London vegan news, reviews & events
Check out these fab new crunchy snacks I discovered in my local Co-operative supermarket.
They are not stunning, but they are cheap and cheerful. I didn’t stop eating once I tore the bag open, but I’m not sure that is a yardstick for quality.
You can also look out for the new lentil curls in the same range which will probably be sitting next to these on the shelf.
Have you tried these new snacks? What do you think?
I have been asked about this topic so many times over the past few years, I’ve actually got a pre-prepared response that I copy and paste.
What is the topic? Vegan Quorn products in the UK.
I’m going to have to change my usual response of ‘soon’ and ‘I don’t know’ because vegan Quorn products are about to crash land on the UK vegan landscape in a big way.
Check out the first two lines coming to a major UK supermarket next month.
Josh and I are currently traipsing around the southwest of England, enjoying the gorgeous views and eating whatever we can get our hands on.
Thanks to two wonderful vegan grocery stores, we have not gone without snacks for our vegan road trip.
Check them out.
When you visit Exeter, make time to visit Chris at Seasons. This grocery store used to be vegetarian but made the switch to 100% vegan just a few weeks ago. Get all your pantry items, pre-prepared sandwiches, chocolate bars, drinks and more.
It becomes an even more satisfying experience when you realise what a friendly person Chris is and how passionate he is about veganism.
You can visit Seasons online, like them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram. (You can also read this awesome guide to vegan Exeter)
Our road trip continued further south and west to the port city of Plymouth, home to one of the best-stocked vegan grocery stores in the UK. There isn’t a lot that Ethica doesn’t have.
All the vegan chocolate. Vegan ice cream. Frozen food. Pet food. Toiletries. Everything!
The shop is packed with everything from essential groceries to decadent treats and it is truly a must-visit for everyone living in or visiting the southwest.
Visit Ethica on Facebook and follow them on Instagram.
Support independent vegan business and shop!
Don’t blame me when you become hopelessly devoted to this product. I’m just the messenger.
Morrisons stock a chocolate hazelnut spread in a jar for just 80p. All of the ingredients are plant-based, however it does carry the ‘might contain traces’ warning with which we are all familiar.
Check it out.
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Ok. This might not be exactly earth-shattering news for anyone, but I was delighted to see Sacla have included the words ‘Suitable for Vegans’ on the new packaging of one of their products. Sacla are a household name in the UK and are the go-to people for decent, reasonably-priced pesto. Last year they launched dairy-free versions of their popular basil and tomato pesto jars, using tofu and cashew nuts to compliment the taste and add a cheesey element to the sauces. Regrettably they didn’t mention the word vegan on the jar, although a quick read of the ingredients list confirmed that the products were indeed free from all animal products. So I was pleased to pick up the new-design jar in Sainsbury’s today and see those magic words ‘Suitable for Vegans’ on the back of the jar. I wish more food manufacturers would follow suit!
Follow Sacla on Twitter here.
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I’m sure it’s not news that Berlin has two branches of the Veganz supermarket (by the way, does anyone get the pun in the name?), but for me perhaps an even greater sign of progress are the Veganz sections in one of Germany’s mainstream supermarkets, Kaiser’s (know as Tengelmann in Bavaria for some reason).
Highly visible vegan labelling in prominent locations in a major supermarket is a good sight to see. I feel it helps to normalise the word and concept. This in addition to other products proudly promoted as vegan, for instance in Kaisers’ own chilled sections.
It’s not just Kaiser’s either, other supermarkets are pushing vegan products as well. Veganz also has concessions in Metro and Globus supermarkets. It’s good to know if you desperately need to do some midnight vegan shopping from treats to staples, there’s somewhere to go. Seitan powder, dried soya chunks, vegan cream (pouring or whipped), energy bars, sweets and chocolate, kale chips, cooking spices, omelette mix… (p.s. If you’re wondering, the pun in Veganz is that ‘ganz’ is German for ‘everything’).
Reminder: Join Joe for Berlin Vegan Drinks this week and join the Facebook page for future updates.
Here is some excellent news.
Birmingham (in the UK, not Alabama USA) is about to get a brand new vegan retail outlet. This will be the second 100% vegan shop in the city. Geez, Birmingham. Don’t be so greedy!
Get a sneaky look inside the still-being-built shop below and read what the owner has to say about the new outlet which just happens to be named Vegan Store. Catchy, right?
I found a new food love today.
Sainsbury’s has launched a new range of tortilla chips and two of the flavours are marked as being vegan. You can see the two packs in the photo below.
I don’t know much about nutrition. I know why I’m fat, but that’s about it.
There are vegans who will tell you about food combining, daily intake requirements and even how many bananas to eat per day. I give you beer and fried things and expect you will look after the essential nutrients part yourself.
I’m breaking with this tradition to let you know that Sainsbury’s have started selling omega 3 tablets that are suitable for vegans. Hopefully somebody more in-the-know than I will jump into the comments to explain what benefits vegans can obtain from consuming these tablets containing linseed oil. I have a flimsy understanding that the essential fatty acid contained within the oil can help protect your heart and lower cholesterol levels.
The above statement is in no way based on scientific knowledge or understanding.
Readers take note: my socks were officially blown off by this purchase in the Earl’s Court Tesco last night.
Following the shock of being turned away from the Royal Albert Hall due to Mr Tony Bennett having taken ill, my band of Little Monsters went in search of sweet things to soften the disappointment.
These did not disappoint.