Since we’ve had friends and family ask us how to get started with vegan eating or how to simply eat more vegan (yes, this is an option, you don’t have to go cold tofurkey), we decided to create this simple Beginners’ Guide to Vegan Eating to help you understand how we approach our plant-based journey.

The Basics

  • Explain it to me like I’m five – what’s vegan versus plant-based? – So, technically “vegan” is a lifestyle where no animal products are consumed or used. That’s why we use the phrase “vegan eating” or “plant-based.” Those two terms simply mean that the food you eat comes from plants. It might be more helpful to consider what’s not plant-based: milk, cheese, eggs, butter, meat, fish, seafood, gelatin, whey, and technically honey since it comes from bees, and bees are animals, too! For a more exhaustive list, click here. Someone who’s vegan, rather than plant-based, wouldn’t buy leather or wool either.
  • Easy protein substitutes – Meat substitutes like the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger are becoming commonplace, but plant-based chick’n and sausage, seitan, tofu, and beans are also great plant-based options. One simple approach to eating a more plant-based diet is to take a current favorite meal and swap the meat out for one of these replacements.
  • Substitutes to be careful about – Vegan eggs and vegan cheese are still not a great match in terms of taste (unless you’re willing to pay a lot–looking at you, Miyoko’s vegan cream cheese). We use Daiya and other cheese replacements at times, but usually only as a taco garnish or a small add-on.
  • Read labels – If it’s the first time you’re buying something, read the ingredients. 95% of the time you’ll clearly see something like “Contains: eggs” or “Contains: nuts” to alert folks with allergies, but also vegans as well. Just reading the labels can be an important and interesting experience that will show you both the many things that you maybe didn’t know were already vegan and the many other things that for some weird reason have milk or whey in them (ahem, looking at you, English muffins). 
  • May contain? – When reading food labels, you’ll often notice something like “may contain traces of milk” or “made in a facility that also produces milk.” Don’t worry — you’re still eating a plant-based food.
  • What kind of milk? – Oat milk is our favorite, but also the most expensive, so we usually use almond milk or soy milk. It’s all about personal preference, though, so take your pick! And if you like coffee, try an oat milk latte at least once in your life–yum!
  • International foods are easier – American food is sadly pretty meat-heavy, but Asian, Mediterranean, and Latin-American foods tend to have plenty of flavor without the meat. 
  • Eating at restaurants – We are lucky to live somewhere with a TON of plant-based options. When in doubt, we always ask the server — that act alone is a way to promote veganism, in that it shows restaurants that people want to avoid meat products. Travelling with limited options? Salad and french fries are go-tos. 
  • Vegan = healthy, right? – Not automatically. Yes, in general a plant-based diet is much healthier. For example, a plant based diet has zero cholesterol because cholesterol is only found in animal products. But going plant-based can also mean eating less healthy if you just eat french fries and Impossible burgers every day. Even vegans need to make sure they’re not eating out too much and that their plates have plenty of colorful foods. 
  • Going all the way? – Take a vitamin or two! We are not doctors, so we can’t give you medical advice, but we personally take B12 supplements (via a regular multivitamin, which contains 100% of your daily B12 needs) and Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (we use Zenwise brand). There are also B12-fortified foods, such as plant milks and nutritional yeast, that can help you reach your B12 needs without supplements.

Breakfasts

  • Loaded oatmeal – ½ cup of oatmeal and 1 cup of water microwaved for about a minute and 30 seconds and you have the fastest, most nutritious breakfast out there. Top with bananas, peanut butter, cinnamon, almond milk, and anything else you like to give it some oomph and flavor.
  • Cereal – Life, Fiber One, Kashi Go Spark, Cap’n Crunch, Raisin Bran, Rice Crispies, and many others have no dairy or honey and are therefore super easy options — just top with your favorite milk (almond, oat, soy, etc.). 
  • Easiest tofu scramble – Tofu scramble does not exactly like eggs, but it’s great if you want a savory, filling breakfast. Tofu is lower in cholesterol and fat and higher in protein than eggs, so your body will thank you! This easy tofu scramble recipe from Nora Cooks calls for “nutritional yeast,” which has a cheesy flavor and is available at my local grocery store in the health food aisle.
  • French toast casserole – This French toast casserole recipe is a crowd-pleaser and it’s still healthier than your standard french toast casserole that’s filled with eggs and butter.
  • French toast – This French toast recipe is an easy option when you’ve got a few more minutes to spare than a cereal or oatmeal kind of morning.
  • Pancakes – We love this recipe because it uses healthy whole wheat flour (but you can swap for all-purpose flour) and there’s NO egg replacer needed.

