Sometimes life is better in the flow. But sometimes people prefer meal plans, as they know what to buy and cook, and it avoids food waste. Plant-Based Meal Prep is a good book if you want to go down this root, with 13 weekly plans and over 100 simple recipes.
Before cooking, read up on food safety for people & pets (many human foods are unsafe around animal friends).
Meal prepping is a really good idea for vegans, because you can prep sandwiches and salads etc, and take them with you. That way if all the cafes or supermarkets offer is bags of crisps or palm-oil-laden sausage rolls, you can whip out your homemade food, rather than just eat a vegan chocolate bar! The recipes in this book are great for quick breakfasts or take-to-work lunches, all with Jackie’s stunning photos. Recipes include:
- Breakfast burritos
- Grain-free granola
- Fajita pita pockets
- Corn fritter salad
- Nacho potato bake
a free four-week meal plan (with shop list)
The Veg Space is a super recipe blog by a trained chef, who also offers a free four-week meal plan, complete with printable shopping list. Just print it off (at the library if you don’t have a printer) and enjoy a whole month of budget-friendly family meals. Recipes (all on her blog) include:
- Creamy wild mushroom one-pot gnocchi
- Tuscan bean stew
- Vegan sausage casserole with beans
- Vegan cottage pie with colcannon
- Creamy courgette curry
- Vegan stew with ale & pearl barley
- Black bean & jalapeno burger
- Vegan toad-in-the-hole
- Chipotle black bean chilli
- Speedy spicy chilli bean burritos
- Chickpea & butternut curry
- Vegan moussaka
a subscription plant-based meal plan
Meal Mentor has a free trial, then sign up for an affordable plant-based meal plan with shopping list. Created by a best-selling cookbook author, she has stripped everything down to make it simple for anyone. These meals are extra healthy with all nutrient information and you can just enter your portions (one to four people) and it generates a shopping list that you can print and pop in your bag for the store.
You can also swap out recipes for others in the app, or customise to suit personal preferences or dietary needs (many meals can be made soy, gluten and nut-free). And a portion from each membership donation goes to elephant rescue!
