What is Veganuary all about?

Veganism has experienced a new surge in popularity in recent years. Lately it seems like you can’t get through a grocery store or a restaurant menu without seeing the term “plant-based” somewhere. In the wake of the 2017 documentary What the Health, meat-alternative companies that started small, such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, are taking off – and many Americans are jumping on the meatless trend.

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And this January, many have taken the Veganuary pledge. The official Veganuary campaign began in the United Kingdom in 2014, founded by husband and wife team Matthew Glover and Jane Land. In advance of January 2020, the group hired a director in Los Angeles to expand their efforts to the US. Stars such as Joaquin Phoenix and Alec Baldwin sponsored the cause, and US participation rose.

Committing to a vegan January is a great way to give a plant-based diet a try. Participants in the pledge receive tips on how to go vegan and the benefits of going vegan for a month. Of course the true goal of the campaign is for participants to maintain a vegan diet beyond January, but a 31-day commitment is a good jumping-off point.

The way people think about the vegan lifestyle is changing. While veganism may have begun as an ethical choice not to support animal cruelty, now many adopters are supporting an environmental cause or making the change for personal health reasons. And some are taking the “flexitarian” approach, which allows you not to give up meat completely.

New, innovative vegan food options are a contributing factor to the diet gaining a more widespread appeal. From new vegan food companies like New Wave Foods (offering a plant-based seafood alternative) to new vegan restaurant concepts like Plant City (the world’s first vegan food hall), plant-based eating is gaining traction.

National restaurant chains with vegan offerings

National chain restaurants have been racing to offer the best plant-based burgers for a few years now. But meatless burgers aren’t the only option vegans have when dining out at a non-specialty restaurant. From secret menus to accidentally vegan foods, many restaurants have more options for vegans than you might think.

And with all the personalized technology we have now, finding them is easier than ever. Niche apps like HappyCow help locate nearby restaurants with vegan options, and mass delivery apps like UberEats have a vegan category to make the search simple too.

Here are some national chain restaurants’ vegan menu items.

Chipotle

The majority of the ingredients you can add to your bowl, burrito or anything else at Chipotle are vegan by nature – lettuce, beans, rice, etc. It’s a great option for whole vegan food. They also have a new riced cauliflower option to help pack in even more veggies.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell is a surprisingly good fast food option for vegans. You can make any item on Taco Bell’s menu vegetarian by substituting the meat for beans, and veganize it by asking for it “Fresco style” to replace any cheese, ranch sauce, or sour cream with pico de gallo.

Burger King

While the Impossible Whopper might not be completely vegan-friendly, Burger King already had a number of vegan menu options (even if accidentally). Their fries are cooked in vegetable oil and their French toast sticks contain zero eggs or dairy, and they have long had a soy-based veggie burger that’s prepared separately from their meat products.

Denny’s

Denny’s has a build-your-own veggie burger with plenty of vegan topping choices and even vegan buns. It’s also easy to make any skillet vegan with a few tweaks.

Mellow Mushroom

You don’t have to give up pizza to be vegan. Mellow Mushroom lets you replace dairy cheese with Follow Your Heart vegan cheese and has a variety of topping options including tofu and tempeh. 

Veggie Grill

If you’re looking for a truly plant-based fast casual option, even the meat options on Veggie Grill’s menu are full of vegetables. And with offerings including a vegan masala curry bowl and a Good Catch tuna salad sandwich, this place is perfect for vegans.

It’s not too late to take the pledge for Veganuary 2021. Find out more at veganuary.com. And if you’re looking to try out new vegan recipes in your commercial kitchen, TundraFMP has the equipment and supplies you need at etundra.com.