I’m signing up for the Veganuary challenge, basically, I’m going vegan for January and I’m looking for friends to do it with me. I’m looking for a group of people to encourage each other, share tips, tricks and recipes and most of all be supportive in a judgment-free (none of us are claiming to be perfect) zone.

You might be thinking, why doesn’t she just do it with her husband and family, well because with the exception of my mother, these people around here are not ready to give up meat – I mean they will totally eat my veggies, but just next to their meat.

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The plan from my side is to post about Veganuary on my blog and social media once a week (I won’t stop posting other things, I promise) I will also be updating my Instagram highlights every day sharing daily food inspo. BUT I’m new at this so I’d love to share your inspo on my highlights as well, along with us sort of being there for each other.

Guys, it’s not that serious, when I first went vegetarian for a month I accidentally ate bacon on day one and I lived to tell the tale.

I’m not thinking about being vegan full time, I like the pescatarian life, it works for me. My son and my fur babies (the cats, Star and Storm) have swayed the way I look at animals so red meat is off the table for me now BUT that does not have to be your motivation

You could do it for health benefits, to lose weight (I’ve lost 7kgs and MacDonald’s chili cheese fries have not stopped being life), because you’re South African and by January you will be sick of all the braais any way, because cutting out animal hormones has been linked to improved mental health, or maybe you are considering Flexitarianism and this is a baptism of fire.

Or like me because you want to have your own opinion about the vegan lifestyle, not an opinion that you saw on TV or because that group of vegans you met once were a’holes and now the thought of cutting out all animal products makes you wonder if you will automatically become an a’hole.

They aren’t all like that I promise, you know every lifestyle has the uncle we don’t talk about – I’m friends with a few really un a’holey vegans who share recipes and tips with me all the time without doing quinoa fuelled vegan chants and screaming meat is murder at me.

So please consider doing the Veganuary challenge with me. Let me tell you now that cheese is life and eggs are kwaai (awesome) so I’m probably eating a three-cheese omelet on the 1^st of February. But for January I am all in, I honestly just want to see if I can do it.

Also if you are thinking, being vegan is so expensive and who has money in January, I got you. I have posts planned about vegan takeaways and cheap protein alternatives, we don’t have to starve and bankrupt ourselves for this.

Also Fry’s has great meat-free alternatives to help ease you into this whole thing. I don’t expect you to dip a carrot into a pot of lentils and call it a day. I’ve been attending family braais equipped with my Fry’s patties, had hotdogs with everyone else thanks to my Mediterranean sausages and pizza has not stopped being life, also their nuggets taste like nuggets and that is just amazing sorcery.

Also (I say ALSO a lot, don’t turn it into a drinking game, you will die) if you sign up for Veganuary (using this link) Frys will send you emails containing delicious recipes, meal plans and helpful tips, such as where to get your nutrients and how to stock your cupboards.

They will also send you information about the impact of what we eat on our health, animals and the environment. And if you get sick of it you can unsubscribe quite easily…this isn’t timeshare you do get a free gift through – A digital cookbook!

Okay let me end off by saying….please join with me because my husband doesn’t want to and I like sharing things with people. Use the #frysfamily and #veganuary hashtags along with #justellabella so I can find and share your posts….

The challenge starts in January , hoping some of you take it on with me