Darrell Sawczuk, Volunteer
The Humane League UK Volunteer, Darrell Sawczuk, shares his tips on enjoying a vegan Christmas dinner.
Christmas is fast approaching and you may already be starting to plan your Christmas dinner. Surprisingly, although the vegan movement has skyrocketed in recent years, estimations state the number of vegans in the UK is still only around 7%. Whilst this means the vast majority of Brits will still have animal products on the table on the 25th of December, just how easy it for those of us who are choosing to leave cruelty off the table?
If you are reading this and you are already following a vegan diet then I’m sure you know just how easy it is to leave animal products off your plate. But we understand there are also a lot of families looking to provide a vegan dinner for someone at the table this year and, in the stress of Christmas Day cooking, this may simply feel like added pressure.
Luckily, nearly all of a Christmas dinner is already vegan.
- Roast potatoes (cooked in oil rather than animal fat)
- Vegetables (carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, stuffing, swede, cabbage, etc)
- Cranberry sauce
- Vegan-friendly gravy (even the original Bisto granules are accidentally vegan)
But we think that all vegans deserve a centrepiece! If you don’t have the time to turn tofu into a turkey substitute, there are now plenty of vegan options being offered by all UK supermarkets. Here are just a few examples of the amazing tasty vegan food readily available from your local supermarkets in the UK this Christmas:
Morrisons is offering Vegan pigs in blankets (except no pig came to any harm). Tesco boasts a butternut, mushroom and chestnut wreath which should look very fancy on the table.
Iceland is offering a Vegan tempura selection along with ‘No Bull Burger Sliders’, perfect for an alternative Christmas dinner or for another time in the party season.
Asda and Sainsbury's are both choosing Wellingtons. Whilst Asda has released a chickpea and cranberry Wellington, Sainsbury’s (a favourite amongst many UK vegans) has created a ‘No Beef Wellington’
These are just a few examples of the huge range available if you are looking to host a more compassionate dinner this Christmas, or simply need options for a vegan family member.
If you are looking for more advice and recipes then don’t forget to check out Eating Veg, a campaign by The Humane League offering great resources to help everyone add more plant foods into their diets.
We’re wishing you a compassionate Christmas, with cruelty left off the table.
What can I do to have an impact?
Want to impact the lives of animals raised for food? Take action now by signing our petition.
