one: "Try plant-based" is REWE's current motto for January - why?
Anja Corvin: Because it's definitely worth giving it a try. It's also easier than you think. And anyone can try something plant-based. What some people might not realise is that there are many dishes that are already vegan anyway. Take roast potatoes, pasta with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fries, for example. We don't have to change anything in these dishes and are therefore automatically vegan.

one: Sometimes you hear people worry that you don't get enough important vitamins or minerals from a vegan diet. What about that?
Anja Corvin : From a nutritional point of view, this is generally not a problem. Provided you don't just leave out animal products. The important thing is to make sure that your vegan diet is as varied as possible. In addition to fruit and salad, this definitely includes pulses, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. These foods provide many important nutrients, vitamins and minerals. One exception is vitamin B12. As it is only found in animal foods, vegans should take it as a dietary supplement. In addition to vegetable oils, algae oils can also help to cover the requirement for omega-3 fatty acids. However, if you only want to try a vegan diet for a month, you don't necessarily need this supplement. Normally we have enough stores to cover this.

one: And what about sufficient protein?
Anja Corvin: When we think of protein, we often automatically think of meat or eggs. But there are many plant-based foods, some of which even have more protein than some animal products. These include pulses such as beans, lentils and peas. But also potatoes and cereals - i.e. bread, pasta or couscous. Our body cannot utilise vegetable protein as well as animal protein. However, this works better if we combine the plant protein sources with each other. For example, a dish made from pulses and cereals has a protein quality that is similar or even better than meat protein. Examples of such combinations are bread with hummus or pasta salad with peas.

one: Is a vegan diet generally more complex?
Anja Corvin: I wouldn't say complicated. It's true that you have to do a bit of research at the beginning to find hidden non-vegan products. Nowadays, however, people who follow a vegan diet don't have to do without almost anything. The market for purely plant-based substitute products is huge and constantly growing. It can also help to start by replacing just one animal product and then gradually introduce more and more plant-based alternatives: For example, many people start by replacing the milk in their coffee with an oat drink. That's a good way to start.

one: You often hear the prejudice that a vegan diet is more expensive than a conventional one. Is that true?
Anja Corvin: That doesn't necessarily have to be the case. Vegan food has now outgrown its niche. At REWE alone, for example, there are around 1,400 plant-based alternative products in addition to fruit and vegetables. According to the Albert Schweitzer Foundation, this makes us the most vegan-friendly supermarket in Germany in 2023.

We want to know what you think about Veganuary. Have you ever thought about going vegan in January? No matter what you've decided, we're interested in your opinion. Write an email to one@rewe-group.com and tell us about your experiences, send us pictures of your recipes and dishes or write in the comments. We look forward to hearing from you.