A tasty guide to veganism
Even though officials recommend a plant-based diet, new research suggests fewer than 1% of Kiwis may be vegan. André Chumko attempts to demystify the maligned lifestyle by examining his own food habits.
There’s a lot of things people don’t agree on when it comes to veganism. Some associate the term with the militant protesting left, hippies, righteous extremists or uber scrawny people who eat only salads and whose life mission is to convert as many non-vegans to the cause.
Some wrongly believe that all vegans care far more about animals than human lives and that their diet is only possible because of their privilege.
More recently experts haven’t even been able to agree on how many vegans exist in New Zealand, with estimates ranging between fewer than 1% of Kiwis and up to 10% depending on which study you go by.
Vegetarians, who eat dairy and eggs – previously believed to be about one in five New Zealanders – could actually be as low as 2% of the population, experts from the University of Auckland estimated in new research. That’s despite health officials recommending that people eat a primarily plant-based diet.
The new research has surprised many but also opened up some ugly truths about what we’re eating and our collective health – only half of Kiwi adults meet the daily fruit intake recommendation (2+ servings) and just 10% meet the veg intake (5 to 5.5 servings).
What we eat is one of the major risk factors for things like obesity or chronic disease – the World Health Organisation has classed processed meats like bacon, sausages and ham as category 1 carcinogens, the same group as tobacco smoking and asbestos – while red meats like pork, lamb and beef are one rung down in group 2.
The new research found that Kiwi vegans and vegetarians were likely to be both thinner and have lower blood pressure than eaters of red meat. They were also likely to be younger and have a tertiary qualification.
In 2022, it was revealed that Kiwis were the fourth most curious country when it came to searching about veganism online.
So then, we’re interested in plantbased eating but not actually making the shift towards it. Speaking from my own experience, I can only guess this hold-up is because people don’t know where to start when it comes to veganism.
I’ve been vegetarian (not eating meat or fish) since 2010, and fully vegan (no animal products including meat, fish, dairy, eggs) since 2021. So three years vegan; 14 years vegetarian. Put simply, I went vegetarian because I wasn’t fussed about the taste of meat. My younger self also couldn’t stomach footage showing the inside of abattoirs or factory farms (I still can’t). And so I stopped.
My weight has fluctuated over the years and I’ve been everything from a tween with baby fat to a lanky teenager to now a pretty average build, 1.75ish-metre adult. I live in Wellington, work a 40-hour week, and lead a fairly active lifestyle.
As someone who’s been on the precipice of both vegan and vegetarian lifestyles, and in the name of science and health, I agreed to track everything I consumed for an entire week as a vegan, and got a nutritionist to tell me how healthy I really am, to show you how one person does it.
A photographer even followed me around my local supermarket so you can see how a
vegan does their grocery shopping and how much everything costs. And I’ve included a cheat sheet with tips for people who might be nervous about the transition, and some recipe ideas to try.
The below is in no way intended to replace expert advice from a registered nutritionist or healthcare expert. But if you genuinely are curious about veganism and find yourself wanting an in on the plantbased wave for health, environmental or animal-related reasons (or just because), here’s what works for me ...
What’s in a vegan pantry?
A well-stocked pantry is the key to having consistently good food. I keep mine full with plenty of beans, chickpeas, lentils, tinned tomatoes, plant-based creams and milks in tetrapaks, and usually have a selection of spreads, wraps, breads, root vegetables, cereals/oats, baking ingredients and a huge amount of spices to season food with.
In summer I’m a big fan of fresh wraps, pasta salads and vegan sausages but in winter I turn into a soup and curry demon. I love roast vegetables, rice and noodle stir fries, pasta dishes all year round, and am big on beans – in the colder months a hearty chilli with rice in burritos hits the spot but also you can make bean dip super easily to have with your favourite bread, just whiz together with a blender.
I’m not a huge baker but do occasionally make a homemade focaccia or some sweet or savoury treats. I’ve also started using an air fryer for potatoes and can confirm that whoever invented it is a genius.
