However, the terms “vegan” and “cruelty-free” don’t always mean the same thing – it’s enough to confuse even the most seasoned herbivore.

Sometimes, a product that’s “accidentally vegan” isn’t “cruelty-free”. On the flip side, a product labeled “cruelty-free” might contain animal derivatives like beeswax, lanolin, or carmine.

No one would fault you for assuming a cruelty-free product would not include animal products. After all, how could an item that involves bits of dead animals possibly be labeled “cruelty-free”?

Apparently, in the world of marketing, there are no rules.

It can be a huge bummer – especially if you’re finding out that the vegan products you thought were cruelty-free (or vice versa) aren’t.

But don’t be discouraged!

Once you have a handle on the different terms used, it won’t be so scary to navigate the beauty aisle at the store. That way, you can purchase products with confidence that they are 100% in line with your values.

Let’s get a brief rundown of what each of these terms means in different context

VEGAN PRODUCTS

When someone refers to a vegan lifestyle or a person who is vegan, it means they do everything in their means to avoid animal products and exploitation. The ultimate goal of a vegan lifestyle is to cause as little suffering as possible.

However, a “vegan” label on a product is not quite as expansive. When a product, such as foundation, glass cleaner, or perfume, has a “vegan” label, you can rest assured that it does not contain any animal ingredients.

The ingredient list is where the “vegan” label stops. While it probably sounds counterintuitive, a product that carries a “vegan” designation doesn’t mean it wasn’t tested on animals.

If you find a designated vegan product, search the packaging for an additional cruelty-free logo. Ensuring the product is free of any animal products is half the battle!

CRUELTY-FREE PRODUCTS

A label of “cruelty-free” means that the product you’re considering wasn’t tested on animals. This includes both the finished product, as well as any individual ingredients.

You and I both know why animal testing is seriously uncool, whether you’re vegan or not. During animal testing, innocent rabbits, mice, and rats are subjected to painful, and sometimes even lethal, irritation and toxicity tests.

A company testing mascara might rub it into the animal’s eyes or shaved skin to see if it causes a rash. A manufacturer that makes household cleaning products might force an animal to ingest an all-purpose cleaner, to find the lethal dosage of that product. These animals are subject to suffering for people’s own vanity and selfishness.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Organizations like Leaping Bunny have made it easy to spot cruelty-free products. PETA also offers a complete, up-to-date list of companies that do and do not test on animals. This way, you can pull the list up on your phone right in the supermarket aisle and find out if a particular manufacturer is designated cruelty-free.

Want to read more about the ins and outs of animal testing? Check out our full write-up here.

When you do spot a cruelty-free logo, or determine the company does not test on animals, you’re almost there! Next, take a quick scan of the ingredients, looking for common animal-based add-ins like beeswax or glycerin.

When you can check off both these criteria, stock up! That product is 100% vegan-friendly, animal-friendly, and appropriate for a plant-based home.

TIPS FOR ANIMAL-FRIENDLY PURCHASING

First and foremost, don’t beat yourself up if you realize that the products you thought were vegan-friendly turn out not to be. Even after years of veganism, I remember being completely confused when I realized my favorite “vegan” hair care line was tested on animals.

I’ve spoken with long-time vegans who were shocked when their “cruelty-free” makeup turned out to contain carmine – crushed up bugs! After all, who would think to read the ingredient list when the product is designated “cruelty-free”?

When you’re giving your makeup bag and cleaning cabinet a second look, it’s important to remember that veganism is not about perfection. When you initially purchased the offending product, you most likely did so with good intentions – you were doing your best to make an informed decision that was better for the animals.

Even with all the conveniences of the internet, as well as plant-based lifestyles going more mainstream, it is hard to make sure everything is 100% vegan all the time. Because there aren’t any central organizations defining certain terms, marketers can use all kinds of intentionally misleading buzzwords to convince you to buy their product.

Being hard on yourself isn’t going to un-buy those products that turned out to be non-vegan. The best thing you can do for yourself – and for the animals – is to learn from it, and use your newly acquired knowledge during your next shopping trip.

To avoid mistakes and mishaps in the future, take a two-pronged approach. To ensure the product itself doesn’t contain animal products, always do a thorough investigation of the ingredient list. If you’re unsure about a particular ingredient, don’t be afraid to research before you buy!

Here is a list of common offenders:​

​× Cochineal (aka Carmine)

× Beeswax

× Gelatin

× Lanolin

× Tallow

× Glycerin

× Keratin

When you’ve determined that the product itself is vegan, turn your research efforts to the company. Look for the manufacturer on PETA’s animal testing list, or look for the Leaping Bunny logo on the product’s packaging. You can also search for a particular manufacturer on Leaping Bunny’s website.

If your favorite products turn out not to be vegan and cruelty-free, don’t let it be in vain! Send a polite email to the company explaining the issue and why you’ll no longer be purchasing the product. Companies will only make vegan, cruelty-free alternatives when there is a demand for them, so be sure your voice is heard!

BUYING VEGAN & CRUELTY-FREE

It’s easy to get tripped up on marketing buzzwords, but by doing thorough research before you buy, you’ll avoid any regret in the future.

Use the power of the internet to your advantage – take a deep-dive into the ingredient list of your favorite products, and don’t be afraid to contact the company with any questions or concerns you have about an individual product. As the consumer, you have a right to know what’s in your product, and how it’s made!

Allow today to be a new day – arm yourself with knowledge and ensure that your favorite cosmetics, cleaning products, and other household items are 100% vegan – and not just in the marketing sense of the word!

The post Vegan vs Cruelty-Free: Exploring the Differences appeared first on Urban Vegan.

…now what?

Sure, zucchini noodles, or zoodles, are really what put spiralizers on the map. But there are so many other vegetables that lend themselves well to your spiral slicer.

On the whole, you can spiralize any firm, oblong-shaped fruit or vegetable in your slicer. This means that summer squash, carrots, and potatoes all make great vegetable pasta.

Avocados? Not so much. Save those for guacamole.

The limits to your vegetable noodle options are only as finite as your imagination. Need a place to start?

Here are some of our favorite tried-and-true veggies to run through the spiralizer.

1. Summer Squash / Zucchini

Zucchini is the O.G. (Original Gangster) spiralized vegetable. Having the perfect shape, and texture make the long ribbons a perfect stand-in for spaghetti. You can use the green-skinned zucchini, or yellow summer squash here – both turn out great.

I like to replace calorie-laden pasta with spiralized zucchini. Simply warm up your favorite pasta sauce and cook just long enough to heat them through. Serve with your favorite vegan meatball!

Don’t cook the zucchini noodles for too long, though, or they’ll get watery.

In the summertime, I’ll often eat zucchini noodles raw. They have a mild taste and aren’t too crunchy. Hot afternoons call for raw zucchini noodles with a fresh peanut or red pepper sauce.

How to Spiralize:

1. Peel if you want (mostly for color). I tend to leave the skins on.
2. S​lice the ends off to create two flat surfaces.
3. Run it through your spiral slicer.
4. Eat raw, boiled, or sauteed.

2. Root Vegetables

Photo Credit: vegenistaskitchen.com

In the colder months, my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is overflowing with potatoes, turnips, and rutabaga. One can only eat so many baked potatoes before they start to lose it!

When you can’t stand to look at one more roasted potato, it’s time to pull out the spiralizer.

I’ve had great success with almost every root vegetable out there. This includes white and sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, rutabaga, daikon radish, parsnips – the list goes on!

As well as tasting great, spiralized root veggies are insanely colorful. A mixture of white potato, sweet potato and beet make for a burst of color in your cold weather dish.

Unless your dish calls for crunch, I recommend cooking your root veggies. You can boil the noodles and top with sauce, but they’re also great roasted or fried. Because root veggies are very firm and hard, they can stand up to aggressive cooking. Let them roast and caramelize, and they won’t turn to mush.

How to Spiralize:

1. Peel the veggies, if you want. Roots like potatoes and carrots can keep their peels – give ’em a good scrub first. Consider buying organic here.  I recommend peeling vegetables with thicker skins, like beets.
2. Slice the ends off the vegetable to create a flat surface
3. Using the blade that creates a thick, udon-noodle-like ribbon, spiralize the veggie
4. Cook! You can boil or sautee these, but I love making baked sweet and white potato fries. Arrange the spirals on a tray and bake at 425 degrees F for about half an hour.

3. Cucumber

Photo Credit: fifteenspatulas.com

Spiralized cucumbers are a cool, refreshing base for summer salads. I reach for cucumbers when it’s so hot and sticky out that I can’t bear to turn on the stove.

Because of their water content, cucumbers aren’t great for make-ahead meals. After a day or two in the fridge, you’ll be left with a watery mess, instead of firm, crisp ribbons. That’s why I recommend Spiralizing your cucumbers right before you plan to eat them.

Due to their watery seeds, spiralizing cucumbers can be a bit of a mess. Make sure to pick the straightest cucumber you can, and center it completely on the slicer. Try draining the noodles in a colander before using, or choose an English or seedless variety.

Since cucumber ribbons are best eaten raw, they’re ideal for quick, fresh meals.

How to Spiralize:

1. Peel the cucumber (if you want) and slice the ends off.
2. Run through the spiral slicer. I like big fat noodles or wide ribbons.
3. Toss with your favorite dressing or sauce.

4. Onions

Photo Credit: inspiralized.com

I know, you’re probably as shocked as I was, too.

“Onions?” you’re thinking. “Are you serious?”

Hear me out – onions are great vegetables to spiralize!

We’re not talking onion noodles like you would with zucchini or cucumber. You can use spiralized onions anywhere you would use thin slices of onion. Think quick pickled onions for tacos, crispy shoestring onions, or sandwich condiments.

The best part of using your spiralizer for onions instead of a knife is how fast the process goes. There is simply no time for tears, and you don’t have to worry about the mess sliced onion makes.

Large, round onions make the best ribbons. I prefer red onions to white onions, as I find them more versatile – I can cook them down, or use them raw in a salad.

How to Spiralize:

1. Chop the ends off and remove the papery skin from the onion.
2. Use the noodle or ribbon blade on your spiralizer and run it through the slicer.
3. Use uncooked ribbons in raw dishes or salads, or quick pickle for an easy condiment. Sautee ribbons in stir-fries or other dishes.

BONUS: For a healthy twist on a comforting treat, toss shoestring onions with oil and breadcrumbs and bake in the oven.

5. Bell Pepper

Spiral sliced peppers don’t get a lot of limelight, but it doesn’t make them any less delicious!

I add bell peppers to any dish I can. I love the subtle sweetness they add to dishes.

