British supermarket retailer, Asda, have published a 7 Day Vegan challenge in their latest issue of Asda Good Living Magazine. The printed publication is complete with daily meal ideas and practical tips for those keen to test the waters with a vegan diet and even includes a little description about what it means to be vegan.
“There are vegan versions of everything you can think of, from sushi to scrambled egg as well as alternative products like milk, cheese and ice cream”.
Earlier this year, Asda became the very first supermarket to commit to using the official ‘Vegan’ trademark on their produce in a bid to make grocery shopping a more pleasant experience for their vegan customers.
‘Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we know that they have different needs and demands from our products. That is why we have listened to feedback from our customers and are proud to put vegan labelling on our own brand products.’ said Lizzy Massey, VP Asda Own Brand to the Metro.
Their September magazine follows Asda’s Innovation Chef, Andrew, throughout 7 days of eating vegan and comes complete with easy to make recipes such as Classic Ratatouille and a hearty Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Cauliflower curry (which sounds quite similar to our very own cauliflower madras!).
On the whole, the article reflects veganism in a positive light and definitely shows how easy it can be to eat vegan and find replacements to any traditional favourites.
A couple of inaccuracies are worth pointing out though! On “Day 5”, Anthony says that his colleague informed him that because Cheerios are fortified with B-12, they are unfortunately not vegan. Actually B-12 is a bacteria which comes from the ground but is generally more present in animal based foods. B-12 is vegan because it is not the byproduct of an animal, and in fact, most livestock are fortified with B-12 due to our topsoil being so depleted. To get a healthier dose of B-12, you can find fortified plant based foods which also offer other beneficial nutrients such as fiber. Anthony also states that “most beers aren’t vegan”, which is tad misleading. Actually the majority of beers are vegan, some are not. To find out whether your favourite tipple has been filtered with the use of fish innards or contains other animal products, simply check the database at Barnivore
Asda’s recent decisions are likely being made to reflect the growing market of vegans and plant based eaters in the UK, meaning their progressive marketing strategy is welcomed by an ever expanding niche of shoppers. A couple of reasons people are deterred to try a vegan diet include convenience (or seemingly lack there of) and not knowing what to cook. Luckily with both of these issues are gradually being quashed with the help of educational and practical initiatives just like these.
Image Credit: Food to Love