I love nuts and seeds but find myself eating fewer of them with rising food prices, so have left them off this essentials list, but would encourage people to buy them if they can. They’re great garnishes for salads or cereal/porridge, and cashews make fantastic vegan cream when blended with olive oil, garlic, lemon, salt and water.
Here are some staples I can’t do without:
■ Chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, whole kernel corn, diced tomatoes in juice, beetroot slices, coconut cream and milk, capers, olives. While I don’t eat them a lot, as I prefer the flavours and versatility of other beans, baked beans or chilli beans are also great sources of plant-based protein.
■ Dried pasta: penne, spaghetti, rigatoni, fettuccine, macaroni. I love lasagne but barely ever make it because who’s got time for that. Rice, quinoa, noodles (hokkien/ udon), rice paper rolls, wraps, specialty
breads (a French stick to have with soup, or a fresh sourdough or ciabatta from Shelly Bay Bakery can usually be found in my pantry).
■ Potatoes, onion, garlic and kūmara/pumpkin when in season.
■ Sugar/brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, coconut oil, maple syrup, icing sugar, dates, vanilla extract, yeast, cornflour, flour, breadcrumbs, Organ egg replacer (this is a powder but you can use chickpea brine/aquafaba instead), cornflakes, oats, cereals of choice.
■ Marmite, peanut butter, homemade jam, range of teas and coffee. Oat, almond and soy milks.
■ Snacks: water crackers, wholegrain crackers, Oreos or vegan cookies to have with tea. I try not to buy potato chips but sometimes cave in and get the apple cider and vinegar chips by Proper.
■ Spices/sauces/condiments: dill tips, paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, ground chilli, cumin, vegetable stock, ground coriander, ground ginger, star anise, masala powder, thyme, cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, garlic granules, sage, cloves, black peppercorns, Himalayan rock salt, nutritional yeast (adds great cheesy flavour to any dish), balsamic glaze (good for wraps or toast with avos/tomatoes), soy sauce and white wine, apple cider and balsamic vinegars, extra virgin olive oil.
I know they say to use different oils for different types of cooking but I find it easier just to use olive oil for everything.
And the fridge?
I eat seasonally. Mostly this is a cost thing but also, it’s fun to use different ingredients at different times of the year in cooking.
Most of my fridge is packed with condiments that have been opened, and vegetables, but I also keep vegan proteins like tofu/sausages there and any vegan cheeses or coconut yoghurt. I like tempeh but reckon tofu is way more versatile and easier to find in supermarkets.
■ I eat pretty much every vegetable but my favourites are: spinach, carrots, red onion, asparagus, capsicums, spring onions, leeks, broccoli, eggplants, mushrooms, courgettes, cucumber, cabbage. I also buy a tonne of tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and avocados year round, but keep these out of the fridge as I find it turns them funny.
■ Condiments: hummus (usually more than one kind), Culley’s Kitchen sauces (I love picklenaise and chipotle mayo for wraps, wedges and everything else), mustards, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sriracha and sriracha mayo, curry paste, tahini. I’m also a recent convert to crushed garlic and ginger in small jars — so much easier than peeling and crushing, although you can’t beat fresh garlic in anything.
■ Gherkins, sauerkraut, artichoke hearts, vegan cheeses (I buy sparingly because of the price, my favourite at present is Zenzo’s dairy free cream cheese), vegan pesto (sans parmesan), falafel mix, any opened plant milks, Olivani for spreading/ butter replacement, vegan sausages. Vegan burger patties are also widely available, or you can make your own with beans in a blender.
■ Fruit: Lemons year round, grapes in summer. I keep a bowl filled with a mix of bananas, pears, oranges and occasionally apples (I’d eat them more were it not for my teeth wires) outside the fridge. When I can afford it and they’re in season, I get peaches, apricots, plums or, less frequently, mangoes. Very infrequently I’ll buy melons and berries. I’m also a fan of jackfruit but typically eat it in bought meals rather than in my own cooking, though you can find it pretty readily in a can.
■ Drinks: This varies depending on the week and is often a combination of kombucha, soda water, lemonade and (eek) wine.
