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Tips for Incorporating Plant Based Foods Into Your Diet
If you follow regularly, you may know that I made lifestyle changes over the past couple of years in attempt to minimize some of my risk factors for cancer. One of the changes included switching to a majority plant based diet. It wasn't easy for me which makes me the perfect person to share tips. I had to work hard to find things that inspired me to stick with my goal despite my imperfections. Whether you want to fully change to a plant based diet or just increase the amount of plant based foods into your diet, today's post will share tips to help you with your goal!
1. Stock up on your favorite fruits and veggies.
We all have our preferences. For instance, I am not a fan of hard fruits like apples, but I love berries. I started buying berries in bulk. I also buy 3 pound bags of frozen blueberries in bulk and use them for smoothies. As for veggies, I love salads more than cooked veggies, so I stock up on my favorites at Trader Joe's such as bags of kale, arugula, avocados, beets, snap peas (I cut them into thirds), and more. While your preferences may be different than mine, I think that it's helpful to make a list of your favorites and stock up each week so that you have easy access to fruits and veggies that you want to eat.
2. Add fruits or veggies to your typical meals.
If you enjoy pasta, add extra veggies to it such as zucchini. If you have a bowl of cereal in the morning, add a handful of berries. Whatever you are eating, think about how to add extra plants to your meal.
3. Swap traditional pasta for lentil pasta.
I love carbs. Who doesn't, right? We tried different plant based pastas and almost gave up because we didn't like the ones that we tried. However, we eventually tried red lentil pasta from Trader Joe's and another from Barilla. These are delicious! As you transition to a plant based diet, check out some of the plant based pastas!
4. Stock up on plant based snacks such as Happy Little Plants Protein Puffs.
As I mentioned earlier, planning in advance and stocking up on plant based foods has been a key to success in my transition. My husband and I often crave snacks. We recently stocked up on Happy Little Plants Protein Puffs so that we could pack extra plant based nutrition into our diets even when snack cravings strike. It's convenient to order the 12-count Happy Little Plants Protein Puffs Variety Pack from Amazon which currently comes with free shipping.
These delicious snacks are packed with plant based protein. They come in crave-worthy flavors for snacking, including Cinnamon & Sugar, Nacho Cheese, and Ranch. They are all delicious, but my favorite variety is Nacho Cheese.
My boys will tell you that the Cinnamon & Sugar is their favorite variety.
The 1.25 ounce bags that we ordered contain 16g of protein (29% of daily value if you are on a 2,000 calorie/day diet). They source only non-genetically engineered ingredients. The tasty little puffs are gluten-free and preservative-free.
5. Find a favorite plant based lunch or dinner recipe and incorporate it into your routine.
Getting started is the hardest part. The transition is easier as you find more plant based recipes that you enjoy. I tried some different meal subscription services to try different recipes, checked out vegan cookbooks from the library, and followed #vegan and #plantbased on social media. I like to browse accounts such as PlantBasedServing on Instagram. One of my favorite recipes is actually very easy though -- black bean quesadillas with taco seasoning, sliced avocado, and diced tomatoes. Another one of my favorite pasta recipes is red lentil pasta and stir fried tomatoes. I also make a lot of salads. Once you find a few simply and delicious recipes, the transition to a plant based diet is easier!
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