No Vegan Labels

After a rather annoying visit to Asda, where yet again I was charged for items which were 'on offer' and had to queue up at customer service like an extra from Oliver Twist begging for my money back in order to save a few pennies (every little helps right?) I'm wondering why I shop here at all? 

It's not my regular supermarket as I mainly shop at Aldi but for some branded products I occasionally shop in different supermarkets depending on where I am closest to that day. I don't mind the store and there are some things which are cheaper, the Asda brown pasta is very reasonably priced and they do stock some vegan options, however their own brand food is not vegan friendly. 

None of the Asda's own brand products are labelled vegan, even though some of them obviously are. They label things vegetarian and it is then a case of reading ingredients and checking for dairy or egg products. This would be far too time consming if this was my weekly shopping haunt and it's wasting valuable minutes of my life I could be spending writing my blog or relaxing on the sofa! Some of the products are fine and are actually vegan friendly so why don't they label them vegan like other supermarkets such as Sainsburys and Tesco have been doing for a while? 

It seems a little lazy, if you can have a vegetarian label on food why not a vegan one? Even things like rice cakes only have vegetarian labels on them, it's not a major issue but if other supermarkets are capable of vegan labelling it's strange that this major chain don't want to do the same and appeal to the growing number of vegans in this country. 

I think from now on I am going to be supporting the vegan label more often as I feel it is the only way to show demand for vegan products, so if Asda can't be bothered to label something vegan I won't bother to buy it. 

Budget Vegan- How to save money when shopping

 Food is essential and it can also be expensive especially if you don't shop around. Most people stick to the same supermarkets, buy the same products and perhaps don't realise how much they could save. Another bad habit people have is doing a big weekly shop, buying lots of ingredients with the good intention of using it only for it to go off and get thrown away. If this is something you do you are literally throwing money away. Nowadays most people do not have a lot of money to spend, I am on a budget myself but determined to find ways to be healthy. To do this you need to shop smart and find bargains. 

One tip for saving money is to only buy the ingredients you need. If you are making a meal for one or two people you will obviously need less ingredients so why buy family sized products? Also if you only want to use one ingredient in one meal there is no point buying in bulk. Buying loose vegetables allows you to only buy what you need, loose fruit and veg is also often cheaper than the ones in fancy packaging that you only throw away anyway and the bonus is it is better for the environment. There is far too much plastic on food that doesn't need it these days which only ends up in the land fill so save your money and save the environment by buying loose vegetables and smaller amounts. You'll be amazed by how much you save and how little you need to throw away. 

Why I am slowly changing to an organic lifestlye

Every time I shop I'm looking for organic options and if I can afford them I buy them. I would love everything I buy to be organic but at the moment it is a slow process. 

The main reason I want to go organic is for my health, in my opinion organic food is healthier and better for your body, how can it not be when it doesn't contain pesticides and is GMO free. Organic food is often fresher as well and the way it is farmed is better for the environment. 

One of the great things about organic food is that it is traceable to the farm where it was grown, you know exactly where your food has come from and what has gone into making it. The farming practises of organic food also follow legal rules meaning you can trust in the process. 

Organic food is also scientifically proven to be better for you. Organic crops contain 68% more antioxidants than non organic and organic fruit and vegetables contain less pesticides and less toxic metals. 

To find out more about the benefits of organic food check out: https://www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/why-organic/

The problem with organic food is the cost, it is more expensive than none organic food. This is usually the case, when something is healthier it tends to be more expensive. However I believe that good food and your health is something worth investing in and hopefully an organic lifestyle will become cheaper as stores like Aldi are introducing more organic food into the stores. Having budget stores like this sell organic food at prices similar to standard fruit and vegetables at other shops finally means a fully organic lifestyle is manageable. 

I personally find that the organic food I have tried is tastier and fresher. It also feels good knowing that you are not filling your body with toxins. I am slowly learning where to buy organic products from and trying new foods all the time. It is also a good idea to look out for reduced organic food in supermarkets, because the products are more expensive they often don't get sold quickly so products nearing their sell buy date are frequently marked down. This is one way to shop organic on a budget and try these foods to see if you can taste the difference. 

To find out more about Aldi's organic products click here: https://corporate.aldi.co.uk/en/responsibility/resources-for-our-products/organic/

I will also be reviewing more organic food in the future so stay tuned and try organic! 

Shop in style

Shop in style and save the planet with this gorgeous, reusable and stylish bag from Unicorn Grocery in Manchester. 

I received a gift in this one, it was filled with lots of vegan products- best present ever! Get yourself one to look great whilst buying your vegan snacks. Ethical never looked so good! 

Ci Sono Vegan Leather Jackets

Ci Sono Vegan leather jackets have been spotted in TK Maxx!! This brand is so realistic you will think they are leather. Luckily for the handy label you can be sure they are not. 




It's great to see more vegan clothing on the high-street, with clear labels and prices that don't break the bank this is hopefully a sign of things to come. Grab one before they sell out! 

Ethical Fashion

A vegan lifestyle isn't just about the food you eat, the same ethics should be applied to all areas of life such as the clothes you choose to buy. Avoiding products which use animal skin and fur is one obvious way to do this. Another is to buy from ethical companies which aim to make sustainable clothing rather than the fast fashion of many high street brands. 

One company which is ethical, sustainable and vegan is Monkee Genes which make affordable jeans in a range of materials and are approved by Peta. 



This company started in 2006 and is a great choice for anyone wishing to buy Eco friendly clothing. They also raise awareness of the environmental and human cost to buying cheap fashion. Knowing where your clothes come from is as important as knowing where your food comes from. No animal should be killed for a meal just as no human should suffer terrible conditions making cheap throw away clothes. 

The charitable side of the company started in 2013 after the Rana Plaza disaster. It aims to educate people on the reality of how clothes are made and invest in communities. The idea is to show people the true cost of clothing in the hopes that more people will be willing to buy from a company which chooses not to put fashion before human life. 

Ethical clothing is not always the most fashionable but this is one brand which matches style with compassion. Here are some great choices from the website: 


Berry Organic Chinos £50 


Skinny jeans £35


Dusky Denim skinny jeans £34 


Men's skinny jeans £55

 Visit http://www.monkeegenes.com/ to see the great range.