You don't have to be vegan or an expert to make this meal plan work.
If you’re one of the many people interested in trying a plant-based diet, this is the plan for you. This two-week meal plan features some of our favorite recipes on the site. They’re all super easy to make, and we utilize all the leftovers so you won’t have to cook every day. Don’t worry; it won’t get boring, and you won’t be eating salad at every meal! In fact, we barely have any salads on this 14-day beginner’s plant-based meal plan at all.
Before we get started, we want to address some of the most common questions about switching to a plant-based diet. If you’re ready to jump in, skip down to the 14-day beginner’s plant-based meal plan! It’s important to note that you don’t have to follow it to a T, either. If you’re a meat eater and you want to explore eating more plant-based meals, feel free to mix and match! You can start by replacing a few meat-based meals each week and progress from there. Go at your own pace; the more plants you add to your diet, the healthier you will be, but you don’t have to tackle it all at once.
Can You Get Full Eating Only Plants?
Eating more plants doesn’t mean you have to eat salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! We design each of our plant-based meals to include plenty of protein to fill you up and keep you feeling full for hours. In addition to protein, plants are naturally high in fiber, which not only makes you feel fuller but also contributes to weight loss. Finally, plants are low in calories and fat, so you can eat more of them and bulk up until you feel full.
How Will You Get Protein and Calcium?
While it’s true that meat is a complete protein (containing all the essential amino acids your body needs), you can also find complete proteins in the plant world. Quinoa, buckwheat, tofu, and seitan are all complete plant-based sources of protein. You can also pair foods like rice and beans to create a complete protein. Check out this list of the 17 Top Plant-Based Proteins to Eat on a Plant-Based Diet.
The same thing is true about calcium. Dairy is a great source of calcium, but you can also find calcium in plants. Make sure to include ingredients like leafy greens, tofu, broccoli, tahini, almonds, seeds, beans, and blackstrap molasses in your diet. You can also look to calcium-fortified products, like fruit juice and nut milk.
What About Iron; Won’t You Become Anemic?
The plant world is full of iron-rich ingredients! Legumes and beans, grains, nuts and seeds, blackstrap molasses, and several vegetables (like tomatoes and collard greens) provide sufficient sources of iron. Look to this list of 25 Plant-Based Foods That Are Rich In Iron for more iron-rich foods.
What Can You Eat On a Plant-Based Diet? What Can’t You Eat On a Plant-Based Diet?
We included all the foods you can eat in this beginner’s plant-based meal plan. Although we’ve included meatless options in the plan, a plant-based diet isn’t about being vegan. Feel free to eat meat, seafood, and dairy on occasion. For best health, we suggest trying to eat whole foods (as opposed to processed foods) and choose whole-grains instead of refined grains (brown rice instead of white rice). We also suggest avoiding refined sugar, choosing natural sweeteners like maple syrup, and sticking to unsweetened drinks.
For more information, check out our article discussing whether you should switch to a plant-based diet. Below are some sample foods that you can and can’t eat.
What you CAN eat on a plant-based diet:
- Vegetables: leafy greens, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
- Fruit: apples, melons, bananas, berries, etc.
- Whole grains: whole wheat, oats, quinoa, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, etc.
- Legumes: beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, peanuts, etc.
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, nut butters, sesame seeds, chia seeds, etc.
- Plant-based protein: tofu, tempeh, seitan, etc.
- Misc: plant-based oils, spices, herbs, unsweetened drinks, etc
What you CANNOT eat on a plant-based diet:
- Meat and dairy: beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, and dairy should be eaten scarcely, if at all
- Seafood: Fish and shellfish should be eaten scarcely, if at all
- Processed meat: bacon, sausage, etc.
- Fast food or packaged food: chips, cookies, etc.
- Refined grains: white rice, white flour, etc.
- Refined sugar or artificial sweeteners: white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, etc.
14-Day Beginner’s Plant-Based Meal Plan
Keep in mind that we’ve designed this meal plan to minimize waste, save time, and keep the budget low. You’ll be using the leftovers for additional meals during these two weeks. If you cook for more than two people, you may need to double the recipes or make them more than once. You can always switch around the meals, too. The order below is suggested to make it as easy as possible to follow this meal plan!
