Although it sounds relatively simple, the practicalities of writing a meal plan that is healthy, convenient, and achievable to follow can be quite challenging. If you’re new to plant-based eating, the added layer of creating a balanced vegan meal plan can leave you feeling lost.
Luckily, our team of online nutritionists have put together a few simple steps to help get you started and feel confident in your meal planning abilities.
How To Create A Plant-Based Or Vegan Meal Plan
Step 1: Pick a meal planning template
The first step is picking or creating a meal planning template as your base. This will vary depending on how many days you want to plan for as well as how many meals/snacks you eat in a day.
We recommend starting with a 1-week meal plan. This could take the form of either a full 7-day meal plan or just a 5-day work week plan if you prefer weekends to be less structured. Add a row for each meal and snack you need to plan for.
Step 2: Map out your weekly schedule
Before you start adding in your meals and snacks, it is a good idea to map out your weekly schedule. This may include your work hours, travel, social events, exercise etc.
This is an important step as an achievable meal plan is one designed to seamlessly fit into your life. It needs to factor in everything that you do throughout the week. This will give you a better gauge of how many meals you need to prepare yourself as well as how much time you will actually have to prepare these meals.
There may be some days when cooking a meal may not be feasible and you need a meal-prepped option, leftovers, a ready-made supermarket meal or a quick-cooking option. On other days, however, you may have a bit more time to experiment and try a new recipe. The more you can account for these factors within your vegan meal plan, the easier it will be to stick to it.
Step 3: Gather your meal/recipe database
This is the most fun step. Start by creating your own digital or physical database of some recipes and snacks to select from each week. This can be time-consuming initially, but once you have it, it makes the meal planning process much faster.
If you’re new to plant-based eating or just lacking inspiration in general, we recommend picking up a new (or old and forgotten) cookbook to look through. Online cooking blogs as well as Instagram can also be a great place to start if you’re stuck on ideas.
You can visit our PNW Clinic Instagram here for recipe inspiration!
Some popular recipes that have been uploaded onto the blog:
If you’re new to plant-based eating, it can be hard to know how to choose balanced vegan/vegetarian meals and snacks that will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
In most basic terms, a balanced plant-based meal should include:
A balanced plant-based snack should combine two of the above food groups.
Step 5: Fill your week of meals
Now that you’ve planned your week and have your meal and snack ideas ready, it’s time to create your vegan meal plan.
Start filling in your template keeping in mind your weekly schedule. Try to keep it as simple and realistic as possible using the following tips.
5 Top Meal Planning Tips
Make Use Of Leftovers
You don’t need to make a new meal every day. Cooking extra at dinner for lunch the next day or dinner later on in the week can be a great time saver.
Pick Meals That Use Similar Ingredients
This helps reduce the amount of food you have to buy while eliminating food waste and allowing you to easily prep in bulk.
Don’t Be Scared To Use Ready-Made Options
Busy schedules may mean that you don’t have time to make a freshly made meal each night from scratch. Or maybe you simply don’t enjoy cooking or are still new to it. In these instances, meal delivery services or pre-prepared fresh/frozen/packaged supermarket meals are great options to add to your plan! Try your best to opt for meals that include grains/starches, vegetables and a protein source.
Keep It Simple
Don’t try to be too ambitious, especially initially. Choosing recipes that are too complex or time-consuming or even just choosing too many different meal options can often leave you feeling overwhelmed. A simple plan will stop you from losing motivation and giving up on your plan altogether.
Keep Some Pantry Stable and Frozen Meals on Hand
No matter how well you plan, life doesn’t always end up following accordingly. Maybe an unexpected change of plans occurs or you get to the end of the day and are just too tired to cook the meal you planned for. These things happen to everyone. Having some premade meals on hand as backup options can be a lifesaver. They could be pantry staples such as baked beans or tinned soup, store-bought frozen meals, or homemade frozen meals saved earlier from leftovers.
Now that you know all our tips to meal plan like a pro, you are ready to start creating your own vegan/vegetarian meal plans!
Get started by having a look through some of the vegan meal plans that we have available here!
Whether you are new to plant-based eating or a long-time vegan, you’ve probably been asked, “But where do you get your protein?” at least once.
With an abundance of plant-based protein sources available, getting enough protein is not too much of a challenge for most plant-based eaters. However, it does take a little bit more thought and planning than is necessary for omnivores, especially if plant-based eating is a new concept to you.
Luckily, our vegan nutritionists have put together everything you need to know about plant-based protein sources – from how much you need, to how you can get it.
What is protein and why do I need it?
First, we need to address why we even need protein in our diet.
Protein is one of our essential nutrients, meaning that it is necessary for us to access it through our diets each day. It is a pretty important one too as it plays so many key roles throughout every stage of life (1).