It can take a long time to slice up peppers with a chef’s knife. Running them through the spiralizer takes just seconds, and you use so much of the vegetable.

For the best pepper ribbons, try to find peppers that are large and round. Misshapen peppers won’t result in the beautiful spirals you’re looking for.

You can keep it simple and add raw strips to salads, or sautee for stir fries and fajitas.

However, my absolute favorite method achieves soft, creamy, sweet roasted red peppers. The ones in the jars can be expensive!

Spiralizing your peppers and cooking them in the oven gets them to you for a fraction of the price. Simple arrange on a baking sheet and cook at 450 for 20 minutes.

How to Spiralize:

1. Remove the stem from the bell pepper (just snap or cut it off).
2. Fit onto the spiral slicer, using the flat ribbon blade.
3. Eat raw, stir-fry, or bake in the oven for roasted red peppers.

6. Apples and Pears

Your spiral slicer isn’t limited to vegetables alone!

Hard fruits like apples and pears make perfect ribbons and noodles. These strands are perfect for adding sweetness to salads, as well as easy, tasty desserts.

I love adding pear noodles to my fall salads or brussel sprout dishes. They liven up traditional fall and winter foods. Apples also make great salad additions, and the spiralizer can be a handy tool for your next pie or crumble.

Use your spiral slicer the next time a recipe calls for sliced or cubed apples or pears. Not only will it be much more efficient, but it will add an unexpected texture and look to your dish.

How to Spiralize:

1. Remove the peel if you want (but it makes for beautiful color). Try to buy organic if you can!
2. Run the fruit through the spiralizer, using the larger noodle blades or the flat ribbons.
3. Add raw to salads, or bake in desserts. Make chips using the flat slicer and dry in your dehydrator.

Some Guidelines on Spiralizing

As we mentioned earlier, you can spiralize anything as long as it meets a few requirements.

The fruit/vegetable should:

• Not have a seeded, tough, or hollow core. Sorry, pineapple lovers.
• Be at least an inch and a half in diameter
• Be at least two inches long
• Be firm and solid. Juicy fruits or soft, creamy flesh make for bad noodles

The Versatility of Your Slicer

Almost any fruit or vegetable that meets our guidelines can run through your slicer. As long as it’s relatively firm, and an acceptable size and shape, you can turn it into noodles!

Think beyond the traditional zucchini. Your spiral slicer is a great way to use up your CSA share and can help you get more veggies in your diet.

The best part of a spiralizer is experimentation. Got a vegetable that looks like it might work? Give it a try – you could wind up making an incredible veggie noodle that’s perfect for salads and stir-fries!

Get more color and nutrition into your diet. Use up your veggies in interesting ways with your spiral slicer, and feed your family more vitamins and more fun!

The post Top 7 Fruits & Vegetables to Spiralize appeared first on Urban Vegan.

Are you tired of dull, dry salads?

Can’t find any healthy vegan salad dressings?

Below, we’ve compiled an array of vegan oil-free salad dressings that don’t skimp on flavor and won’t hurt your wallet. You’ll find it difficult to resist pouring these dressings over everything!

1. Creamy Dill Dressing

Why can’t creamy and rich salad dressings be healthy? Why do we have to sacrifice our health and the livelihood of animals just to enjoy a silky smooth dressing?

Well, we don’t! This Creamy Dill Dressing will give you a luscious but refreshing sauce to drizzle over your vegan Caesar or as a separate dipping sauce for your favorite chopped vegetables.

What makes this dressing so creamy and silky? Cashews! With the tangy goodness of apple cider vinegar and citrus fruits, this dressing is well balanced.

Full Recipe available athealthyjulie.com

2. Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

If you love sweet and tangy vinaigrettes than this raspberry-infused goodness will satisfy your every need. This naturally sweetened and striking dressing is perfect drizzled over a simple garden or greek salad.

As well as giving your salads that extra kick of slightly sweet tanginess, it’s vibrant pink color contrasts beautifully with the darks greens of lettuce and spinach, so is perfect for a bubbly dinner-party environment.

Full Recipe available atmyplantbasedfamily.com

3. Black Bean Dressing

As vegans, we all appreciate the versatility of black beans. They can be used in both sweet and savory dishes and give anything a thick creamy texture and deep nutty flavor.

This spicy and fresh dressing pairs perfectly with a cold pasta salad, as the recipe above describes, but could be equally delicious mixed with brown rice or quinoa.

Full recipe available at veganricha.com

4. Cheesy Vegan Pesto

Do you love the rich and cheesy taste of pesto? Did you reluctantly give it up when transitioning to a cruelty-free lifestyle? Do you detest the oily feel of traditional pesto?

Well, if you’re a pesto lover, you’ll love this dairy-free Cheesy Vegan Pesto.

How is it so cheesy? Nutritional yeast!

With the warming flavor of traditional pesto but without the bad stuff, this dressing is perfect to lather over pasta or even as a simple dressing over a green salad!

Full recipe available at youtube.com

5. Sweet Chilli Mustard Dressing

I find there’s nothing in the world that beats the flavor of spicy mustard. If you’re like me and live for spice why not try out this simple Chilli Mustard Dressing?

This creamy, thick and earthy mixture is perfect for bean and rice salads and can even be substituted for a dipping sauce!

Smooth and subtle-tasting fruits such as avocado are a perfect balance to the tangy spice of this dressing. The best thing about this recipe is that since it’s home-made, you can adapt the spice depending on how much chili powder you use.

Full recipe available at thevegan8.com

6. Cumin Ranch Dressing

Do you pine for the traditional herby goodness of conventional Ranch Dressing? Well, this Cumin Ranch Dressing is just that, but even better.

The addition of cumin in this creamy oil-free dressing makes it perfect to drizzle over Mexican-style salads or legume salads containing such pulses as chickpeas and red beans.

What’s more, like it’s traditional counterpart, it’s perfect for a dipping sauce paired with smoky BBQ flavored morsels.

Full recipe available at veggieinspired.com

7. Applesauce Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

If you enjoy a classic sweet vinaigrette, then you’ll love this modest Applesauce Dressing.

Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and the tang of vinegar and mustard it’s perfect for a plain spinach salad or a traditional garden salad. 

The use of applesauce, as well as giving the dressing a subtle fruity flavor, also helps to emulsify the ingredients together and improves the consistency. It acts like the oil in this oil-free dressing!

Full recipe available at plantpoweredkitchen.com

8. Cauliflower Cream Sauce Dressing

So, technically this isn’t a salad dressing per say, but this creamy sauce could be used as a dressing on a classic bean salad or steamed broccoli and cauliflower salad.

This creamy cauliflower sauce is simple to make and gives a richness to any vegetable lathered in the good stuff. With its rich creaminess you’ll be amazed that this sauce is 100% fat-free and oil-free!

Full recipe available at itdoesnttastelikechicken.com

9. Zucchini Bacon BBQ Sauce

We all love the sweet tang of a great BBQ sauce. This tomato paste based and smoky vegan, oil-free BBQ Sauce is perfect drizzled over salads, whether they be green or bean-based.

Like the recipe states, it substitutes as a great dipping sauce, perfect for zucchini bacon. Yes, you read correctly! Zucchini Bacon!

Full recipe available at healthyhelperblog.com

10. Caesar Salad Dressing

You just can’t live without the rich goodness of Caesar Salad Dressing? Well, now you can rest easy, with the invention of this vegan oil-free dressing.

With this recipe, you won’t be able to tell the difference between it’s fatty, harmful traditional counterpart.

This version is so healthy it’s raw, wheat-free and gluten-free. So now you don’t have to feel guilty preparing your salads with this delicious mouth-watering dressing.

Full recipe available at plantpoweredkitchen.com

11. Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Some people love it, others hate it, but cilantro can be the perfect herb in creamy dressings, giving it that extra punch of herby flavor.

Paired with the tanginess of lime in this rich dressing, it’s perfect drizzled over all variants of salad but especially on fresh steaming corn on the cob.

Full recipe available at itdoesnttastelikechicken.com

Enjoy Your Salad, Oil-Free

As you can see, all the recipes listed above are cheap and easy to make and require very little energy. You might even have most ingredients in your pantry already.

Now, there’s really no excuse for boring, bland vegan salads!

The only problem you’ll face is finding room for a fridge full of unique and familiar salad dressings to make the everyday salad into a delightful gourmet masterpiece!

The post 11 Delicious Oil-free Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes appeared first on Urban Vegan.

Though we can be assured that Oreos, Skittles, and other snacks do not explicably contain animal products within their ingredients list, before we line our pantries with these delectable snacks we first must decide whether they are truly vegan; that they do not harm any animals in their production.

As the title of this article states, we will be looking at Lays Chips who are owned by their giant parent company, PepsiCo.

Lays Potato Chips are one of the world’s most popular brands of chips and a large selection of their varieties do not contain animal products, approximately 30% of the company’s 46 varieties. These animal products excluded varieties are:​

Quick NavigationLay’s Varieties That Contain NO Animal ProductsWhat is ‘Conflict Palm Oil’?Why is ‘Conflict Palm Oil’ so Destructive?Abuses to the EnvironmentAbuse to AnimalsAbuse to HumansDoes PepsiCo Use These Abusive Palm Oil Processes?So, are Lays Potato Chips Vegan?<h2 id=”list”>Lay’s Varieties That Contain NO Animal Products</h2>

Lays Potato Chips are one of the world’s most popular brands of chips and a large selection of their varieties do not contain animal products, approximately 30% of the company’s 46 varieties. 

After combing through the ingredients of all the varieties of Lay’s chips at fritolays.com these are the ones that DO NOT contain animal ingredients:

• Classic
• Barbeque
• Deli Style-Original
• Dill Pickle
• Lightly Salted
• Limon
• Salt and Vinegar
• Kettle Cooked - Original
• Kettle Cooked - Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper
• Kettle Cooked - Lattice Cut Sea Salt
• Kettle Cooked - 40% Less Fat - Original
• Wavy - Original
• Wavy – Lightly Salted
• Stax – Original
• Stax – Hot ‘n’ Spicy

But are these varieties truly vegan?

It is a question with different answers depending on how far across the vegan spectrum you are. There are a handful of reasons why one would take the effort to follow a vegan lifestyle and so how far people are willing to dedicate to a vegan diet varies.

If you are a vegan who is doing it for your health alone, then Lays could be considered vegan for you, as it physically contains no animal products.

However, if you follow a cruelty-free lifestyle for the rights of animals and environmental protection than you might not consider Lays as vegan.

Why? Because Lays, and in extension its parent company PepsiCo, uses what is named ‘Conflict Palm Oil’ as a crucial ingredient in most of their consumable goods.

