Working on the new plant based Wicked Kitchen range for Tesco inspired Elmwood’s Emma Salvesen to get involved in Veganuary. Find out how she got on.
Working on the new plant based Wicked Kitchen range for Tesco inspired a small group of the Elmwood team to get involved in Veganuary. With the growing trend for plant-based diets and the increase in people adopting a flexitarian approach to food, it felt like the perfect time get involved and see what all the fuss was about!
As someone who lives off meat and eggs, moving to a plant-based diet was a daunting but exciting challenge! I was worried I would lack energy, need to spend hours preparing meals and cooking separate meals for the family, and that I would not be able to eat out, socialise or find easy vegan options to eat on the go.
Was I right to be worried? Yes and No… Although after the second week I did start to gain more energy and felt lighter and healthier, eating out, on-the-go and socialising was a challenge and a big change in my habits.
However the launch the Wicked Kitchen range into Tesco stores on the 8th January made finding tasty, filling and nutritious options for lunch on-the-go and quick dinner easy, which really improved my Vegan experience.
Overall for me Vegaunary is more than a fad. We all know we need to eat more veg, and having a dedicated month has been a great kick-start to a healthy new year and has given me the opportunity and the confidence to experiment more in the kitchen and show all the meat eaters that vegetables can be a tasty alternative to meat!
Is it something I would adopt full time – No. For me it is not about becoming Vegan it is about learning to have a more balanced and varied diet, changing my mind-set from viewing meat as the main feature upon which to build and plan all meals and ensuring that I make mindful choices in the meat and animal produce I consume.
Emma Salvesen