A Simple Blueprint to Going Vegan or Whole-Food Plant-Based

If you’re new to filling up on plants and removing meat and dairy from your diet you probably have a lot of questions and pre-conceived ideas. There’s a lot of information out there, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But don’t worry, I’ve got a simple blueprint for going vegan or whole-food plant-based, and I’m going to share it with you.

You might assume that there will be fewer choices for you when it comes to what you’re eating, but you’ll soon realize the opposite is true. Yes, you’re taking out a few entire categories of food, but you’ll be adding in way more variety of foods than you take out. 

No, you won’t be eating chicken, cows, pigs, or any animal products for that matter.  But do you know how many varieties of veggies there are in the world? And fruits? And beans? And grains? Literally tens of thousands each. When the meat and dairy doors close, the world of whole plant foods opens up. The combinations are endless, and you’ll soon see that this way of eating is abundant, full of possibilities, and overflowing with options.

How are vegan and whole-food plant-based diets different?

I’m going to give you a helpful blueprint to help you navigate the world of plant based eating, but first, let’s start with some of the differences between a vegan and whole-food plant-based diet.

Vegan diet

• A vegan diet is a lifestyle that excludes all meat, dairy, eggs, and anything made from or produced by animals, including honey and leather.
• People go vegan for many reasons, the most common being ethical (compassion for animals), environmental (to help reduce their carbon footprint), and health.
• Vegan foods can be found in most grocery stores.
• Vegan foods can include oil, sugar, and other highly-processed ingredients

Whole food plant based (WFPB) diet

• WFPB is a way of eating that focuses primarily on whole plant foods and avoids meat, dairy, eggs, and highly-processed foods, like white sugar and oil.
• The biggest reason we see for people switching to a WFPB diet is that they want to improve their health, both mental and physical. The ethical and environmental impacts of this way of eating are really nice perks, though.
• WFPB-compliant foods are harder to find ready-to-eat in grocery stores. Embracing a WFPB diet often entails preparing your meals from scratch, as these nutritious choices are primarily crafted from whole, unprocessed ingredients.
• A WFPB diet does not include oil, highly refined sugar, or highly processed ingredients.

In a nutshell

Vegan and WFPB diets are similar in that they both avoid animal ingredients and products derived from animals in the diet. Vegan and whole-food plant-based diets are different in that WFPB eating emphasizes foods made from whole, minimally processed plants. Whether you’re going vegan or whole-food plant-based, I can help.

Now, here’s my simple blueprint for going vegan or whole-food plant-based

Keep in mind, we all start somewhere, and it helps to meet yourself where you are instead of trying to be perfect. Changing how, what, and why you eat a certain way is a unique, personal process. You can do it in whatever way feels best for you, there is no one way forward. Your path is perfect for you. Now grab that pen and paper.

Step one: How you’re currently eating

Write down what a typical day of eating currently look like for you. Include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Here’s an example of what that might look like:

Breakfast:
Bacon, two eggs, toast with butter, a banana, and milk

Lunch:
Turkey sandwich with mayo, tomatoes, lettuce, and mustard with sour cream and onion potato chips

Dinner:
Spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce, garlic bread, and a side salad with ranch dressing

Snacks:
Cheese and crackers and a candy bar

Step two: Envision your day on a vegan diet

Look at the meals you wrote down and cross out anything that wouldn’t be included in your new way of eating. Then, write in vegan alternatives in place of everything you crossed out.

Breakfast:
Vegan bacon, two vegan eggs (yes, they’re a thing!), toast with vegan butter, a banana, and plant milk

Lunch:
Sandwich with vegan meat replacement, vegan mayo, tomatoes, lettuce, and mustard with dairy-free potato chips

Dinner:
Spaghetti with imitation meatballs and marinara sauce, vegan garlic bread made with oil instead of butter, and a side salad with vegan ranch

Snacks:
Vegan cheese and crackers and a vegan candy bar

With a little tweaking, this day of meals went from lots of animal ingredients to none. Will it taste exactly the same? Vegan foods like faux meats and cheeses have come a long way, with many options that are tasty and helpful for people just starting out on their meat and dairy-free adventures. That said, most vegan versions of meat and dairy products won’t taste exactly the same. It’s best to go into this knowing that so you won’t be disappointed. It’s also good to know that your palate will change the longer you eat this way, so stuff you don’t love now will become yummy to you sooner than you think.

Now let’s play it out with a whole-food plant-based focus.

Step three: Envision your day on a whole-food plant-based diet

Along with taking the meat, dairy, and eggs out of the meals you wrote down, you would also take out anything highly processed, including foods made with oil and refined sugar, and replace them with whole-food plant-based options instead. Let’s take a look at my replacements in green.

Breakfast:
Tofu bacon scramble with vegggies, two eggs, toasted sprouted bread with almond butter, a banana, and plant milk

Lunch:
Baked Tofu Sandwich on sprouted bread with Lemon Tahini Dressing mayo, tomatoes, lettuce and mustard, and a side of steamed broccoli with coconut aminos and sesame seeds and potato chips

Dinner:
Whole wheat spaghetti with lentil meatballs and homemade, oil-free marinara sauce, and a side salad with Cashew Ranch

Snacks:
Hummus and Cucumber Rounds crackers and a few nut-butter stuffed dates candy bar

With some minor adjustments, you’re left with a hearty, nutrient-rich day of eating powered by whole plant foods. 

Step 4: Decide if you want to try eating following a vegan or whole-food plant-based diet

Do you want to try eating a vegan diet and ditch the meat, dairy, and eggs, or do you want to try a whole-food plant-based diet that focuses on whole plant foods while ditching meat, dairy, eggs, and highly processed items?

This is totally up to you. I promote a whole-food plant-based way of eating because it’s the most nutrient and fiber-dense way of eating, but if you want to start transitioning with vegan foods and work towards whole plant foods, that’s awesome too.

You can even do a mix, or start with adjusting just one meal a day. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. 

Whether you try out vegan eating or whole-food plant-based eating, following this blueprint for a week will help you feel the positive impact on your life and health. 

There are so many reasons to go plant based. From physical health to climate change, and mental wellness to the welfare of animals. We have helped thousands of people transform their lives with plants in with the most delicious whole-food plant-based recipes in the world. Sign up for a free trial of Clean Food Dirty Girl, our premium membership, and explore meal plans, how-to videos, and more. We also have loads of free whole-food plant-based recipes to start off with.

We are cheering you on, and we’re here to help you on your plant based journey.

I hope that you have a happy week. May it be filled with easy transitions.

Before you go, tell us what sparked your interest in eating more plants in the comments below!

Xo
Molly

P.S. If you’re looking for a great beginner recipe, this Vegan/WFPB Tempeh Sloppy Joe is ready for your mouth. It will turn tempeh skeptics into tempeh believers. Trust me, just make this – it’s insanely satisfying. Share a picture with our private Facebook group when you make it!