Editor’s note: FOK may collect a small share of sales from some of the links on this page, though it doesn’t influence our product picks.

Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker | $120

This 1200-watt powerhouse is perfect for making plant-based sauces, spreads, smoothies, and soups. In addition to manual blending, the easy-to-clean base comes programmed with four preset functions: smoothies, extractions, bowls, and spread. This set comes with two blender cups and one bowl that all feature drip-proof lids so you can easily take your creations on the go. 

“The Ninja Smoothie Bowl Maker is perfect for a one-person household. I use it for everything from almond butter, to nice cream, to cashew-based sauces, to making my own almond flour. Its small size makes smaller batches super easy but it still has the power of a big blender!” —Regina B.

ONCE FOR ALL Safe Mandoline Food Slicer | $43

Never worry about cutting your fingers again with this versatile mandoline that can thinly slice, dice, and julienne to create perfectly uniform ingredients. A manual hand pump works the blade as you press veggies through a chute using a beveled tamper, ensuring your precious hands stay far from any sharp parts. The standing design is collapsable for easy storage and the stainless steel blade is easy to clean between uses?

“I love this mandoline for helping me prep veggies ahead on Sundays. You can change the setting to slide and dice, and I appreciate the safety features on this model, including the push top.” —Jessica M.

Instant Pot | From $80

One of the most loved meal-prep tools of all time, the Instant Pot is clutch for anyone who batch-cooks dry beans, soups, and stews, and more. Simply load up your ingredients, select the right setting, and press a button to get a delicious meal without all the elbow grease. Beyond pressure cooking, this multicooker can bake cakes, steam veggies, slow-simmer soups, cook rice, and more. 

“On Batch Cook Sundays I like to have three going at once!”—Patti P.

Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker | $215

If you want perfectly cooked brown rice every time you make a curry or a stir-fry, this rice cooker is worth the price tag. The Neuro Fuzzy’s built-in software monitors water and rice levels and adjusts cook times for perfect results—even if your measurements are less than perfect. The cooker holds a capacity of 5½-cup (shown) and 10-cup capacity and features a nonstick inner pan that makes for easy serving and cleanup. The digital menu allows you to select different cooking times based on the type of rice you’re using, and the extended keep-warm function ensures you have ready-to-eat rice whenever you need it. 

“It’s one of my most used appliances. I’ve had it for about 10 years and use it 2–3 times a week.”—Caresse S.

All-Clad D3 Stainless Everyday 10 Piece Pots and Pans Set | $650 for 10 pieces

If you’re ready to upgrade to the Cadillac of stainless Steel cookware, now is the time. Normally upwards of $1,400, All-Clad’s sleek 10-piece set is more than 50% off right now. Cook up a storm with 8.5-inch and 10.5-inch skillets, 1.5-quart and 3-quart saucepans with lids, a 3-quart sauté pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot. The contoured handles are easy to grip, drip-free pouring rims eliminate spillage, and they’re all oven-safe up to 600℉. 

“I use the medium saucepan for making oatmeal and whole grains like bulgur, rice, farro, etc. The large saucepan is great for making chilis, soups, and stews, while the large skillet is ideal for making all kinds of dishes. It’s easy to water sauté in these pans and they are well-made in the USA!”—Cammy N.

Pyrex 3 Cup Rectangular Glass Storage Dishes with Cover | $28 for set of 4

Store all of your perfectly portioned meals in these durable glass Pyrex containers to make weekday dinners super simple. The sturdy glass is nonporous, which means it won’t absorb odors or stains, and the tightly stealing lids are BPA-free. Featuring microwave-, oven-, and freezer-safe tempered glass, these stackable containers are great for storing leftovers so you have a tasty meal ready to go on nights when you don’t have time to cook. 

“I love the Pyrex containers for leftovers and food prepping! They create easy cleanup and can even be warmed [sans lids] in the oven.”—Shannon D.

Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Slicer | $11

This handy meal prep tool creates perfect curly-cue produce in a matter of minutes. Zucchini, squash, carrots, cucumbers, and potatoes can all fit inside the hourglass-shaped spiralizer and turned into wavy noodles with a simple twist of the wrist. The dual stainless-steel blades can create either thick or thin noodles, allowing you to have more control over the finished product. 

