Becoming a full-on vegetarian might not be what you’re interested in, but being a plant-based eater doesn’t mean you have to be a vegetarian or call yourself a vegetarian. It also doesn’t mean you need to eat salad at every meal or that you need to purchase “alternative” veggie-based meat-like foods. Plant-based eating is a healthy and flexible way of eating that can be tailored to your individual preferences and lifestyle. It celebrates and emphasizes plant-based foods, but it isn’t limited to them.
Embrace Plant Variety
Following a plant-based diet means veggies are front and center, but they certainly aren’t all that you’ll be eating. Choosing foods from all of the plant-based food groups ensures enough variety to keep you interested. It also helps you get the widest variety of nutrients. Ingredients from the following groups will give you plenty of variety and lots of options for creative recipes, too.
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Vegetables
- Tubers
- Fruit
Focus on Food Quality
Technically, one can follow a vegetarian diet (or a plant-based diet) and not eat many plant-like foods at all. (Think pasta, bread, macaroni and cheese, juices, sweets, and snack foods like pretzels, chips, crackers, and cookies.) That’s not a wise way to go, health-wise. It doesn’t reflect foods from all the groups discussed above and you end up with plenty of carbs but not much nutrient density. It also relies heavily on highly processed foods. Let’s be real here for a moment: if you want to do a plant-based diet approach, it really is better if you like to eat plants. That way you’ll fill your diet with more whole foods such as fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. When you do that, you’ll be surprised at how filling your food will be (hello, fiber!), and that’s a good thing because it leaves you less hungry for the “extras” that add calories but little else.
Take it One Step at A Time
Doing too much too soon can backfire sometimes. There’s probably no reason you’d need to do a total diet overhaul quickly. Instead, start by increasing the number of plant-based meals you eat. If you are already a “Meatless Monday” person, try adding one more day of meatless eating to your plan. You could also start looking for plant-based products to swap into your diet instead of your current foods. For example, maybe there’s a plant-based coffee creamer you’d enjoy instead of half-and-half. Also, start incorporating some new-to-you plant foods into your meals (especially protein sources that can be the foundation of meat-free meals). Lentils, tempeh and tofu are a good place to start. Over time you’ll find that eating plant-based becomes just your natural way of eating.