Hello lovelies,
january is the month of fresh starts, and more and more people use these 31 days to find out what eating vegan actually feels like. That is what Veganuary, short for vegan January, is all about. I lived fully vegan for about eight years, and many of my new recipes here on frei-style.com are still vegan today.
So I know how those first weeks feel: lots of questions, a brand-new shopping list, and the worry of not getting full. This guide has everything for your vegan month: how to sign up, 10 tips to get started, a starter week, 31 easy recipes, a shopping list and the nutrients that really matter.
Transparency: Swissveg invited me to support Veganuary Schweiz 2027 with a recipe. No money is involved.
What Is Veganuary? Meaning, Facts and Figures
Veganuary is a worldwide challenge to eat vegan for the whole month of January. The name blends "vegan" and "January."
The nonprofit behind it, Veganuary, is a registered charity in England and Wales, co-founded in 2013 by Matthew Glover and Jane Land. The first campaign ran in January 2014. Taking part is 100 percent free, and signing up gets you emails, recipes and meal plans.
What began as a small campaign now moves supermarkets and restaurants too. According to Veganuary, at least 1,187 new vegan products and menu items launched worldwide for the 2026 campaign.
Why do people do Veganuary?
Animals are the most common reason, followed by personal health and the environment. That is what the 2025 participant survey found:
Main reason for taking part, Veganuary 2025 (percent)
On the environmental side, one number stands out: in a UK study published in Nature Food, vegan diets produced about a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions of diets with 100 grams (3.5 oz) of meat or more per day.
How to Sign Up for Veganuary 2027
Veganuary 2027 runs from January 1 to 31, 2027, and you sign up online. Where you sign up depends on where you live.
Sign up with Veganuary
The main sign-up is at veganuary.com. You get 31 coaching emails, 10 meal plans, a celebrity cookbook and nutrition guides, and you choose whether your emails start right away, in 7 days or on a date you pick.
Living in Switzerland? Veganuary Schweiz
Swissveg is a Swiss nonprofit association based in Winterthur, founded in 1993, and it also licenses the V-Label in Switzerland. Your 31 days start on the day you sign up, so you can join later in January too.
How to Do Veganuary: 10 Tips for Beginners
Start with dishes you already know, plan your first week, and take vitamin B12 from day one. These 10 tips turn a resolution into a month you'll actually enjoy.
- Start with your favorite meals. You already know pasta, curry, chili and oatmeal. Just swap the animal part, like ground beef for red lentils or milk for oat milk. The food stays familiar, and you don't have to learn everything from scratch.
- Plan week one before January 1. When you know what's for dinner, you're less likely to grab whatever is easy. In the 2026 Veganuary survey, 70 percent of participants said they planned their meals more. My starter week below does the planning for you.
- Stock the basics once. Oats, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, a plant milk, nuts and frozen vegetables are a great base for lots of vegan meals. The full shopping list is further down.
- Put protein on every plate. Tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans and soy milk all count, and Harvard's Nutrition Source advises mixing up your plant protein sources. Learn how to cook tofu so it's actually crispy in my step-by-step guide.
- Eat enough. Build every meal from a grain or potatoes, a protein and vegetables, and make room for nuts, seeds and good oil. Switzerland's national nutrition society suggests 1 to 2 portions of nuts or seeds (0.7 to 1.1 oz each) and 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil a day on a vegan diet.
- Vitamin B12 from day one, iodized salt always. Only animal foods have B12 naturally, so vegans might not get enough from their diet alone, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Fortified foods or a supplement close the gap; ask your doctor or pharmacist about the right dose. Cook with iodized salt.
- Add beans gradually. More fiber often means more gas at first. In studies where people ate beans daily, it peaked in the first week and faded for most people within 2 to 3 weeks. My guide shows you how to cook dried beans and lentils.
- Read the label once. Dairy ingredients like whey, casein or lactose show up where you don't expect them, and so do eggs and gelatin. See the label section below for animal-derived additives.
- Plan for restaurants and family meals. Check the menu online first, or use an app like HappyCow, which lists vegan and vegetarian places worldwide. If you're ever in Zurich, Hiltl is the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world according to Guinness, open since 1898. At family dinners, bring a dish to share.
- A slip-up isn't failure. People who didn't finish the month still ate vegan on 18 days on average, according to the 2026 Veganuary survey. Every vegan day counts, so just carry on the next day.
