Whether it’s artist and activist (and national treasure) Tame Iti talking about his veganism on Celebrity Treasure Island or Pamela Anderson delivering vegan lunches to an incarcerated Julian Assange,
it’s safe to say that plant-based eating has never had a higher profile.
In recent years, an increasing number of people have shifted towards a plant-based diet, which is usually defined as mostly eating foods made from whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that have undergone minimal processing. For many, plant based means vegan or vegetarian, but there are also a lot of us that favour plant based, but add a little animal protein in every so often when the mood hits.
Switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet can provide numerous health benefits due to the abundant natural nutrients in fruits and vegetables, with a 2023 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association saying that following a diet mainly of plant-based foods can lower the chances of many chronic diseases. If nothing else, you’ll feel lighter and have more energy, which is never a bad thing.
Going plant based is a great move for your health, but also the wellbeing of the planet, with the UN Sustainable Development Goals indicating that alternate proteins must be part of a societal healthy diet by 2030 if we are going to mitigate climate change risks. Animal agriculture requires large amounts of land and water resources to sustain livestock and grow feed crops, which leads to environmental strain. It also poses water risks that include flooding, drought and scarcity harmful to ecosystems, making plant-based eating a no-brainer if you care about preserving what we have for generations to come.
Megan May is the creator of Little Bird Organics and the woman behind the Little Bird Unbakery cafe in Ponsonby, and she has long had a passion to share with others just how delicious plant-based wholefoods can be and how easy it is to create meals from them. “I’ve followed a plant-based diet for around 15 years,” she says, “and beyond that I’ve generally always avoided factory farmed animal products like chicken, eggs, dairy products, pork, salmon and prawns. In some cases, it was for animal welfare, and when it comes to farmed seafood the environmental impact is a lot more than people realise. While I wasn’t always plant based, I always knew that what we eat has an impact beyond the plate that we should be aware of.”
She agrees that in 2023, it’s a lot easier for people to access great plant-based food than it was back when she first made the switch, “And there are so many more options now across all the different ways of eating. I love how many of our top restaurants have vegan menus and options available that are incredible.”
However, she cautions that we need to watch out for the amount of highly processed foods that have come into the plant-based space. “In one way it’s fantastic to have all these options, but it also means that it’s not always the healthy option anymore. People need to remember that eating a wholefoods plant-based diet is what will have the most positive impact on their health.”
For those of us curious about making the change, she says that it’s all about taking it slowly, and seeing what works best for you. “I love that more and more people are including plant-based meals into their weekly routine,” she says, “and it shouldn’t be an all or nothing thing unless that’s how you roll. More people eating more plant-based meals is what we strive to encourage at Little Bird Kitchen. Plant-based eating can be for everyone.”
She says to start slowly by adding in more plant-based meals, focusing mostly on plant-based wholefoods meals that will make you feel good. “And learn about the food industry and the processes used to produce the ingredients you’re eating. For me it was shifting to eating from a set of values that led to me eating more and more plant-based meals over time.” And she’s never looked back.
Some plant-based foodie destinations to try – and love:
Little Bird Kitchen
Cnr Summer Street and Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby
Everything at Little Bird Kitchen is plant based, from the flavour-packed dishes that come out of the kitchen, to the tasty raw slices in the cabinet. They also do a fabulous line in seasonal smoothies and juices, plus delicious kombuchas and more.
Maison des Lys Pâtisserie
567 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Maison des Lys is an authentic French bakery featuring delectable and honestly good, dairy-free and plant-based croissants, pastries and patisserie items. The perfect spot to pick up a decadent treat to get you through the afternoon, it’s a firm favourite with the Ponsonby News team.
Tart Bakery
555 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Also at Commercial Bay in the CBD, Tart Bakery has been a much-loved vegan hot spot since first opening its doors years ago on Karangahape Road. The team says they are passionate about “creating a world where people choose plant-based food instead of eating animals,” and their tasty fare keeps loyal customers coming back for more.
Wise Boys
604 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Wise Boys started in 2015 when two brothers quit their corporate careers and built a food truck. The boys now have a couple of permanent locations, including in the heart of Grey Lynn. They offer a fully plant-based menu of American-style burgers and sides, as well as epic shakes and Karma drinks. The burgers are so delicious because all their sauces and patties are crafted in-house. In fact, the sauces and patties have become so popular that they are now stocked in supermarkets across the country and have won numerous food awards!
Forest Restaurant
243 Dominion Road, Mount Eden
The very popular Forest is an always surprising and innovative vegetarian restaurant offering a menu which changes weekly, based on seasonality and what they have preserved. Open from Wednesday to Saturday, they also offer coffee and counter food from 7.30am-1.30pm and are most definitely worth a visit for dinner in the evenings – bookings essential.
Gorilla Kitchen
159 Symonds Street, Eden Terrace
Gorilla Kitchen mixes traditional techniques like fermentation and sprouting with new modern cooking techniques to create exciting and delicious dishes, and all of the food on offer is free from dairy, eggs, honey, animal products and unnecessary chemicals, as well as GMO-free.
East Restaurant
63-67 Nelson Street, Auckland CBD
Offering the city’s only vegan yum cha on Sundays, East prides itself on delivering delicious modern Asian flavours, and plant-focused dining. Their chefs take inspiration from the near and far East – from fresh holy basil found in Thai recipes, Sichuan peppers in China, to shiso leaf commonly found in east Asia kitchens – to present an innovative and flavourful vegetarian menu designed to share. In addition, the excellent drinks menu features organic and vegan friendly wines, bespoke cocktails and sustainable New Zealand craft beer.
Khu Khu Vegan Thai
177 Posnonby Road
Offering a 100% plant based menu, this small Thai vegan restaurants is extremely popular with all local vegans - it's intimate and they offer a very nice menu. You can take your meat eating friends and they probably won't notice. (HELENE RAVLICH)