The freezer
I usually keep frozen stir fry mixed vegetables, frozen peas, bread (my go-to is Molenberg wholegrain), vegan puff/flaky pastry, ice cream or iceblocks for when I feel like a treat (yes, you can get dairy free ice cream!), ice, and then there’s enough room to store soup/curries/any other foods I’ve made in bulk.
I also keep a packet of vegan dumplings from Leanne’s Kitchen for a quick midweek dinner, and some vegan mince for bolognese bulked out with carrots, tinned tomato, lentils and onion to have with spaghetti. Less occasionally I’ll have frozen edamame beans or berries.
I usually get on a breakfast smoothie buzz for a couple of months and then will swing back to cereal with fruit and plant milk, or toast with avos/tomatoes. But you can’t go wrong with a breakfast burrito or pancakes on the weekend!
Shopping
I usually do one big supermarket run every fortnight at Pak’nSave as I find it’s the cheapest and has a good variety of vegan products. I also visit the local greengrocer and Saturday markets for bargain fresh fruit and vegetables that haven’t been sprayed excessively. I’ll then do small trips as needed at the supermarket through the week. If you hate grocery shopping alone, try going with a friend. It helps me.
I always carry a shopping list on my phone of what I’m low on as when I go hungry, I buy way more stuff. I find it easier having an inventory-style pantry and fridge where dry food can be purchased in bulk, with the fruit and veges changed seasonally. The downside to this style of shopping is it can reduce creativity in cooking. But it does mean you will always have some tried and true recipes ready to go for those days you can’t be bothered.
I spent $111.55 on a recent fortnightly shop. By doubling or tripling the ingredients for many vegan recipes, you can cook in bulk for a family for not very much more effort or cost than if cooking for one or two.
On my docket was:
■ Balducci penne 500g, $1.39
■ Balducci rigatoni 500g, $1.39
■ Cotton Softs toilet paper, $2.79
■ Carr’s table water crackers 125g, $2.00
■ Carr’s table water crackers with pepper 125g, $2.29
■ Earthwise laundry powder 1kg, $4.99
■ Healtheries peppermint tea bags 20s, $2.89
■ Janola lemon bleach 2.5L, $4.79
■ Moccona coffee instant freeze dried 100g, $10.79
■ Palmolive shower gel 500ml, $5.49
■ Pams kidney beans 400g, $1.09
■ Pams black beans in brine 400g, $1.09
■ Pams breadcrumbs coarse 300g, $2.19
■ Pams capers 90g, $1.69
■ Pams chickpeas 400g, $1.09
■ Pams corn kernel whole 400g, $1.29
■ Pams diced tomatoes in juice 400g, $0.99
■ Pams olives stuffed 450g, $3.79
■ Pams plant based almond milk 1L, $3.29
■ Rebel wraps capsicum and garlic 6pk, $5.69
■ Avocados x 2, $2.58
■ Bananas, $1.12
■ Bunched asparagus, $3.89
■ Capsicum yellow, $1.99
■ Carrots, $1.27
■ Courgettes, $1.05
■ Cucumber telegraph, $2.49
■ Onions brown, $0.51
■ Red grapes 500g, $6.99
■ Salads spinach 120g, $3.69
■ Tomatoes red loose, $1.50
■ Hings tofu 300g, $4.99
■ Olivani spread lite 500g, $4.99
■ Seasons vegan pesto 140g, $4.99
■ Sausage rosemary sage and parsley 375g, $8.49
From the nutritionist’s desk
To identify gaps in a regular vegan diet, I tracked everything I ate and drank for an entire week, including alcohol, vitamins, takeaway coffees, restaurant meals, cafe treats and home-cooked dinners and recorded how I was feeling, what times of day I ate and, where applicable, exact quantities.
My food diary was analysed by New Zealand registered nutritionist Nikki Hart, who gave the below advice to maintain optimum health while following a plantbased diet.