<h2 id=”what-is-conflict-palm-oil”>What is ‘Conflict Palm Oil’?</h2>

Iamge Source: sciencenews.org

Palm Oil is an edible vegetable oil found within the mesocarp of the fruits of oil plants such as the African oil palm, Elaeis guineensis.

Traditionally palm oil is used in many African, Brazilian and Southeast Asian communities where this form of firm oil is found in abundance.

However, palm oil is also used in colossal amounts in the commercial food of the world due to its lower cost and the saturation of the refined oil when used for frying and other such production mechanisms.

Though there are some companies that argue there is such a thing as sustainable palm oil, PepsiCo and other such mega corporations use what has been dubbed ‘Conflict Palm Oil’ and this phenomenon is responsible for a multitude of environmental, animal and human rights abuses.

<h2 id=”why-is-conflict-palm-oil-destructive”>Why is ‘Conflict Palm Oil’ so Destructive?</h2><h3 id=”environment”>Abuses to the Environment</h3>

As every hour passes, up to three hundred football fields of forest is cleared to make room for a palm plantation to produce palm oil, and a large proportion of this expansion occurs at the expense of biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability.

This large-scale destruction and pillage of the carbon-rich natural land releases tons upon tons of carbon pollution into the atmosphere and is an essential attributor to human inflicted climate change.

So much so, that clearing one hectare of peat forest can release up to six thousand tons of carbon dioxide, and is why Indonesia is the fifth largest contributor to carbon emissions, even though it is one of the smallest developing nations.

In the country threat from deforestation is huge, as approximately only 50% of the country’s original biodiverse forests exist currently, with an estimate two million acres of the land lost per year.

Image Source: huffingtonpost.com

<h3 id=”animals”>Abuse to Animals</h3>

In the jungles of Borneo and Sumatra, there are approximately 300,000 animals found within the trees and mountains, many of which are killed, injured or displaced due to deforestation to make room for palm plantations.

Furthermore, this extreme deforestation allows easy access for poachers into exposed habitats, increasing the risk of extinction for a wide range of endangered animals such as the Sumatran Tiger and Orangutans.

Poachers can know simply drive to the locations of this exotic prized animals, instead of trekking it through hectares of wild forests.

This wildlife is often found buried alive, killed or mutilated from machete and gun attacks.

There are only 6300 Sumatran orangutans left, and it is estimated that at least 1000 of these sentient animals are killed each year.

This is due to the destruction of their environment, as well as the animals invading palm oil plantations and settlements in search of food. It was recorded in 2006 that 1500 orangutans were clubbed to death alone.

Orangutan mothers are also killed and their babies are taken away to be sold as pets or as entertainment in countries such as Bali and Thailand.

Image Source : ntu.edu.sg

<h3 id=”humans”>Abuse to Humans</h3>

The development and expansion of palm oil plantations are often promoted by mega companies as a prospect of prosperity and employment for the native and often poor rural areas of Borneo and Sumatra.

Though these plantations to lead to employment of many people in Southeast Asia, the industry also has destructive consequences on many indigenous communities.

More than often, the government’s own interests and dealing with mega companies in the hope to bolster the economy legalizes corporations taking away the land of indigenous peoples for their own financial benefit.

In Indonesia, nearly 45 million people live in the forests of Indonesia, and there are recorded up to 5000 land or human rights conflicts regarding deforestation within the country.

In 2011, one of the world’s largest palm oil manufacturers, Wilmar, ransacked an entire village, destroying forty homes.

The palm oil industry has also been linked to many human rights violations, most notably the use of child labour in remote areas of the country.

Children are forced to carry immense loads of palm fruits and spend hours bent over collecting fruit from the floor. Heat exhaustion, cuts, and bruises are a daily occurrence, and most children are not paid or compensated for their hard work.

Image Source: bulatlat.com

<h2 id=”does-pepsi-use-palm-oil”>Does PepsiCo Use These Abusive Palm Oil Processes?</h2>

The short answer: yes.

Though the mega-corporation has continually pledged to transition to more sustainable palm oil manufacturers, most environmentalists understand this as only lip service and a form of half-measured commitment.

PepsiCo’s supply chain is massive, consisting of plantations, mills, collection ports, refineries, margarine producers, and product manufacturers, but their sustainable commitment, stated in 2014, isn’t accountable for all these mechanisms.

In fact, this commitment to sustainable palm oil doesn’t even apply to all their branded products.

Though, this is a step in the right direction for the second biggest snack manufacturer in the world, along with many other mega-corporations to make pledges on reducing their use of unsustainable palm oil, many have of yet to show responsible leadership and action towards taking a more significant leap forward.

It is only with the added pressure of environmentalists and human right advocates, partnered with the boycott of such products and companies that we can truly force these mega corporations to deliver real action in the message they love to spruik.

<h2 id=”conclusion”>So, are Lays Potato Chips Vegan?</h2>

As you can see, a simple question of whether a simple product is classified as a vegan is not black and white and does not guarantee a simple yes or no answer.

At the end of the day, it is where you land within your own mindsight and reasoning to determine whether a product should be labeled as vegan or otherwise.

Though there are no animal products present in some varieties of a simple Lays potato chip, can you ignore the environmental, animal and human rights abuses that are performed by its manufacturer to deem it as cruelty-free?

The post Are Lays Potato Chips Vegan? appeared first on Urban Vegan.

You may think that there are only a limited number of careers suitable for vegans, however, as the list below demonstrates, there is, in fact, a diverse range of career and job opportunities to bolster your own vegan regime.

The careers listed below are only a small, varied assortment of career options that will improve the happiness in your own life, as well as those around you, including and most importantly, animals.

1. Nutritionist

Image Source: qut.edu.au

As committed, hard-working vegans, we all know what it mentally takes to re-train our eating habits. For most of us, we’ve grown accustomed to the habitual rituals of the food that we have grown up with, and finding the discipline and willpower to overcome these customs can be difficult at the best of times.

The struggle is only intensified by the plethora of consumer propaganda bombarding advertising and media outlets, so a well-educated and dedicated form of support can make the transition to a vegan diet that much easier.

A career in nutrition would be perfect for somebody who loves helping people achieve their goals and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Vegan nutrition is vastly becoming the key practice to deter chronic and carcinogenic diseases, and its power is demonstrated through such studies as The China Study, which is one of the biggest nutritional studies to date.

There is a high need for more vegan nutritionists, in promoting vegan diets, as nutritionists are usually the first expert people turn to for advice before transitioning to a vegan diet.

Unfortunately, too many nutritionists follow outdated and conservative advice, rather than ensuring the wellbeing of their clients.

2. Park Ranger and Conservation

Image Source: lackawanna.edu

Veganism is not just about the individual’s diet and health but also the environment and animal welfare hence those that follow a cruelty-free lifestyle usually have a strong connection to the natural environment.

Conservation is a crucial factor in respecting nature, as well as ensuring protection for native wildlife.

If you are someone that loves the outdoors, and being one with nature than a career as a Park Ranger or one in conservation might just be your dream vegan job.

Park Ranger duties usually include working for federal and state governments in national or state parks ensuring the protection of woodlands, forests, conservatories and other such natural environments.

It is a role that is predominately outdoors where they patrol campgrounds, trails and surrounding areas, the ensure the safety of the native wildlife, as well as any individuals visiting the area.

Park Rangers can also conduct tours and interact with park guests.

3. Eco-tourism

Image Source: quicksilver-cruises.com

If you love the outdoors, but pine for something more adventurous than national parks, then why not try your hand at eco-tourism?

If you are a natural leader and love spending time with new people than this might be the vegan career for you.

Eco-tourism is a form of sustainable tourism that focuses heavily on the awareness of environmental and cultural concerns while growing an appreciation of the natural environment and conservation.

Working in eco-tourism an individual can help inform tourists who are interested in the natural environment how to respect it and act responsibly to protect native wildlife.Some examples of eco-tourism are native safaris, cave exploring, coral and reef expeditions and guided hikes.

4. Animal Rights Lawyer

If you are passionate about the right of animals why no join the front-line and protect them legally?

Legal recognition for both wild and domesticated animals is almost non-existent and therefore there is a high need for more selfless and hardworking individuals to willingly protect the voiceless and defenseless, with the tenacity to go up against the mammoth corporate, industrial and agricultural powerhouses.

An example of what animal rights advocates can achieve was demonstrated in 2015 when the nation of New Zealand passed a law that recognized animals as ‘sentient beings’.

Though for us vegans, it may seem illogical to think that animals weren’t ever sentient beings, legal recognition is important in the fight for animal protection.

As Dr Steve Merchant of the New Zealand Veterinary Association stated at the time,

“Expectations on animal welfare have been rapidly changing, and practices that were once commonplace for pets and farm stock are no longer acceptable or tolerated. The bill brings legislation in line with our nation’s changing attitude on the status of animals in society.”

5. Chef

The more vegan chefs there are in the world, the better!

As an individual’s taste and personal preference is usually the key factor when deciding to transition to a vegan lifestyle, the more chefs there are formulating and cooking delicious vegan meals, the lesser the stigma of vegan food will become.

If you love cooking, have a deep sense of discipline, love working under strict time management and pressure, and love to make people feel pleasure, then a career as a chef would be ideal.

There are already a handful of infamous vegan chefs making their name in the world due to their innovative and ethical cooking, and gain instant recognition and success from their vegan celebrity counterparts, who consume their food, notably Ellen DeGeneres’ personal chef, Roberto Martin and Tal Ronnen of the restaurant Crossroads.

6. Retail

If you love helping people and retail is your passion, why not shape it to a more vegan clientele and spread the message of veganism at a more consumer level.

As the vegan population grows considerably larger and larger within the major capital cities of the world, the demand for exclusively vegan products, shops, and services arises alongside with it.

Currently, though some countless major consumer companies project they are vegetarian, rarely are there many that state they are vegan and most vegan products are either found in health food shops or online, which does not suit everybody.

Why not fill the vegan gap in the market and develop 100% consumer goods?

Though it may seem like a niche market, even non-vegans can purchase vegan products, and benefit from them.

7. Teacher

Why not influence and inspire the next generation of potential vegans?

Now, more than ever before, more and more parents are feeding their children vegan diets for their health, and the stigma of doing so has decreased dramatically over the past few years.

So much so has the image of adopting a vegan lifestyle for your vegan children is that there are now vegan preschools, that instead of feeding their pupils pizza and chicken nuggets, they give them mushroom lasagne and miso soup.

Are vegan schools the next step?