”The spiralizer is a simple handheld one but it does the job great as well as not taking up a lot of kitchen space.”— Shannon D.

Braun 4-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender | $90

While it doesn’t do everything a standing blender can do, a good immersion blender is ideal for creating velvety smooth soups directly in the pot—no messy transferring required! This powerful 350-watt hand blender is ideal for achieving a creamy consistency thanks to its super sharp stainless steel blade. The ergonomic handle is easy to maneuver, and the detachable head is easy to clean. Not to mention, this set comes with a whisk attachment, a food processor bowl, a masher, and a beaker for small-batch blending. It’s a mini blender, food processor, and hand mixer in one.

“I use this mainly on soups, but it’s also great for mashing potatoes or beans!”—Shannon D.

Oxo Salad Spinner | $30

Clean and dry leafy greens like a pro with this simple and effective salad spinner. The non-slip base is great for gripping even the sleekest countertops, and the built-in brake button ensures total control. Plus, the basket doubles as a colander, the outer bowl is attractive enough to serve a salad in, and the pump can locks down to the lowest position for compact storage.

“It’s the only salad spinner I’ve owned that works.”—Donna S.

Tofuture Tofu Press | $24

Gone are the days of stacking a pile of cookbooks on top of your tofu to press out the moisture! This nifty professional press, which is BPA-free and dishwasher-safe, does all the work for you. Simply sandwich your tofu block between the two green panels, give it a squeeze, and empty out the water collected in the bottom tray. 

“I love this tofu press. I bought two so I can always have one rotating in.”—Angie H.

Cuisinart Push Chopper | $25

Get perfectly minced garlic, chopped nuts, mashed herbs, and sliced veggies in a matter of seconds with this sleek stainless steel push chopper. The enclosed base means you don’t need to break out the cutting board, and the dishwasher safe parts are easy to clean. Plus, pumping the push blade is a great way to get out some pent-up aggression in the kitchen! This is a great tool for batch-chopping aromatics that will be used in multiple recipes throughout the week. 

“Small enough to be convenient and very easy to clean. The rotating blade works well to quickly chop or mince items. I always use it for onions and garlic, though it also works well for nuts, peppers, or any other small job.”—Liz C.

Dexas Rainbow Flex Mats Cutting Boards  | $20 for set of 8

Every plant-based meal prepper needs a good set of cutting boards, and these non-slip mats are just right for chopping veggies. At 11×8 inches, these thin boards smaller than most, so you can pull out as many as you need for a prep session, and they take up less space in the cupboard and dishwasher. The nonporous BPA-free surface is designed to keep knife blades sharp and can easily bend to funnel ingredients straight into a pan. Plus, the eye-catching colors will bring some added cheer into your kitchen decor. 

“I typically prefer natural materials, but for a cutting board I find a lightweight, flexible mat perfect for storage, bending, and pouring over pot, and easy to clean.”—Tonya U.

High Speed Blender | Varying prices

High-speed blenders were recommended by nearly every Forks Meal Planner user, which means this is a must-have item in your plant-based kitchen. Blenders run the gamut in terms of size and price, so it’s important to find one that matches your cooking needs and budget. Check out our high-speed blender guide to take a look at our top picks and figure out which one is right for your kitchen. 

Forks Meal Planner is FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. Sign up today for a free two-week trial—no credit card required! To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Experienced Meal Preppers Share Their Must-Have Kitchen Tools appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Veggie Burritos

“One of my favorite camping foods is veggie burritos, because you don’t need a bowl or plate. Bring beans and quinoa or rice you’ve cooked at home. If you want to get fancy, you can bring chopped veggies, too. Sauté any veggies in a frying pan over a camp stove, and then add the beans and grains to warm them up. If you’d like to warm your tortillas, you can toast them directly over a burner. Wrap it all together with some salsa. Make extras and wrap them in foil; then you’ve got lunch ready for tomorrow, too.”—Steph Davis, professional rock climber, BASE jumper, and wingsuit flyer

