If you are considering eating vegan, or incorporating some plant-based foods into your diet, you might be just plain confused about what that might look like from morning to night. Or, you might be eating vegan and are looking for some food inspiration from a fellow vegan.
For some ideas about what a vegan might eat from breakfast through dinner, let’s break it down: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner & dessert.
More food breakdowns from a Vegan Day In the Life to come!
Breakfast
- Coconut Yogurt with Granola
- Coffee with Almond Milk
- Banana
Coconut Yogurt with Granola
Coconut Yogurt:
I prefer So Delicious’s unsweetened coconut milk yogurt. Granola is usually sweet enough, you don’t need sweetness from the yogurt too. Some people prefer soy yogurt. It’s not for me…
Where To Buy: Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, Local Food Coops. Trader Joe’s has their own version of coconut yogurt, which is also very good.
Granola:
Which granola to buy is really up to you. Read through the ingredients to confirm there are no milk products or, if you’re skipping it, honey.
Where To Buy: This is a great item to buy in the bulk section of your grocer or you can even make it at home if you’re so inclined. Or, just take it easy and buy it in the packaged section – I often do.
Mix the granola and yogurt and enjoy! Add raisins and/or nuts if you’re feeling wild or if your granola is a little boring.
Coffee with Almond Milk
Adorn your coffee how you desire. I prefer unsweetened almond milk and no sugar. Some think that is crazy.
Sugar:
If you take sugar in your coffee, note that some sugars are processed using the bones of animals (I know, it sounds conspiratorial, but it’s true). If you object to this, you might be safer using organic sugar. Take a look at the back and see if the company notes if the sugar is vegan or not.
Milk:
There are many vegan milks and creamers on the market. From almond to soy to coconut, take your pick. Many companies have a “barista blend” version of nut milks so that the milks really mix well with the coffee. I buy Blue Diamond, Almond Breeze, Original Unsweetened Non-Dairy Beverage
Banana (for the road)
This is pretty self-explanatory. Sub in any fruit you desire.
Lunch
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Chips
Chickpea Salad In a Sandwich or Scooped with Crackers
- 1 can chickpeas
- 2 Tbsp Just Mayo
, Vegenaise or any vegan mayo (available from a natural grocer OR Target has Just Mayo!)
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
salt- pepper
- paprika (optional – smoked or sweet are yummy options too)
- Drain and rinse chickpeas
- Using the back of a fork, mash the chickpeas until they are mostly or all crushed. You can mash to the consistency you end up preferring.
- Add veggies and “mayo” and mix. You can add more or less mayo to taste.
- Season with salt & pepper and – if using – paprika, to taste.
Enjoy on a sandwich or use some rice crackers (I prefer EDWARD & SON’S | Rice Snap Onion Garlic 3.5 oz [Gluten Free]) to scoop. Mix up the recipe as much as you want. If you formerly ate tuna or chicken salad, this takes the place of that so let those recipes inspire you to make your chickpea salad your own!
Chips
I, for one, like chips with my sandwich. If you agree, grab your favorite chips.
If you’re new to the vegan game, review the ingredients. Some flavored chips, like BBQ, use milk products. Many chips are straight-forward: potatoes, oil and salt. Stick with those if you are unsure.
Snack
- Dried mango
- Dried Dates – yum!
Dried Mango
Dried mango is delectable. Search for the dried mango that hasn’t been sweetened. There is absolutely no reason to add sugar to mango. If there is sugar added, it basically is just candy and not a fairly healthful afternoon pick-me-up snack.
Look in the bulk section of the natural grocer for dried mango.
Dried Dates
Another favorite sweet dried fruit is dried dates. Good goodness – manna from heaven, let me tell you. Medjool Dates come with pits or pitted. If you get them in the bulk section and they still have the pits, grab an extra plastic bag to dispose of them while you eat the dates.
Dinner
- Quinoa Bowl
photo credit: Jessica Seinfeld
Quinoa Bowl
Ok, this bowl will seem stupidly easy. But, isn’t that what we want from life?! I actually got the idea for this from Jessica Seinfeld’s perfect Instagram (yes, that Seinfeld). You can thank me later when you realize how amazing (though not vegan) she is.
I like this bowl because it Level 10 Vegan in how healthy it is and there are a ton of fresh, raw ingredients.
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked (sub rice or some other grain, to your taste)
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
- handful of chickpeas, some chopped up baked tofu (you can buy this prepared), or whatever protein you’re into
- 1/2 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 avocado, chopped (if you’ve got it)
- handful of greens – spinach or kale
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt
- olive oil, if using
Mix it all in a bowl!
If you are using kale, I recommend chopping it roughly, mixing the lemon juice with a bit of olive oil in a bowl, and then “massaging” the kale in the oil/juice mixture. This breaks down the kale a good bit so that it’s not so tough to chew on. You’ll notice as you do this that the kale will decrease in size, like spinach does when you cook it. Wash your hands and mix in the rest of your ingredients. Play with adding more oil, juice, veggies, spices, etc.!
Dessert
- Popcorn
Popcorn
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 3 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
(nutritional yeast – or brewer’s yeast – comes in powdered form too but you want the flakes for most/all cooking needs)
- salt
Melt the coconut oil in a large, lidded pot over medium heat with 4 popcorn kernels. Once the kernels pop, add the remaining kernels and turn the heat off for 30 seconds – this lets the kernels get all hot and primed for popping. Turn the heat back and listen to the popping (you may have to play with the level of heat depending on your pot). Once the kernels stop or slow down popping, turn off the heat. Pour the popcorn into a large serving bowl and top with nutritional yeast and salt, to taste. Mix it up & watch a movie.
WANT HELP GETTING STARTED?
Download a vegan grocery list for beginners.
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