For those of you looking towards a 2019 with less meat and finding the idea daunting, The Conversation has this useful article exploring ways to resist the temptation.

‘Struggling to ditch meat? Here are five ways to resist the temptation’ [Jared Piazza, Lecturer in Social Psychology, Lancaster University, for The Conversation, 21 July 2017] is for all those who are conflicted about eating animals – and that, according to research, includes 30% of meat eaters in the US, Germany and France).  It is also for those who want to support people around them in pursuing a less meat-based diet, as acknowledging it can be a struggle is a helpful first step when communicating with others.

The tips?

1. Be prepared – e.g. if you know you’re going somewhere you’ll be tempted, decide ahead of time you are not going to give in

2. Try mindful eating – acknowledging cravings and not following them through, using mindfullness, can help you reduce your preoccupation with food

3. Broaden your outlook – and put a positive spin on your choice e.g. you’re saving lives/cutting your carbon footprint etc.

4. Picture the animals – I taught myself to do this, and it has proved a useful and hard-to-break habit…

5. Find sympathetic friends – e.g. US!

We’ll be offering support to anyone doing Veganuary in the new year, with a series of helpful posts, with tips, recipes and encouragement.  Why not sign up, join in and let us know you’re doing it too?

You can read the full article, and find links to related articles, here.