Planning A Plant-Based Diet: A Beginner's Guide

A plant-based diet is a great way to improve your health and help the environment. Whether you're going vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian, there are some simple steps you can take to make the transition easier. It's important to make sure you're getting the right nutrients, so stock up on vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts and seeds. You can also try going meatless one day a week, or swapping out meat for plant-based options like tofu or black beans.

Eat more vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds

Eating more vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds is a great way to start a plant-based diet. Vegetables should be the foundation of your diet, so stock up on high-fibre and high-nutrient options like spinach, kale, and other greens. Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner.

Beans are another important part of a plant-based diet. They are filling and a good source of protein. If you choose canned beans, look for no-, low-, or reduced-sodium options.

Nuts and seeds are small but packed with healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Include a variety of nuts and seeds in your diet to get the most nutritional benefit.

To make the transition to a plant-based diet easier, try going meatless one day a week and gradually increasing the number of plant-based meals you eat. You can also make breakfast more about whole grains, like whole-grain toast or oatmeal, and add greens or other vegetables to your daily meals.

It's important to ensure you're getting the right nutrients on a plant-based diet. Vegan and vegetarian diets can cut out natural sources of some essential vitamins and minerals, so you may need to include meals that cover your needs for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, iron, and zinc.

Cut down on animal products

If you want to cut down on animal products, it's a good idea to go meatless one day a week. You can also make breakfast more about whole grains, like whole-grain toast or oatmeal, than animal products, like eggs, milk and bacon. Try to eat plant-based until dinner, and add greens like spinach or kale to your daily meals. You can also swap out meat in a recipe for a plant-based option like black beans or tofu.

It's important to make sure you're still getting the right nutrients. Vegan and vegetarian diets can cut out natural sources of some essential vitamins and minerals, so you need to make sure you're including meals that cover your needs for calcium and vitamin D, vitamin B-12, iron and zinc.

You can stock up on vegetables, which are high in fibre and nutrients. Fruit is also important, and frozen fruit is a great option if you're worried about it spoiling. Beans can help you feel full, and if you choose canned beans, look for no-, low- and reduced-sodium options. Nuts and seeds are also packed with healthy fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Find plant-based alternatives to meat

If you're looking to plan a mostly plant-based diet, it's important to find plant-based alternatives to meat. This can be a gradual process, starting with going meatless one day a week and gradually increasing the number of plant-based meals you eat.

A good place to start is by swapping out meat in recipes for plant-based options like black beans or tofu. You can also make breakfast more about whole grains, like whole-grain toast or oatmeal, rather than animal products like eggs, milk, and bacon.

It's also important to ensure you're getting the right nutrients. Vegan and vegetarian diets can cut out natural sources of some essential vitamins and minerals, so it's important to include meals that cover your needs for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, iron, and zinc.

To help you stick with a plant-based diet, it can be helpful to find variety and inspiration in cookbooks. You can also stock up on high-fibre and high-nutrient vegetables, as well as fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds, which are packed with healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Ensure you're getting the right nutrients

Ensuring you're getting the right nutrients is an important part of planning a plant-based diet. While vegan and vegetarian diets can cut out natural sources of some essential vitamins and minerals, it's still possible to get everything you need from plant-based sources.

Firstly, it's important to include meals that cover your needs for calcium and vitamin D, vitamin B-12, and iron and zinc. You can get calcium from leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli, as well as from tofu and calcium-fortified plant-based milk. Vitamin D is also found in some plant-based milks, as well as in mushrooms exposed to UV light. Vitamin B-12 is found in nutritional yeast, as well as some breakfast cereals and plant-based milk. Iron can be found in beans, lentils, tofu, and spinach, while zinc is found in chickpeas, cashews, and oats.

It's also important to eat plenty of vegetables, as these are high in fibre and nutrients. Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner. Fruit is also important, and frozen fruit is a great option if you're concerned about fresh fruit spoiling. Beans are a good way to fill up, and if you choose canned beans, look for no-, low-, and reduced-sodium options. Finally, nuts and seeds are small but packed with healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Plan meals with friends and family

Planning meals with friends and family can be a great way to stick to a plant-based diet. It can be more fun to do it together, so consider encouraging the people in your life to join you. You could even invite others to eat plant-based with you.

When planning meals, it's important to ensure you are getting the right nutrients. Vegan and vegetarian diets can cut out natural sources of some essential vitamins and minerals, so you may need to include meals that cover your needs for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, iron and zinc.

To make planning easier, you could stock up on high-fibre and high-nutrient vegetables, as well as fruit, beans, nuts and seeds. If enjoying fruit before it spoils is a concern, frozen fruit is a great option. When choosing canned beans, look for no-, low- and reduced-sodium options.

You could also try going meatless one day a week, and gradually easing into a new pattern of eating.

Frequently asked questions