Designed with beginners in mind, this seven-day vegetarian meal plan is full of delectable plant-based foods. We aim to keep dinners basic and repeat a few breakfasts and lunches. The intention is to benefit from cooking more plant-based meals at home and experience the delight of doing so without feeling compelled to spend excessive amounts of time in the kitchen.
Depending on your needs, we have given changes to adjust the daily calorie count to 1,200 or 2,000 from the 1,500 that we established for this plan.
What Is a Plant-Based Diet?
Since there is no formal definition that has been agreed upon, the term “plant-based diet” is a little ambiguous. Since plant-based nutrition refers to vegetarianism for the purposes of this plan, dairy and eggs were included instead of meat.
For others, being plant-based could mean giving up meat entirely or just emphasizing plant-based proteins and attempting to eat them in moderation. Whatever that means to you, eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes is always a good idea because they are high in fiber, a nutrient that 95% of us don’t get enough of.
Plant-Based Diet Benefits
- More fiber: In addition to preventing sickness, fiber also helps to maintain the health of our digestive systems. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation emphasized the many health benefits of increasing fiber intake, which include maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
- Weight loss: Studies, such as the one published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN in 2021, indicate that plant-based diet adherents typically have lower body fat percentages and smaller waist circumferences. In addition, this high-fiber diet can help you feel content even while you lose weight.
- Quick-cooking and no-cook protein sources: There are several easy and healthful sources of protein that can be included in a plant-based diet. Legumes and beans, both canned and dried, are nutritious, shelf-stable protein sources. Furthermore, canned beans are easy to prepare—all you need to do is rinse and drain them. A good source of protein is edamame, a young soybean that can be purchased in the freezer area of most supermarkets. Whole grains like quinoa and brown rice, as well as nuts, seeds, and nut butters, are also simple and healthful options.
How to Shop for a Plant-Based Diet
You may have heard that the best way to avoid processed foods is to browse around the perimeter of the grocery store. Although produce, yogurt, and tofu are located on the outer aisles of the grocery store, the inner aisles also include a wealth of nutrient-dense goods. Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and oats are available there, along with canned and dry beans, frozen fruit and vegetables, and nuts and seeds. Canned and dried beans and lentils are a great pantry staple to have on hand because they keep well on shelves. So stock up on them.
Try to avoid highly processed vegetarian proteins like soy “hot dogs” or imitation meats and instead concentrate on minimally processed sources of protein such beans, lentils, nuts, and whole grains. Comparing them to their less processed plant-based counterparts, they lack the nutritional value and have a tendency to be extremely heavy in sodium.
Plant-Based Diet Foods List
- Legumes: Lentils and beans, whether canned or dried, are a great source of fiber and protein.
- Nuts and seeds: Consider nut butters, flax, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, and any other type of nut you enjoy. Select a natural nut butter kind while examining them to avoid additions.
- Whole grains: Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, and whole-wheat pasta are excellent choices because they are higher in fiber and protein.
- Fruits and vegetables: It’s a terrific idea to consume a lot of fruits and veggies, whether they are frozen or fresh. Fruits and vegetables can keep longer if they are properly stored.
- Soy: Edamame and tofu are excellent high-protein soy substitutes.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals
- On Days 2 through 6, make the Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats for breakfast.
- On Days 2 through 5, prepare a chopped salad with Sriracha tofu and peanut dressing for lunch.
- Make a citrus vinaigrette to enjoy all this week.
Day 1
Cooking Tip: You may enhance the flavor of any salad by making your own salad dressing, which is quite simple to do. Bonus: Making salad dressings at home is much less expensive than buying them at the supermarket.
Breakfast (304 calories)
- 1 serving Berry-Kefir Smoothie
A.M. Snack (95 calories)
- 1 medium apple
Lunch (374 calories)
- 1 serving Green Salad with Pita Bread & Hummus
P.M. Snack (206 calories)
- 1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds
Dinner (509 calories)
- 1 serving Beefless Vegan Tacos
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 serving Citrus Vinaigrette
Daily totals: 1,488 calories, 1,587 mg of sodium, 55 g of protein, 178 g of carbs, 38 g of fiber, and 76 g of fat.
To add 1,200 calories to it: For the PM snack, swap out the salad with vinaigrette for a single medium orange.
In order to get 2,000 calories: For breakfast, have a whole-wheat English muffin with two tablespoons of natural peanut butter, and for a snack in the morning, have 1/4 cup of dried walnut halves.
Also Read: HOW TO PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS FOR THE WEEK
Day 2
Cooking Tip: If you have a hectic morning, overnight oats make the ideal breakfast. A teaspoon of salt, 1/2 cup of oats, 1/2 cup of water, and milk or a nondairy milk substitute make up the basic recipe. You get to choose which flavors to combine.
Breakfast (258 calories)
- 1 serving Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats
- 1 medium orange
A.M. Snack (341 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 medium peach
- 3 Tbsp. slivered almonds
Lunch (332 calories)
- 1 serving Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing
P.M. Snack (131 calories)
- 1 large pear
Dinner (458 calories)
- 1 serving Quinoa-Black Bean Salad
Daily totals: 1,073 mg of sodium, 1,521 calories, 77 g of protein, 186 g of carbs, 37 g of fiber, and 61 g of fat.