Well, hopefully, one day there will be no need for designated vegan and non-vegan schools as the acceptance of veganism increases, however, why not be part of the generational revolution and promote the benefits of a vegan lifestyle the people who will eventually be a vital influencer in the planet themselves.

8. Writer/Filmmaker

If you have a passion to influence people to transition to a vegan lifestyle but don’t have the patience for education, why not show off your creative skills in a career in writing and filmmaking.

As vegans, we all know the power that such documentaries as Forks over Knives and Earthlings had to push ourselves in making the transition to a vegan lifestyle.

As more and more celebrities are adopting a vegan lifestyle the push for more ethically and animal-advocating productions are welcomed.

Now, Time to Start Your Vegan Job Search

In conclusion, as you can see by the list above, there is a wide and diverse range of career path for vegans, with directions not necessarily thought as the classical cruelty-free route.

There are a plethora of jobs suitable for vegans out in the wider community, however, as we know, almost anything in the world can be transformed into a cruelty-free enterprise, so don’t hold back, release your potential and make the world that little bit more vegan!

The post 8 Good Careers and Jobs for Vegans appeared first on Urban Vegan.

Nowadays, however, with the spike of interest in a vegan lifestyle in the past ten years, the world’s major cities are increasingly becoming more and more ideal paradises for the devoted vegan.

Though living cruelty-free can be arduous at the best of times, if you happen to live in one of the cities listed below, you just might be living in a vegan mecca.

Though there are countless more cities that are considered vegan-friendly, these top ten have been chosen in regard to the amount of pure vegan restaurants they hold, as well as their attitude towards animal life.

These selections have also been chosen because their specific vegan communities are all very diverse and have their own unique factors that make them one of the top vegan destinations in the world, whether it’s the recent cosmopolitan atmosphere of London or the traditional oasis of Chennai.

1. Portland, Oregon USA

Photo Credit: travelandleisure.com

This humble city was granted the top spot on Peta’s Top Vegan Cities of 2016, and with good reason. With it’s alternative but progressive atmosphere, often dubbed the city that still has ‘the dream of the 90’s,’ Portland is a hub of cultural activity.

The mid-size city has a countless array of vegan restaurants and eateries, spanning from cute vegan carts scattered across the city, to Michelin star gourmet restaurants, consisting of a wide selection of culturally diverse foods, suitable for every picky vegan. For example, Portobello Vegan Trattoria prepares mushroom lobster cake, ravioli, tiramisu, and house-made coconut ice cream, and Back to Eden Bakery provides egg and dairy-free baked goods and ice cream sundaes for everybody’s sweet tooth.

Furthermore, Portland is also one of the first cities in the world to consist of a pure 100% vegan shopping mall complete with a bakery, a grocer, a clothing shop and a tattoo parlor, allowing you to shop without having the struggle of figuring out whether your items are cruelty-free or not.

Furthermore, it’s not just the eating scene that’s vegan-friendly in this bubbly city. Portland’s cruelty-free enterprises include but are not limited to a bed and breakfast, a punk-metal bar, a summer camp, medical practitioners, counselors, real-estate agents and even a vegan strip bar, for those looking for a more risque stay!

2. Berlin, Germany

Photo Credit: easyjet.com

This historical city is soon becoming the vegan mecca of the world, and a cruelty-free haven for the conscience eater.

Berlin currently consists of over fifty pure vegan restaurants with more innovative enterprises opening every month and nearly all restaurants within the city centre offer at least a few vegan options on the menu.  All vegan restaurants in this city are within three miles of each other and can easily be reached by the efficient metro system or bicycles.

One of Berlin’s most famous eateries is the recently opened Brammibal’s Donuts, formerly a food stall, which offers vegans delicious pastries and donuts as well as Lucky Leek, a fine dining restaurant that offers more than just snacks and cafe-style food, but beautifully thought out meals that reward the eater’s taste buds.

The city also offers vegan fashion options and other services such as vegan hotels and motels.

Furthermore, Berlin also offers a selection of vegan activities and events. Vegan Tours Berlin combines a tour of the vibrant city, outlining its historical and cultural landmarks, with a journey through the city’s best cafes and restaurants, displaying the vegan and green movement that’s taken hold of the European city.

Vegan-Vegetarian Summerfest is an annual veg-festival held every August, displaying the city’s phenomenal community-based cruelty-free lifestyle.

3. Taipei, Taiwan

Photo Credit: agoda.net

As a thriving Buddhist Society, Taipei is rising as one of the vegan powerhouses in the Asian continent and has been given the top spot on Peta’s Top Vegan-Friendly Cities in Asia.

This city earns its top spot on the list because of its countless vegan and cruelty-free restaurants and eateries, which are usually easily spotted by the Buddhist or Taoist symbol of vegetarian/vegan cuisine.

Included among the city’s 100% vegan eateries are Ooh Cha Cha, where cruelty-free diners can eat everything from a pseudo bacon and cheese burger and Caesar salad to more traditionally Asian dishes as well as Loving Hut which offers kimchi hot pots and non-dairy cheesecakes.

The city also has a diverse range of vegan cuisines ranging from Italian to western food to South African cuisine.

If you have a rampant sweet tooth, the city’s first vegan bakery creates a whole assortment of vegan sweets such as Black Forest gateau, coffee cakes, and red-bean mooncakes might soothe your cravings.

If you are into the raw food niche, Taiwan delivers with such eateries as NakedFood which specializes in raw vegan desserts.

4. Los Angeles, USA

Photo Credit: pinterest.com

Similar to it’s fellow US city, Portland, Los Angeles is one of the vegan jewels of the West Coast.

The city is known to be a progressive community, boasting an alternative green way of life and incorporating a healthy lifestyle. The city is filled to the brim with vegan restaurants and bubbling healthy lifestyle events and sanctuaries that help people transition to a vegan lifestyle.

The city has more listings in HappyCow than any other US city and even has a museum dedicated to animal rights. Furthermore it is home to PETA’s West Coast headquarter’s, so you now the City of Angels is rife with a wide selection of vegan communities.

With a city full of celebrities and famous sports people, you can be assured that the city is home to the finest vegan restaurants in the world, with michelin star and world renowned chefs, guaranteeing, possibly, the flashiest vegan scene in the world.

Crossroads is a star-studded restaurant that serves mouth-watering dishes such as artichoke oysters, prepared by celebrity chef Tal Ronnen. Locals of the city also love Mohawk Bend, where everything is vegan unless specified with an NV, Non-Vegan symbol.

A more humble vegan eatery is Donut Friend, the famous donut bar which offers a countless variety of donuts and pastries, along with many more vegan bakery’s that litter the streets of Los Angeles.

5. Chennai, India

Photo Credit: mouthshut.com

In a country where roughly fifty percent of its citizens commit to a meat-free diet, Chennai is one of the most vegan-friendly cities in not only India but the world, located in the south of the country, where the vast majority of dairy and meat-free culture exists.

The city is a key destination for vegan foodies mainly for the wide selection of vegan curries, dosas, thalis, sambhar and chutneys.

Chennai has a vibrant and vegan-friendly street food cuisine, named chaat with famous dishes that include spiced corn and potato-based aloo.

If you are used to the comfort of five star dining Chennai offers one of the best-rated vegan restaurants in the country, The Royal Vega, based in the ITC Grand Chola Hotel.

Furthermore, for those who stay in the city for long Chennai Vegan Drinks is a social group that meets up for drinks and meals with other like-minded vegans.

6. London, England

Photo Credit: architecturaldigest.com

When one thinks of the British culinary scene with it’s array of michelin-star dining and food connoisseurs, you might think the bustling city would be the last place you would look in search of a vegan haven.

However, in the United Kingdom alone, the population that enjoy a vegan diet has increased by no less than 360% in the past decade. This city has an ever-increasing community of avid vegans, which are slowly taking over the city scene and demanding more options for their cruelty-free needs, with more and more restaurants and eateries opening up.

Recently, the world’s first vegan chicken shop, The Temple of Hackney, was open in the city and has been a huge hit.

London not only makes this list because of its expanding dining scene, it’s also becoming a major leader in the push for animal rights. At the start of the year, to promote the idea of Veganuary, the movement to encourage people to transition to a vegan diet, PETA in partnership with the Transport of London, covered several Tube stations with advertisements promoting a cruelty-free lifestyle.

7. Singapore

Photo Credit: v-nova.com

Singapore was granted the second spot on PETA’s Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Cities in Asia, just falling below our third choice, Taiwan. Though the Asian continent has already a wide selection of traditional plant-based meals due to its culinary history, most financial and capital cities are becoming steadily more and more vegan, and the roaring Singapore is no exception.

There are countless vegan eateries and restaurants catering for every individual’s needs. If you are pining for the taste and feel of a classic burger the burger joint VeganBurg, features a variety of meat substitute burgers compete with dairy- and egg-free mayonnaise and other toppings.

Singapore also offers a wide selection of vegan fast food, and cafe style dining for those looking for something a little inexpensive.

Furthermore, the vegan community is growing in the wealthy city, with experienced vegans reaching out to recently converted plant-based eaters through apps such as Whatsapp and Facebook. Support groups and recreational, social organizations have been formed in Singapore to help promote the vegan movement.

8. Tel Aviv, Israel

Photo Credit: airlines-airports.com

This lively and party-central city is one of the most recent cities to be deemed a vegan mecca and is one of the most progressive cities when it comes to vegan culture in the Middle East.

The sea-side beach city is home to the largest vegan festival in the world, named the Vegan Fest Tel Aviv, and has been ranked the number one destination for vegan travelers.

The green plant-based revolution only kicked off in the city in 2012, with currently 1 in 20 residents of the city now stating that they are vegan, due to the increasing unpopularity of dairy-based products.

One of the cities most famous vegan specialties is the “Carrot-dog”: a smoky carrot marinated in Jack Daniels served in a hotdog bun and toppings.

The progressive city also makes it on the Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Cities due to its increasing number of animal rights protestors. The Israeli Animal Liberation Front is extremely popular in the city, often demonstrating silent and peaceful animal rights protests in the city center. The founder of this local movement Gilboa, also won the Israeli Big Brother reality show, using this platform as a way to promote veganism throughout the country.

9. Toronto, Canada

Photo Credit: callisonrtkl.com

Like many major cities in the world Toronto’s vegan community is currently on the dramatic rise, and the demand for cruelty-free options whether it be in food, fashion or cosmetics is at an all-time high.

The city has countless vegan restaurants and eateries including Tori’s Bakeshop which is a bakery during the day and Canada’s first vegan wine bar in the evening.

Toronto can also boast hosting a diverse range of vegan festivals and events, including Veg Food Fest, one of Northern America’s biggest vegan food festivals.

