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How to Go (and Stay) Vegan
The expert guide to veganism from leading vegan content creator, activist and bestselling author Ed Winters (@earthlinged)
'The perfect companion for sustainable vegan living' VEGANUARY
So, you want to go vegan. The big question is how?
Deciding to become vegan can feel daunting, but with the right support, it doesn’t have to be. Drawing on years of experience, vegan advocate and educator Ed Winters is here to guide, inform and empower you on your journey.
From explaining the ethical and environmental benefits of a vegan lifestyle to showing you how to eat a nutritionally balanced diet and what to do if you experience setbacks, this book is your non-judgemental companion to thriving as a vegan – for life.
'The perfect companion for sustainable vegan living' VEGANUARY
So, you want to go vegan. The big question is how?
Deciding to become vegan can feel daunting, but with the right support, it doesn’t have to be. Drawing on years of experience, vegan advocate and educator Ed Winters is here to guide, inform and empower you on your journey.
From explaining the ethical and environmental benefits of a vegan lifestyle to showing you how to eat a nutritionally balanced diet and what to do if you experience setbacks, this book is your non-judgemental companion to thriving as a vegan – for life.
- GenresVeganNonfictionHealth
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2025
20 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Ed Winters
8 books470 followersEd Winters, "Earthling Ed", is a vegan educator, public speaker and content creator based in London, England. Winters is the co-founder and co-director of Surge, an animal rights organisation determined to create a world where compassion towards all non-human animals is the norm.
In 2016 Surge founded The Official Animal Rights March which succeeded in a growth from 2,500 participants in London in 2016 to 28,000 participants across the world in 2018. In 2017 Winters produced the documentary Land of Hope and Glory and launched the on-going moving activism project The Big Vegan Activism Van. He has spoken at over 1/3 of UK universities and at 6 Ivy league colleges, including as a guest lecturer at Harvard University. He has given speeches across the world, including two TEDx talks in early 2019.
In October 2018 Winters opened Unity Diner, a non-profit vegan diner in London where all of the profits go directly back into helping animals. He launched The Disclosure Podcast in 2019.
In 2016 Surge founded The Official Animal Rights March which succeeded in a growth from 2,500 participants in London in 2016 to 28,000 participants across the world in 2018. In 2017 Winters produced the documentary Land of Hope and Glory and launched the on-going moving activism project The Big Vegan Activism Van. He has spoken at over 1/3 of UK universities and at 6 Ivy league colleges, including as a guest lecturer at Harvard University. He has given speeches across the world, including two TEDx talks in early 2019.
In October 2018 Winters opened Unity Diner, a non-profit vegan diner in London where all of the profits go directly back into helping animals. He launched The Disclosure Podcast in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 13, 2025
This is the book I wish I had had when I was starting out on my vegan journey!
Everything you need to know is in this book, from what's going on in the meat and dairy industry to how to read food labels, get enough protein and eat out with friends without being the "difficult vegan".
I've been vegan a few years now and there was a lot in here that I had discovered on my way, but having a book like this with everything all in one place would be an amazing guide for those just starting to think about going veggie or vegan, or vegans who are finding it a bit tough and lonely out there.
Highly recommend this for anyone who is thinking about going vegan, trying to stay vegan, but also for people who have vegan loved ones who may want to understand the people close to you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ed Winters and Penguin for the ARC copy.
Everything you need to know is in this book, from what's going on in the meat and dairy industry to how to read food labels, get enough protein and eat out with friends without being the "difficult vegan".
I've been vegan a few years now and there was a lot in here that I had discovered on my way, but having a book like this with everything all in one place would be an amazing guide for those just starting to think about going veggie or vegan, or vegans who are finding it a bit tough and lonely out there.
Highly recommend this for anyone who is thinking about going vegan, trying to stay vegan, but also for people who have vegan loved ones who may want to understand the people close to you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ed Winters and Penguin for the ARC copy.
January 15, 2026
Demolished this in a couple of sittings. It gives a really informative account of 'veganism 101'. In just under 300 pages Ed covers a wide variety of topics about what veganism means, it's impact and how to (per the title) go vegan. it's impressive how much ground Ed covers in this book but each section is incredibly detailed, educational, and very engaging. Even after 5 years vegan, I learnt new things from this book and I'll definitely be reccomending this book to anyone who is interested in living vegan. I also like how Ed refers to so many academic and scientific papers which are all referenced and included.
Got hold of a signed copy at Ed's book/lecture tour.
Got hold of a signed copy at Ed's book/lecture tour.
Review of advance copy
Always happy to read a book by Ed.
I went vegan around 5 years ago, but I still found the book quite an useful resource. It would have definitely helped my former self, and it'll surely continue to help me in the present.
Easy recommendation.
I went vegan around 5 years ago, but I still found the book quite an useful resource. It would have definitely helped my former self, and it'll surely continue to help me in the present.
Easy recommendation.
January 22, 2026
Ed Winters aka Earthling Ed's voice is just so soothing and this new audiobook is no exception.
While far from exhaustive he does a lot of heavy lifting in just 6.5 hours (or 254 pages) summarizing how animal exploitation has become normal in our societies, why that is, what's wrong with it, and how to move away from it as an individual, without distracting the reader with all those yummy recipes as some other books do!
Shortly put he goes over the Why first, and then the How, addressing all areas of veganism, including raising children.
After replacing meat for plant-forward meals for a long time and relatively recently gone vegan once admitting I was lying to myself and in fact realizing just how inhumane the egg and —especially— the dairy industries are, as well as learning of the unhealthfulness of these animal products despite the propaganda we've all heard from that industry such as "drinking milk will make you tall and you need it for strong bones".
