Starting my Plant-Based Journey…

I started my Veganuary 2021 journey back in 2020 and on the 21st of December. Which was especially exciting as it gave me a chance to create new food ideas for traditional festive holidays. In the end, I discovered that by eating vegan food, you truly don’t miss out on anything.

There has been a massive shift, and with all the issues our world is currently facing, everybody has become far more accommodating to everyone’s dietary choices. I spoke to people I would never, ever have thought would be plant-based or even have specific meat-alternatives they raved about. It changed my perception of other people’s perceptions drastically. Yes, that is a bit of a convoluted sentence but it really has been an enlightening experience.

You can still enjoy a braai with all of the trimmings

With Fry’s extensive range of meat-alternatives, there is no need to miss out on regular food-focused traditions like a delicious braai! Their traditional burgers have been around for as long as I can remember. I think I was 10 or even younger when my sister and mum, both were vegetarian back then and are now vegan, used to devour them.

Fry’s has such a wide range of meat-alternatives even if you think only about the burger options…” chicken burgers”, “traditional patties” and now “The Big Fry Burger”. Which is in a league of its own if you are craving that typical big juicy burger flavour and texture while still living kindly.

It’s also incredibly easy to simply swap out your “regular” condiments like sauces, mayonnaise, butter as well as find bread, rolls, crackers, crisps which are all 100% vegan. We only use vegan mayo for our potato salads and it makes for the most flavourful dish. No eggy after-taste.

The list of benefits of choices Fry’s plant-based products is endless. All the ingredients used in Fry’s products are completely Non-Genetically Modified, MSG Free, Preservative free and vegan. They have been rapidly expanding their product offerings and also have several gluten-free options. Something which adds to the brand’s authenticity is their complete transparency. If you want to know anything about any of their ingredients and their sources then you visit their website here.

John Dory’s Offers Fry’s “Prawn” Sushi Platters, Tacos and Poke Bowls!

Yes, you read that right! Professional vegan sushi is now available nationwide at John Dory’s. They use the Fry’s prawns and let me tell you this is top-quality sushi. My mouth just waters at the though of their platter.

I’ve only tried the sushi platter before, see below. Also only as takeaways but each store has perfectly executed this platter. 100% plant-based including the mayo.

I know I’m No Food Stylist so Don’t Judge!

Throughout my experience of Veganuary I have wanted the authenticity of my meals to show. This often meant that when you’re hungry, you’re hungry! So perfectly styling each dish I made just wasn’t a priority. These are the real day-to-day dishes we enjoyed at home every day. Okay, only a tiny fraction of them.

My main focus was on making the meals I have always loved which are flavourful and satisfying. Yet, again showcasing how nothing really has to drastically change by trying plant-based. Except, you’ll be eating a healthy form of protein, far less expensive and of course a far kinder meat-alternative.

Case in point, the above Fry’s “chicken strips” stirfry. As I’ve stated Fry’s products have always been a part of many of my meals since I was a tween. The most special part of this lifestyle change was seeing just how much my boyfriend has embraced eating plant-based. He has subsequently requested that our monthly shopping lists will always include the Fry’s meatballs, polony, The Big Fry Burgers, chicken nuggets & strips and as well as several other Fry’s products.

A Lifestyle isn’t Just One Brand Everyday…

While it certainly feels like Fry’s has a meat-alternative for everything. The Curry pies are also a household favourite. I even saw today that they have Breakfast Bangers, a product of theirs I didn’t know about so haven’t tried yet. Let me know if you have and your thoughts on them.

Eating plant-based is a lifestyle change and on my Instagram Highlights reel “Veganuary” I have included plenty of other vegan foods. When I embarked on this collaboration I was upfront that I wanted to share all of the aspects of my journey. For instance, my creamy mushroom pasta above doesn’t contain any of their products nor does the gorgeous and delicious cake below!

January and Therefore Veganuary is over But That Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Still Join.

Even though my collaboration with Fry’s ended yesterday and all of my content about it was shared on my Instagram and Facebook. I really felt compelled to write this blog post to share exactly how it was for me. Throughout January they had the We Love Veganuary SA Facebook Group. Which you can still be a part of, just click this link. The thriving, inspiring and engaging group will still continue but will now be soon getting a little name change. Just an FYI that is a positive group, no posts showing horrific, graphic,shock-value images. It’s there to share delicious recipes and offer advice.

Even if you aren’t comfortable to fully commit to becoming a vegan you can still possibly consider trying plant-based for a little period of time or maybe even want to join the group to discover more recipes and options for your Meat-Free Monday. By including more meat-alternatives into your and your families diet you are making a huge difference to bettering our environment.

Food Choices are Personal and Being True to Yourself But Still Accountable for Your Actions is So Important

I am always striving to be completely truthful and transparent on my blog. Will I continue to enjoy Fry’s and many of the 100% plant-based dishes I’ve since discovered? YES! Am I going to aim to drastically cut down on dairy? YES! Will I still have some feta or brie, now and then? Most likely. Free-range poached eggs? Now and then. The same with SASSI green-listed fish. Will I touch chicken or red meat, NEVER! I am certainly more mindful of what effect the consumption of anything animal-derived has on our planet.

The fact that I didn’t crave or miss any of the aforementioned foods has also opened my eyes. I think the biggest shock was how my craving for cheesy pizza disappeared. Although I still made several pizza’s using my own dough, sauce and Violife Mozzarella. That strange insatiable desire for regular cheese has subsided. Something which again showed me why encouraging more people to try meat-alternatives and dairy-alternatives can really help better ones relationship with food and health too.