Vegan activism is also on the rise where restaurants such as Doomie’s portraying the clear message of the benefits of eating plant-based foods, and the damage done to the environment, body, and animals when animal products are consumed. Their restaurant is complete with a selfie-room where diners can go in and take a selfie with their barrage of vegan cartoons, and post it on social media, rising awareness of the cause.

10. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Photo Credit: thailandtravel.agency

Chiang Mai, similar to Taiwan, is a thriving vegan culture, mainly due to its large Buddhist population. Like all of the candidates on this list, the biggest city in Northern Thailand hosts a plethora of 100% vegan and vegan-friendly cuisines.

Happy Green and Chiang Mai Vegetarian Society both offer vegan all you can eat buffets, in which you can have endless amounts of traditional Thai food. It’s easy to spot cruelty-free restaurants in Thailand, just look out for the yellow “Jay” or “Jey” sign that looks rather like the number seventeen.

Furthermore, Thailand offers a great selection of interesting and exotic fruits and vegetables so if you prefer to soothe your sweet tooth the raw way, Chiang Mai can offer you with a plethora of options.

Vegan Travelers Rejoice!

Every year, more and more cities are taking the pledge to follow a vegan lifestyle transforming themselves into cruelty-free havens. As you can see from the list above, the world consists of a diverse range of vegan cultures, whether it’s the more traditional cultures of the Asian continent or the fast-emerging cosmopolitan cities of London and Vancouver.

The post Top 10 Most Vegan-Friendly Cities for 2018 appeared first on Urban Vegan.

Leaving for work before the sun came up and getting home well after sunset, the last thing I wanted to think about at night was what I was going to make for breakfast and lunch the next day.

As a result, I spent a lot of money picking up meals, when I could make better – and healthier – food at home.

Spending just a few hours at the beginning of your week preparing your meals can eliminate the stress of having to plan out each day’s meals individually when you’re already in the throes of your hectic week.

Having your meals waiting for you will save you:

• checkTime: you can spend more time doing things you like, rather than planning and cooking
• checkCalories: you’ll control exactly how much oil, salt, and calories are in each of your meals
• checkMoney: homemade meals cost a fraction of takeout
• checkSanity: Take one less decision out of your life – prep saves valuable brain space!

While meal prepping is popular in the fitness world, many of the recipes and resources out there center around meats, and it can be hard to find enough vegan and vegetarian meal prep plans to keep things interesting.

Luckily, it’s easy to meal prep as someone living a plant-based lifestyle – all you need are a few materials to get you started, and some basic meal formulas that can be changed up to keep you from getting bored.

Quick NavigationPlanning Your Week1. Eating to Your Tastes2. What You’ll Eat3. Macros/Nutritional Need4. What You’ll SpendWhat You’re Going to NeedContainersA Slow CookerA Good Quality KnifeBreakfast PreppingOatmealTofu ScrambleLunch & Dinner PreppingProteinBaked TofuGrilled TempehSloppy Joe LentilsCarbsBrown RiceQuinoaBaked Sweet PotatoesVegetablesSteamed BroccoliRoasted CauliflowerFrozen VegetablesMeal Prep FAQs…1. I don’t like eating the same thing every day. Can I still meal prep?2. What if I don’t want to prep three meals a day?3. I want to meal prep for weight loss. What should I do?The Goodness of Vegan Meal Prep

Planning Your Week

The success or failure of your meal prep will rest in your plan. Don’t be tempted to go to the grocery store and “wing it” – chances are, you’ll wind up spending more money on a lot of foods that don’t really “go together.”

By devoting one day a week (what amounts to just a few hours a week) to planning and preparing your food, you’ll set yourself up for a week of success.

Here’s some things to consider when you’re planning your meals:

1. Eating to Your Tastes

Preparing meals ahead of time is only effective if you actually eat them during the week, so make sure you’re planning foods you like.

Sure, green beans are a convenient food to prep because you can make them in large amounts, but if you don’t like green beans, it won’t make you as apt to stick to your meal prep.

Find foods you enjoy, and change up the seasonings or combinations to keep yourself from getting tired of the way they taste.

If you do want to try something new, like a new vegetable, pair it with protein and starch you know you like, so you aren’t left with an entire meal you can’t eat.

2. What You’ll Eat

The ideal formula for a meal prep is a protein, a carb, and a green. Using this combination, you have seemingly endless options for healthy, well-balanced meals. Here are just a few ideas for each category, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.

• thumbs-o-upProteins: tofu, tempeh, lentils, veggie burgers, seitan, chickpeas, edamame
• thumbs-o-upCarbs: Brown rice, quinoa, farro, potatoes, jasmine rice, pasta, amaranth
• thumbs-o-upGreens: Broccoli, green beans, kale, brussels sprouts, zucchini, collards, snap peas
• thumbs-o-upFlavor boosters: Seasoning blends, flavored oils, and vinegar, sauces, condiments

Using this blend of protein, carbs, and greens, you’ll ensure that you’re eating a well-rounded meal rich in nutrients and fiber; that will not only help keep you healthy but will keep you full until dinnertime.

Flavor boosters help you keep your meals tasty, exciting, and varied. If you make tofu in an Asian marinade one week, try barbecue tofu the next week. You can make completely different meals using the same ingredients, and incorporating a few tweaks.

3. Macros/Nutritional Need

Aside from the sheer convenience of having your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners ready to grab from the fridge, prep can also help you meet a variety of health and fitness goals.

Lifting heavy and looking to gain muscle? Add more protein and include more calories.

Trying to lose a little weight? Increase the volume of greens and veggies, and decrease some of the calorie-dense starches.

People on lower-carb or lower-fat diets can adjust their meals accordingly.

Remember that your needs will also change depending on your age and sex – the nutritional needs of an 18-year-old girl are going to look very different from a 40-year-old man.

Anyone can prep, but spend some time figuring out the right calorie and macronutrient intake for your body.

4. What You’ll Spend

Cooking at home is almost always cheaper than buying meals at a restaurant or convenience store, especially when you’re not including meat and dairy.

When it comes down to it, plant-based proteins and grains just aren’t that expensive, as long as you don’t turn to processed vegan foods.

To stretch your dollar even further, plan your meals based on the weekly ads at your local grocery store. If my supermarket has broccoli for 99 cents a pound, you can bet I’m eating broccoli as my side that week.

Same goes for proteins – stock up on your favorite vegan-friendly proteins like tofu, tempeh, and even veggie burgers and chicken tenders when they go on sale. When Gardein products go on sale, I buy as many as will fit in my freezer.

What You’re Going to Need

Aside from the food itself, you’ll need a few important tools around the house to make your meal prep adventure successful.

Meal Prep Containers

After you’ve prepared your meals for the week, you’ll need a way to store them. Most preppers opt for microwave- and dishwasher-safe containers for maximum ease of use and cleanup.

A few things you should consider when buying meal prep containers:

• Type of MaterialIt’s important to get containers that are BPA-free – if you’re using a plastic container with BPA, it can begin to leach hormone-altering chemicals into your food after prolonged heating in the microwave or dishwasher.
• Number/Size of ContainersWill you be prepping all three meals for every weekday, or are you just looking for easy work lunches? Will you be bringing full meals with an entree and sides, or just a cup of oatmeal for the morning? Think about the size, number, and type of your meals, and purchase accordingly.
• Number of CompartmentsSome containers consist of just one compartment, while others are divided into two or three wells to keep foods separate. If you’re bringing meals like chili or stew, or don’t mind your foods touching, one compartment might be fine. However, if you’re looking to keep your proteins, grains, and greens separate, look for a bento-style container divided into wells.While most containers are extremely reasonably priced – $10-15 for a set of seven containers – try to buy the best quality you can afford. Cheaply made, flimsy plastic containers reused from takeout will fall apart, and you’ll need to spend more money, in the long run, replacing them.
• Quality of SealSoupy or saucy meals with a tendency to “slosh” require a container with a tight-fitting seal, unless you’re into your meal spilling all of the inside of your bag or backpack.

Here’s a few of our favorite containers:

LIFT's Certified BPA-Free Reusable Meal Prep Containers with Lids

Perfect for meal prepping multiple meals at once, freezing in the freezer, microwaving (no lid), then washing in the dishwasher (recommended top rack) before next use.

Buy from Amazon

Meal Lab's 3-Compartment BPA-FREE Stackable Meal Prep Food Storage Containers with Lids

MICROWAVEABLE, DISHWASHER, FREEZER SAFE & LEAK-PROOF DESIGN: Made of the highest quality eco-friendly food safe materials, these meal prep tupperware and lids withstand temperatures from -40 to 250

Buy from Amazon

Misc Home's 3-Compartment BPA-FREE Meal Prep Containers

MiscHome's #1 Meal prep containers are made of 100% BPA free food safe materials. Our products are tested by SGS, a world leader in product safety testing, and are certified by the FDA as food safe.

Buy from Amazon

A Slow Cooker

While not a necessary item, a slow cooker can help make meal prep even easier – especially as a vegan. Using a slow cooker means you can prepare big batches of grains and dried beans (super frugal!) without having to stand at the stove and keep an eye on it.

Here’s our favorite slow cookers:

Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Cooker

Duo, the number 1 selling multi-cooker, combines 7 kitchen appliances in 1, Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer, prepares dishes up to 70% faster to support your busy lifestyle

Buy from Amazon

Side Note: I live and die by my Instant Pot [review], as the pressure cooking function allows me to cook foods super quickly, and spend even less time prepping. If I could recommend a single kitchen tool, it would be this one.

Hamilton Beach 33182A 8-quart Slow Cooker

With an 8 qt. capacity, this slow cooker is ideal for families or feeding a crowd. It features low and high cook settings and a warm setting, ideal for buffets or when dinner ends up later than you planned.

Buy from Amazon

A Good Quality Knife

You’ll be doing a fair amount of chopping, so it’s helpful to invest in a good chef’s knife to cut down on time and to keep your meal prep safe – a sharp, good-quality knife actually makes it less likely that you’ll injure yourself.

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a good-quality knife. Many great knives can be had for relatively little money – $20-$50 will get you a great knife for home cooking.

Here’s our favorite kitchen knives:

J.A. Henckels 8-inch Chef’s Knife

*My personal blade of choice! The Henckels International CLASSIC 8 inch Chef's Knife boasts a precision, fine-edge blade that is honed for long-lasting sharpness.

Buy from Amazon

Victorinox 8-inch Chef’s Knife

The Fibrox Pro 8 inch Chef’s Knife is optimally weighted with high-quality, lightweight European steel that reduces hand and wrist fatigue, making it feel less like a knife and more like an extension of the hand. t

Buy from Amazon

Imarku Professional 8-inch Chef’s Knife

The Imarku 8-inch knife is designed for professionals who include chefs, culinary experts, food caterers as well as an ordinary person.