One thing that was new to me is how sheep are selectively bred and exploited for their wool, at the expense of their health and well-being (i.e. pain and suffering) for example by creating breeds with folds which host pests and get cut through, one of those breeds yield "merino wool", marketed as a fibre for sporty/outdoorsy people, a marketing that I fell victim to, ignoring the welfare issues associated with mulesing (i.e. strips of skin being cut from the live animal, not even with pain relief), flystrike, how wool is definitely not "just a haircut".
Another is how leather is not a byproduct, but a key driver in the profitability of slaughterhouses and how its ecological impact (land use, deforestation, waste, human rights abuses) is far worse compared to petroleum-based fabrics. In any case there is nothing natural about leather nor fur, which as I've also now learned is found in cheap products and often not clearly labelled (you would assume it is "fake fur" because it's cheap or not labelled, but it often is the real thing).
When you transition, what to do with animal-based food isn't too hard (my advice: don't treat your body as a trash can, the harm is already done, forcing yourself to eat/use animal products will not make you feel better), but he addresses the opinions on clothes, thrifting, etc. For example, what are the consequences of buying fur/leather/wool at a thrift shop and then wearing it, for yourself, for the animals, and what effect this can have on non-vegans.
Finally one section that was quite relevant to me was about raising children and dating (or living with other people in general such as roommates, or your parents at home), subjects that are quite a bit down the list of topics addressed by the vegan community in general.
It's an easy recommendation if you are interested in the subject, wherever you are in your journey.
While far from exhaustive he does a lot of heavy lifting in just 6.5 hours (or 254 pages) summarizing how animal exploitation has become normal in our societies, why that is, what's wrong with it, and how to move away from it as an individual, without distracting the reader with all those yummy recipes as some other books do!
Shortly put he goes over the Why first, and then the How, addressing all areas of veganism, including raising children.
After replacing meat for plant-forward meals for a long time and relatively recently gone vegan once admitting I was lying to myself and in fact realizing just how inhumane the egg and —especially— the dairy industries are, as well as learning of the unhealthfulness of these animal products despite the propaganda we've all heard from that industry such as "drinking milk will make you tall and you need it for strong bones".
One thing that was new to me is how sheep are selectively bred and exploited for their wool, at the expense of their health and well-being (i.e. pain and suffering) for example by creating breeds with folds which host pests and get cut through, one of those breeds yield "merino wool", marketed as a fibre for sporty/outdoorsy people, a marketing that I fell victim to, ignoring the welfare issues associated with mulesing (i.e. strips of skin being cut from the live animal, not even with pain relief), flystrike, how wool is definitely not "just a haircut".
Another is how leather is not a byproduct, but a key driver in the profitability of slaughterhouses and how its ecological impact (land use, deforestation, waste, human rights abuses) is far worse compared to petroleum-based fabrics. In any case there is nothing natural about leather nor fur, which as I've also now learned is found in cheap products and often not clearly labelled (you would assume it is "fake fur" because it's cheap or not labelled, but it often is the real thing).
When you transition, what to do with animal-based food isn't too hard (my advice: don't treat your body as a trash can, the harm is already done, forcing yourself to eat/use animal products will not make you feel better), but he addresses the opinions on clothes, thrifting, etc. For example, what are the consequences of buying fur/leather/wool at a thrift shop and then wearing it, for yourself, for the animals, and what effect this can have on non-vegans.
Finally one section that was quite relevant to me was about raising children and dating (or living with other people in general such as roommates, or your parents at home), subjects that are quite a bit down the list of topics addressed by the vegan community in general.
It's an easy recommendation if you are interested in the subject, wherever you are in your journey.
December 30, 2025
Even though I’ve been vegan for almost a decade, this book was truly refreshing to read.
Especially the chapter on living in a non-vegan world really resonated with me—it felt like someone finally put into words the challenges I sometimes face, and gave advice that is realistic and compassionate. Overall, this book reminded me why I chose this lifestyle in the first place.
Highly recommend for anyone—vegan or not yet vegan.
Especially the chapter on living in a non-vegan world really resonated with me—it felt like someone finally put into words the challenges I sometimes face, and gave advice that is realistic and compassionate. Overall, this book reminded me why I chose this lifestyle in the first place.
Highly recommend for anyone—vegan or not yet vegan.
January 23, 2026
been vegan for 6 years but I have been curious about some of the non-food vegan ideals. This book answered every question I had. It was well written and easy to digest. I'll definitely keep it for reference if/when I ever struggle.
the book was written in a way that took out any judgment and was really encouraging and relatable. this would definitely have helped me at the start of my vegan journey.
the book was written in a way that took out any judgment and was really encouraging and relatable. this would definitely have helped me at the start of my vegan journey.
Review of advance copy
I'm in the UK so this book was published on the 18th December 2025.
Whether you are thinking of going vegan, in the early stages of it or been vegan for some time this book gets so much supportive advice. It is non-judgemental and covers so many aspects of life. The research is phenomenal and all the sources are listed at the end. It brings calmness to a tortured world.
Whether you are thinking of going vegan, in the early stages of it or been vegan for some time this book gets so much supportive advice. It is non-judgemental and covers so many aspects of life. The research is phenomenal and all the sources are listed at the end. It brings calmness to a tortured world.
December 21, 2025
My favorite Ed Winters book yet! Both informative and incredibly empathetic. Highly recommend!
January 23, 2026
Libro bellissimo, mi ha aiutato tanto nel mio percorso da neo-vegana. Grazie Ed ❤️
January 26, 2026
A good addition to Ed's other books, even if you are already Vegan.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews