Five reasons why winter is the perfect time to try plant-based

If you’ve been thinking about going plant-based for some time, we have some good news for you – winter is the best and easiest time to embrace a plant-based diet! Okay, so there’s never a wrong time to switch to a plant-based diet, but making the switch now, while the days are shorter and the nights are colder, is the perfect time. Here’s why.

Soup

Warm and comforting, nutritious and delicious, who doesn’t love a hug in a mug? Soup not only warms us up on a cold day, it’s also a great way to pack heaps of extra veggies into our diet. There are so many amazing plant-based soup recipes to try. Cook up a giant batch of soup and your lunch is taken care of for a week!

Tip: Create extra creaminess by blending in cauliflower, potatoes, white beans or simply by adding coconut cream. Yum!

Winter comfort food

Whoever said vegans only eat salad had clearly forgotten about carbs!  Very few people crave salad when the temperatures dip below zero, but most of us do crave carbohydrate-heavy comfort foods in winter. The good news is that carbs are vegan (mostly)! Hot chips, mashed potatoes, roasted kumara, pasta, creamy porridge ‒ all of the comfort foods we’re craving just happen to be from plants. Hooray!

Nesting and resting

Summertime is hectic! Holidays, barbeques and endless invitations! Nobody has time for anything in the summer. So, when winter comes around, we’re ready for a rest. Use those cosy nights at home to try new recipes, experiment with new ingredients and plan your meals for the week. Once you find your new routine, you’ll be set to carry your new habits right into summer, and you’ll know exactly what plant-based goodies to take to that BBQ!

Winter veggies

Winter vegetables are packed with goodness! Spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage are all high in vitamin K, which is important for healthy bones and blood clotting.

Just think of all the great things we can do with a pumpkin! Roast it, mash it, turn it into soup and even bake muffins with it.

Until recently, many of us thought cauliflower was boring, but that was before it became trendy! The current cauliflower craze has taught us so many new and exciting ways to eat cauliflower. And it’s not only delicious and versatile, it’s also super high in vitamin C.

Fight off winter ills and chills

Right now, our bodies need all the nutrients they can get to fight off those winter ills. Plants can assist our bodies in building up our natural defences. Check out these nutritious and delicious immune-boosting meals to keep your body fighting fit this winter.

So, what are you waiting for? Now is the time to embrace your new, healthy and wholesome plant-based diet!

Need more help getting started? Sign up for the Plant-Based Challenge today, and get ready to receive recipes, tips and inspiration to make going plant-based easy as pie!

Laura Gentle, SAFE’s Eat Kind Programme Officer