Stuffed Pitas

“One go-to is whole wheat pita pockets stuffed with hummus and veggies. (Baby spinach, cucumber, mushrooms, and cauliflower are my favorites.) I love to snack on cucumbers while hiking—I think it’s because they’re so cool and full of water.”—Katie Simmons, Chicago-based personal chef and founder of Plants-Rule

Instant Options

“We like bringing some Dr. McDougall’s ready-made soups and small containers of precooked rice. You can just heat a pot of water over the fire and stir it into the soup, and add rice to hearten things up. Dehydrated black beans are also good—just add hot water, stir, and top with salsa.” —Matthew Lederman, MD, co-author of The Forks Over Knives Plan and co-founder of WeHeal

Freestyle Foil Packets

“My family loves seasoned tofu-and-veggie foil packets. They’re the furthest thing from fussy while still being tasty, fun, and customizable. Before you leave home, season cubes of tofu to taste (marinades work well because the flavors can meld overnight) and chop some fresh veggies. Store them separately in airtight containers in a cooler. At your campsite, let everyone assemble their own packets, spooning tofu and their preferred veggies onto a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and folding it up tightly. Throw them on a grill or into hot coals around the campfire. Check on them after about 15 minutes on the grill, and sooner if directly on coals. Long-armed tongs are helpful for safely removing them.”—Qadira Ali Huff, MD, MPH, pediatric lifestyle medicine physician and founder of Sprouting Wellness

Sweet Snacks

“Oatmeal cookie bites are a yummy snack for camping and hiking. Mash two bananas in a bowl. Stir in 1 cup oats, 2 Tbsp. nut butter, and ¼ cup raisins. Roll about 2 Tbsp. of the mixture into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350°F. Let cool before transferring to an airtight container.”—Cleodia Martinez, author of Ay Sus! Whole Food Plant-Based Global Filipino Cuisine

Easy Chili

“Chili is wonderful to dig into beside the fire with whole grain bread and a salad. I do an easy one with canned beans, canned corn, onions, jalapeño, some spices, and canned tomatoes. I like to bring the cans with me (be sure to bring a can opener), as they take no refrigeration before you open them. Sometimes I bring chopped fresh veggies, too, like carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini. Chili seasoning packets are handy, since they’re just one-time use.”—Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, author of The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes

Campfire Spuds

“I like to wrap whole potatoes in heavy-duty foil and stick them right in the campfire pit—not too close to the flame, because they can burn, but around the outside edges. Turn them every 10 minutes or so, with the help of a grill glove and barbecue tongs, until they’re tender (about 40 minutes). Also, we like to bring a grill grate, pile up some stones around the fire to rest the grate on top, and grill vegetables directly over the flame. Big slices of red onion are especially delicious that way.”—Matt Frazier, ultrarunner, founder of No Meat Athlete, and co-author of The Plant-Based Athlete

More WFPB Camping Tips

Looking for more help prepping for a successful WFPB camping trip? Check out our complete guide: How to Eat Whole-Food, Plant-Based While Camping.

Our collection of no-cook recipes also offers a treasure trove of tasty meals you can take into the great outdoors when you have limited equipment but don’t want to skimp on flavor. Many of the recipes can be made ahead of time so all you need to do is pitch a tent, set up some chairs, and dig into a delicious meal. Happy camping!

The post Whole-Food, Plant-Based Pros Share Their Favorite Camping Meals and Snacks appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

For more lunchtime inspiration, check out our full round-up of Grab-and-Go Lunches for Busy Days.

Lunch Prep Base Recipe #1: Italian-Style Veggie Stew

50 minutes l Serves as the base for 3 lunches

This easy stew makes a great heat-and-eat lunch, and you’ll use some of it to make hearty veggie wraps and a colorful pasta dish for later in the week.

Ingredients

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

¾ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup sliced carrot

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added butter beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups)

1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chopped yellow potatoes

1 cup chopped sweet potatoes

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried Aleppo pepper

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven cook mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, carrot, and garlic over medium 7 to 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Partially cover and simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove and discard bay leaf. Let stew cool 30 minutes,

Lunch Prep Variations

Now that you’ve made your base recipe, here’s how to prep it into three different lunches for three different days, plus serving instructions. We recommend prepping these lunches in the order given but eating the wraps for your first meal, since tortillas get soggy fast.