A few of protein’s main roles in the body include (2, 3):
Growth and repair of all body tissues including muscle, skin, bone, cartilage and hair
Wound healing and recovery from illness/injuries
Maintaining a strong immune system
Building hormones
Building enzymes to support digestion
Acting as a source of energy
Keeping us feeling fuller and more satisfied after meals
How much protein do I need on a plant-based or vegan diet?
For the average healthy person, protein requirements are based on age, gender and body weight. The Australian Nutrient Reference Values recommend the following daily protein intakes:
Age and Gender
Minimum Daily Protein Requirements – Vegans & Vegetarians
0-6 months
1.6g per kg body weight
7-12 months
1.45g per kg body weight
1-3 years
1.1g per kg body weight
4-8 years
0.9g per kg body weight
9-13 years – males
0.95g per kg body weight
9-13 years – females
0.9g per kg body weight
14-18 years – males
1g per kg body weight
14-18 years – females
0.8g per kg body weight
19-70 years – males
0.85g per kg body weight
19-70 years – females
0.75g per kg body weight
Over 70 years
1g per kg body weight
Pregnancy
1g per kg body weight
Lactation
1.1g per kg body weight
It’s important to note that these recommendations are based on the minimum requirements for sedentary individuals. Most people would benefit from eating more protein than this – especially if you are active throughout the week.
Do plant-based eaters need more protein?
For those following a plant-based diet, protein requirements are a little bit higher than those following an omnivorous diet. This is because plant-based sources of protein aren’t considered as high-quality compared to animal proteins such as meat, dairy and eggs (4).
The two main factors that are taken into consideration when deciding the protein quality of foods (5) include:
Protein digestibility – how much protein the body is actually able to absorb from the food
Amino acid profile – this measures how much of each essential amino acid is present in the food
Unfortunately, plant-based foods typically score lower in both of these factors compared to animal-based foods (6, 7).
Therefore, it is recommended that vegans’ and vegetarians’ protein requirements are around 10% higher (4). Amended daily protein requirements are as follows:
Age and Gender
Minimum Daily Protein Requirements – Vegans & Vegetarians
0-6 months
1.75g per kg body weight
7-12 months
1.6g per kg body weight
1-3 years
1.2g per kg body weight
4-8 years
1g per kg body weight
9-13 years – males
1g per kg body weight
9-13 years – females
1g per kg body weight
14-18 years – males
1.1g per kg body weight
14-18 years – females
0.9g per kg body weight
19-70 years – males
0.95g per kg body weight
19-70 years – females
0.8g per kg body weight
Over 70 years
1.1g per kg body weight
Pregnancy
1.1g per kg body weight
Lactation
1.2g per kg body weight
What if I’m a plant-based athlete or highly active person?
It is possible to get enough protein as an athlete (or highly active person) whilst on a plant-based diet. It does, however, take a little bit more thought and consideration as protein needs can be quite a bit higher. Your needs could be as high as 3g per kg body weight depending on your diet and physical energy output (8, 9).
Recommended daily protein requirements for athletes are as follows:
Omnivorous Diet
Plant-Based Diet
Strength Athletes
1.6-2g per kg body weight
2-2.4g per kg body weight
Endurance Athletes
1.6-2g per kg body weight
2-2.4g per kg body weight
Athletes in a calorie deficit
2.5g per kg body weight
3g per kg body weight
Protein requirements aside, there are a few factors that apply to plant-based athletes that you need to be aware of. Luckily, we have a whole article on how to build muscle on a plant-based diet here.
You can book an appointment with an online dietitian and vegan nutritionist at The PNW Clinic for individual support with nutrition needs as a plant-based athlete.
Benefits of choosing plant-based protein sources
Not only is it possible to meet your protein requirements on a plant-based diet, but there are even a few benefits to including more plant-based protein sources in your daily intake.
Health benefits
Believe it or not, there are some health benefits that come with eating more plants and less meat.
One of the biggest benefits of plant-based protein sources is that – unlike meat, seafood and eggs – plants are also rich sources of fibre, which is something that many of us don’t get enough of.
Getting enough fibre has a myriad of health benefits. These range from keeping your bowels regular and promoting good gut health to reducing your risk of bowel cancer (10). Limiting red and processed meats in particular has been strongly linked to reducing your risk of colorectal cancer (11).
Plant-based proteins are also much lower in saturated fats compared to their animal counterparts. This means that they can help with lowering cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (12). Additionally, there is growing evidence linking plant-based eating to decreasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes (13, 14).
Environmental benefits
One of the most significant benefits of swapping your meat for tofu and legumes is the positive impact that this can have on the environment.
The 2019 EAT-Lancet report stated that “vegan and vegetarian diets were associated with the greatest reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions”. As such, swapping more animal-based foods for plant-based alternatives is vital for protecting the health of our planet (15).
In fact, the World Health Organisation states that, “reducing livestock herds would also reduce emissions of methane, which is the second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide” (16). These claims have been further backed up by the 2022 Climate Change Mitigation Report conducted by the United Nations (17).
