VeganMoFo

One of the main aims of Vegan MoFo is to give you all the chance to expand your vegan network and discover new plant-based blogs and social media accounts.  This year we’re going to bring you a blog and social media account of the month to help you find some of the most active and inspiring vegan feeds out there.

We’re starting with Instagrammer Happy Little Lunch, who posts almost daily photos of the packed lunches she makes for her vegan kindergartener.  As soon as you see them you’ll wish that she were packing you off with your lunch as well!  We’ve seen themed lunchboxes for Halloween and Christmas, as well as some great tie-ins with the VeganMoFo prompts.

We chatted with Honora, the woman behind the account, to find out where she gets her inspiration and what the kindergarten crowd thinks of these little boxes of goodies!

How long have you been vegan?

Nine years.

What inspired you to get onto Instagram?

My older daughter was about to start kindergarten and I knew I’d be packing her lunch every day, which felt a little intimidating – I’d packed a lot of lunches in my day, but always for adults. A few days before school started, I decided on a whim to start this account to (a)keep myself accountable as far as the variety and quality of her food goes, and (b)not overwhelm my personal IG with food pics.

What’s the best feedback you’ve had on your packed lunches?

A couple of people have told me they look forward to packing lunches like mine for their future vegan kids – that makes me smile.  And in real life, my daughter has gotten a lot of positive comments about her lunches from the staff and students at school – I like that we’re representing veganism well and I love that she feels proud of her food.

Are there any other vegan social media accounts that you’re hooked on?

So many!  I really love @myzoetropeeats – Michelle’s photos are always so colourful and enticing and just make me happy.

I also love seeing what @jayastafacateringandevents creates.  I remember him posting years ago – I believe when he was still a teenager – on the old PPK forum about adding vegan items to the menu at his family’s restaurant on Long Island.  Seeing how far he’s come and his incredible creativity is really inspiring!

Where do you get your packed lunch inspiration from?

Mostly from what’s in the fridge!  But the PlanetBox lunchbox I use has actually been really helpful for planning purposes – thinking of the different compartments as main/veg/fruit/etc makes packing a balanced lunch less daunting.

Do you have any favourite cookbooks and cuisines?

Isa [Chandra Moskowitz] and Terry [Hope Romero] are my forever faves.  I also really like Chloe Coscarelli’s recipes and find them to be very kid-friendly.  And I feel like Dreena Burton is the queen of vegan recipes created with kids in mind.  As far as cuisines go, I’ll try anything!

What do you cook when you’re not making packed lunches?

Breakfast and dinner!  Our evenings are busy and I make a lot of bowl-type meals and stir fries that come together quickly.  I got an Instant Pot recently and have been having fun with that too.  I love to bake but don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so I really look forward to fundraisers and events that allow me to make desserts for other people.

Make sure you check out @happylittlelunch yourself – this is an Instagram account that will revolutionise your approach to lunch, whether you’re preparing for a child, loved one or just yourself.  You’re never too old for a rice and kidney bean panda, are you?!