Weekly Spotlight: Tips to Start Your Plant-based Journey!

Before you read this, think about your favorite foods to eat. What are they? What do they taste and smell like? How do you usually prepare them? These foods can be fruits, vegetables, dinners, breakfasts, lunches, or snacks. Whatever you thought of, those are the foods that you should learn how to make plant-based and start incorporating into your diet. This practice can be a bit difficult if you’re new to it, so here’s the best way to get started with forming sustainable eating habits! Remember to always listen to your body and feed it what it needs, as well!

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! And don’t forget to check out our Weekly Meal Plan Archives!  

This week, we’re bringing delicious, fully vegan, and plant-based ways to start your plant-based journey!

1. Start with what you like to eat

When it comes to adding new foods to your diet, filling your plate with foods you’re excited to eat and try is an excellent place to start. If you’re new to cooking greens, browse our site for recipes that make you want to get into the kitchen. It can be as easy as making some crispy air-fried (or baked) kale, to trying your hand at tofu scramble.

2. Take your time

Change all at once or going vegan overnight works for some people, but it doesn’t always work for everyone. It’s okay to start with one change at a time and find out how you feel. Any step towards eating a more plant-based diet counts!

3. Learn what’s in season and eat seasonally

Eating seasonally is important because you’re not only eating the freshest foods at the peak of their season, but you’re also getting the chance to expand your options outside of the things you usually eat each week. Eating seasonally can also be beneficial because sometimes fruits and vegetables that are out of season tend to be more expensive. Eating seasonally can be a privilege because it depends on where you live and what foods you have available to you. The best way to figure out what foods are in season is to do your research, or simply visit your nearest farmer’s market. You can also pay attention to the selections in the grocery store, as well! Items in season may be on sale or highlighted in a particular section.

4. Pick up a few skills in the kitchen

This means that if you want to make more food at home, figure out what you need to learn to start. For example, if you’ve never tried pan-frying tofu, pick a recipe that includes pan-frying tofu so you can give it a try. Making new recipes can feel daunting, but there are many simple recipes to start with. Check out our Recipe Archives for even more recipes and inspiration!

5. Start with your drinks

If you have a particular drink like coffee or matcha every day, think about trying non-dairy milk in it! There are a few wonderful choices on the market, but you can also make oat milk at home. In the same vein, pay attention to what you’re consuming when you could try a plant-based alternative. For instance, if you love smoothies or granola bars, try making those at home to take for a snack.

Quick and Easy Recipes to Get You Started

Source: Mushroom Hummus Toast

These meals are perfect to get you started on your plant-based journey. This list includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert that you can make to get started. These recipes are straightforward and come together with pantry ingredients, making them perfect for getting started.

• Mushroom Hummus Toast by Mitch and Justine Chapman
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas by Mitch and Justine Chapman
• Easy and Crunchy Thai Salad by Robin Browne with Crispy Tofu Strips by Planted and Picked
• Chocolate Chip Cookies by Caroline Doucet

Easy Vegan Meal Plan

Source: Creamy and Crunchy Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Breakfast

• Sweet Potato Pancakes by Mitch and Justine Chapman
• Green Chia Pudding Parfait by Lena Novak

Lunch 

• Creamy and Crunchy Chickpea Salad Sandwich by Christina Bedetta
• Crispy Tofu Strips by Planted and Picked

Dinner

• Chickpea and Pinto Bean Chili by Megan Calipari
• Feta Pasta with Tomato, Butternut Squash, and Garlic by Dominique Ebra

Dessert:

• 3-Ingredient Mousse by Hayley Canning
• Peanut Butter and Jam Brownies by Luce Hosier

Snacks:

• No-Bake Granola Bars by Maria Koutsogiannis
• Breakfast Cookies by Erin Bruns
• Crunchy Pumpkin Roasted Chickpeas by Kat Condon

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade repeatedly.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and essential stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!