Easy to follow vegan diet – 7 day meal plan

Whether you are vegan for environmental reasons, health reasons or to help prevent the exploitation of animals, there has never been a better, or easier, time to be vegan.

The popularity of veganism

Veganism has soared in popularity in recent years, with the number of vegans in the UK quadrupling between 2014 and 2019. In 2019 1.16% of the UK population identified as vegan which equates to around 600,000 people.¹ Because of this, countless vegan recipes and products have been developed over recent years, without the use of animal products, in order to provide vegan alternatives to many of our favourite foods and meals.

Seven day vegan meal plan

If you are thinking of becoming vegan, it can sometimes be difficult to think of what to eat for each meal. And all too easy to rely on the few things you make over and over again. So, to give you some inspiration, we have put together this super easy to follow, seven-day meal plan, full of delicious vegan food. Our vegan diet plan is full of variety and satisfying vegan meals, meaning you will not miss meat or dairy one bit!

Day 1

Breakfast: Toast

The most important meal of the day and the start of our seven-day meal plan. Start your week with a simple couple of slices of toast. Most bread is suitable for vegans, but ensure you check the packet in case there are any hidden ingredients. Top your toast with almond, cashew or peanut butter and, if you fancy it, a drizzle of agave syrup, which is a vegan alternative to honey.

Lunch: Bean, tomato and watercress salad

For a quick light lunch today, try whipping up a cannellini bean, tomato and watercress salad. Pop a little lemon juice on top for added flavour.² The beans should keep you full all the way up until dinner time.

Dinner: Vegetable biryani

Packed full of flavour, vegetable biryani is also simple to cook, perfect for a mid-week meal. Using aubergine and cauliflower as a base, you can add any extra vegetables you like as well as spices such as cumin seeds, turmeric and garam masala.³

Day 2

Breakfast: Acai bowls

Pop acai berries into a bowl, along with fruit, granola, coconut pieces and almond butter. This breakfast is packed with essential vitamins and nutrients.

Lunch: Falafel

You can buy your falafel or else make your own, using blended chickpeas, vegetables, spices and herbs. Serve with flatbreads and hummus for a delicious meze platter. ⁴

Dinner: Tacos

It’s taco Tuesday! For these tacos, you can choose to use jackfruit, which is an excellent vegan substitute for pulled pork. Alternatively, try mushrooms, peppers and onions – or all of them together! Marinate your vegetables in paprika, chilli powder, cumin and garlic. Then fry them briefly and wrap in your tacos. Serve with salsa and guacamole.

Day 3

Breakfast: Homemade granola

Toss toasted rolled oats with dried fruit, nuts and seeds to create some homemade granola. Serve with a vegan milk substitute like soya milk or oat milk.

Lunch: Butternut squash soup

Butternut squash soup is a delicious light lunch suitable for any season. If you are feeling extra peckish, serve with crusty bread and a vegan spread.

Dinner: Lasagne

Swap mince for finely chopped veggies and use a vegan substitute cheese to make the creamy sauce for a delicious vegan lasagne.⁵

Day 4

Breakfast: Smoothie

For an energising morning smoothie, choose greens such as apples, kiwi fruits and matcha. Packed full of fibre, this is a great way to start the day.

Lunch: Jacket potato

For a simple lunch, fill a jacket potato with salad, baked beans or a three bean chilli.

Dinner: Pad Thai

Replace the protein in Pad Thai recipes with tofu and add to rice noodles for a yummy Thai fakeaway.⁶

Day 5

Breakfast: Scrambled tofu

Sauté tofu pieces with yeast flakes, chopped vegetables and spices for a protein-rich alternative to scrambled eggs.

Lunch: Pasta salad

Most varieties of dried pasta are suitable for vegans. Steer clear of fresh pasta as this usually includes egg. Add sliced onions, cherry tomatoes, green peppers and black olives to cooked vegan pasta before dressing with herbs, balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a tasty lunch.⁷

Dinner: Cauliflower steaks

Cook your cauliflower for a few minutes on a skillet, seasoned with cumin and salt and top with a spicy sauce to give you extra flavour.⁸

Day 6

Breakfast: Overnight oats

Prepare overnight oats the night before by adding almond milk to rolled oats and chia seeds. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract to add sweetness and make sure you make them in a portable container so you can just pick them up out of the fridge on your way to the office.⁹

Lunch: Chickpea sandwich

Blend chickpeas with a vegan mayonnaise alternative, turmeric, garlic, onion powder and salt and pepper. This sandwich filling makes a good alternative to tuna or egg mayonnaise and is full of vegan protein.¹⁰

Dinner: Portobello mushroom burger

Top a marinated Portobello mushroom with some vegan mozzarella, add salad, a bun and some ketchup and you have the perfect vegan junk food dinner – only healthier!¹¹

Day 7

Breakfast: Pancakes

Vegan pancakes are perfect for a lazy Sunday brunch and there are endless choices of toppings. Pick from fresh fruit, maple syrup and peanut butter.

Lunch: Quinoa salad

Add sweetcorn, spinach, peppers and tomatoes to quinoa for a fresh tasting, light lunch.¹²

Dinner: Three bean chilli

Swap mince for kidney beans, aduki beans and black beans and add some chopped veggies for a spicy end to the week.¹³ Serve with rice and a vegan sour cream alternative to cool it down if it gets too hot! Shop Vegan Food & Drink Last Updated: 2nd February 2021   Sources 1 https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics 2 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/bean-tomato-watercress-salad 3 https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/easy-vegetable-biryani-vegan/ 4 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-falafels 5 https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/tasty-vegan-lasagne/ 6 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/g807/vegan-recipes/?slide=7 7 https://foodwithfeeling.com/vegan-pasta-salad-easy/ 8 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/a35231/chimichurri-cauliflower-steaks/ 9 https://fitfoodiefinds.com/classic-vegan-overnight-oats-recipe/ 10 https://www.karissasvegankitchen.com/easy-vegan-turmeric-chickpea-salad-sandwich/ 11 https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-portobello-mushroom-burger/ 12 https://peasandcrayons.com/2017/08/garden-veggie-quinoa-salad.html 13 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/91318/recipe/three-bean-mexican-chilli