Veganism: Not Just a Growing Trend, a Lifestyle

What is veganism?

Vegans live a lifestyle in which they try to exclude all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals. There are lots of ways in which vegans take on the principles of Veganism but vegans all agree that they will live a plant-based diet and not eat animals. This includes fish, shellfish and insects as well as animal products such as dairy, eggs and honey.

Vegans will also avoid using products that come from animals such as materials, products that have been tested on animals as well as anywhere that use animals for entertainment purposes.

There has been a steady increase in the amount of people choosing vegan diets or being more conscious of the food and products that they consume.

• In 2018, over 600,000 people were believed to be vegan in the UK (60 green leaves, each representing 100,000 people)
• There was also an increase in the number of “flexitarians” choosing to reduce their consumption of animal products
• Orders of vegan takeaways grew 388% between 2016 and 2018.
• Vegetarian orders rose 137%, according to research by the British Takeaway Campaign.

What do vegans eat?

There is a vast array of delicious food that can be made to suit the vegan diet. Flavour is key which many plant-based ingredients, herbs and spices offer; mixed in endless combinations with fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, beans and pulses. Take a look at the Vegan Society website here to find an abundant selection of recipes.

The NHS website also offer advice on what a healthy vegan diet consists of.

What do we offer vegans?

In 2018, trusts across England began to roll out vegan options on their menu. NHS Supply Chain: Food have a wide range of products available. To find out which vegan food options we offer, please take a look at our Framework pages which you can find below in our Useful Links 🔗 section.