Buy from Amazon

Breakfast Prepping

Weekday breakfasts are one of the best things to meal prep.

Chances are, you don’t have time to sit down to a big breakfast when you’re headed to work or school, so it’s a good option to have something in the fridge ready to go.

Here’s a few tried and true breakfasts that lend themselves well to meal prep:

• Fresh, frozen, or dried fruit
• Brown sugar & cinnamon
• Apples
• Bananas
• Peanut butter
• Nuts

5 Day Cooking Directions:

1. In a stock pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
2. Add 1.5 cups of steel cut oats and a pinch of salt, and reduce the heat to low.
3. Let cook, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the oats are tender and creamy.
4. Divide into containers and top or mix in add-ins of your choice.
5. Eat hot or cold.

• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Peppers
• Onions
• Asparagus

5 Day Cooking Directions:

1. Put 1-2 tablespoons of oil, or a thin layer of cooking spray, into a large frying pan and use your hands to crumble the tofu into the pan.
2. Sprinkle with spices and 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
3. let cook on medium until the tofu is just lightly browned.
4. Add veggies and allow to cook until they are soft.

Lunch & Dinner Prepping

My favorite lunches and dinners follow the protein-grain-bean formula.

Mix and match these options for healthy and delicious prepped meals every week.

Protein

Baked Tofu

The perfect high-protein vegan entree! Relatively flavorless on its own, use whatever condiments and sauces you enjoy – barbecue sauce, teryaki, and italian salad dressing are all fabulous options.

What to buy:

• 1 block extra-firm tofu

5 Day Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Press your tofu in a tofu press or between two plates lined with paper towels to remove the water, then slice into ½-inch slices.
3. Place slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Eat hot or cold.

Grilled Tempeh

Tempeh has a firm, toothsome texture and pleasing nutty flavor. It’s even more delicious when marinated in your favorite sauce or dressing and grilled to a little char on the barbecue. It’s a filling, satisfying protein, and holds well in stored meals.

What to buy:

• One block tempeh
• Marinade or salad dressing

5 Day Cooking Directions:

1. Cut your tempeh into thin slices and place into a bag or container with ½ cup of your marinade or dressing of choice.
2. Allow to marinate for at least two hours, but longer marinating will mean more flavor.
3. Take the tempeh out and pat dry with a towel, reserving the excess sauce.
4. Grill on a barbecue or grill pan until grill marks appear.
5. To create a sauce, add the marinade to the pan and cook down until the marinade is slightly thick.

Sloppy Joe Lentils

A tangy, filling, and very cheap lunch option, these lentils are reminiscent of the sloppy joes you might have eaten as a child. These are great for those who might be meal prepping for more than one person, as the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

What to buy:

• 1 pound green or brown lentils
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red onion
• 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• Ketchup
• Mustard

5 Day Cooking Directions:

1. Chop the pepper and onion in some oil or cooking spray for about 6 minutes until soft.
2. Add the tomato sauce, ¼ cup of ketchup, one teaspoon of mustard, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 20 minutes, and add in 2.5 cups of cooked lentils.
4. Stir well to coat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Serve with rice, potatoes, or buns.

Carbs

Despite the bad reputation they seem to have acquired, carbs are a vitamin- and fiber-rich addition to your prepped meals. Depending on the type, there are certain methods of cooking that will ensure the best possible result.

If you have a slow or pressure cooker, use the settings on the machine for each food.

However, follow these instructions if you don’t have access to one – all you’ll need is a stove or hotplate, or an oven.

Brown Rice

1. In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water and 1.5 teaspoons salt to a boil.
2. Add the rice, stir, and partially cover with a lid.
3. Cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and drain the rice in a strainer.
5. Return to the pot and cover tightly with a lid.
6. Allow the rice to steam in the pot for 20 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Quinoa

1. In a large pot, bring two cups of water or vegetable broth to a boil.
2. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 cup rinsed quinoa.
3. Put a lid on the pot, lower the heat to a simmer, and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
4. Let stand with the lid on for 5 minutes before fluffing.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

1. Prick five sweet potatoes two or three times with your fork and place them directly on the oven rack.
2. Place a baking sheet lined with foil directly below the potatoes to catch any syrup that drips out.
3. Turn the oven on 425 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.
4. Once the potatoes have finished baking, turn it off and keep the oven door closed.
5. Let the potatoes sit in the oven for 30 minutes.

Vegetables

Steamed Broccoli

1. Cut two heads of broccoli into bite-size pieces.
2. Put an inch of water into the bottom of a pot and place a steamer basket inside.
3. Put the broccoli in the basket and cook with the lid on the pot for four minutes.
4. Put the cooked broccoli in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
5. Once the broccoli has dried off, toss with garlic powder, sriracha, and salt, or your favorite spices.

Roasted Cauliflower

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut one head of cauliflower into florets and toss on a baking sheet with three tablespoons of olive oil, sliced red onion, thyme, and kosher salt.
3. Roast, tossing the vegetables occasionally, for 35-40 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft and browned.
4. For variations on this recipe, replace the thyme with curry powder and turmeric.

Frozen Vegetables

I know there’s always the mantra of “fresh is best,” but hear me out.

Not only are frozen vegetables easy and convenient, but they may also contain more nutrients than fresh, as frozen veggies are flash-frozen after picking. They’re an especially good choice in the winter months, when fresh veggies can be lacking.

Frozen veggies are also extremely affordable – my local supermarket often sells one-pound bags of frozen vegetables for 99 cents. Available in broccoli, green beans, California blend, sauced and non-sauced variety, I often heat up a bag of frozen veggies in the microwave to eat alongside my prep.

Plus, you’re paying for 100% edible food – no trimming, no tossing away stems, just pure fuel.

For especially busy weeks, or when you just want an easy, nutritious side, don’t rule frozen veggies out just because they’re available in the freezer section.

Meal Prep FAQs…

1. I don’t like eating the same thing every day. Can I still meal prep?

Some people (like myself) absolutely adore leftovers, while others get tired of eating the same foods every day.

If you’re one of the latter, try cooking your meals for the week without any spices or seasoning, and use a different flavor every day to keep things different. If you have a meal of tofu, rice, and vegetables, use soy sauce and garlic powder one day, barbecue sauce another day, and buffalo sauce the next.

Alternatively, you could prepare three servings of one meal and two servings of another on your prep day, and alternate each day.

For maximum efficiency, try to center them around the same ingredients – for example, an Indian curry with tempeh and grilled tempeh.

2. What if I don’t want to prep three meals a day?

You certainly don’t have to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every single weekday.

Maybe you enjoy preparing dinner with your family on weeknights, or you have class late in the day and can enjoy a big sit-down breakfast.

For me, breakfast and lunch are meals I usually eat at my desk, while I enjoy winding down at night by cooking a fun new recipe.

I prepare my breakfasts and lunches on the weekend, and cook dinner each evening.

Figure out which meals are more about going through the motions rather than a social or pleasurable experience, and have those ready to go. That way, you only have to focus your energy on the meals you enjoy cooking on the fly.

3. I want to meal prep for weight loss. What should I do?

Meal prep is ideal for those looking to lose weight, as it’s easiest to stay committed by eating pre-portioned meals made from ingredients you control.

Ultimately, weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you consume. Increasing the amount of calories you burn or decreasing the number you consume will result in more aggressive weight loss.

In order to figure out how many calories you need to consume for weight loss, plug your stats into this handy calculator or use one of the formulas below:

Men: BMR = 10 * weight(kg) + 6.25 * height(cm) – 5 * age(y) + 5

Women: BMR = 10 * weight(kg) + 6.25 * height(cm) – 5 * age(y) – 161

The result of this formula shows you your Basal Metabolic Rate, or how many calories you need to maintain your weight. Eating less than your BMR will result in weight loss while eating more will result in weight gain.

Let’s say your BMR is 2,000 calories, so you decide to set your daily calorie intake to 1,500. By creating three meals a day with 500 calories each, you would easily consume 1,500 calories per day, which would result in a one-pound loss per week (500 * 7 days = 3,500 weekly calorie deficit)

Eating much less than your BMR will result in faster weight loss, but remember to consume enough calories to keep you full and satisfied, and to keep your body healthy and functioning well.

You can stretch these calories by including more nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetables into your meals, so you’re still eating a large volume of food. Don’t shy away from carbs or healthy fats, either – your focus for weight loss should be 100% on the number of calories you’re consuming.

The Goodness of Vegan Meal Prep

Whether you’re preparing your meals to save you time during your busy week, to meet individual fitness or weight loss goals, or simply because you’re tired of having to think about what you’re going to make for lunch every day, your up-front investment will be sure to pay off.

By focusing on fresh, whole foods, you can create delicious, healthy, and affordable meals that are ready to go in your refrigerator every day.

With the use of some simple, easy-to-tweak recipes, a few affordable tools, and a few hours a week, you can eliminate a large chunk of stress from your life and spend more time focusing on the things that you truly enjoy.

The post A Simple Healthy Vegan Meal Prep Plan for the Week appeared first on Urban Vegan.

However, the sheer volume of channels and hosts available on the service can feel overwhelming, and it can be hard to be sure who is offering information that’s accurate and trustworthy.

No matter the topic you’re interested in, from vegan cooking to raw veganism to speaking out for animal rights, there are a handful of channels to turn to if only to get started.

Read on for our favorite YouTube channels in the vegan space.

Vegan YouTube Channels1. Vegan Cooking ChannelsMary’s Test KitchenSweet Potato SoulHot for Food2. Raw Vegan ChannelsFully Raw KristinaRaw. Vegan. Not Gross.The Raw Boy3. Vegan Lifestyle ChannelsColleen Patrick-GoudreauBite Size VeganUnnatural Vegan4. Vegan Health & Weight Loss ChannelsHigh Carb HannahMantras and Mangos5. Vegan Bodybuilding ChannelsJon VenusBrian TurnerVegan Gains6. Vegan Activism ChannelsEarthling EdJoey CarbstrongThe Vegan ActivistPlant-based Resources

1. Vegan Cooking Channels

Mary’s Test Kitchen

Perfect for beginning vegans and cooks alike, Mary’s Test Kitchen includes introductory cooking techniques and “what I ate today” features, as well as delicious plant-based recipes. Be sure to watch her vlogs on the basics of vegan cooking, including things like tofu butchery and homemade seitan. After you’ve mastered the basics, try some of Mary’s comforting, delicious recipes like Gojuchang Tofu Subs and Vegan Chick’n Shwarma.