Variation 1. Italian-Style Veggie Stew

PREP AHEAD: Spoon 3 cups of the stew into a 4-cup microwave-safe container. If you like, use a fork to slightly mash potatoes to thicken the stew. Cover and chill up to 5 days.

SERVE: Loosen lid and microwave on 100% power (high) 2 minutes or until heated, stirring once. Serve with a lemon wedge.

Variation 2. Italian Veggie Wraps

PREP AHEAD: Using a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of the vegetables from the remaining stew in Dutch oven. Arrange ½ cup fresh spinach leaves over two-thirds of an 8-inch whole wheat flour tortilla. Spoon 1 cup of the stew vegetables over spinach. Top with four thin 6-inch-long strips cucumber, 1½ tablespoons sliced pepperoncini pepper, and 1 thin slice red onion, separated into rings. Roll up tortilla toward empty edge. Wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat to make a second wrap. Chill wraps.

SERVE: Unwrap plastic wrap and eat within 24 hours.

Variation 3. Italian Veggies and Pasta

PREP AHEAD: Place 1 cup cooked and cooled whole wheat or chickpea rotini in an airtight container. Top with 1 cup fresh spinach. In a separate 4-cup microwave-safe container add the remaining stew and liquid from Dutch oven. In a small airtight container combine 2 tablespoons whole wheat panko bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast. Cover and chill up to 5 days.

SERVE: Loosen lid on stew; microwave on 100% power (high) 1 minute. Stir in pasta and spinach. Microwave 1 minute more or until heated through. Top with panko mixture.

Lunch Prep Base Recipe #2: Spicy Beans and Rice

50 minutes l Serves as the base for 3 lunches

Beans and rice are a classic combo that can easily be dressed up to create drool-worthy meals. This Cajun-inspired recipe is transformed into smoky stuffed peppers and a no-fuss gumbo for easy lunches that pack a powerful punch.

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped orange bell pepper

1 cup sliced celery

1 tablespoon no-salt-added tomato paste

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons no-salt-added Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups)

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven cook onion, bell pepper, and celery over medium 7 to 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and paprika; cook and stir 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the next six ingredients (through black pepper). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Uncover; continue simmering 15 minutes more or until slightly thickened. (Or slightly mash some of the beans to thicken mixture.) Remove and discard bay leaf. Let bean mixture cool.

Lunch Prep Variations

Now that you’ve prepped your Spicy Beans and Rice, transform it into three different lunches to enjoy throughout the week. Prep the Stuffed Peppers first and use a dry measuring cup to portion out the bean mixture. This lets you get mostly solids with just a little liquid, which helps them store better.

Variation 1. Stuffed Peppers

PREP AHEAD: Cut 1 large bell pepper in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place pepper in a 4-cup microwave-safe container. Microwave on 100% power (high) 1 minute. In a bowl stir together 2 cups of the bean mixture, ⅔ cup of the rice, and 3 tablespoons golden raisins. Spoon mixture into pepper halves. In a small airtight container combine 1 tablespoon chopped toasted almonds and 2 tablespoons chopped green olives. Cover and chill up to 4 days.

SERVE: Loosen lid on stuffed pepper. Microwave on 100% power (high) 2 minutes or until heated, rotating container once. Top with almonds and olives.

Variation 2. Spicy Beans and Rice

PREP AHEAD: Spoon ⅔ cup of the rice into a 4-cup microwave-safe container. Top with 2 cups bean mixture. In a small airtight container combine 1 tablespoon sliced scallion and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Cover and chill up to 5 days.

SERVE: Loosen lid on beans and rice; microwave on 100% power (high) 2 minutes or until heated, stirring once. Top with scallions, parsley, and additional hot sauce.

Variation 3. Gumbo

PREP AHEAD: In a 4-cup microwave-safe container stir together 2 cups bean mixture, ⅔ cup of the rice, and ⅔ cup frozen sliced okra. In a small airtight container combine 1 tablespoon sliced scallion and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Cover and chill up to 5 days.

