Easy to Follow 7 Day Vegan Diet Plan

As the new year approaches you may be thinking about making some changes to your diet. Perhaps you want to eat less processed foods, incorporate more whole grains, or up your intake of fruits and veggies. You may even be considering trying out a vegan diet. People are drawn to veganism for a variety of reasons. Some of us want to live longer, healthier lives and do our part to reduce pollution and conserve the Earth’s resources. Others choose veganism because they are ethically opposed to eating animals. Regardless of the reason, people who follow plant-based diets tend to have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancers.

But before you take the plunge, it is important to remember that a vegan diet isn’t necessarily a weight loss diet and it is possible to be unhealthy if your diet is poorly planned and unbalanced.  Vegan diets tend to be higher in fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, and many phytochemicals. They also tend to be lower in calories, total fat, cholesterol and saturated fat.

However, eliminating all animal products from the diet increases the risk of certain nutrient deficiencies including vitamins B-12 and D, calcium, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Despite popular belief, a well-planned vegan diet provides ample amounts of protein to support growth, repair and overall good health.

To get you started, here is an easy to follow 7-day vegan meal plan. Take note of how the meals are put together with a balance of food groups and feel free to switch out foods based on taste. Once you have a feel for how to structure your meals, find some recipes that appeal to you and have fun!

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Breakfast	Oatmeal with walnuts and raisins Fresh fruit	Soy yogurt mixed with granola Fresh fruit	Tofu scramble with pepper, spinach and vegan cheese in a whole wheat tortilla	Smoothie made with vegan yogurt, avocado, banana, spinach	Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana	Black bean burrito with veggies in a whole wheat tortilla Fresh fruit	Vegan French toast Fresh fruit
Lunch	Hummus and avocado in a whole wheat pita Baby carrots	Vegan chili Vegan cornbread Salad	Peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread Soy yogurt and berries	Black beans, baked sweet potato, steamed veggies	Tofu “tuna” salad Baby carrots	Veggie burger on whole wheat bun with hummus and avocado	Lentil soup Brown rice Steamed veggies
Dinner	Brown rice and lentil pilaf Salad	Stir-fried tofu and vegetables and Quinoa Salad	Tofu spinach lasagna Salad	Grilled Portobello mushrooms over brown rice Steamed vegetables	Vegan tacos with vegan “ground round” and vegan cheese, lettuce and tomato Steamed vegetables	Couscous with black beans, walnuts and mixed vegetables Fresh fruit	Falafel, hummus, tabouli Steamed vegetables
Snack	Soy yogurt with flaxseed and fresh berries	Almonds and fruit	Hummus and apple slices	Edamame, apple slices	Peanut butter and banana	Bell pepper strips, white bean hummus	Cereal and soymilk, fresh fruit