Sweet Potato Soul

Sweet Potato Soul’s recipes range from healthy Buddha Bowls and salads to cupcakes and Japanese pancakes. Her videos are well-produced with upbeat music and are fun to watch. In addition to homemade recipes, Sweet Potato Soul also features vlogs about eating abroad – be sure to search her channel for meal recommendations before visiting your next city!

Hot for Food

Hosted by the most adorable couple, Hot for Food’s video recipes include vegan versions of favorite comfort foods, which makes it a great choice for new and longtime vegans like. Hosts Lauren and John are bubbly and hilarious, on top of being great cooks. Hot for Food’s recipes are mostly recreations of non-vegan favorites, making it a refreshing change from the kale- and wheatgrass-based recipes that can dominate the vegan section of YouTube.

2. Raw Vegan Channels

Fully Raw Kristina

Like a ray of sunshine herself, Kristina creates beautiful and colorful raw vegan recipes from savory “pasta” to vibrant “ice cream” made from blended frozen bananas and fruits. In addition to recipe videos, Kristina offers Q&A sessions about her nearly ten years as a raw vegan, as well as health, beauty, and travel tips.

Raw. Vegan. Not Gross.

Hosted by the hilarious Lauren Miller, Raw Vegan Not Gross is a great introduction to normal, familiar raw foods – she uses very few specialty ingredients, and many of the recipes can be made with things you already have around the house. The channel includes many savory recipes, which are a nice change from the usually sweet focus of raw vegan food channels.

The Raw Boy

Offering raw recipes, what-I-ate logs, and Q&A sessions about a raw food lifestyle, The Raw Boy’s channel is informative, entertaining, and overall fun to watch. Not limited only to raw food cooking, The Raw Boy also addresses some of the frustrations of this more restrictive lifestyle, like going out to eat with friends and family dinners.

3. Vegan Lifestyle Channels

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

When I first became vegan, Colleen’s podcast helped inform my answers and thoughts about veganism – from food animals to vegan-friendly leather alternatives to whether or not a vegan should have meat at a wedding. Her YouTube channel is just as informative and helpful as her podcast!

Bite Size Vegan

With the blog tagline, “Veganism Simplified” Bite Size Vegan helps new and long-time vegans alike solidify their stances on vegan issues, provides well-thought-out answers to tough questions and has a refreshingly no-nonsense approach to controversial issues. Her vlogs are thought-provoking, honest, and unafraid to tackle controversial issues.

Unnatural Vegan

Unnatural Vegan’s channel includes a little bit of everything, including vegan advocacy, recipes, and health tips. She provides a scientific background on many of the topics she covers. She provides a “voice of reason” in many issues, and stands up for “common man” veganism – she is a host you can truly relate to.

4. Vegan Health & Weight Loss Channels

High Carb Hannah

A totally real and down to earth host, High Carb Hannah documents her journey after losing more than 70 pounds on a high-carb, low-fat diet. Her channel is especially wonderful because she is reflective of real people, and showcases results that would be possible for the general population to achieve. Her recipes are low in fat and full of flavor, and includes many vegan recreations of omnivore favorites.

Mantras and Mangos

After struggling with body image issues and disordered eating, Mantras and Mangos started a channel to help others develop a better relationship with food through plant-based eating. She discusses a variety of health and wellness topics, as well as travel. Her “what I ate today” vlogs are beautiful to look at, as well as healthy and tasty.

5. Vegan Bodybuilding Channels

Jon Venus

Jon Venus is a great example for people looking to get totally ripped on a regular plant-based diet. His channel has great recipes, workout routines, and is incredibly entertaining to watch – Jon is a genuine, hard-working person and that comes through in his vlogs. He and his fiance Katherine make fitness approachable, fun, and easy.

Brian Turner

After significantly improving his cystic acne with a vegan diet, Brian Turner’s channel focuses on how he reaches his bodybuilding goals while eating a plant-based diet free of acne-aggravating dairy products. In addition to being a great channel for vegans looking to lift heavy and make big gains, Brian’s channel is also a fantastic resource for those who suffer from acne, as he provides insight into his treatments, as well as his diet.

Vegan Gains

With a channel focusing on a little bit of everything, Vegan Gains’ main focus is on achieving fitness goals and plenty of “what did I eat today” blogs. He also maintains frequent communication with other YouTubers and opens dialogue about veganism.

6. Vegan Activism Channels

Earthling Ed

With an impromptu interview activism style, Earthling Ed takes his channel to the streets and talks to omnivores about veganism and animal rights issues. He covers a wide variety of topics, from fur to meat to the psychology of eating meat. It’s interesting and entertaining to watch and helps viewers form their own opinions about the questions and controversies he brings up.

Joey Carbstrong

In many of his vlogs, Joey deconstructs hot, controversial vegan issues like the Yulin Dog Festival, the healthiness of a vegan diet, and techniques for successful vegan activism. Some of his videos include comments on other YouTubers and responses to their videos, so this channel can help you stay in the know when it comes to the happenings – and sometimes drama – of vegan YouTubers.

The Vegan Activist

Using a documentary style approach, The Vegan Activist creates educational blogs that address vegan issues like food and commodity animals, as well as messaging internally to veganism, meant for even long-time vegans looking to stay true to their values and develop a philosophy about the lifestyle.

Plant-based Resources

People become and remain vegan for a variety of reasons – these might include ethical reasons, animal rights, or concern for the environment.

No matter what your reason for being vegan, or what topic you’d like to explore, YouTube offers plenty of entertaining and informative channels to help you expand your knowledge of a certain issue, or to add to your recipe repertoire.

The people on this list are vetted by longtime vegans and the greater vegan community and will provide a great place to start as you explore the topics you’re interested in. In addition to the great information and entertainment they provide, having the ability to bring the community together and talk about these topics is a huge step forward in educating visitors about various plant-based issues.

The post 17 of the Best Vegan YouTubers appeared first on Urban Vegan.

Maybe the smell of the ocean brings you back like a time machine to childhood summers at the shore, or potatoes frying in oil takes you back to holidays at Grandma’s.

Our sense of smell is tied closely to the part of the brain that is responsible for emotional memories.  Because of this, when you pick out a perfume to wear, it’s like choosing which emotions you want to evoke with your signature scent.

And, if you’re living a plant-based lifestyle, one of those might be compassion – you don’t want to give your hard-earned dollars to companies that choose to practice barbaric cosmetic testing on animals.

Luckily, there are plenty of vegan-approved perfume options on the market for any budget – making it a perfect gift for a vegan friend, or to add to your own collection.

Pick Your BudgetLow End Vegan Perfumes (Under $30)Mid-Range Vegan Perfumes ($30 – $75)High-End Vegan Perfumes (Over $75)

Low End Vegan Perfumes (Under $30)

Pacifica Beauty Perfume Spray

Our Top Pick Under $30

A household name in vegan beauty products, Pacifica’s perfumes come in beautiful, colorful packaging that looks beautiful displayed on a dresser or your bathroom shelves. The unexpected scents like Tunisian Jasmine Lime, Sugared Amber Dreams, and Indian Coconut Nectar make this our favorite brand out of this category. They offer traditional spray bottles, roll-on, and solid perfumes.

The Body Shop

The Body Shop eau de toilette is our favorite blend of qualities: affordable, marketed as vegan, and highly rated.  The scents are exotic but not overpowering. It comes in a bottle small enough to tuck into your purse.

Aura Cacia

Marketed as “mists”, each of these extremely affordable and flexible scents can be used for the body, room freshener, or fabric spray. The fragrances come in 4-ounce spray bottles, and are available in nearly every scent from ylang-ylang to grapefruit & lavender to ginger & mint.

TerraNova

Adhering to the motto “truth + beauty,” TerraNova offers light, cruelty-free perfumes in a variety of sophisticated scents. At around $20 per bottle, you can choose from blends like China Lily, which uses hyacinth and jasmine, to Fig & Sambac, for a Mediterranean essence. The scents can be sprayed or dabbed onto pulse points.

Herban Cowboy

Using vegan ingredients and recyclable packaging, Herban Cowboy has a strong commitment to customers, the animals, and the Earth. While they are known mostly for men’s bath products, their blossom scent comes in beautiful packaging and is available in most drug and health food stores.

Aromi Beauty

With feisty names like “Sassy,” “Vixen”, and “Flawless,” Aromi’s solid perfumes are extremely affordable at just $12 a piece. The solid perfumes come in practical metal pots, so you don’t have to worry about anything leaking or breaking. They also offer roll-on oil for a few bucks more.

Flower Beauty Fragrances

A fragrance collection by Drew Barrymore, Flower Beauty’s scents are very feminine, relying on florals and fruits to create its signature scents. You can wear different scents together for a custom scent, and the bottles make for beautiful display pieces.

Bon Bon Sweet Vanillary Perfume

A 100% vegan company, Bonbon’s sweet vanilla perfume comes in a cream consistency rather than a spray bottle. This format is perfect for travel and keeping in a purse, as you don’t have to worry about breaking glass or leaking liquid.

H&M Eau de Toilette & Perfume

At just around $10 each, H&M offers a variety of types of perfume, from traditional spray to solid perfume and roll-on perfume oil. The packaging is sleek and minimalist and will look great displayed on your dresser or bathroom shelves.

Mid-Range Vegan Perfumes ($30 – $75)

Karma Solid Perfume by LUSH

Our Top Mid-Range Pick

With products handmade in Canada, Lush is our top pick for mid-range vegan-friendly perfumes. In addition to a wide variety of scents from sandalwood, violet, and spicy, citrusy signature scent “Karma”, Lush also offers fragrances in spray and solid form. Lush stores are located in several countries, so you can purchase in store or online.

Abercrombie & Fitch

A&F’s signature women’s scent, “Fierce,” features blackberry leaves, peony, and beach woods for a light, feminine perfume. In addition to traditional spray perfumes, they also offer gift sets, body mists, and lotions in a variety of scents.

Lavanila

Known best for their line of non-toxic deodorants, Lavanila also offers a line of fragrance without any harmful chemicals. Dubbed “The Healthy Fragrance,” it is available in several vanilla-based natural scents like Vanilla Grapefruit, Vanilla Lemon, and Vanilla Blackberry. The perfumes are available in spray, rollerball, and fragrance oil applications.

Harvey Prince Organics Hello Perfume

Offering exotic fragrances like Kashmiri Saffron, Mysore Sandalwood, and Turkish delight, Harvey Prince’s perfumes are organic, light, and sophisticated. They come in sleek glass bottles that look as beautiful as they smell.