More young people are eating vegan or vegetarian because of sustainability and ethical eating movements, Hart says. But without good dietary management and planning, vegans can become micronutrient deficient and potentially compromised with regards to protein and energy malnutrition.
She says my taking of a daily multivitamin is like “nutritional insurance” and shows I’m aware I need to plug potential gaps, but that it’s important to have a blood test to determine actual deficiencies rather than just rely on the multivitamin. Alcohol contributes empty calories without any nutritional value to my diet.
She says I have a tendency to eat out, which can lend itself to a diet high in hidden fats, sugar and salt, as well as being expensive. She encourages more wholegrain consumption, so swapping poor carbohydrates like white crackers for grainy ones and the same thing with rice to improve fibre load, for example.
Hart also analysed the protein in my diet. She suggests swapping oat and almond milk for soy, as the former have negligible amounts of protein in them. And she suggests boosting meals with protein wherever possible, so adding tofu or dhal to curries, or enriching avocado on toast with refried beans or scrambled tofu.
A lack of protein, Hart says, can lead to a lack of satiety and therefore excessive snacking as the body looks to boost energy. She points out my fatigue on one day, saying it could be due to low iron levels. Vegans are at risk of low levels of vitamin
B12, calcium (especially women if they don’t reach peak bone mass) and vitamin D, Hart says, hence the importance of supplements.
She says New Zealand has low levels of selenium in its soil, so any supplements vegans take should include that also. Alternatively, people can eat one or two brazil nuts per day.
Finally, she says, vegans should be aware of getting enough Omega 3 fatty acids. While in adulthood people can convert alphalinolenic acid to important EPA and DHA, the conversion process takes longer than the body just accessing them from eating fish. This is something to be particularly cognisant of for pregnant women, Hart says. She recommends any vegan mums-to-be take a DHA supplement.
Tips to transition
Claire Insley, the West Coast-based president of the Vegan Society of NZ, provided the below tips for vegan-curious people who want to try out more plantbased eating but don’t know where to start:
■ Take it at your own pace
■ Sign up to one of the society’s 7- or 21-daychallenges online
■ Try Veganuary (even if you’re starting late)
■ Ask for advice on alternative foods and troubleshooting in online forums or Facebook groups. Some popular pages include Wellington Vegans and the Vegan Society of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Many users in the Cheaper Ways NZ group post vegan recipes
■ Stick to what you know and try to veganise things you eat already. Don’t try a whole new diet straight off the bat
■ If you’re nervous about vegan foods, remember you probably already eat a lot of fruit and vegetables
■ Try different food products. You might not like every vegan cream alternative, but, just like non-vegan products, there’s an ever increasing range available to choose from. If you don’t like tofu, try the Sunfed chicken-free chicken. The latter is good for people wanting something more realistic, or who miss the taste of meat
■ Research vegan alternatives to things like milk, cheese, cream and eggs. Most of these have been mentioned in this story!
■ You don’t have to shop at an organics store or speciality deli to be vegan
■ Most affordable food ranges have vegan products now including Sanitarium, Pams, Bean Supreme and Vegie Delights
■ Don’t be afraid to ask what’s vegan or if an item can be veganised on a menu when eating out
■ Don’t put pressure on yourself. Transitioning to a plant-based diet is a journey and it’s OK to make slow steps, just as much as it’s OK to make radical changes
■ Meat-free Mondays are a great stepping stone. Do something that feels sustainable to you
■ Experiment with recipes and don’t beat yourself up if something doesn’t go to plan
What’s on the menu?
It’s André here again. My non-vegan immediate family were kind enough to agree to a mostly vegan Christmas for the second time. On the vegan menu for our dinner was ...
■ Roasted potatoes, pumpkin and asparagus
■ Classic garden salad with iceberg lettuce, avocados, cherry tomatoes, croutons and simple oil vinaigrette
■ Baked festive stuffing with rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, herbs and spices
■ Cannelloni stuffed with spinach, vegan ricotta made from tofu, topped with tomato marinara, basil, vegan cheese
■ Sticky date pudding with tahini caramel sauce and coconut yoghurt
■ Aperol spritz punch