Free Veganuary Meal Plan: Your Starter Week
The starter week is a ready-made vegan meal plan with one breakfast and one main dish for each of 7 days. All 14 recipes are right here on the blog. Cook a double batch at dinner, and tomorrow's lunch is already done.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
31 Easy Veganuary Recipes for Beginners
One recipe for every day in January: I've picked 31 easy vegan recipes for beginners, from breakfast to dessert. For even more ideas, browse all vegan recipes on frei-style.com.
Breakfast
Chocolate overnight oats
10 min5.0 from 1 vote
Apple-cinnamon Overnight Oats 2 ways
10 min5.0 from 2 votes
Creamy porridge with cashew milk
15 min
Chocolate Banana Porridge with Caramelized Banana
20 min
Autumnal Bircher Muesli
15 min
Vegan Crêpes – basic recipe
15 min5.0 from 1 vote
Fluffy chocolate pancakes
5.0 from 1 vote
Looking for more protein in the morning? Try my high-protein vegan breakfast ideas.
Quick Weeknight Dinners
Quick Vegan Chickpea Curry with Coconut Milk and Spinach
25 min
Quick recipe: Veggies Stir Fry Noodles
5.0 from 1 vote
Creamy vegan veggie pasta
30 min5.0 from 2 votes
Protein pasta with chickpeas and lentils
30 min5.0 from 2 votes
Crispy Tofu Salad with Matcha-Sesame Dressing
22 min5.0 from 1 vote
Quick curry with green vegetables
30 min5.0 from 1 vote
Easy Vegan Chop Suey with Colorful Vegetables and Rice Noodles
30 min5.0 from 1 vote
Comfort Food and Classics
Vegan Spätzle – 4 ways
30 min5.0 from 2 votes
Vegan cannelloni with spinach
50 min4.5 from 6 votes
Vegan Feta Pasta Deluxe
5.0 from 1 vote
Pumpkin Burger
4.3 from 4 votes
savory chickpea pancakes
5.0 from 3 votes
Mujadara with Lentils, Rice and Crispy Onions
1 h 10 min
Vegan Bolognese with tofu, mushrooms and eggplant
3 h 20 min
Soups for Cold January Days
Sweets and Baking
Basics: DIY Plant Milk and Cashew Cream
Use the recipe finder with its vegan filter to search every recipe by time, meal and ingredients.
Vegan Shopping List for Beginners
About 20 basics from the pantry, the fridge and the produce aisle are all you need to start. Check off what you already have and pick up the rest on your next grocery run.
Reading labels: hidden animal ingredients
Animal ingredients often hide in additives, coatings and processing aids. Common examples are carmine (E120), a red color made from scale insects, shellac (E904) and beeswax (E901) used to coat fruit, L-cysteine (E920) made from hair or feathers in some baked goods, and gelatin used to clarify wine and juice. Gelatin used this way counts as a processing aid, so in Germany and Switzerland it doesn't have to appear on the label.
The quickest way to spot a vegan product is a label. The V-Label comes in a vegan and a green vegetarian version, so look for the word vegan. The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark also marks vegan products. In August 2026 a new logo began replacing the familiar sunflower, so you'll see both for a while.
Shopping in Switzerland, Germany and Austria
Many supermarkets in the German-speaking countries have their own vegan or plant-based lines. In Switzerland, look for V-Love at Migros, Betty Bossi Plant Kitchen at Coop and Vemondo at Lidl. In Germany, you'll find Vemondo at Lidl, MYVAY at Aldi, REWE Bio Pflanzlich, EDEKA MY VEGGIE and K-take it veggie at Kaufland, and in Austria Vegavita at Billa, SPAR Veggie and MyVay at Hofer. Some of these lines include vegetarian products too, so still check for the word vegan. Switzerland is also home to Planted, a start-up near Zurich that makes meat alternatives from pea protein.
What Do You Eat on Veganuary? Easy Vegan Swaps
Most animal ingredients have a simple plant-based swap. This table covers the ones you'll use most.
| Instead of | Use |
|---|---|
| Cow's milk | Soy or oat milk, ideally with added calcium |
| Butter | Plant butter or canola oil→ Baking without butter |
| Eggs in baking | Flaxseed, aquafaba or banana→ Egg substitutes for baking |
| Heavy cream | Oat or soy cream, coconut milk→ Vegan heavy cream substitutes |
| Ground beef | Red lentils, crumbled tofu or seitan |
| Cheese | Nutritional yeast or cashew cream→ Cashew basics |
| Yogurt | Soy or coconut yogurt |
| Honey | Maple syrup or agave syrup |
| Gelatin | Agar-agar |
Do You Need Supplements for Veganuary? B12, Protein and More
On a vegan diet, vitamin B12 is the one nutrient you should never leave to chance. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says appropriately planned vegan diets can be nutritionally adequate for adults and that B12 supplements may be the easiest and most reliable way to get enough. The other nutrients to keep an eye on are protein, calcium, iodine, iron, omega-3s, vitamin D and zinc.
