I’m allergic to kitchens.
Seriously though, I don’t like cooking, baking or preparing food. It’s just not my jam. I know others love spending time creating culinary delights for themselves or their friends and family, but I get exhausted just looking at the ingredients list on a recipe, never mind making it!
If you’re anything like me, you may be wondering if you can still be vegan. Well, as I head into my 22nd year of this wonderful lifestyle, I can safely tell you the answer is a big, fat YES!
Here’s how:
Stock up on ready meals
Remember those folks I mentioned above who love making elaborate, tasty meals? Well, some of them are kind enough to freeze them, package them and make them available for lazy vegans like us!
Whether it’s mac and cheese, shepherd’s pie, lasagne, curries, burritos, casseroles or pizzas, nowadays you can find vegan ready meal versions of your favourite dishes in your local supermarket.
And don’t worry: If you’re too lazy to even go to the supermarket, you can order these ready meals online and get them delivered. You have even more options from specialist online vegan stores.
Just pop the ready meal in the oven (or microwave if you must), set a timer on your phone and multi-task while you wait for the meal to heat up. Take it out, put it on the plate and eat. Simple!
Trade with your partner or roommate
If you share your home with another person who enjoys making food dishes, hand them a vegan cookbook and ask if there’s something you can do for them (that you don’t hate and that’s within your skillset) in exchange for them making you a slap-up meal.
I often get my wife Tracie to make me some mashed potato (because I’m far too lazy to peel, boil, add in plant-based milk and stir – and don’t get me started on the chore of washing up) and in return I’ll edit a couple of her blog posts or do something else on the computer for her.
Remember to shower the person with compliments about their skills and praise their culinary creations, because that way, you may even get a ‘free’ dinner down the track, without having to do anything for it. This is a lazy vegan’s idea of heaven!
Keep it simple
Have some basics always on hand – bread (for a quick hummus and tomato or cheese sandwich), pasta and rice and a jar/packet of sauce (put it on the boil and go multi-task), tins of wholesome plant-based soup (tip into a saucepan, heats in a couple of minutes), along with nuts, snack bars, cereal and plant-based milks.
Eat out
If your budget allows it, treat yourself to the occasional meal at a restaurant or café. Nowadays it’s so much easier to be vegan as most restaurants offer vegan options or have a separate vegan menu. If you have a vegan eatery nearby, even better – you can eat anything on the menu, which means you can go every day and enjoy something different.
Get it delivered
I know, sometimes it’s just too much effort to get dressed and go outside. But thanks to modern technology, you can have delicious meals delivered to your front door. In cities, most restaurants offer deliveries through services such as Uber Eats, Postmates and others. Pizza chains have finally added vegan options, complete with vegan cheese, which you can order in.
Another new development is plant-based meal delivery services. These are just the ticket for the lazy vegan who wants a variety of tasty, yet healthy, meals each day.
Companies such as allplants in the UK, Purple Carrot in the US, and Soulara in Australia are a lazy vegan’s best friend. They create a full range of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks and deliver them right to your door. Some deliver a whole week’s worth at a time while others deliver each day. If you’re not home, you can opt to have them leave the package (yes, you have to carry the box into your house or apartment, but hey, the rest is done for you!).
Start saving up for a robotic kitchen
This is the lazy vegan’s dream. Robotic arms make your food for you, in your own kitchen. This prototype by Moley has me squealing with joy!
It pretty much does everything done for you (hopefully the ordering of ingredients and washing up can be added too!). It’s the next best thing to a private chef – in fact, it’s even better because you don’t have to expend energy talking to another human in your home. This option is a way off yet, but it’s coming!
Ready to get started? Find out where to buy a heap of ready meals, eat out and get delicious plant-based food delivered to your door by getting your free Vegan Starter Kit here.
