After this article, I should probably get tested for radiation poisoning. I have spent days trolling the Internet to compile a list of what are, in my opinion, the best websites for vegan information. I have had fifteen tabs open on my Google Chrome browser at once. I have stared at the screen on which words are currently appearing for way too long. Finally, however, I have a nice little list of my top ten to show for it. Whether it’s recipes, shopping, pop culture, or just general information, these are my go-to websites that make living a plant-based lifestyle a little bit easier and a whole lot yummier.
- Pinterest- Okay, you caught me. One of my favorite websites is not officially a vegan website. However, if you “follow” the right people/companies/organizations, it can quickly become one. For example, Veg News and IeatGrass(dot)com are two follow worthy vegan pinners because they post numerous healthy and yummy vegan recipes daily. When first making a Pinterest, you are asked to evaluate your interests. If you put down food, Pinterest will also be sure to find you individuals who post vegan food as well. My Pinterest is literally flooded with new recipes to try every day. Not only that, but by browsing the “Everything” part of Pinterest, you can stumble upon some of the most delicious and healthy vegan recipes the Internet has to offer. It’s how I learned how to make healthy, vegan chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Pinterest is one of my favorite sites for vegan info because what you get out of Pinterest directly reflects what you put into it. (A final disclaimer: this site can become addicting. It’s the reason why this article is coming out now, instead of two weeks ago. Let’s just say…I spent a lot of “research” time on this site.)
- kblog.lunchboxbunch.com- This is a great site for vegan recipes. The founder, Kathy Patalasky, posts a new recipe, complete with mouth watering pictures, almost every day. Additionally, my review of her personal blog comes as a two for one sale as Kathy also created findingvegan.com, another amazing resource for vegan recipes. I don’t want to say too much about these two websites because the pictures, as well as the recipes that go with them, speak for themselves.
- Sustainabletable.org- This website is a great resource for information about living an ethically and locally grown lifestyle, the American food industry, and what you can do to create a harmony between the two. If you’re a young person, it’s a great resource to which you should refer your meat eating family in order to foster better understanding and acceptance of your lifestyle choice. All the articles are clearly researched and cited with footnotes, which enables the reader to search easily for further information. Although this site is not strictly vegan, it is environmentally and economically conscious. It espouses the benefits of buying locally, which is good for the economy and the environment. Their Eat Well Guide feature makes finding local CSAs, farmers markets, and Co-ops easier than ever. This site is a great tool for the environmentally conscious vegan who wants to take full advantage of what his community has to offer.
- ieatgrass.com- I like this website because it is not just a vegan website. Of course, there is a ton of great vegan information on it, but, unlike most websites/blogs it doesn’t just boil down the lifestyle of veganism to food and fitness. This website also integrates the topics of pop culture, shopping, and even sex into its vegan offerings. What is interesting about this website is that it discusses non-vegan topics from a vegan perspective, which I think is distinctly different from other vegan websites.
- Vegie Head- First of all, this website is beautiful. The pictures of the food alone make this site worth a mouse over. However, with each picture comes a delicious recipe, and there are enough on this website to keep you cooking for days. What this vegan website excels at is organization, serving as a one stop shop for an entire day of healthy, vegan eating. I love recipe websites (because I can’t afford real cookbooks and like watching TV illegally online while I cook), so you’ll have to excuse me for including two on my list.
- Alternative Outfitters- Most vegans are familiar with this online shopping site, so I’ll be brief. The clothes and accessories look good, are moderately priced, and you would never know they are vegan. Also, the selection goes on for days. This is coming from someone who has literally sat at her computer hours on end looking for the perfect vegan crossbody bag, so I know what I’m talking about when I say that their supply is almost inexhaustible. And besides everything else, their stuff is, pardon the phrase, really freaking cute. Some other great shopping websites that are either completely vegan or feature vegan products are: etsy.com, veganchic.com, susannichole.com, and crystalynkae.com, just to name a few.
- The Vegetarian Resource Group- This site is great for anyone who is just starting out with veganism, but it’s also a great tool for seasoned vegans who want to better understand and utilize their healthy lifestyle. It’s also a fantastic resource to educate non-vegans about the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. Their page “Veganism in a Nutshell” is a comprehensive guide to maximizing the nutritional value of your vegan diet. It’s also a great way to reassure the non-vegans in your life that you’re not voluntarily becoming anemic. (If my protein worrisome grandmother had better knowledge of the Internet and all its wonders, this would be one of the first sites I would direct her to.)
- The Year of the Vegan- This website is great for the frugal vegan gourmand. Carla Kelly reviews tons of vegan cookbooks, experimenting and evaluating numerous recipes to enable her readers to make informed consumer decisions. I would definitely suggest checking this website out if you’re thinking about making an investment in a vegan cookbook. You’ll have to do a lot of reading, but, by the end of it, you should have total confidence in the cookbook you choose.
- Fat Free Vegan Kitchen- So I’m posting three recipe blogs; sue me. If you’re a health freak battling ancient Jewish genetics like me, you will love this website. Obviously, most vegan recipes are healthy, or healthier than their omnivore alternatives at least, but what I love about this site is the easily accessible nutritional information. Whenever I make vegan food for my family, my dad’s first question is always about calorie content. Often, I don’t have an answer for him, and I just try to explain that it’s the type of calorie rather than the amount that matters. However, with the recipes on this website, I am able to satisfy his desire for short term weight loss and my desire for long term health.
- Veg News- And finally, we come to the big (vegan) cheese—Veg News. As the most prominent vegetarian/vegan magazine in the US, the online version is equally depended upon by vegans/vegetarians as a valuable resource. Personally, my favorite part of this website is the travel section because Veg News’ extensive network of writers has traveled to and reviewed pretty much every major city in the US. Before any trip, I suggest taking a glance at their numerous articles to get the low down on the best vegan restaurants in or near your travel destination. One of the biggest obstacles a vegan faces is keeping up this lifestyle while on the road, but Veg News’ many writers have paved the path and are just waiting for you to join them. Other reasons I love this site are the daily news articles, the environmentally conscious section, and, of course, more vegan recipes.
Obviously, these aren’t the only amazing vegan websites that our beloved Internet has to offer. This is just a short list of the ten that I have found most helpful in my life. There are also a ton of non-vegan websites that offer reliable vegan information and vegan cooking alternatives. Not only that, but there are also many personal blogs written by vegans that are just super interesting to read. This list is not the final judgment for vegan websites, but rather a jumping off point. Use these sites to find other vegan websites, and wherever your Internet journey takes you, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
