Rabbit Food

So if you think vegans only eat rabbit food think again! These treats I picked up at the Vegan Abundance Festival were delicious and two of my favourite brands. Whole Earth is a great brand, I love their healthier versions of fizzy drinks. This elderflower drink is amazing and definitely my favourite in their range. They are made with sparkling water and natural flavourings and you can't beat the refreshing taste of elderflower. The chocolate 'Round Up' from Anandas is a vegan, gelatin free, version of a wagon wheel. The new flavours are mint and orange and there are always seasonal options to choose from. The chocolate on this biscuit is thick and crunchy with a deliciously sweet soft centre. This is an amazing product and I can't wait to try more flavours. 

Find them here: http://www.anandafoods.co.uk/store/c5/Round_Ups%21.html

Unexpected Vegan finds

The last place I thought I'd find vegan products was in TK Maxx. This store is known for its eclectic range of goods but it is mainly known as a clothing store so I was pleased to find some vegan options. They sell food and seasonings in the home wear range and snacks near the tills and I was pleased to see lots of choice. The coconut syrup and chilli sauce are both vegan and both brands I have never heard of so it is nice to discover new things, there are so many sauces available that there will probably be more vegan options, it is the kind of store where there may be different stock each week but it is worth looking to see what products they have available. They also sell crisps near the checkouts and these sweet potato chips were right up my street. I didn't go into the shop looking for food but in future it will be somewhere I look for new and exciting products. See if they have any vegan food in a store near you.   

Meat Free Mince

This meat free mince from Sainsburys is a great vegan option for adding to dishes such as curries. It can be found in the frozen food section and is good to have in the freezer for making family meals. It is tasty and a nice option considering brands like Quorn are yet to make a vegan mince option. It is so versatile as you can flavor it with different herbs and spices each time to create interesting meals.  

Gosh! Naturally Free-From Range

Gosh is a new range which I am loving. They make simple foods with natural ingredients. They are free from the top 14 allergens which include eggs, milk, gluten, soya, fish, nuts and celery. This is great for vegans but also for anyone with an allergy as it can be hard to find foods which are safe to eat when you have a food intolerance. 

I like this companies minimalist ethics and back to basics idea. I hate looking at ingredients in food products and seeing things I can't pronounce or things I don't recognise, there are too many chemicals in most processed food and who knows what these kinds of things do to your body. The good thing about the Gosh range is that you know what you are eating and it is like having a home cooked meal without the need to cook. 

I hope their range gets bigger as the two different types of burgers I have tried so far have been delicious. I had them while staying away from home but still felt like I was eating healthy, hearty food which I was! I simply ate them with a couscous and salad, it was a really quick meal to prepare and delicious. 

Check out the full range here: http://goshfreefrom.co.uk/about-us/ 

Vegan Vegetable Grills

Vegan frozen food can be hard to find so it is nice to see more options available and especially budget options which make being vegan easy for everyone regardless of your food budget. These vegetable grills from Tesco are great when on a self catering holiday or as a standby option to have at home for when you don't feel like cooking. 

I bought these grills when I was staying in Norfolk and found that they were a quick and easy way to have a filling meal. I ate them with a couscous salad and it was delicious. They are also nice to cook and eat cold when out walking or travelling and at one £1 for a box of six you can prepare really cheap but healthy meals. 

The Tesco vegan range is quite good and a great place to start shopping if you are new to veganism. Not everyone likes cooking so frozen options are a handy alternative. They also clearly label their products vegan making it easier to shop. Try this budget vegan meal idea which is a healthy option compared to most frozen food as it contains no preservatives, flavours or colours. 

Alpro Soya Chocolate

If you haven't tried this chocolate milk from Alpro yet give it a go. It is delicious and will remind you of being a kid enjoying a chocolate milkshake. It is available in supermarkets in packs of three and is perfect for adding to a lunch for work or a picnic, drink it chilled for the unbelievably chocolate taste. You'll appreciate it at work when you are fed up of pretending to be an adult and it's healthier than you think as it contains adding vitamins such as calcium and B12, it is also low in calories and a source of protein so there's no need to feel guilty about this treat. A word of warning though when my nephew drank this he was full of energy and didn't want to go to sleep, maybe keep this one for yourself, it's far too good to share! 

Accidentally Vegan- Hotel Chocolat Orange Tangs

Chocolate and Orange a match made in heaven. These Orange Tangs from Hotel Chocolat are accidentally vegan, meaning you can enjoy the lovely combination dairy free. Hotel Chocolat is a great place for gifts and they actually have a few vegan options meaning you can still enjoy luxurious chocolate. This is one to add to your shopping list. 

Special offer- Almond Milk

You can get two cartons of Almond milk in the bargain freezer store Heron foods (UK) two for £1. In supermarkets non dairy milks can be £1.40 each and sometimes more! So this is a real bargain and one way to make switching to non-dairy milks or trying a new product easier or cheaper. Look out for special offers like this to save you money and make being vegan easier than ever. And if anyone ever tells you it's too expensive to go vegan you can share this offer. That's one less excuse you can have for going vegan. 

