Veganuary: Here's how people in the Fayetteville area can start 2022 with a plant-based diet

Akira Kyles, The Fayetteville Observer
·4 min read
People wait in a long line for food at the Arepa Street food truck on Saturday, June 23, 2018, at the Vegan Festival in Fayetteville.
People wait in a long line for food at the Arepa Street food truck on Saturday, June 23, 2018, at the Vegan Festival in Fayetteville.

The new year is a time for transformation, and some choose to transform to a more plant-based lifestyle.

Veganuary is a 31-day challenge to try the vegan diet for January; it started as a charity in Europe according to the nonprofit's website. The vegan diet is void of dairy, egg, meat and any animal byproducts.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the second annual vegan festival was held in Fayetteville by the owners of Prima Elements downtown. The event offered a way for Fayetteville residents to try various vegan foods without having to drive to the Raleigh-Durham area over an hour away.

Soy milk by the brand Silk is one option for plant-based milk.
Soy milk by the brand Silk is one option for plant-based milk.

More: The vegan transition: Fayetteville residents recount journey to a meatless diet

There is currently only one fully vegan food truck in Fayetteville, The Vegan Spot.

With a lot of vegan eateries being further away, people looking to transition to a plant-based lifestyle may think it's more difficult. Here are some products, however, that can make the transition a little easier, and most of them can be found in grocery stores in the Fayetteville area, including Sprouts, Harris-Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart and Publix.

Milk

There are multiple plant-based milk alternatives, with some of the most commonly known ones being almond milk and soy milk. There is also coconut milk, a version of which is made by Silk, flaxseed milk by Good Karma, hemp milk by Pacific Foods and cashew milk by Silk. Depending on size and sales these milks can start as low as $3.

Impossible burgers, which are plant-based, can be found in the meat section of many grocery stores.
Impossible burgers, which are plant-based, can be found in the meat section of many grocery stores.

Meat

One of the biggest hesitations people have with transitioning to a plant-based diet is letting go of the flavor of meat they've grown to love.

There are plenty of meat alternatives for each meal of the day.

There's vegan bacon sold by companies including Sweet Earth, Lightlife and Morningstar farms. There are also vegan sausages offered by brands including Beyond Meat, Gardien, Morningstar Farms, Lightlife and Impossible meat. Depending on size, these products can start at about $3.

Brands like Boca, Gardein, Sweet Earth, Beyond Meat, Morningstar Farms and Impossible Meat offer multiple options for lunch and dinner from burgers and "chicken" patties to "fish" fillets and meatballs. Depending on size, these products can start between $4 and $5.

Tofurkey brand also offers vegan deli slices for sandwiches, which can start as low as $3, and holiday roasts flavored like turkey and ham, which can vary between $7 and $10.

Chobani has an oatmilk-based yogurt.
Chobani has an oatmilk-based yogurt.

Yogurt

Yogurt is a quick and easy breakfast snack that many opt for in a hurry. There are multiple yogurt options for those who transition to a plant-based lifestyle.

So Delicious brand offers flavors from key lime to strawberry made from coconut milk. Silk brand offers yogurt flavors from vanilla to blueberry made from either soy or almond milk. Oatly also offers plant-based yogurt made from oatmilk. The personal-sized cups can start lower than $2.

Violife makes a vegan version of feta cheese.
Violife makes a vegan version of feta cheese.

Cheese

From topping pasta to making pizza, cheese can be a snack or a meal maker and makes people hesitant to give it up for a vegan lifestyle.

Brands including Miyoko's, Violife, Daiya, Field Roast Chao, So Delicious, Follow Your Heart and Go Veggie offer a variety of cheeses in multiple forms. Depending on the form of the cheese, some of these cheeses can start at about $4.

Brands including Miyoko's, Violife, Kite Hill and Daiya also offer cream cheese.

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Ice Cream

After a nice meal, some people like to enjoy something sweet, a popular choice would be ice cream.

In a plant-based diet, ice cream is still just a sweet. Popular ice-cream brand Ben & Jerry's launched its nondairy pints made from almond milk. Some of the classic flavors including Phish Food, Americone Dream, Cookie Dough and Cherry Garcia are available in nondairy pints.

Favorite Day, sold at Target, also offers plant-based ice-cream flavors. Oatly has ice cream made from oat milk. So Delicious and Daiya offer frozen vegan dessert options, too.

All of these options can start at about $4 to $6.

Options for the plant-based community are continuing to grow as time goes on. You can now find even microwave meals.

Staff writer Akira Kyles can be reached at akyles@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Plant-based alternatives to help transition to a more vegan diet