Making the Transition

Some people shift into a vegan diet slowly, starting with vegan analogues — plant-based foods whose taste resembles animal products. Some people simply take out the animal products from their diet and replace them with plant foods with which they are already familiar with.

While others concentrate on experimenting with entirely new vegan foods, often from international cuisines. Thankfully, there is no shortage of vegan foods to help make the transition. In fact, most of the food we eat is vegan, without us knowing it!

Resources: Transitioning 101 |A Guide to Going Vegan | Vegan Action's Transition Tips | Recommended Reading |  Vegan Starter Kit | Vegan Cooking with Love | Yhanni's Tips for a Vegan Lifestyle

Start a Garden

An even better option is to grow your own food! If you have a porch that can hold large plant containers or a front or back yard with just a little space, start a garden of your own.

Growing your own food is a healthy and cheaper way to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Go to your nearest library or bookstore and find out what grows best in your neck of the woods and get planting!

Resources : How to Start | Beginners Guide |Vegan Fertilizer | Vegetable Gardening 101 | Starting a Bucket Garden | Building A Garden Bed

Vegan Meal Ideas

With a little time and practice, you will develop a new routine for planning meals and cooking. We recommend getting a good cookbook and experimenting, as well as checking out the amazing recipes from the Post Punk Kitchen and Healthy Happy Life. You could also visit our Recipes and try out some vegan recipes.

You can also check out this Vegan Action- National 7-Day Meal Plan.

In the meantime, here are some simple and healthy meal ideas to start with:

Breakfast

Avocado on whole wheat toast
Bagel with vegan cream cheese
Banana bread
Breakfast burrito
Breakfast hash
Breakfast sandwiches
Cinnamon buns
Chickpea omelet
Cereal/granola with Soy/Almond/Rice/Hemp/Flax/Coconut milk
Fruit smoothie
Fruit salad - toss together all your favorite fruits like melon, apple, grapes, berries, orange, banana, and kiwi
Fruit and vegan yogurt parfait
Oatmeal - made with non-dairy milk and fruit, maple syrup & brown sugar, or whatever your heart desires
Savory breakfast bowl
Toast with nut butter and jelly
Toast with nut butter and sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar
Tofu scramble with veggie sausage
Vegan breakfast tacos
Vegan quiche
Vegan pancakes
French toast with hash browns
Vegan waffles topped with berries
Vegan granola bar
Vegan muffin
Wheat farina

Lunch & Dinner

  • Baked potatoes and baked beans
  • Bean burrito with Spanish rice
  • Beans, rice and salsa tacos
  • Dairy-free pizza loaded with veggies 
  • Falafel in a pita pocket, topped with Tahini paste (Also known as tehina, it is a paste made from ground sesame seeds)
  • Pasta salad with Vegan mayonnaise
  • Pasta with cannellini beans and marinara sauce
  • Pasta with meatless meatballs
  • Peanut butter & jelly sandwich
  • Stir fried veggies with Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan or other mock meat
  • Taco salad- with vegetarian refried beans, salsa, guacamole, vegan sour cream, and taco sauce, over a bed of corn tortilla chips and lettuce
  • TLT (tempeh bacon, lettuce and tomato- with Vegenaise) and Sweet Potato Fries
  • Vegan chili
  • Vegan salad - add all your favorite veggies to a bed of green then top with your choice of nuts, seeds, beans, dried fruit, and add your favorite vegan dressing
  • Vegetable lasagna with tofu “ricotta”
  • Vegetarian hot dog, Vegetarian hot dogs wrapped in Crescent Rolls, Chopped vegetarian hot dog with vegetarian baked beans
  • Veggie burger: Quinoa Burgers, Black Bean Burgers, Lentil Burgers, Soy Burgers
  • Veggie lunchmeat sandwich

Snacks & Dessert

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