Vegan Diet Plan for Beginners, Created by a Dietitian

Whether you’re just trying out the vegan diet or looking to simplify your routine, this 7-day vegan meal plan for beginners has something for everyone. You’ll find plenty of vegan recipes with simple steps and short ingredient lists. We focus on whole-food vegan ingredients like beans, nuts and quinoa while limiting processed meat substitutes to keep things healthy and delicious.

Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You

A vegan diet is a plant-based eating style that excludes all animal products, like meat, fish, dairy and even honey (because it’s made by bees, so it’s considered an animal product). Its cousin, the vegetarian diet, is a bit broader and excludes meat and fish but includes dairy and eggs.

We set the calorie level for this 7-day plan at 1,500 calories per day, which is a level where most people will lose 1 or 2 pounds per week. This 1,500-calorie meal plan has modifications for 2,000 calories to support those with different calorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.

Day 1

Breakfast (290 calories)

A.M. Snack (206 calories)

• ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Lunch (360 calories)

P.M. Snack (171 calories)

• 1 ⅓ cups edamame, in pods

Dinner (472 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 74 g protein, 184 g carbohydrate, 53 g fiber, 57 g fat, 1,311 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie to breakfast and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.

Day 2

Breakfast (255 calories)

A.M. Snack (193 calories)

• 1 ½ cups edamame, in pods

Lunch (381 calories)

P.M. Snack (206 calories)

• ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (469 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,504 calories, 60 g protein, 160 g carbohydrate, 41 g fiber, 80 g fat, 1,024 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana to breakfast, add 1 plum to the A.M. snack and add 1/2 an avocado, sliced, to dinner.

Day 3

Breakfast (255 calories)

A.M. Snack (272 calories)

• ⅓ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Lunch (381 calories)

P.M. Snack (106 calories)

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk yogurt

Dinner (509 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,523 calories, 51 g protein, 138 g carbohydrate, 39 g fiber, 96 g fat, 1,232 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana to breakfast, add 1/4 cup blueberries to the P.M. snack and add 1/2 an avocado, sliced, to dinner.

Day 4

Breakfast (290 calories)

A.M. Snack (225 calories)

• 1 ¾ cups edamame, in pods

Lunch (381 calories)

P.M. Snack (134 calories)

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk yogurt
• ⅓ cup blueberries

Dinner (471 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,500 calories, 61 g protein, 187 g carbohydrate, 45 g fiber, 63 g fat, 953 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie to breakfast and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.

Day 5

Breakfast (290 calories)

A.M. Snack (193 calories)

• 1 ½ cups edamame, in pods

Lunch (381 calories)

P.M. Snack (241 calories)

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk yogurt
• 10 dry-roasted unsalted almonds
• 1 medium peach

Dinner (418 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,523 calories, 64 g protein, 191 g carbohydrate, 49 g fiber, 67 g fat, 996 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie to breakfast, add 1 plum to A.M. snack and add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to dinner.

Day 6

Breakfast (255 calories)

A.M. Snack (252 calories)

• 1 medium apple
• 1 ½ Tbsp. natural peanut butter

Lunch (387 calories)

P.M. Snack (193 calories)

• 1 ½ cups edamame, in pods

Dinner (414 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,501 calories, 54 g protein, 181 g carbohydrate, 49 g fiber, 71 g fat, 980 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana to breakfast, increase to 2 Tbsp. peanut butter at the A.M. snack plus add 2 cups mixed greens with 1 serving Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette to dinner.

Day 7

Breakfast (290 calories)

A.M. Snack (129 calories)

Lunch (387 calories)

P.M. Snack (206 calories)

• ¼ cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (503 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,515 calories, 61 g protein, 191 g carbohydrate, 48 g fiber, 64 g fat, 1,116 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie to breakfast and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:

1. Make Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.
2. Prepare Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette to have throughout the week.

Vegan Foods to Focus On:

• Beans
• Lentils
• Edamame
• Soy
• Tofu
• Nuts, seeds and nut butters
• Whole grains (oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, wheat bread)
• Seitan
• Tempeh
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Avocado
• Olives and olive oil
• Coconut
• Nutritional yeast

How to Get Started on a Vegan Diet:

Though the vegan diet has many health benefits, just because something is labeled “vegan” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a healthy choice. For example, research suggests that avoidance of animal-based foods was associated with a higher intake of ultra-processed foods—such as meat and dairy substitutes made from vegan and vegetarian sources. To reap the benefits of this eating lifestyle, focus on nutrient-dense whole foods—think beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains and of course, plenty of fruits and vegetables.

While some may worry about getting enough protein when not eating meat or other animal products, it is possible to get plenty of protein on a vegan diet. Try to incorporate protein foods, like peanut butter, beans, lentils, tofu, seitan and nuts, into most of your meals to stay satisfied in between meals. If trying the vegan diet seems intimidating, consider the flexitarian diet by including a few meatless days a week to start and go from there.