways. It's great for your health: it can be easy for vegans to fall into the trap of making the same handful of meals over and over again, which causes you to miss out on key nutrients and vitamins that might be present in other foods or dishes.

It also makes being vegan more fun by keeping things interesting and by allowing you to experience the variety of tastes and flavors that are present in the world of plant-based eating.

Challenge #3: Get Creative with Vegan Snacks

If you're like most people, then snacking is your favorite way to pass the time. For many of us, a movie night isn't complete without popcorn, and a movie isn't even worth watching without some kind of snack in hand. We all know that traditional snacks are terrible for us, so it's important to think about how you can incorporate healthier habits into your snacking routine.

The great thing about vegan snacks is that they don't have to be complicated or expensive—you just need some fresh ingredients! Vegan snacks are essentially the same as any other type of wholesome snack; they're just made with plant-based ingredients instead of animal products. The only difference is that vegan snack recipes come with an added layer of fun: you get to experiment with different types and combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds.

You might be wondering how exactly you can take advantage of a vegan diet by making your own snacks at home. It's a lot easier than you might think! You can start by using healthy plant-based ingredients like nuts and seeds instead of buying processed junk foods at the store. One easy way to do this is by using nuts and seeds as toppings for things like popcorn and yogurt.

Another way would be taking dried fruit or fresh fruit and throwing it into a smoothie or trail mix recipe. For those who want to avoid dairy altogether, then almond milk becomes your best option when looking for ways to add flavor to things like oatmeal, toast or pancakes.

Challenge #4: Give Up Store-Bought Sweets for Vegan Alternatives

This is an easy challenge to complete and the benefits are great. First, store-bought sweets are often filled with unhealthy ingredients like refined sugar and trans fat. When you make your own treats at home, you can control what goes into them by using healthier alternatives such as coconut oil, raw cane sugar or any other alternative sweetener of your choice. Secondly, it's much cheaper to make your own desserts than it is to buy them from a store. You can save yourself quite a bit of money when you spend time in the kitchen instead of in the grocery store buying treats for later.

There are many vegan blogs where you can find recipes for delectable treats that will satisfy your sweet tooth without harming animals or cruelty-filled ingredients like milk and eggs. If you have favorite non-vegan desserts and candies, feel free to try making vegan versions of them so that you can still enjoy them without guilt.

Challenge #5: Emulate Your Favorite Vegan Celebrity

Vegan celebrities are a great source for ideas and inspiration. From celebrity chefs aboard vegan river cruises to actors, musicians, entrepreneurs and more, there are many vegans to choose from.