Veganuary: Just A 'Fad'?

Everywhere I look, there seems to be a new 'fad' emerging: a short-lived craze encouraging new 'must-try' activities and ideas to improve your health and well-being, social life, or just to have more fun. Mindful colouring books. Magic Eight Balls. No carb diets. They're all fads (more here, just for fun!).

A friend of mine suggested that Veganuary, a relatively recent global challenge to emerge for January, which encourages people to try the vegan diet and lifestyle, may well be another one of these 'fads'., and shook her head dismissively at the idea. A little context: Her wife is a vegan and therefore vegan food dominates at home anyway.

What she right?!  Was the campaign I'd chosen to centre 280 Bakes' January promotions around looked down upon and dismissed so easily? Do you, dear reader, roll your eyes even now? I don't think so, you've got this far through the blog post, but my friend made me think. 

Is being a 'fad' such a bad thing? Fads can highlight a new, and possibly better, way of living your life, with a lesser impact on the climate, reduce your stress levels, can improve your BMI - all of which would be good! - depending on the topic at hand. Fads introduce new ideas, bring people together in a kind of 'club', and in the case of Veganuary, can broaden people's minds and encourage them to make a positive impact on the world. I remember a conversation I had in the summer with a Pokemon Go enthusiast, who said it really felt like a community, and made people get out more, talk to other 'Goers' in the street. It was more sociable than it initially sounded, as a silly mobile app!

'Faddy' diets are possibly the most common fads: Try this! Eat that! Ban that ingredient! There are so many different ways to lose weight (not all diet related either), and no one way will work for everyone. Fad diets are ever-evolving, and there seems to be another one promoted every day. 

However, I believe that Veganuary (run by a not for profit organisation) is not a faddy diet, like the ones above. It's truly based on science and fact: Veganism is good for the environment, better for animal rights, and can improve your health and nutrition. The reason we specialise in baking vegan cakes at 280 Bakes is to provide goodies for those who choose not to consume milk, eggs, butter, dairy chocolate etc. Why should vegans miss out on great cake?!

I've been reading some blogs about how trying Veganuary has stuck with many participants. They've continued the vegan way way after January ends, so the campaign is not a short-lived craze for them. Being vegan is also a lifestyle choice, something that has been around along time as a concept, therefore it's not a fad in my eyes. 

Veganuary, for sure, is a little 'flash in the pan', perhaps, as it's a campaign which is only prominent for one month of the year - and indeed, has only been around for a few years, at that. However, an annual campaign can make a big impact and I believe it'll be back for 2018. Think Movember (November). Think Macmillan Coffee Mornings (September).

If it encourages more people to be a little more mindful of the world and their lifestyle impacts, Veganuary is alright by us!

Want to know more?

Sign up to Veganuary - it's not too late! Take the pledge here.

Check out the hot topics in the vegan world on Veganuary's blog. 

Follow Veganuary on Facebook and Twitter. 

​Try a vegan cake from our home bakery! We have every cake you could possibly desire available for vegans, and some are gluten free vegan, if that's what you need. Contact us today!

Let us know how you get on!

Louise
280 Bakes