In June and July this year, the Dutch youth foundation Viva Las Vega’s organized the Veggie Challenge: a dare to eat less animal produce for at least once a week during a whole month. Depending on their diet, participants would set their own goals, e.g. 1 day vegetarian for omnis, a day vegan for vegetarians, an extra day veggie for flexitarians et cetera. 2000+ people gave it a go! Among them were three people I know — and no, I had nothing to do with that ;) Curious about their experiences, I decided to interview them for VeganMoFo.
We’ve heard from YvonneP and Uniflame and today the spotlights are aimed at JannyAn! Again, Janny is someone I met on-line first at the Boekgrrls mailinglist; I’m not sure how long ago exactly. Soon we saw each other in real life on book swaps and Wandelgrrls hikes. Now we’ve even started a film club together: the Cinephyles! It’s obvious we’ve got lots in common, except maybe that JannyAn is a real globetrotter, and I’m a bit of a homebody. ;)
Janny discovered Tartex cremisso paprika-chili sandwich spread – she thinks it’s the best alternative to cheese! I agree it’s absolutely yummy. :)
How would you describe yourself before starting the VeggieChallenge?
I was a flexitarian. By the way, there are certain things I really refuse to eat. Those are tuna, lobster, veal, frogs legs. And of course only farm-laid eggs.Why did you decide to join the challenge?
Because I think it’s better to eat less meat. For my own health, environmental issues and, equally important, because of animal welfare.What goals did you set and did you achieve them? Was that hard?
My goals were to eat 4 days vegetarian and 1 day vegan. The vegetarian days weren’t that hard to achieve. The vegan days were the real problem. Mostly because I do like cheese a lot. And so many products I usually eat contain butter or eggs.What was you biggest discovery?
That’s a difficult one. Maybe that I really don’t miss eating meat. O, and I discovered that whole-meal bread with peanut butter and banana is delicious :-)What was the most difficult or disappointing?
Eating vegan one day in a week. So many products that contain butter, eggs, gelatin, etc. It was even difficult to do shopping, find something that you like to eat on a sandwich instead of cheese, or, how can I replace eggs in a recipe.What was the best thing you ate or drank during the VeggieChallenge?
Well I really like this pasta with spinach beet, raisins and pine seed…
If you’re in a relationship: did your partner join you in the challenge and how did he/she experience it?
No, he didn’t. Sometimes I make a dish without meat and he’ll eat it. And if it tastes good he won’t mind eating vegetarian. But he likes meat too much to become vegetarian. Not to mention eating vegan.Has anything from the challenge lasted?
I still am a flexitarian, but I now eat less meat/fish and more often vegan.Would you recommend the VeggieChallenge to nothers ext time? Why (not)?
Yes, I would. It’s good to think about what you’re eating.The VeganMoFo theme on Graasland is ‘vegan en route’. Do you have a suitable tip to share with us?
Always bring your own peanut butter ;-)
Do you know I’ve never tried banana on peanut butter? I guess I should! Thanks JannyAn, it’s fascinating to read about your experiences in the Veggie Challenge as a flexitarian. I recognize your frustration about how many products contain dairy, eggs or gelatin. As a vegetarian I never paid that much attention to labels, especially E-numbers,and now I’m shocked to find that some of them are not even veggie! So as a vegetarian I have probably been eating ground scale insects (E120), bones (e.g. E542, E640) animal fat (e.g. E470-479) and horse’s, cow’s, pork’s and even human hair (E920). Eew!
Anyway Janny, I hope you know that you can always ask me questions about substituting ingredients?! That goes for anyone, really. :)
Over viewing this series I’m so glad to see that all three participants look back positively! Imagine you’d join the Veggie Challenge next year, what goals would you like to set?
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Join us with a food related post in Beth Fish’s Weekend Cooking!
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8 reacties
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zondag 28 oktober 2012 bij 15:01
Beth F
Peanut butter and banana is a fabulous combination! I think vegan would be very difficult for me. Mostly because I’m not sure I want to completely revamp my entire way of shopping, cooking, and eating. I already eat vegetarian most of the time. We eat fish once or twice a week and meat once or twice. But I like cheese and eggs and honey and other animal products, so I don’t really see me going vegan.
zondag 28 oktober 2012 bij 15:19
Gnoe
LOL it wouldn’t be forever Beth! Just for (say) one day a week during a month, or two. That’s what the veggie challenge is about.
zondag 28 oktober 2012 bij 17:19
Uniflame
This is another fun interview to read. I am actually glad to be able to ask you questions on going vegan :) Thanks for that! I am thinking aboujt joining in Vegan MoFo next year. I guess I will plan out posts for it several months in advance, so I can do 20 out of 30. Hopefully I will remember after October is over though. My memory tends to be fuzzy. But I would love to participate :)
zondag 28 oktober 2012 bij 18:23
Carol @ Always Thyme to Cook
I may be able to do a day but I don’t think I could commit long term. I think it’s great that you do this. I do love the combination of peanut butter and bananas!
zondag 28 oktober 2012 bij 19:13
joyweesemoll
Terrific interview! I need to try bananas and peanut butter. I like each with chocolate but never thought to try the two together!
zondag 28 oktober 2012 bij 20:58
Chinoiseries
What a nice interview with JannyAn :) I think more and more people are trying to eat more creatively, healthily and by doing so, also eating fewer animal products in the process.
I’m not a big fan of Tartex products, but perhaps this one is good? I’ll have to try it! I also discovered Tofutti “mozarella” at Ekoplaza today. I’m curious how it will taste!
dinsdag 30 oktober 2012 bij 04:06
Belle Wong
The only time I like peanut butter is when I have it in a sandwich with bananas! My husband is vegan, so I’ve eaten a lot of vegan foods. That vegan sandwich spread looks good!
dinsdag 30 oktober 2012 bij 21:46
Chiara
I dind’t know about the veggie challenge, or I should have tried it (I am a flexitarian, and I try to make a vegetarian meal every other day). Vegan is stil too difficult to manage for me, and I must confess… I loath peanut butter (maybe because I dind’t grow up with it? In Italy, especially 30 years ago, it was really an unknown spread)