Should I go vegan with this Veganuary?

Veganuary (going vegan in January) is everywhere these days. from social media When I go to my local burger joint, it seems like everyone is talking about going vegan starting in January. However, most people do not decide to become vegan and live a life free of animal products. Maybe it’s because you miss grilled cheese sandwiches, or because coordinating meals with non-vegan family members is too difficult. Does it make sense to go vegan for a month just to get back to normal life? diet after that?

Psychologists have long studied the influence that habits have on our daily choices. The everyday actions we often perform are particularly driven by habits, so we don’t have to consciously think about how we brush our teeth, drink our coffee, or get to work. Habits can be very powerful drivers of our behavior because they help us get through the day without consuming mental space or energy. This is exactly why Veganuary can provide a great opportunity to reset some of your habits that may not actually be serving you anymore.

Veganuary may seem a little difficult at first. Because people need to rethink some of their most basic food choices. For example, you may need to replace the milk in your coffee with a plant-based alternative, or replace your regular meat burger with a vegetable alternative. . But economics research shows that such rethinking can lead to better choices in the long run. Commuters forced to reconsider their routes to work during public transport strikes sometimes found better routes that they might not have discovered through their usual route choices. Forced to temporarily abandon their usual route, they discovered a better alternative.

Even for those of you who got through Veganuary just to eat your next cheese pizza on February 1st, Vegan Choice Month can bring about a powerful habit rethink. Maybe plant-based milk actually tastes better than the whole milk we’ve been buying for years. Maybe sausages with vegetables are actually healthier than sausages with meat. Lentil soup is probably just as delicious, but easier to make than chicken soup. Veganuary highlights the types of dairy and meat we actually crave and miss, and the types of dairy and meat we choose out of thoughtless habits, so we can replace them with better options. It will be.