From simple salads to tricky tagines, there’s a veg-friendly recipe for every palate.

brooke-lark-jUPOXXRNdcA-unsplash Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or looking to reduce the amount of meat in your diet, there are thousands of delicious recipes out there. Literally – Carol Gelles wrote the book on it! Alternatively, the www is saturated with blogs and articles of recipes. Our advice is to focus in on reliable trustworthy sources for the best results – here are some of our favourite veggie and vegan recipes from across Canada. What’s your favourite plant-based meal? Tell us on social!

When thinking about what to eat, consider this – just because it’s veggie, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s healthy. Just like with any diet, it’s all about getting the right balance, so there are still things to consider when planning your next plant-based meal. Further to this, Canada recently released the 2019 Food Guide which highlights that vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and protein foods should be a regular part of a balanced lifestyle, and that more plant-based proteins should be included in both meat and meat-free diets.

As well as simple (delish) fruits and veggies, plant-based meat alternatives like Beyond burger, Yves veggie cuisine, Sunrise Tofu and Lightlife are also available. With so much choice in the grocery store, you can be left feeling a little confused. You’ll be happy to know that the Plant-Based Foods of Canada has launched and will be making sure that you have a good range quality meat alternatives to choose from, in line with contemporary diet trends.

So whether it’s a treat, date-night or afternoon snack – think ‘veggie’ next time you’re planning what to feed you and your family.

Join us at the parade

Jul 7th – full details here

Find this useful?

Curious about a veggie lifestyle, or already made the switch?

Get involved with the Toronto Veggie Parade by volunteering or sponsoring us.

How well informed are you about wellness?

photo-1484583066749-c2129489f52f Health and wellness is a topic that most of us think about daily. Should I exercise more? (For me – always, yes!) Am I eating well? (Mostly) Do I need to drink more water? (Yes – coffee does not count!)

There’s been much debate around the benefits of meat versus meatless diets, so we at the Toronto Veggie Parade wanted to pull together some resources on the latest insights to help you make sure you’re living a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Firstly, it’s not just about veggie versus meat – there are many different dietary formats that you can take, so that you and your family get the balanced nutrition you need.

Maybe you’re concerned about issues like heart disease and diabetes? Often plant-based diets often have lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fats, yet still provide the staple dietary building blocks you need.

If you’re one of those people who think that if there’s no meat, then it’s not a meal, then now is a great time to investigate plant-based alternatives. There are new brands of really good (we like them!) meat substitutes available for home cooking, as well as options in bars, restaurants and fast-food joints.

Gym Junkie? There are so many protein and sports powders on the market, it can be difficult to know what you should be using, for your body and activity type. Whey versus plant-based protein impact our bodies differently, so take a look and see what might work best for your workout.

Unfortunately, there is no single ‘best’ diet or fitness program for all, so take a look at the range of options out there, try a few, and see what works best for you and your family.

Join us at the parade

Jul 7th – full details here

Find this useful?

Curious about a veggie lifestyle, or already made the switch?

Get involved with the Toronto Veggie Parade by volunteering or sponsoring us.

Go green – eat more greens!

Did you know that what you eat can directly impact the environment?

photo-1547454876-9c75be28f80d That’s right, whether you’re carb-loading, gluten-free or piling-on protein, everything in your local store has some sort of effect on the environment. So, here’s a compilation of articles and resources to help you make the well-informed food decisions.

Packaging priorities

A significant amount of food is packaged in Styrofoam and plastics, some of which aren’t readily recyclable, and so end up in land-fil or, worse, in our lakes and oceans. Recent reports on how plastic drinking straws are hurting sea creatures have surged through the twitter-verse, driving many individuals, companies and even cities to put a ban on drinking straws – find out how your can help cut back on straw usage. And more change is on the way, with the Canada government announcing their plans to ban single-use plastics starting 2021. Until then, products that are packaged in paper, non-waxed carboard or paper, have more recycling options, or better still, you can opt for loose fruits and vegetables – they come in their own compostable packaging!

Crush your carbon footprint

The huge, global industry of beef farming consumes an incredible amount of energy and water, and also emits significant levels of gases that impact the greenhouse effect and climate change. The process of transporting produce from the source to your local grocery store drives up the amounts of shipping containers and vehicles on the road, leading many to prioritize eating locally produced goods. With the rise of plant-based alternatives on the market, there are new options for you and your family to try to help reduce your carbon footprint.

Fad foodies

Changing trends in fad diets are putting pressure on resources. Whether its high fat diets that promote Avocado, or high-protein grains like Quinoa, or the latest milk to hit the shelves, big changes in what people are consuming has an impact on the environment and local economy.

The trick is to understand how produce is farmed, how far it has to travel to get to you, how much packaging is used, before making the decision whether or not to purchase. It’s often about creating a balanced approach to your meal planning.

So next time you’re at the grocery store, consider what you’re putting in your basket, because with the right choices, you and your family could be making a great impact on the local, and global, environment.

Find this useful?

Curious about a veggie lifestyle, or already made the switch?

Get involved with the Toronto Veggie Parade by attending, volunteering or sponsoring us.

Living Cruelty-Free

Adopting a plant-based diet has a clear, positive impact on the lives of animals; but so do small changes to your habits as a consumer!

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Choosing to live a cruelty-free lifestyle is a lot simpler than you think, thanks to the advocacy of organizations like Cruelty Free International, who help to raise awareness around animal cruelty and offer resources for the conscientious consumer.

We’ve also compiled a series of guides to help you get started on a path to cruelty-free living.