Updated on Jun. 10, 2021
When it comes to a plant-based diet, meal prep is key. You can eat nutrition-packed meals all week with these vegan and vegetarian meal prep tips, from stocking up on pantry staples to cooking food in advance.
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Put down the plant-based fast food. For real.
Even though ready-made vegan and vegetarian fast foods seem like healthier choices, they can be loaded with highly processed ingredients. Why not bang around a few pots and pans instead?
Home cooking is so powerful that preparing even one meal a day can improve the quality of your diet, according to a 2020 Public Health Nutrition study of over 8,000 people.
Of course, not everyone is a whiz in the kitchen—and that’s okay. If you’d like to cook more healthy vegetarian or vegan meals but have no clue where to begin, this five-step meal prep guide has you covered.
First, before you begin meal prepping, it’s important to know there is a wide spectrum of plant-based diets. Of these, vegan eating tends to be the most strict, consisting entirely of plants and excluding all animal products.
If you’re a vegan, you’ll eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. But you won’t eat any meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, or eggs—or any ingredients made from animals, like honey, collagen, or gelatin.
(Plant-based vs. vegan: here’s how these diets differ.)
By comparison, a vegetarian diet is more flexible. Like veganism, it consists mainly of plant foods, yet it allows some animal products. Unlike vegan diets, which are pretty much set in stone, the traditional meat-free vegetarian diet can be modified to fit your nutrition needs. All variations of the vegetarian diet exclude meat but may include certain animal products.
Here’s a quick guide:
A plant-based diet is good for your body and for the earth. This antioxidant and fiber-rich eating pattern has been shown to protect against obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.
Because growing plants uses fewer natural resources than raising livestock, it’s also more sustainable and kinder to the planet. (Here are more vegan diet health benefits.)
Like vegan diets, vegetarian diets are also linked to better weight management, and a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Since they contain fewer animal products, they’re also a win for the environment. (Thinking of going vegetarian? Here’s are a few ways to get there.)
Cooking is way easier when you have a game plan.
“I recommend taking inventory of your fridge and pantry to use up any ingredients you already have,” says Mackenzie Burgess, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and recipe developer. “From there, plan out your recipes and grocery list to include a colorful variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lean protein.”
“Start with simple meals that you already love,” says Leanne Ray, a registered dietitian nutritionist and plant-forward recipe creator in Denver, Colorado. “A lot of times, people go too complicated and end up feeling overwhelmed, so try things like tacos, grain bowls, and soups.”
Emily Cooper, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of The Easy Superfoods Cookbook begins with a favorite comfort food then swaps ingredients until the meal is healthier and meat free.
“My favorite ways to make vegan and vegetarian recipes easy and exciting is to take classic recipes that contain meat, and simply swap in plant-based ingredients,” she explains. “I’ve made a vegan cheesesteak by swapping out beef for tofu and mushrooms, and the cheese in the cheese sauce for a sweet potato–based alternative.”
The trick is to find plant-based ingredients with a similar texture or flavor to the animal foods a dish originally uses.
Or simply skip the meat in a dish that already includes beans, like chili, she suggests.
Vegetarian and vegan recipe ideas:
A thoughtfully stocked kitchen means you won’t have to run out to the store for key ingredients at the last minute, says Cooper.
Load up on the following refrigerator staples:
Whether you’re just getting started or have been cooking for years, these tools can make plant-based cooking a lot easier:
(Check out these 10 healthy vegan snacks you’ll actually want to eat.)
“Have a bin or area in your cabinet, pantry, and refrigerator dedicated to that night’s dinner,” suggests Cooper. Then, fill it with the ingredients you’ll need so you won’t have to search for them when it’s prep time.
“Prepping whole grains like brown rice or quinoa, cooking dried beans, baking tofu, and chopping up your favorite vegetables over the weekend is a chore that your future work-week self will thank you for,” says Cooper.
“Try adding roasted chickpeas to Mediterranean couscous bowls, mash black beans into homemade veggie burgers, or sprinkle edamame over salads,” says Burgess.
Cooked whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and farro freeze beautifully. Cook them in bulk and freeze in single-serve containers to defrost for a quick side dish or to toss into soups, salads, or chili.
“Frozen fruits and vegetables are a game changer,” says Burgess. “They’re harvested at peak ripeness then flash frozen, locking in all their important nutrients. Plus, they’re pre-cut, saving you time in the kitchen.”
Pack them in individual containers and pop them in the freezer to heat up at the end of a busy day.
Want to squeeze even more nutrition out of your meals? Try these healthy meal prep hacks.