Ethical benefits
Finally, whether or not you are fully vegan or vegetarian or just reducing your intake of meat, eating fewer animals will be a more compassionate choice.
There’s an abundance of plant-based foods that you can add into your diet, helping you meet your protein needs. Keep in mind that some are higher-quality sources than others.
Some of our most protein-rich plant-based foods include tofu, tempeh, TVP, soy milk, beans and legumes, pulse pasta, and some mock meats. Whole grains (especially quinoa), nuts and seeds, and nutritional yeast also contain some protein.
Protein powders and protein bars can also be good additions if you are struggling to meet your requirements. They’re also great options if you just enjoy their taste!
Below, we have included a list of plant-based foods and how much protein they provide:
Food
Serve Size
Protein (Grams)
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
50g dry
27
Edamame
1 cup cooked
25
Vetta Protein pasta
100g uncooked
25
Firm Tofu
150g
22
Soy & linseed low carb high protein breads (e.g. Burgen/Macro brands)
2 slices
21.5
Pulse Pasta (chickpea, lentil, edamame, etc.)
100g uncooked
21
Tempeh
100g
15
Lentils
1 cup cooked (200g)
14.5
Red Kidney Beans
1 cup cooked (200g)
13
Chickpeas
1 cup cooked (200g)
12.5
Black Beans
1 cup cooked (200g)
10.5
Silken Tofu
150g
10.5
Vitasoy Protein Plus almond/soy/oat milk
1 cup (250mL)
10
Hemp Seeds
2 tbsp (30g)
10
Carmen’s Protein Porridge
1 sachet (45g)
10
Pea Protein Milks e.g. Like Milk
1 cup (250mL)
8.5
Vitasoy Soy Yoghurt
140g
8.5g
Soy Milk
1 cup (250mL)
8
Dairy-free Up and Go
Carton
8
Quinoa
1 cup cooked
8
Baked Beans
150g
7.5
Powdered Peanut Butter
2 tbsp
5.5
Mixed Nuts & Seeds
30g
5
Nutritional Yeast
2 tbsp
3.5
Other products:
Protein powder (30-40g serve, contains 20-30g protein)
Macro Mike
Botanica Blends
Nature’s Way Vegan Protein
Bulk Nutrients Soy/Earth Protein
Coles Perform Pea Protein
Protein bars:
Clif Builders Bar (20g protein)
Coles Perform Plant Protein Bar (11g protein)
Clif Bar (standard, 9g protein)
FodBods Bars (8.5g protein)
Keep It Cleaner Protein Bars (8g protein)
Carmen’s Plant Protein Bar (7.5g protein)
Nice & Natural Protein Whole Seed Bar (7.5g protein)
As we mentioned earlier, one of the reasons plant-based proteins are considered lower quality is because they have lower scores based on their amino acid profile.
For a bit of background, proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids. In foods, these can be divided into two categories (18):
Essential amino acids: these can’t be made by the body but are required for the body to thrive. It is essential we get them through our food.
Non-essential amino acids: these can be made by the body, so it’s not 100% necessary for us to get them through our food.
Complete vs. non-complete proteins
After considering the amino acid profile of a food, we can then classify it as containing either complete or incomplete proteins.
Complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids and are predominantly animal-based sources such as meat, seafood, eggs and dairy. Soy products are a great plant-based exception (e.g. tofu, tempeh, soy milk, edamame).
Incomplete proteins lack at least one essential amino acid. Unfortunately, most of our plant-based proteins fit into this category. This is where protein combining may become more relevant.
What is protein combining?
Plant-based protein sources will often only be limited by one or two essential amino acids. For example, whole grains lack the amino acids lysine and threonine but are great sources of the amino acid methionine. Legumes, on the other hand, are great sources of both lysine and threonine but are lacking in methionine (6).
This means that you can combine incomplete proteins together to make complete proteins that contain all the amino acids. We call these combinations ‘complementary proteins’. If we use the example above, grains and legumes would be an example of a complementary protein pairing.
Complementary protein pairs
Legumes + Grains
Nuts & Seeds + Legumes
For example:
Oats topped with chopped nuts and seeds
Lentil dahl with wild rice
Baked beans on toast
Burrito bowl with brown rice and black beans
Do I need to worry about protein combining?
For the general population, it is unnecessary to worry too much about protein combining at every meal/snack. Complementary protein pairings can occur throughout the day. As long as you are getting a variety of different protein sources throughout your day, you can be confident you are getting all the amino acids you need (18, 19).
The Bottom Line On Plant-Based Protein Sources
With so many plant-rich proteins to choose from, getting enough protein on a plant-based diet is definitely achievable for most people. However, because plant-based protein sources are lower in protein per serve than animal proteins, and daily requirements are slightly higher, it does take a little bit more thought and planning – especially if you have high protein requirements.
If you’re concerned that you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, we recommend booking a consultation with one of our plant-based dietitians and vegan nutritionists at The PNW Clinic for personalised advice.