| Nutrient | How to get it | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | Only animal foods have B12 naturally (NIH). Fortified foods like nutritional yeast or cereals, or a supplement, fill the gap. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the dose. | |
| Protein | The RDA is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight, just over 7 g per 20 lb (Harvard). Mix legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds and whole grains over the day. | Plant protein sources |
| Calcium | Dark green vegetables like kale and broccoli, plus calcium-fortified soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu (Mayo Clinic). | Plant-based calcium sources |
| Iodine | Use iodized salt (Mayo Clinic). | |
| Iron | Dried beans and peas, lentils, whole grains, dark leafy greens and dried fruit, eaten with vitamin C foods like peppers, citrus or broccoli (Mayo Clinic). | Plant-based iron sources |
| Omega-3 | Canola oil, walnuts, ground flaxseed and soybeans, plus fortified products for DHA and EPA (Mayo Clinic). | Plant-based omega-3 |
| Vitamin D | Some plant milks and margarines are fortified. With little sun, ask your doctor about a supplement; plant-derived versions exist (Mayo Clinic). | |
| Zinc | Whole grains, soy products, lentils, beans, nuts and wheat germ (Mayo Clinic). |
A vegan day, portion by portion
Switzerland's national nutrition society (SGE) gives clear daily portions for a vegan diet. Use this overview to plan meals that keep you full and well nourished.
| Food group | Per day | 1 portion equals |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks | 1 to 2 liters (34 to 68 fl oz), ideally unsweetened | Tap or mineral water |
| Vegetables and fruit | 5 portions: 3 vegetables and 2 fruit | 120 g (4.2 oz) |
| Grains, potatoes, legumes | 3 portions, ideally whole grain | 75 to 125 g (2.6 to 4.4 oz) bread, or 180 to 300 g (6.3 to 10.6 oz) potatoes, or 45 to 75 g (1.6 to 2.6 oz) dry pasta, rice, oats or legumes |
| Plant protein foods | 2 to 4 portions | 100 to 120 g (3.5 to 4.2 oz) tofu, tempeh or seitan, or 50 g (1.8 oz) dry legumes, or 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) calcium-fortified soy milk |
| Nuts and seeds | 1 to 2 portions | 20 to 30 g (0.7 to 1.1 oz), unsalted |
| Oils and fats | 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil, plus plant butter sparingly (about 1 tablespoon) | Flaxseed, camelina or canola oil |
Who should talk to a professional first?
If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, planning a vegan diet for children, or managing a health condition, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian first. Mayo Clinic says well-planned vegetarian diets can meet the needs of people of all ages, including during pregnancy, and says a registered dietitian can help you create a plan that's right for you. The national nutrition societies of Germany and Switzerland are more cautious about vegan diets for children, pregnancy and older adults.
What Happens to Your Body When You Go Vegan for a Month?
In the first weeks, you'll mostly notice the extra fiber: gas is common at first and usually settles within 2 to 3 weeks. Over longer periods, studies show effects on cholesterol and weight, but one vegan month won't work miracles.
Digestion. In three small studies where people ate beans every day, up to almost half reported more gas in the first week. By week two, it was 6 to 24 percent, depending on the bean. So add legumes gradually and drink enough water.
Cholesterol. A Stanford study of 22 pairs of identical twins compared a healthy vegan diet with a healthy omnivore diet for 8 weeks. In the vegan twins, LDL cholesterol dropped from 110.7 to 95.5 mg/dL on average, while it barely changed on the omnivore diet.
Weight. An analysis of 12 studies found about 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) more weight loss on vegan diets than on comparison diets, over a median study length of 18 weeks. In the twin study, the vegan group lost 1.9 kg (4.2 lb) more after 8 weeks. So Veganuary isn't a weight-loss program, and nothing is guaranteed in one month.
How do participants feel? In the 2026 Veganuary survey, almost half of respondents reported health improvements, such as more energy, a better mood and better skin. These are self-reports without a control group, from people in Veganuary's email program.
After Veganuary: What Comes Next?