Lunch/Dinner

  • Burgers – Whether you like Impossible burgers or Beyond burgers or veggie burgers or black bean burgers, you’ve got plenty of store-bought options. Saute some veggies and bake a potato (vegan sour cream, salsa, or vegan butter make great toppings) and you’re all set. 
  • Chili – Basically, just take your favorite chili recipe and replace the meat with black beans and kidney beans. 
  • Bean tacos – The best part about tacos is all of the tasty accoutrements, like guacamole, salsa, lettuce, rice, and hot sauce — all vegan! So add some spices to the beans and voila.
  • Indian curry – This chana masala recipe is easy and delicious and the blogger who wrote it, Vegan Richa, has lots of other amazing vegan Indian and non-Indian recipes as well! When Vegan Richa has an unfamiliar ingredient (in the linked recipe it’s asafetida, which I’d never heard of), I either skip it or Google it if I’m in the mood to learn something new!
  • Thai curry – This Thai red curry from blogger Cookie+Kate is a go-to weeknight dinner for us. We usually add more salt and curry paste than she calls for and we use whatever vegetables we have on hand.
  • Cambodian curry – If you’re a more advanced cook who doesn’t mind blending up your own curry paste in a food processor and finding some fresh turmeric at your local Asian food store, this Cambodian (Khmer) curry is to die for. You can substitute lime zest if you can’t find kaffir leaves.
  • Korean BBQ seitan – This Korean BBQ sauce is sweet, spicy, savory, and DELICIOUS. You can eat it over anything–veggies, rice, noodles, tofu–but we recommend trying it with stir-fried seitan.
  • Gyros with tzatziki sauce and ful – Use a sausage replacement or sauteed mushrooms for the gyros. Tzatziki is a rich, delicious sauce made of plain yogurt, lemon, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper. Use a dairy-free yogurt (we like Silk). Ful makes for a great side that’s loaded with protein. Use butter beans and lots of garlic and lemon for an even richer flavor.
  • Grain bowls – The world is your oyster (mushroom) when it comes to grain bowls. Choose your grain (rice, quinoa, barley) and then add fresh and/or sauteed veggies, fry up a protein (tofu, seitan, veggie sausage), add some dressing and some crunch and you have a meal you can mix and match as much as you wish.

Snacks

  • Homemade “Clif” bars – Store-bought Clif bars are actually vegan too, but we make this copycat recipe from Brown-Eyed Baker because it’s way cheaper! I usually leave out the chocolate chips, but Trader Joe’s and Enjoy Life brand chips are both vegan.
  • Mixed nuts – Yes, the same thing you bring on long hikes for sustenance and strength can be a part of your regular snacking routine.  
  • Protein smoothie – Need a quick protein fix after a workout? Blend up almond milk, ice, bananas, peanut butter, cocoa powder, soy protein powder. 
  • Cauliflower buffalo wings – We love these wings, especially when hosting a group!
  • Chips and salsa – Great for parties and groups! Or Tuesday afternoon…
  • Candy – Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, and some dark chocolates are great options for keeping your sweet tooth plenty sweet.

Dessert/Baking

Eating a plant-based diet is healthier for you and your family, and for the planet. You’d expect cutting dairy, meat, and fish out of your repertoire would be limiting, but we’ve actually found that it’s helped us expand the variety of incredible foods we cook and consume. We hope this quick introduction makes it a little easier for you to eat more plants!

Just in case you’re wondering why there’s an egg in the Mediterranean ful recipe link or there’s honey in a brand of Kashi you grab from the store, a quick disclaimer that not all brands and linked recipes are 100% plant-based … but they can all be easily made to be plant-based. We recommend you always check ingredients and make vegan substitutions in non-vegan recipes.

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