Life is busy. Schedules are full. Stress is high. To-do lists are ever-growing. In the midst of all that needs done, plant-based eating helps you thrive and take excellent care of yourself. If you’ve been wanting to eat more plant-based meals, but need some help, here are 7 tips for easy plant-based eating that you can incorporate into your busy lifestyle.

#1: Get to Know Plant-based Protein & Other Key Nutrients 

Plant-based Protein Basics

One of the first questions people tend to ask when adopting a plant-based diet is, “How will I get enough protein?”  In fact, sometimes the unfounded fear of not getting enough protein is enough to discourage plant-based eating altogether.

News flash: It is possible to get enough protein and other key nutrients via plant-based eating. With some base knowledge, you’ll quickly be able to select the right meals and snacks for getting the right amount of plant-based protein. No distracting stress or time-consuming second-guessing required.

Here are some top sources of plant-based protein:

• Seeds
• Legumes
• Whole grains
• Nuts
• Soy
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Dark greens
• Sprouts
• Mushrooms
• Thistles

Other Key Nutrients to Consider

As for other key nutrients, you’ll get a huge boost (and experience their health benefits!) when eating plant-based. By adding tons more fruits, veggies, and other plants to your diet, it’s inevitable! 

Aside from protein, you want to make sure you’re also getting enough vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. While these are most abundant in meat, fish, and other animal products, there are some excellent plant-based sources, too. 

• Vitamin B12: fortified nutritional yeast (cheesy popcorn, anyone?), nori seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms. 
• Omega-3 fatty acids: nuts and seeds like chia and healthy fats such as avocados and olive oil. 

#2: Find Your Plant-Based People

Those who’ve gone before you on the plant-based eating journey are likely more than happy to give you some advice. One of the best ways to ease into plant-based eating is to find others like you. 

Talk to your family and friends who eat plant-based foods - or get others in your life to embark on this journey with you. Explore your local vegan restaurants. Or find your vegan village online — there are tons of great community groups, forums, and blogs offering a plethora of tips for easy plant-based eating. Post a question in an active community and it will likely be answered in minutes. Join our very own Facebook group —  Thistle’s Plant-Powered Community!

Finding people who are also interested in plant-based foods will help you feel supported in your plant-based journey, which should make it all the easier. Easy plant-based eating may be just one supportive friend or community away.

#3: Organize Your Plant-Based Pantry

A well-curated and organized pantry is an important part of easy plant-based eating. Clear out all the expired, stale, and super processed or animal-based foods and replace them with essentials that will make plant-based eating a pleasant experience.

Here are some of our favorite pantry staples:

• Heart-healthy oils
• Gluten-free whole grains and flours
• Spices and dried herbs
• Beans and legumes
• Nuts and seeds
• Canned goods, condiments, and snacks
  

And if you’re into baking sweets, we have a guide of ingredients you’ll want to stock up on to make delicious plant-based treats. 

#4: Meal Plan & Meal Prep

Planning and preparation will make it easier to maintain a plant-based diet. With a plan, you’ll know what meals and snacks are on deck so that easy plant-based eating can happen even on the busiest days of the week.

Some tips to get you started:

1. Create a meal plan: Look at the week ahead and map out what you want for each meal. When thinking about produce, think of a few meals that will include the vegetables you will be buying - that way you’ll use it all up during the week. For example, buy kale to make a burrito bowl AND green smoothies. 
2. Make a detailed shopping list: Group your items the way they’re grouped together in the store (produce, spices, canned goods, etc.). It’ll make it easier to go down the list and check off items as you put them in your cart. 
3. Clean, prep, and store: Set aside time to prep anything that you can ahead of time. Enlist others in your house to help out. If you’ll be using quinoa the next day in a salad, cook a batch of quinoa so you can use it throughout the week. Pro tip: if you plan on keeping raw veggies as snacks, clean and cut them at the beginning of the week to make for easy snacking later. Make sure that you know how to store herbs and vegetables so they last a long time. 

#5: Choose Simple Vegan Recipes

With a decent understanding of plant-based nutrition, your plant-powered people cheering you on, and a kitchen that’s raring to go, it’s time to get cooking! Easy plant-based cooking starts with selecting simple recipes, like building a great salad or an “everything” burrito bowl. Get some vegan cookbooks from the library or search online using phrases like “plant-based recipes with five ingredients or less” and “one-pot vegan meals.” 

Once you’re feeling more comfortable with the basic plant-based cooking, you can go global. Since other cultures tend to center plant-based foods in their cooking and prepare them in a simple one-pot fashion, choosing globally-inspired recipes is a great way to achieve easy plant-based eating. Not only will cooking your way across the world keep your taste buds from getting bored, but these dishes also make for great leftovers — another easy plant-based eating win! 

#6: Anticipate Cravings & Pitfalls

Ah, food cravings, the enemy of any attempt at a healthy lifestyle change. They happen during the mid-afternoon slump, when the vending machine at work starts calling your name. They happen when work stress or family strife is high. They happen late in the evening, when you’re winding down with a favorite TV show or book. 

To maintain easy plant-based eating, know your cravings and have a vegan substitute at the ready. Is chocolate your thing? Instead of reaching for brownies and cookies, opt for a square of high quality dark chocolate — The Good Chocolate is one of our favorite brands. Or make and freeze portions of easy plant-based desserts. If you’re more of a salty or cheesy snacker, stove-popped popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast will hit the spot, as will simple recipes for savory spreads and dips, like Herbed Tofu “Goat Cheese and Beetroot Hummus.

For travel, pack plenty of your favorite plant-based snacks. When going out to eat, choose a restaurant that has lots of delicious vegan options.

#7: Sign Up For a Thistle Subscription

Thistle’s plant-based meals, snacks, cold-pressed juices, and sides are delicious, nutritionally sound, ready-to-eat, and delivered straight to your door. It’s one of the easiest ways to dive into plant-based eating and keep it going for the long-haul. On even your busiest of days, Thistle has got you covered.

Sign up today!

With these tips, plant-based eating is possible, and so much more. It’s nourishing, delicious, fun, and purposeful. No matter how busy life gets.