Simple vegan eating means a focus on a whole foods, plant based diet. Each meal is composed of a starch/grain, fat/omega-3 source and tons of veggies. Snacks are typically fruit and berries. These can of course be incorporated into desserts or a part of the meal as well. This is not a hard and fast rule by any means but a way of organizing your meals when switching over from any diet.
Remember simple vegan eating is just that- simple. Do not over think it! Have some go to recipes so that you do not feel strained after a long day.
We switched over to eating Vegan just this year and the transition was a bit rocky. I think I had it in my head that I needed to be making these elaborate dishes or still serving at least 3 things on the plate. For example, before going vegan a normal meal for us would have been grilled chicken, asparagus and potatoes. The main portion of the meal was meat (and sometimes dairy) making it a mindset shift to eating vegan.
Thanks to the help of my Aunt (a long time vegan), a few cookbooks and positive attitude I am now making some great dishes that are filling and delicious. They key was discovering simple vegan eating. It is doable for anyone, but does require a stocked pantry and knowing what to have in the home.
Simple Tips:
- Slowly build your list of go-to meals so that meal planning becomes easy. Keep it to your top 25-50
- Be ok with having only “one thing” on the plate such as a loaded baked potato
- Look for what is in season or on sale for produce
- Eat the rainbow during the week. Meaning keep your dishes colorful and eat a variety of veggies.
- Use herbs and seasoning. This will change the taste dramatically. Become familiar with various types of spices from Indian to Italian.
- If something is goin bad- use it up. Here is how we use our food that is starting to turn.
Shopping
The only downside to vegan eating is that you do need to buy produce on a weekly basis. For us, this was a challenge since we value our time and preferred previously to go to Costco and load up for 2-3 weeks. Yet, I am reminded that we did not get nearly enough veggies and fruits this way and regardless of being vegan or not- it was something that needed to be improved in our diet.
Here is what we purchase weekly, bi-weekly and keep stocked in the pantry. We do not buy ALL the vegetables on the list- but whatever is in season, on sale or needed for a go to recipe.
Weekly:
- Tomatoes
- Oranges
- Apples
- Mangos
- Berries
- Grapefruit
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Mushrooms
- Spinich/Kale/Leafy Greens
- Broccoli
- Seasonal veggies that look good
Bi-Weekly:
- Lemons
- Limes
- Beets
- Onions
- Sweet Potatoes
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Bell Peppers
- Squash
- Plant Based Milk
- Chips
- Hummus
- Tofu
- Kombucha
- Salsa
- Bread
Keep Stocked in Pantry
- Olive Oil
- Green Tea
- Organic Garbanzo Beans
- Organic Black Beans
- Organic Refried (Vegan) Pinto Beans
- Vegetable Broth
- Nuts and raw Cashews
- Dried Goji Berries
- Dried Coconut Flakes
- Chia Seeds
- Pine Nutes
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Steel Cut Oats
- Coffee
Keep Stocked in Spice Cupboard: (Unless growing in garden)
- Iodized Salt
- Pepper
- Tandoori
- Cayenne
- Cumin
- Curry
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Lemon Pepper
- Vainilla Extract
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Ginger Root
Keep Stocked in Fridge:
- Hemp Seeds
- Flax Seeds
- Maple Syrup
- Dijon Mustard
- Tahini
- Tamari
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Plant Based Butter
- Almond Butter
Keep Stocked in Freezer
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- Frozen Papaya or Pineapple
- Frozen Berries or Mango
- Frozen Peas
- Frozen Edamame
- Frozen Vegan Burgers or Bean Burgers
- Cloves of Garlic
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Things Not on the List We Splurge On:
Sometimes you just want ice cream. What can I say. These things are typically highly processed but we enjoy them every once in awhile.
- Vegan Ice Cream
- Vegan Cupcakes
- Soy Curls or Soy Chorizo
- Tempeh Sliced Meat
- Vegan Cheese
- Wine and Whiskey (Ok we probably buy this regularly- but you know)