After January, you don't have to choose between fully vegan and not at all. In the 2026 survey, 32 percent of participants who weren't vegan before plan to stay vegan, and 79 percent plan to at least halve the animal products they eat. 98 percent would recommend Veganuary.
Four ways to keep going:
- Stay vegan: with B12, iodized salt and the tips in this guide.
- Vegan on weekdays: plant-based Monday to Friday, flexible on weekends.
- Vegan breakfast: oatmeal, overnight oats or Bircher muesli as a daily habit.
- Vegetarian plus: mostly plant-based, with cheese or eggs now and then.
Your wallet may thank you too: a University of Oxford study found that vegan diets can cut food costs by up to a third in high-income countries, and flexitarian diets by 14 percent. That applies to whole foods; packaged meat alternatives and eating out weren't included.
My own path: after about eight years fully vegan, my kitchen has also been open to vegetarian dishes since we moved to Bali in 2021. I still eat vegan very often, and many of my favorite recipes still are.
Frequently asked questions about Veganuary
When is Veganuary 2027?
Veganuary takes place every January, so in 2027 it runs from January 1 to 31. You can sign up at veganuary.com and choose your own start date, including later in January.
Is Veganuary free?
Yes. Veganuary says taking part is 100 percent free and always will be. You simply sign up online and the emails come straight to your inbox.
Can I start later than January 1?
Yes. When you sign up at veganuary.com, you choose whether your emails start right away, in 7 days or on a date you pick. With Veganuary Schweiz, your 31 days start on the day you sign up.
Do I have to be perfect?
No. Veganuary itself says not to worry if you slip up or make mistakes. People who didn't finish the month still ate vegan on 18 days on average, according to the 2026 survey.
Do I need supplements for Veganuary?
Vitamin B12 is the one to start from day one. Only animal foods have B12 naturally, so vegans might not get enough from their diet alone, according to the NIH. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the right dose.
Will I lose weight doing Veganuary?
Maybe, but it isn't guaranteed. In studies, people on vegan diets lost about 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) more on average than on comparison diets, over several months. Veganuary is a month to try something new, not a weight-loss program.
Will Veganuary be expensive?
Not necessarily. A University of Oxford study found that vegan diets built on whole foods can cost up to a third less in high-income countries. Packaged meat alternatives and eating out weren't included, so build your meals on lentils, oats and vegetables.
Can kids or pregnant people do Veganuary?
Only with professional advice. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian first. German and Swiss nutrition societies are more cautious about vegan diets for children, pregnancy and older adults.
Is honey vegan?
No. Veganuary explains that honey is an animal product, so vegans don't eat it. Maple syrup and agave syrup are easy swaps.
Verena, are you vegan?
Not fully anymore. I lived fully vegan for about eight years, and since we moved to Bali in 2021 I also cook vegetarian. I still eat vegan very often, and I support Veganuary because one month is enough to see how easy and varied plant-based cooking can be.
I hope this guide takes the worry out of your first vegan day. You don't have to be perfect; just start with one recipe that makes you smile. Which dish will you cook vegan first this January? Tell me in the comments.
Yours, Verena
- 1.Veganuary: What is Veganuary
- 2.Veganuary: FAQs
- 3.Veganuary: Take part
- 4.Veganuary: 2026 Campaign Review
- 5.Veganuary: 2025 Participant Survey
- 6.Veganuary: 2026 Participant Survey Results
- 7.Swissveg: Veganuary Schweiz (German)
- 8.NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B12
- 9.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source: Protein
- 10.Mayo Clinic: Vegetarian diet, how to get the best nutrition
- 11.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Dietary Patterns for Adults, position paper (J Acad Nutr Diet, 2025)
- 12.SGE: Vegan diet fact sheet, 2022 (German)
- 13.ÖKO-TEST: Hidden animal ingredients (German)
- 14.Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz: Hidden animal ingredients (German)
- 15.V-Label: FAQs (German)
- 16.Landry et al., JAMA Network Open (2023)
- 17.Winham & Hutchins, Nutrition Journal (2011)
- 18.Huang et al., Journal of General Internal Medicine (2016)
- 19.Scarborough et al., Nature Food (2023)
- 20.University of Oxford (2021)
- 21.Guinness World Records: Oldest vegetarian restaurant
- 22.The Vegan Society: The Vegan Trademark
- 23.The Vegan Society: Why we've rebranded the Vegan Trademark (2026)
- 24.ETH Alumni: Visit to Planted Foods (2022)
