It was established in 1994 to commemorate the 50th anniversary since The Vegan Society was founded. It’s difficult to know exactly how many vegans there are in the UK, but the charity Viva reports that there are around two million people, or 3% of the population.
Why do people go vegan? There are 3 main reasons: for the animals, for the environment and for your health. 80% of surveyed vegans stated that their main reason for cutting out animal products was because of concerns about the way in which animals are farmed. 53% were concerned about the environment, and 27% stated that their personal health was a factor in going vegan.
As one of the 1% of 18-24 year-olds in the UK 4 who identifies as vegan, after living in Newcastle for 2 years I have experienced a lot of different vegan foods! So, for the 29th World Vegan Day, I present to you the best vegan options in the Toon...
Super Natural Café
Perfect for just going for coffee, for a full breakfast (the banana smoothies are insane), or for an evening out. Its got pretty much everything including more fairy lights than you can shake a stick at, and even non-vegan milks, so you can bring your friends who refuse to try oat milk.
The only downsides I can see is the drinks are slightly more expensive than the average student would go for, so it’s definitely more for special occasions than the odd evening.
The Ship Ouseburn
An all-vegan pub with a crazy wide selection of food, just a 15 minute walk from the city centre! It’s one of the oldest pubs in the area with indoor and outdoor seating, and some of the best chips ever created by humans. Try the nachos too, they’re very creative and don’t contain vegan cheese. It’s ideal for a Sunday roast too, or a warm soup in the winter.
It’s one of the oldest pubs in the area with indoor and outdoor seating, and some of the best chips ever created by humans
Greggs
The best (and worst) vegan Greggs pastries ranked, from someone who has eaten a lot of Greggs.
1) Vegan Mexican Chicken-Free Bake
Definitely the worst of the vegan pastries. The chicken-free chicken is a bit weird and the tomato sauce doesn’t really work, and woe betide anyone who ended up with a cold one. It does get points though for being a bit spicy and the actual pastry part is unique.
2) Vegan Festive Bake
It’s only available in the deepest of winter and for a good reason. Only the most confused and cold people would ever choose this. The quorn pieces are okay but the sage and onion stuffing and non-bacon bacon are very disconcerting. It is however very good night-out food for when you stumble past the 24 hour Greggs.
3) Vegan Sausage, Bean and Cheeze Melt
It’s a pretty accurate replication of the non-vegan version and if it’s warm it’s game changing. For some reason it reminds me of primary school when they’d just put sausages in some beans and call it a meal. The best comfort food Greggs has to offer.
4) Vegan Sausage Roll
You knew it was coming. At £1.10 it’s the same price as its meaty neighbour, but somehow tastes more like actual food. Even my flatmates agree it’s sometimes better. It’s enjoyable hot and cold, and you feel like you’ve had the full Greggs experience without having to deal with chicken-free chicken. The greatest of all.
Maybe avoid Greggs if you're going vegan for your health, but it's great that vegans don't have to miss out on such an important part of our culture.