To add 1,200 calories to it: For the afternoon snack, substitute a small pear for the yogurt and almonds.
In order to get 2,000 calories: Include one large pear in lunch, twelve dry-roasted, unsalted almonds as a midday snack, and one plate of chopped salad with guacamole for lunch.
Day 3
Cooking Tip: Cooking spinach is quick, simple, and full of nutrients.
Breakfast (258 calories)
- 1 serving Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats
- 1 medium orange
A.M. Snack (95 calories)
- 1 medium apple
Lunch (463 calories)
- 1 serving Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing
- 1 large pear
P.M. Snack (274 calories)
- 1/3 cup dried walnut halves
- 1 medium peach
Dinner (419 calories)
- 1 serving Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas & Spinach
- 1 (1 oz.) slice whole-wheat baguette
Daily totals: 1,403 mg of sodium, 1,509 calories, 59 g of protein, 202 g of carbs, 39 g of fiber, and 61 g of fat.
To add 1,200 calories to it: For breakfast, skip the orange and replace the midday snack with one clementine.
To increase the calorie count to 2,000, use 1 cup of low-fat plain Greek yogurt with 3 tablespoons of natural peanut butter in the morning snack.
Day 4
Cooking Tip: Edamame, a young soybean, contains 17 grams of protein per cup, making it an incredible plant-based protein source. It’s usually located in the frozen section.
Breakfast (258 calories)
- 1 serving Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats
- 1 medium orange
A.M. Snack (206 calories)
- 1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds
Lunch (390 calories)
- 1 serving Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing
- 1 medium peach
P.M. Snack (124 calories)
- 3/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Dinner (515 calories)
- 1 serving Greek Salad with Edamame
- 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
1,494 calories, 82 g protein, 142 g carbs, 36 g fiber, 74 g fat, and 1,350 mg sodium are all included in the daily totals.
To add 1,200 calories to it: Replace the peach with a clementine for the morning snack, and substitute a sliced medium bell pepper for the afternoon snack.
Add one medium pear to the morning snack and one medium peach along with one whole-wheat English muffin and two tablespoons of natural peanut butter to the afternoon snack to make it 2,000 calories.
Day 5
Cooking Tip: Quinoa is a complete grain that is strong in protein, containing around 8 g of protein per cup. It is also quick to prepare—it takes only 15 minutes to prepare.
Breakfast (258 calories)
- 1 serving Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats
- 1 medium orange
A.M. Snack (166 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Lunch (390 calories)
- 1 serving Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing
- 1 medium peach
P.M. Snack (139 calories)
- 18 dry-roasted unsalted almonds
Dinner (563 calories)
- 1 serving Quinoa Avocado Salad
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 serving Citrus Vinaigrette
1,516 calories, 74 g protein, 153 g carbs, 35 g fiber, 75 g fat, and 1,134 mg salt were consumed each day.
To add 1,200 calories to it: For breakfast, omit the orange and substitute one clementine for the morning snack and one sliced medium bell pepper for the afternoon snack.
In order to get 2,000 calories: For the morning snack, add one medium peach and 1/4 cup of dried walnut halves. For the afternoon snack, up the amount to 1/3 cup of almonds and add one large pear.
Day 6
Cooking Tip: Because it cooks quickly and is adaptable, frozen ravioli, like the one we’re using for supper tonight, is a fantastic staple.
Breakfast (258 calories)
- 1 serving Cinnamon-Roll Overnight Oats
- 1 medium orange
A.M. Snack (178 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup strawberries, halved
Lunch (420 calories)
- 1 serving Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
- 1 medium apple
P.M. Snack (131 calories)
- 1 large pear
Dinner (510 calories)
- 1 serving Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 serving Citrus Vinaigrette
Daily totals: 1,497 calories, 1,404 mg of sodium, 202 g of carbs, 39 g of fiber, 57 g of fat, and 59 g of protein.
Remove the orange from breakfast, the yogurt from the morning snack, and the apple from lunch to reduce the calorie count to 1,200.
In order to get 2,000 calories: For the morning snack, increase to 1 cup yogurt and add 5 Tbsp chopped walnuts; for the afternoon snack, add 1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds.
Day 7
Cooking Tip: Sheet-pan dinners are a fantastic alternative if you’re just starting out in the kitchen because you’ll be handling fewer pans and side dishes. Moreover, cleanup is quite easy!
Breakfast (304 calories)
- 1 serving Berry-Kefir Smoothie
A.M. Snack (166 calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Lunch (420 calories)
- 1 serving Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
- 1 medium apple
P.M. Snack (62 calories)
- 1 medium orange
Dinner (548 calories)
- 1 serving Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas & Vegetables
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 serving Citrus Vinaigrette
Daily totals: 1,499 calories, 1,131 mg of sodium, 66 g of protein, 181 g of carbs, 40 g of fiber, and 65 g of fat.
To add 1,200 calories to it: Replace the apple for the midday snack with one clementine, and replace the afternoon snack with half a cup of sliced cucumber.
In order to get 2,000 calories: For breakfast, have one whole-wheat English muffin with two tablespoons of natural peanut butter, and for a midday snack, have one-fourth cup of dried walnut halves.