Beginner’s Plant-Based Meal Plan Week One
Day 1
Breakfast: Sweet Potato Breakfast Recipe
Lunch: Plant-Based Burrito Bowl Recipe
Dinner: Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Snack (optional): Plant-Based Cashew Flat Bread and Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Day 2
Breakfast: Vegan Avocado Spinach Smoothie
Lunch: leftover Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Dinner: Plant-Based Ground Beef Recipe used to make tacos
Snack (optional): leftover Plant-Based Cashew Flat Bread and Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Day 3
Breakfast: leftover Vegan Avocado Spinach Smoothie
Lunch: 5-Ingredient Vegan “Chicken” Salad Recipe
Dinner: leftover Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Snack (optional): leftover Plant-Based Cashew Flat Bread and Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Day 4
Breakfast: Chocolate Chip Vegan Pancakes
Lunch: leftover 5-Ingredient Vegan “Chicken” Salad Recipe
Dinner: leftover Plant-Based Ground Beef Recipe used to make a powerbowl
Snack (optional): Vegan Caramel Apple Parfait
Day 5
Breakfast: leftover Chocolate Chip Vegan Pancakes
Lunch: leftover Plant-Based Ground Beef Recipe used to make tacos
Dinner: Quinoa Stuffed Squash
Snack (optional): leftover Vegan Caramel Apple Parfait
Day 6
Breakfast: Spicy Breakfast Tacos
Lunch: leftover Quinoa Stuffed Squash
Dinner: 10-Minute Vegetarian “Sushi” Bowl Recipe
Snack (optional): Carrot Spice Oatmeal Cookies
Day 7
Breakfast: leftover Spicy Breakfast Tacos
Lunch: Simple Chickpea Salad with Tomato
Dinner: leftover 10-Minute Vegetarian “Sushi” Bowl Recipe
Snack (optional): leftover Carrot Spice Oatmeal Cookies
Beginner’s Plant-Based Meal Plan Week Two
Day 8
Breakfast: Hummus Breakfast Bowl (omit the egg whites)
Lunch: leftover Simple Chickpea Salad with Tomato
Dinner: Black Bean and Quinoa Chili Bowl
Snack (optional): leftover Carrot Spice Oatmeal Cookies
Day 9
Breakfast: White Bean Avocado Toast
Lunch: leftover Black Bean and Quinoa Chili Bowl
Dinner: Baked Tomatoes Stuffed With Rice
Snack (optional): 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bar
Day 10
Breakfast: leftover White Bean Avocado Toast
Lunch: 5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Panini (skip the cheese and make cashew cheese instead)
Dinner: leftover Baked Tomatoes Stuffed With Rice
Snack (optional): leftover 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bar
Day 11
Breakfast: Quinoa Apple Breakfast Bowl
Lunch: leftover 5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Panini
Dinner: Barley Salad with Chickpeas, Fava Beans & Peas
Snack (optional): leftover 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bar
Day 12
Breakfast: leftover Quinoa Apple Breakfast Bowl
Lunch: leftover Barley Salad with Chickpeas, Fava Beans & Peas
Dinner: Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Snack (optional): Oil-Free Chocolate Muffins
Day 13
Breakfast: Sweet Potato Breakfast Recipe
Lunch: leftover Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Dinner: Vegetarian Mushroom White Bean “Meatballs” with Chimichurri Sauce
Snack (optional): leftover Oil-Free Chocolate Muffins
Day 14
Breakfast: Hummus Breakfast Bowl (omit the egg whites)
Lunch: leftover Vegetarian Mushroom White Bean “Meatballs” with Chimichurri Sauce
Dinner: Skinny Quinoa Skillet Supper
Snack (optional): leftover Oil-Free Chocolate Muffins
Download the FREE Ultimate 14-Day Beginner’s Plant-Based Meal Plan and Shopping List here:
Download the FREE Beginner’s Guide to a Plant-Based Diet here:
Looking for more great plant-based recipes and meal plans after you finish the 14-day beginner’s plant-based meal plan? Check out our Pinterest page for inspiration.
