Tips for a Successful Transition from Vegetarian to Vegan

So you’ve made the switch to vegetarian and have continued to do research and stay dedicated to eating more sustainably. Now, it’s time to completely make the switch to eating predominantly vegan. Here are some tips to safely, effectively and efficiently make the switch to a completely plant based diet!

1. Find a sustainable, vegan friendly multivitamin like Terraseed.
   • While you will be able to consume most of the essential nutrients your body needs to function, this will ensure you are not falling into nutrient deficiencies and harming your body’s natural function.
2. Make a plan for meals each week.
   • Maybe you’ve heard this tip for “eating healthy on a budget,” but it works extremely well when transitioning to eating fully plant based as well. Sitting down with a pen and paper, your laptop, or the notes app on your phone gives you the space to think through which meals make sense for your week. It also allows you to look at how you can combine foods to create the most nutritionally dense meals with the resources you have.
     • Think about creating complete proteins (protein sources that have all the essential amino acids that our body cannot synthesize on its own present)
     • Plant based sources of complete proteins include:
       • Quinoa
       • Buckwheat
       • Soybeans
       • Nuts/seeds and whole grains (nut butter and whole grain toast)
       • Beans and whole grains
       • Beans and nuts/seeds (think of combining these into a spread)
     • Make large protein and grain sources to use across different meals throughout the week
       • Rice and quinoa can last for about a week in the fridge (longer frozen) and are great in many different meals
       • Tofu and tempeh also last in the fridge and can be made with versatile spices and used in many meals
3. If you are feeling apprehensive about a successful transition, start with one food group at a time.
   • Dairy milk -> non-dairy milk
     • There are loads of alternative milks around that match the creaminess and sweetness of traditional dairy milk
   • One completely vegan night per week, add more as you feel comfortable
     • If you are up for it, try one new vegan recipe each week -- this helps cooking feel fun!
   • Replace cheese with nutritional yeast -- this adds the savory umami flavor that comes from adding cheese
4. Keep meal staples on hand.
   • Buying beans and grains in bulk ensures that you can always throw together a somewhat satiating, healthy meal -- remember, combining beans and grains creates a complete protein!
5. Stick with whole, minimally processed foods.
   • When making the full switch to completely plant based, it can be easy to fall into buying new, exciting vegan items (think vegan cereals, desserts, fancy proteins etc..)
   • These ultra processed foods can be expensive and add little nutritional value to meals
   • Stick to the whole grains, fruits and veggies and minimally processed proteins -- this will help your body function at top performance
     • Eating vegan can be the easiest and healthiest way to nourish your body!

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