SERVE: Loosen lid on gumbo. Microwave on 100% power (high) 2 minutes or until heated, stirring once. Top with scallion, parsley, and ½ teaspoons gumbo file seasoning.

Looking for more support prepping healthy meals that will leave you feeling nourished all week long? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Cook Twice, Eat 6 Times: Vegan Lunch Meal Prep appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

• Planning out your meals for the week ahead.
• Shopping for your ingredients.
• Preparing complete recipes or some of their components: chopping produce, batch-cooking grains/legumes/soups, and getting any other elements ready to use later in the week.
• Putting it all together as you assemble the full meals.

We asked several plant-based meal-prep veterans—including a chef, a noted author/influencer, and experienced meal preppers in the FOK community—for their best advice on making each of these four stages simpler. Try out a few of their clever hacks to streamline your meal-prep process and turn the chore of cooking into an enjoyable activity!

Menu-Planning Tips

Our meal-prep pros offered their best advice on how to create a weekly menu that minimizes extra work and maximizes flavor.

1. Start with familiar recipes, and build your repertoire from there.

Prepping four or five brand-new recipes right off the bat can be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t sure whether they’ll turn out delicious or a disaster. The No. 1 rule to follow as you begin your meal-prep journey: Build your culinary expertise gradually.

“Begin with recipes you know really well,” says Chef Dan Marek, director of plant-based culinary and content development at Rouxbe Online Culinary School. “If you have a repertoire of four or five recipes that you know how to execute, you’ll always be able to make a reliable, tasty meal. Each week I would suggest that you try to learn a new one—that way the longer you do this, the more recipes you have at your fingertips. With more recipes under your belt, you can really start to mix and match them each week.”

2. Plan recipes with similar ingredients.

A surefire way to get intimidated by meal prepping is to cram your fridge full of more ingredients than you can realistically manage. Simplify your workload (and your grocery list) by grouping your weekly recipes around similar ingredients.

“I might plan to make Buffalo cauliflower tacos and an eggplant dish with Israeli couscous one week,” Marek explains. “The couscous dish might have diced red pepper in it and the tacos might have red pepper slices in it. By planning multiple recipes for the week that have the same ingredients, you won’t have to chop up a bunch of different things at the same time. It makes the prep and cleanup process easier.”

3. Pick a culinary theme for the week.

Not sure how to find recipes with similar ingredients? Choosing a culinary theme for the week is a great way to group meals that have complementary flavor profiles and use a lot of the same components.

“I personally love to do a Mexican-inspired week that will use lots of fresh cilantro and lime juice or an Italian-inspired week that will use fresh basil, parsley, and lemon juice,” says Kristen Hong, author of Fridge Love and creator of the Hello Nutritarian wellness blog.

4. Using online recipes? Always read the comments.

While it’s usually a wise decision to stay away from the comment section of most online platforms, it can be helpful to look at the comments from other home cooks when you’re using online recipes. You’ll often find lots of interesting ideas for ingredient substitutions, cooking methods, or serving suggestions from people who’ve already done it. You might even find a variation of the recipe that will speak to your taste buds more than the original version!

“I always read the comments for insight and tips on tweaking a dish to my liking,” says Julie Stubbins, who uses Forks Meal Planner to plan and prep her meals.

5. Use technology to your advantage.

If multiple people in your household do the shopping or offer input on the week’s menu, there are several smartphone apps that will ensure communication around meal prepping goes smoothly.

“My wife and I will make a list on our phones of what we want to eat, typically in the [iPhone] Notes app because they’re shareable between the two of us,” says Marek. “We can brainstorm recipe ideas even if we aren’t together and get a better sense of what our food for the whole week will look like.”

There are also grocery list–sharing apps (such as Out of Milk) that are updated in real time so multiple people can shop at the same time while ensuring that you don’t purchase duplicate ingredients.

Shopping Tips

No matter if you love perusing the aisles of Trader Joe’s or dread going to the store, these tips will help you make the most of your shopping sessions.