Ecco Bella Eau de Parfum

Ecco Bella uses only the essential oils from flowers, fruits, herbs, and spices to create their aromatherapy-inspired scents. The perfume is available in Ambrosia, Bourbon Vanilla, Organic Lavender, and Organic Lemon Verbena.

C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries

Available in traditional sprays and roll-ons, C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries offers a wide array of fragrances. Their scents evoke emotions and experiences, using descriptors like “ethereal,” “seductive,” and “earthy.”

The 7 Virtues

Natural perfume with a message, The 7 Virtues sources all its fair-trade ingredients from countries that are being rebuilt after the destruction of war. The fragrances are available in beautiful and exotic scents like Patchouli of Rwanda, Afghanistan Orange Blossom, and Vetiver of Haiti.

A Perfume Organic

A Perfume Organic’s signature scent is GREEN, a juicy herbal concoction using rose, black truffle, chamomile, and ylang-ylang, however, it also offers several other scents including “White Magik,” made with white flowers and jasmine, and “Mejica,” a blend of three vanillas. All scents are vegan, and USDA certified organic.

Lotus Wei.

Made from completely vegan and natural ingredients, Lotus Wei’s fragrances are inspired by flowers used in stress-relieving aromatherapy. The scents are named after the moods they strive to create, from “Inner Peace” to “Inspired Action.”

California North

These fragrances are influenced by the scents and aura of Northern California. Their fragrances are available for both men and women and are inspired by California vineyards, the Pacific Ocean, and fresh citrus. The perfumes come in sleek glass bottles.

High-End Vegan Perfumes (Over $75)

D.S. & Durga

Our Top High-End Pick

With varying sizes from tiny “pocket perfumes” to full-size spray bottles, D.S. & Durga creates small-batch fragrances that are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. Inspired by old Americana, these fragrances can be described as earthy, woodsy, and natural. While many perfumes can get old, focusing on the same floral and citrus scents, D.S. & Durga’s perfumes are a refreshing change from most of the products on the market.

Tsi-La Organics

In addition to being natural and vegan, Tsi-La’s fragrances are 100% organic. Packaged in beautiful glass bottles, Tsi-La is committed to being friendly to the planet, as well as light and luxurious. Most scents are unisex and can be worn by men and women alike.

Jack Black

With signature blue packaging, Jack Black’s perfumes are fresh and exotic. Their Blue Mark Eau de Parfum is an intoxicating infusion of watermint, cilantro, and bergamot. Many scents work well for both men and women.

TOVA

Taking inspiration from art and luxury, TOVA combines the goodness of nature with the innovation of science. Their fragrances come in sleek, glass bottles with a signature bow on the cap, and can be purchased as single bottles as well as in gift sets.

Pour le Monde

Marketed specifically as vegan, cruelty-free fragrances, Pour le Monde is committed to using only natural ingredients in their products. With fragrances like “Empower” and “Together” you can request samples on their website to test the scents before purchasing a whole bottle.

Honoré de Prés

Honor de Pres provides natural fragrances that are made without the use of any synthetic ingredients or animal products. Perfect for people who are looking to use only natural ingredients in their food and beauty products, these fragrances come in scents like Love Coconut, Love les Carrotes, and signature Green.

My Daughter Fragrances

Based in Alberta, Canada, My Daughter Fragrances creates 100% natural perfumes without phthalates or parabens. The fragrances are handmade in France and derived from essential oils, resins, and absolutes. It’s available in “Joyful” and “Always Loved” scents.

Arquiste

The fragrances in Arquiste’s collection are inspired by history and designed to transport you to various places and time periods. In 2013, the company won the Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award for best Beauty/Fragrance Entrepreneur brand.

Osmia Organics

While Osmia is not a certified organic company, they do their best to use certified organic ingredients whenever possible. Committed to conscious, eco-friendly beauty, the company does not use synthetic colors, parabens, or phthalates in its fragrances. They offer a limited but varied collection of scents, from floral to woodsy.

VERED Organic Botanicals

With an established line of natural, organic beauty products, VERED’s perfumes are made from all-natural essential oils. Their featured scents include Blue Violet, Deep Citron, and their signature scent, a blend of citrus, vanilla, rose, and jasmine.

Cruelty-Free Fragrances

With so many fragrances available in a variety of applications, scents, and budgets, replacing your chemical laden, animal-tested perfumes with vegan-friendly alternatives is a piece of cake. Many of these companies offer samples through their website or can be tested in store at a beauty retailer like Ulta or Sephora.

Depending on your budget and preferences, you can choose from affordable collections of perfumes in fun, exotic fragrances, all the way to high-end, small-batch perfumes inspired by geographic locations and periods of history. No matter your preferences or budget, one thing is constant – cruelty-free perfumes are more accessible than ever.

The post 29 Best Vegan Perfume Brands for ALL Budgets appeared first on Urban Vegan.

Let’s run down a quick overview of why switching to vegan mayonnaise is a smart move, even if you are not vegan:

• Unlike traditional mayo, vegan mayonnaise contains no cholesterol
• Vegan mayonnaise contains about a third of the saturated fat in traditional mayo
• The laying hens who produce eggs for traditional mayonnaise endure suffering from cramped conditions, sickness, and overproduction
• The products taste so similar to one another; you won’t notice the difference

Follow Your Heart Original Vegenaise

Enjoy real mayonnaise taste with our world famous, egg free and all natural Vegenaise Dressing and Sandwich Spread. Made from fresh Ingredients, Vegenaise is perfect for sandwiches, spreads and anything you can think of.

Buy from Amazon

Less Cholesterol

While basically all press cholesterol ever gets is negative, it actually does serve a purpose in your body. This waxy substance is present in all cells of the body, and aids in the creation of hormones, vitamin D, and substances used in digestion.

However, the important takeaway is that your body produces 100% of the cholesterol it needs to function, so anything you ingest is extra and unnecessary.

Diets with excess cholesterol can lead to greater risk of coronary heart disease and peripheral artery disease.

All meat, dairy products, and eggs contain at least some cholesterol, so the best way to limit cholesterol in your diet is to limit your consumption of animal foods.

Studies have even shown that replacing animal foods with plant foods actually reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood, even if the fat content of the diet is the same. This means that you can lower your blood cholesterol without having to give up that mayonnaise on your sandwich – all you have to do is opt for the plant-based mayo.

Less Saturated Fat

Saturated fat is also on the American Heart Association’s naughty list – as it raises levels of blood cholesterol, the organization suggests limiting consumption of saturated fats.

What foods contain high amounts of saturated fats?

You guessed it – most animal products, including meats, dairy products, and eggs.

Of course, it’s worth noting here that even vegan mayonnaise is high in fats, so it’s similar to traditional mayonnaise in that it should be consumed in moderation. By nature, mayonnaise needs a fatty emulsifier to actually become mayonnaise as we know it.

However, plant-based mayos definitely take the gold in saturated fat content, and are a smarter choice if you’re going to eat the condiment.

Most traditional mayonnaise made with eggs contains 1.5g of saturated fat per serving – and that’s if you’re only using a tablespoon serving. In contrast, most vegan mayonnaise contains only .5g of saturated fat per serving. That’s a 66% reduction in saturated fat, just by switching to an egg-free mayo!

Better for the Animals

Perhaps the most unappetizing part of traditional mayonnaise is its reliance on factory farmed hens. In order to maximize profits and cram as many birds into the same amount of space, the hens that lay eggs for companies like Unilever spend their entire lives in battery cages, wire boxes that allow a hen roughly 70 square inches of space (for reference, a standard sheet of paper measures 94 square inches).

With no room to walk or move, battery cages destroy the hens’ bodies and cause irreparable psychological damage, and when the hens are unable to produce more eggs, they are slaughtered.

The animals are often sick from their living conditions, and the cramped quarters allows illness to spread like wildfire. In 2015, the vegan mayonnaise Just Mayo saw a huge surge in purchasing after avian flu resulted in the death of over 45 million Unilever laying hens.

Chickens are inquisitive, curious creatures that have the capability to not only live in the moment but think about the future – qualities previously only seen in humans and some primates. Because of their intelligence, the conditions in which they must live is especially devastating.

Despite the toll taken on these smart animals, 95% of the eggs purchased in the United States come from caged hens. By choosing a plant-based mayonnaise, you are using your dollar to state that the conditions these animals are kept in are unacceptable – without actually having to give up the food itself.

And when it comes down to it, conditions that are bad for hens are bad for you, too – plant based mayos don’t get recalled due to salmonella and other egg-specific contaminants.

Comparable Quality of Product

Anyone who’s ever had to replace their creamy 2% milk for skim knows that sometimes, making a sacrifice for your health feels – and tastes – like a sacrifice.

As a vegan who still has a taste for animal foods, I feel this way about vegan attempts at Greek-style yogurt – it’s almost sadder to eat a poor replacement for the food than just not consuming it at all.

However, I can say with total confidence that you will not notice the difference between your beloved traditional mayonnaise and your new vegan mayo.

You don’t have to take my word for it – food writers at sites like Serious Eats, who are decidedly not vegan, held a blind taste test in which an eggless mayonnaise was crowned victorious, even when compared to a leading brand of the traditional stuff.

The testers, who described the vegan mayonnaise with words like “balanced,” “creamy,” and “smooth,” noted that it tasted like real, homemade mayonnaise – and these are people who have a recipe on their site for homemade mayonnaise.

Making the Jump

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to jump completely into a vegan diet to enjoy plant-based products. Even if you choose to consume animal products, making a few easy, low-effort switches for certain foods and products can help you keep your body healthy and your mouth happy.

It doesn’t take much effort to swap your traditional mayonnaise for a vegan mayonnaise – brands such as Vegenaise can be found at your neighborhood grocery store, and even convenience store chain 7-11 has opted to use only Just Mayo in its stores.

Even better than the fact that it doesn’t take much effort is that all these health and world benefits can be enjoyed while still consuming a great-tasting condiment that doesn’t taste all that different from traditional mayonnaise. In fact, many blind taste tests by experts suggest that some plant-based mayonnaise is actually better than their egg-based counterparts.

By making these few, small changes in your diet, you can improve your health and improve the plight of laying hens around the world. It’s a smart, healthy, and delicious choice!

Follow Your Heart Original Vegenaise

Enjoy real mayonnaise taste with our world famous, egg free and all natural Vegenaise Dressing and Sandwich Spread. Made from fresh Ingredients, Vegenaise is perfect for sandwiches, spreads and anything you can think of.

Buy from Amazon

The post Vegenaise vs Mayonnaise: What’s the Big Difference? appeared first on Urban Vegan.