The Story Behind This Meal Plan
A lot of people reach out to ask what a vegan meal plan actually looks like. What can you eat day to day if you want to get leaner, build muscle, or do both?
I'm sharing a sample meal plan below. It is not personalized, and it won't be right for everyone.
But it can help take some of the guesswork out of eating vegan—and show you that a high-protein diet can come entirely from plants.
What's on the Menu
- Breakfast: 5–7 tablespoons of oats with 1 cup of soy milk, almond milk, or water, a small piece of fruit (a banana, date, or apple), and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds or flaxseeds.
- Or 2 slices of whole-grain spelt bread with 1 tablespoon of whole-sesame tahini, thinned with water, and some vegetables.
- 10 a.m. snack: 6–8 almonds or other nuts, or a piece of fruit with soy yogurt.
- Lunch: 100–150 g (3.5–5.3 oz) of tofu, 1 cup of chickpeas, or 1 cup of lentils, paired with 1 cup of whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat couscous, or bulgur, or 2 slices of whole-grain spelt bread. Add a large vegetable salad with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- 4 p.m. snack: A piece of fruit or a small energy bar with no more than 100 calories.
- Before your workout: 2 dates or half a banana.
- After your workout: A protein shake is an option, not a requirement—and you don't have to drink it right after your workout, either.
- Dinner: A chickpea-flour omelet with 2–3 slices of whole-grain spelt bread; or a muesli bowl made with soy yogurt, 3–4 tablespoons of oats, and a serving of fruit; or a hearty salad with 1 cup of grains paired with legumes (say, green peas with whole-wheat couscous). I also recommend including a large vegetable salad with 1 tablespoon of tahini or olive oil at each meal.
- Late-night snack: Soy yogurt, a cup of almond milk with a square of chocolate, or a small energy bar.