Budget Buys

Just like most people these days I am on a budget and need to be careful with money. Sometimes vegan options can be expensive which can put people off buying them or trying them for the first time. 

However it is possible to find vegan options on a budget, these products are my bargain finds and may give you ideas of where to shop. Reviews on these products will be on the blog soon. Happy shopping. 

The following items were found at Heron Foods the budget freezer food store. 

This Almond Dream milk was only £0.69. This is half the price that supermarkets sell non dairy milk for. This is the place to stock up and try different non dairy milks for cheap. 

This Almond milk is a different brand from the same store, they seem to have different versions every week. This is great as it allows you to try different options. This milk was again £0.69 brilliant! 

This Rice Dream chocolate milk came in a pack of three for only £0.39, I had never tried this brand before, this is why budget shops are great you can try something new for a bargain price. 

The next items are from Holland and Barrett, this is a great store to look in when they have a sale as they have a great selection of vegan treats. 

These Booja Booja chocolates are a luxury brand. They were half price at only £2.49. How could anyone resist. 

This mushroom pate was on offer for £0.99. This is something I hadn't tried before which is why I chose it. Sales are a great chance to try something new. 

The next products are supermarket finds, all supermarkets have offers and sales on different items each week so it is worth shopping around to see what's on offer and try new things when they are cheap as this can save you money. Don't stick to the same products as you miss out on bargains. 

These accidentally vegan bars were on offer in Tesco for £1. I have never eaten them before and saw them online. Products like this are worth trying when they are on offer. My review will be on the blog soon. 

This Vanilla Rice Milk by Rice Dream was £1 in Asda. It is something I hadn't tried before so I decided to give it a go.

These Pulsin bars were from Aldi, they stock different brands so it is worth looking out for new products to try. These were £2.49 for three bars. 

All these bargain finds are cheaper than the recommended retail prices. It is worth shopping around and looking in bargain stores for special offers. The cost of living goes up all the time and every little way of saving money is worth doing. Hopefully these tips will help- search out offers and shop around and save, save, save! 

Pure New Range

Pure are bringing out a range of dairy free meals that will be found in the chilled section. This is exciting as it can be hard to find vegan convenience food on the go. This is a nice change and hopefully a sign of how being vegan is getting easier by the day. These products would be good for a quick snack or lunch on the go. Look out for them in the chilled section. 

Eating Organic for Less

Aldi are continuing to provide more organic food, these banana's are the latest product I have discovered. This whole bunch of fairtrade and organic bananas were only £1.08. They are priced based on weight so all the bunches were different prices but they were all around this price. I think this is so reasonable as it is a similar price to buying non-organic bananas in other supermarkets. I really welcome the bargain stores like Aldi starting to stock organic food as it means living an organic lifestyle is becoming more doable on a budget. Taste wise these bananas are lovely, fresh and sweet tasting, I do think they taste better than the non organic version although this may be because I know they are healthier and better for me as well as better for the environment. I also like that they are fairtrade as I like supporting ethical products. With items like this in shops eating organic for less is easier than ever. 

Veg Out Jumbo Sos Roll

If you need a quick lunch on the go this is one of my favourite go to foods. It is a vegan sausage roll, filled with a soya based filling. It is really tasty and filling and nice cold. It is once of the rare vegan convenience foods as not many places cater for vegans. It is not something I would eat all the time as I prefer whole foods and home made options but sometimes you need something quick and tasty, perhaps when you are out shopping or forget your lunch at work. This is available at Holland and Barrett which is great as they have stores on most UK high streets. Grab a quick vegan snack to go and if you try it let me know what you think in the comments. 

Cheap Fruit in the Frozen isle

A top tip for getting more fruit in your diet for cheap is to buy it frozen. Mixed bags, frozen berries or different fruits are often cheaper to buy frozen. They are great for adding to smoothies or defrosting and adding to fruit salads. 

Eating healthy can be expensive so finding cheaper ways to eat well for less are essential. Next time you are stocking up on fruit head to the frozen section and see if you can save money. 

How to eat healthy for less

A lot of people say healthy food is too expensive or being vegan is hard because the food is dear. I disagree that a vegan lifestyle is too expensive but some foods are probably dearer than fast food. Fast foods can be cheap but this is because they are mass produced and not nutritious. 

If you want to add more healthy foods into your diet it is possible to do it cheaply. As I am eating more raw foods this month I have been searching for good deals on fruit and vegetables.

One way of eating well for less is to simply shop around, don't buy all your food in one shop but look at what offers are on in different places. All supermarkets and stores will have some foods that are marked down in price, only get items that are on special offer or on sale as you will get more for your money. 

Also don't plan your meals then shop but make something out of the food which is on offer that day or week, this means you will need to be more creative but you will save money and maybe find new foods which you love. 

Shopping more often is another way to save, fruit and vegetables are perishable and if they need to be used on the same day or the following day supermarkets will sell them off, often at rock bottom prices. If you are able to shop late in the day you can find amazing deals. Buying food more frequently will also mean you don't have waste, if you do a big weekly shop you can often forget what you have in the fridge, food can go off before you've had a chance to use it and you end up losing money. Buying the right amount is more cost effective. 

