Veganuary is Almost Over: Now What?

We’re almost one month into the new year! We hope everyone who made the Veganuary commitment has started to fall in love with their new healthy and compassionate approach to life. We also hope we can provide you with more resources to maintain your momentum and keep growing in your veganism! Here at the Animal Rights Coalition, a major focus of our outreach is helping newer vegans and the veg-curious feel supported in their community, and we take care of you with classes and events year-round. Below are some program highlights available to anyone looking for some extra help.

Vegan University
This is ARC’s mentorship program, which is offered as a free service to our community. Anyone looking for personalized help on their vegan journey can browse our mentor profiles and request to be taken under the wing of one of our experienced, knowledgeable, and personable members. Mentors are available to answer questions and provide moral support and an understanding ear. Many new vegans go through a period of strong emotions once they realize the world is a very different place when viewed through vegan eyes, and having someone with whom to speak about these feelings can make the transition more comfortable.

Grocery Shopping Tours
As the name implies, this is a regularly scheduled trip to the market with a vegan guide! The host will showcase commonly available vegan foods, teach attendees how to read nutrition labels for hidden animal products, and answer questions related to vegan shopping. This is also a great place to meet others on their vegan journeys, and explore new foods that you may never have heard of before. These tours are a great starting place if you’ve ever wondered, “Well, what can I eat now?” Shopping tours take place at larger chain stores as well as at smaller markets and co-ops, so keep your eyes on the schedule for your local favorites!

Vegan Dine Outs
These well-attended outings are a favorite among members of the community. After all, who doesn’t love going out and trying new food at restaurants? Beyond being a way to learn more about the incredible vegan dining options in the Twin Cities, these outings provide another opportunity to meet other vegans as well as ask questions about veganism, animal rights, and the Animal Rights Coalition. Dine Out hosts invite everyone to come join the fun, regardless of where they are on their vegan journeys, including those who are just beginning to consider going vegan. These events are great for building a supportive community—many ARC volunteers cite a dine out as their very first event with the organization.

Cooking Classes
Held in one of the teaching kitchens at a local co-op, ARC-sponsored cooking classes feature a variety of cuisines and specialties, presented by one of our many skilled chefs. Blending great personalities and recipes, we can teach anyone to be more confident preparing vegan meals their friends and family will love! These classes specialize in topics like veganizing the holidays, plant-based regional cuisines, and the most important: Homemade non-dairy cheeses! If you’ve ever wanted to build your kitchen skills and learn more about cooking with plants, these classes are for you.

Plant-Based Nutrition and Vegan Meal Planning
These workshops are a great counterpart to our cooking classes! They cover the basics of nutritious, healthful food choices for a vegan lifestyle and how to plan meals that will keep you feeling great and eating better. We answer many of the common questions that new vegans have, including about nutrients such as protein, calcium, and the elusive B12. These classes are great for new vegans as well as experienced vegans looking for a refresher.

Now the important question—How do I sign up? It’s easy! Like our Vegan University Facebook page to stay up to date with all of the goings on in the community, and join Minneapolis Vegan Meetup on Meetup.com to get alerts as soon as new events are posted! All upcoming events will be listed on the Meetup page as soon as they’re scheduled. So stay up to date, stay active, and let us help you stay vegan!