Are you a meat eater looking to make some changes in your diet and the world around you? November is National Vegan Month and now could be the perfect time to switch up whats on your plate.

Veganism is generally described as a lifestyle that eliminates the use and consumption of animal products including dairy, eggs, honey, meat, leather and anything else that tests on animals.

The Vegan Society boasts several reasons to try going vegan to improve your personal health, help developing countries, cut down the amount of waste produced from meat-related products and everything in between.

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Here are 4 yummy snacks and meal ideas to make the transition to dairy- and meat-free a little easier:

1. HNINA chocolates are a wonderful treat for vegans (and everyone else, too) as they are 100 percent raw and dairy-free. These dark chocolate truffles are high in protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and nutrients. They are also kosher and GMO-, pesticide- and gluten-free. They come in several different flavors including Almonds+Hazelnuts, Macadamias+Pistachios and Walnuts+Cashews.

2. Nates Meatless Meatballs, a line of vegan and vegetarian meatballs, is perfect on top of spaghetti, in a sandwich or eaten alone. Made with protein-packed soy and in flavors like Classic, Savory Mushroom and Zesty Italian, these meatballs still have the texture and consistency of their meaty counterpart.

3. Fruigees is a certified organic fruit snack that is packed with healthy fruits and veggies. Fruigees is good for you: no GMOs, no added sugar, gluten-free, BPA-free and totally vegan! Flavors include Kalefornia Grape (apple juice, grape juice and kale juice), Nothing Beets Cherry (grape juice, beet juice, apple juice, cherry juice) and 24 Carrot Orange (grape juice, carrot juice, apple juice, orange juice).

4. Rhythm Superfoods Kale Chips are the evolution of the standard chip. Each 2-ounce bag of Kale Chips starts out as a whole bunch of garden fresh kale before it's mixed with hand-crafted dressings made from a perfect blend of fresh organic vegetables, seeds, juices, herbs and spices. Instead of baking or frying, Rhythm Superfoods Kale Chips are air crisped at a low temperature which maintains the raw living enzymes and maximizes nutritional potency. Gluten-free and USDA organic, these chips are available in delicious flavors including Zesty Nacho, Kool Ranch, Bombay Curry, Mango Habanero, Texas BBQ, Honey Mustard and Pineapple Coconut.

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4 yummy vegan foods found at the grocery store

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) A pair of siblings who began a vegan butcher shop at the Minneapolis Farmers Market is raising money to open their own kitchen.

Kale and Aubrey Walch, the Herbivorous Butchers, began selling vegan meats at the Minneapolis Farmers Market in June and sold out every week.

Our sign says meat-free meat, and a lot of people just see free meat,' Aubrey said.

Thats the biggest draw for us, Kale said.

While theyd love to make more, they literally cant because they dont have their own kitchen.

This is something thats been important to us all our lives, Kale said.

I mean, being able to do for a living, like he was saying, what youre passionate about and being able to help people and make a mild impact on the environment, it is really important to us, Aubrey said.

To help Kale and Aubrey build the first vegan butcher shop in the country, stop by Sisyphus Brewing near Loring Park from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

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Mpls. Siblings Raising Money To Open First Vegan Butcher Shop

What's the trick to cooking for people who love meat when you dont touch the stuff? Vinegar. Or nuts. Or a good charbroil. Vegan chef Chloe Coscarelli, the winner of Food Networks "Cupcake Wars," provided TODAY with some easy cooking substitutions and strategies that will have even the hungriest carnivore asking for seconds on that vegan dish. Try one of them out on World Vegan Day, November 1.

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Discover some secret ingredients:Vegan cooks are full of smart swaps, especially when it comes to baking. Coscarelli has a surprising trick for baking without butter or eggs: "One of my favorite secret ingredients is a little bit of vinegar. When you add some vinegar, it reacts with the baking soda and makes the cake really moist and fluffy. You dont need eggs and you cant taste the vinegar, I promise. Its delicious and no one will ever know."

Turn up the heat: When cooking vegetables like mushrooms (a great meat stand in), cook them until crisp and slightly charred. "You get that crispy texture and smoky flavor, and it doesnt really matter what the actual substance is," says Coscarelli.

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Hit the sauce: Once you've got a nice char on those veggies, hit them with some sauce creamy, spicy, garlicky... you make the call. "If you put a delicious sauce on it, no one will really know what the actual protein is," says Coscarelli.

Go nuts:Coscarelli loves to use nuts to add heft and richness to vegan dishes. For example, she says cashews blended with water are a "great substitute" for dairy in creamy dishes such as fettuccine Alfredo.

Take the moo out of your milk: In many recipes, almond, rice or soy milk can be used in place of cow's milk. "Another one of my favorite substitutions is coconut milk, especially when youre baking," says Coscarelli. "It's kind of like nature's substitute for heavy cream and you dont need dairy."

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Want to go vegan for a day? Try these 5 tips for dishes even an omnivore will love