You could also join a group that can tell you the deals. There are many vegan groups on facebook where people spot special offers in different places, it takes the hard work out of finding cheap food. 

These are just some ways to eat healthy for less, it's also good to remember that you can't put a price on your health and it is worth spending a little extra or finding ways to get bargain prices on good food. Also think about why junk food is so cheap- maybe because you get what you pay for? 

Vegan Finds- Chick pea dhal

Found at Sainsburys, this vegan chickpea dhal is perfect for a quick curry night. Simply heat and eat with brown rice. Being vegan is becoming so easy with more convenient foods to have in your cupboards. I love cooking but sometimes a simple, fast meal is helpful on busy days. Why not stock up for rainy days and you can always copy the ingredients when you want to make your own home-made version. 

Unboxing a parcel from V Essentials

I am on a Facebook page giving vegan offers. Here I found out V Essentials were having an offer of free delivery in February. I decided to use this offer and see what the company was like. 

They had a good selection of vegan products from brands such as booja booja, Moo free, Biona, and ten acre. 

I ordered some items and the parcel arrived three days after I placed the order. There was also the option to pay via paypal which was a nice option as I feel safer using Paypal on-line. 

I was impressed with the speedy delivery, the box was delivered by a courier. The convenience of online shopping is great and having a website that caters just for vegans is ideal. 

I clearly stocked up on vegan snacks. They weren't all for me though promise! I put in a few orders for my family. This is a good idea if you want to save postage costs when you can't get free delivery, order items for several people family and friends and share the postage price. 

Of course vegan chocolate was ordered! And these organic Leek and Potato soups are perfect for bringing to work. I replaced my Orgran Egg replacer as I love to bake and this is one of the best egg replacers I have tried so far it is convenient to have in for making those delicious vegan cakes. 

There was one problem with my order, I ordered two Hummus chips and only received one. Having contacted the company I received an email back instantly and a refund for the missing item was done in minutes. This was seriously impressive. Mistakes happen so this wasn't a problem but how a company deals with a problem is key. Customers are won or lost through the customer service. I was happy with the response I received so I will definitely use this company again as it's handy for stocking up on treats. 

The store also sells toiletries and essentials like pasta. Overall I am very pleased with the company, I am glad I tried it as it is somewhere I will use again. 

Check it out at https://vessentials.co.uk/ and if you do use the site let me know what you think. 

Vegan finds at the Co operative

The co operative Food shops are great places to find vegan products. They have many vegan options and label their own products vegan clearly. This is perfect when you need some quick, convenient vegan food. Co-op stores are local in many areas so hopefully you will have one near you.  

This pasta sauce was a great buy. It is vegan and delicious! I used it to make a quick pasta bolognese. If you don't feel like cooking you could simply heat this sauce and add it to cooked pasta. If you feel like making the meal more interesting you can add soya mince, onion and mushrooms. 

There is also a great selection of vegan alcohol, it is clearly labelled so no need to waste time looking it up. This Cava was delicious and the best part is it's vegan! 

There is a nice selection of vegan products at the co-operative food. The trend of supermarkets labelling more products vegan is continuing which is great to see and makes shopping as a vegan easier all the time.  

M&S Tomato and Basil Soup

Good news M&S have a vegan tomato and basil soup. This is perfect to have in the cupboard for a quick lunch option. 

The soup is delicious, it tastes really natural and is full of flavour. The basil is a nice touch as most tomato soups can be plain, the added herbs makes it taste authentic and gives it a natural Italian taste. 

This is a perfect option for when you don't feel like making a big meal or need something to eat quickly. I had this for lunch after a 5 mile walk- it cooks quickly, tastes amazing and fills you up, eat it with bread or crackers for an easy lunch. And keep a can in your cupboards for those days when you don't want to cook. 

Vegan Valentines

Make your valentines day gift vegan this year with these cruelty free gifts. 

Etsy is a great place for vegan gifts, you can find something individual, unique and handmade and support and independent seller. This is a great place to grab a card that isn't bright red with hearts. Avoid the cliche this year with a vegan style card. 

Lush is always a hassle free option for vegan gifts. Get an already wrapped gift set that anyone will love. Who says shopping is hard. 

Booja booja chocolates are the perfect indulgent treat- do you love anyone enough to give them away?

Want something other than chocolates and flowers this year? Want to impress with your originality? How about a pair of shoes. Wills London has high quality vegan footwear. Cruelty free, well made and an original ideas you'll get great brownie points for this gift. Perfect for anyone who loves long walks on the beach but wants to do it in style.

These are just some ideas for hassel free, vegan gifts that anyone will love. 

Vegetarian Choice Products at Holland and Barrett

I found these in Holland and Barrett- they are called Vegetarians Choice but are actually certified Vegan. 

They are only 99p per box and are a quick and simple meal to have in the freezer for days when you don't feel like cooking from scratch. The main ingredient is soya and they are easily cooked on the grill. 

Holland and Barrett are getting to be a very convenient choice for vegans. Their freezer section are filled with vegan options at reasonable prices. This is definitely a store for Vegans to try as you can find different products not available elsewhere.