Each January, most of us are full of resolve to make this year the one in which we seek to improve an area of our life, or simply try something new. And for a lot of us, one of our top resolutions is to eat healthier.
In the spirit of improving your diet, exploring the benefits of veganism, or challenging yourself at the start of the year, I’d like to invite you to join the Bull City Mayor’s Veganuary Challenge! Camaraderie and accountability by your neighbors and fellow Durham residents will assist you in sticking to this new year’s resolution as the weather warms up and the resolve is harder to come by. Durham, let’s invest in sustaining our health, our planet, and exploring new things by taking the Bull City Mayor’s Veganuary Challenge and making the pledge to explore plant-based diets throughout the month. Although many of you may not stay plant-based after January (or maybe you will!), the Challenge is an opportunity for community members to pick up some healthy habits and simply try something new.
I’m bringing together the entire Durham community on this one, from our youngest elementary school students to those of us “foodies” who love Durham for the diverse flavors it has to offer. This initiative is multi-faceted, bringing together local artists, chefs, business owners, schools, and community organizations to explore plant-based diets as a community.
Durham Public School (DPS) has led the way by launching competitions for students focused on visual and culinary arts. DPS art students have created pieces for a competition themed around the benefits of plant-based diets, and Downtown Durham, Inc. is working with local businesses to display visual art so that it can be enjoyed by the community. At Northern High School (NHS), young chefs in the Culinary Arts Program competed to create the most delicious vegan dish that meet the standards of the school lunch program, cooking up mouthwatering plant-based versions of Korean barbecue, butternut squash curry, and sweet potato muffins. The winners of this NHS Junior Vegan Chef competition may see their dishes on the DPS cafeteria lines in 2025! During the first City Council Meeting of the year, I will be honoring the winners and other participants of the Junior Chef and Vegan Art Challenges.
Even our youngest community members will have the opportunity to explore new flavors and textures in January: The Durham Public Health Department’s innovative DINE nutrition and wellness program will feature education on healthy plant-based recipes in select DPS elementary schools throughout the month. Finally, Durham foodies will find some brand-new vegan options on menus throughout the Bull City in January, as local chefs compete for votes on their new vegan menu options as part of the Triangle Vegan Chef Challenge.
In Durham, we are all part of a unique, creative, and forward-thinking community with a rich history of leading the country in change. We have a lot of challenges ahead of us in 2025. In January, I’m inviting you all to be part of the next chapter of our collective history as we take on, together, these challenges, one bite at a time.
Comment on this story at [email protected].