1. Order groceries for pickup or delivery instead of going to the store.

Do you find yourself aimlessly wandering supermarket aisles even when you have an organized grocery list? Staying out of the store altogether can save you time, energy, and money.

“When possible, I order my groceries for pickup,” says Tiffiny Mitchell, a Forks Meal Planner subscriber since 2019. “Many of the stores that offer this service will waive the pickup fee if you order over a certain amount, and a week’s worth of groceries almost always puts you above the minimum. The time it saves me to not have to go grocery shopping is time I get back to do other things (like cook!). Also, the fact that I’m not physically in the store prevents me from impulse buys that would otherwise throw me off track with what I have planned for the week.”

2. Stock up on pantry staples, and buy in bulk when it makes sense.

“Keep some basic ingredients on hand at all times,” suggests Stubbins. “My favorites are maple syrup, tahini, smoked paprika, and a variety of nuts.”

Even though your meals will rotate each week, it’s a smart idea to have a generous supply of frequently used condiments, spices, legumes, and grains so you can easily throw together a quick meal if your prep plans go out the window. Bulk-buying canned beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and other essentials that have a long shelf life can save you money and time in the long run.

3. Get creative about hard-to-find ingredients.

If you find a recipe that looks delicious but you aren’t sure where to find some of the ingredients, turn to the interwebs for a little help.

“Be flexible and don’t let hard-to-find ingredients deter you,” advises Mitchell. “Some ingredients (especially in smaller cities) may be harder to find, but when that’s the case, I simply Google a substitute. You can do the same thing if there’s a certain ingredient you don’t like and you want to swap it out. The important thing is that the recipe tastes good and you’ll eat it!”

Hands-On Prepping Tips

This stage of meal prepping is where the magic happens. Learn how to transform your raw ingredients into ready-to-use building blocks that will help you create satisfying meals in less time.

1. Create a mise en place in your fridge.

If there’s just one meal prep tip you implement from this list, it should be this one. Creating a mini mise en place—a French culinary phrase that means “putting in place”—will set you up for a productive week of cooking that requires very little work when it comes time to assemble the full meals.

“The first thing you should do after getting home from the store is get out your vegetables, do a quick wash, and then cut them all up into usable-sized pieces for the week,” Marek suggests. “A restaurant is able to create a dish in just 10 minutes because they have all the individual ingredients chopped up and ready to go in a line. You can do the same thing in your kitchen. So if you spend an hour and half chopping veggies, marinating tofu, and blending sauces then you only need 15 minutes on Tuesday night to pull them out and create your meal.”

2. Batch-cook in your Instant Pot or crockpot.

If two or more recipes for the week include the same grain or bean, make a big batch so you only have to prep that ingredient once for the entire week. If you don’t have a pressure cooker or slow cooker, you can always batch cook in a regular pot on the stove!

“The Instant Pot is a huge time saver for lentils, beans, and rice,” says Carrie McBride, who’s been using Forks Meal Planner to help chart out her meals each week since 2020. “I also try to make a soup, chili, or stew every Sunday. Sometimes that’s our Sunday evening meal, but it will often be eaten alongside a salad at lunch or as a backup meal in case [other] leftovers don’t go as far as expected.”

3. Use extra fruit and veggies for easy weekday snacking.

Meal prep doesn’t only include sit-down dinners: The technique can be useful for creating grab-and-go snacks that you can enjoy between your main meals.

“I like to clean and prep fruits and veggies in Mason jars for the coming week,” says McBride. “My teenagers are much more likely to eat fruit if it is ready to go. Things like peppers, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower make great snacks, and anything not eaten for a snack during the week can go into a stir-fry or the end-of-the-week soup.”

“Mini bell peppers, baby carrots, celery with peanut butter, and fruit are fantastic plant-based snacks and great sources of long-lasting energy that you can ‘graze’ on throughout the day,” adds Mitchell. “One of my absolute favorites is frozen chunks of mango. Frozen fruit is more economical if you’re trying to save money, and easy to buy in bags from most grocery stores.”

4. Position time-sensitive ingredients at the front of the fridge.

Tired of having your leafy greens wilt in the veggie drawer before you can use them? If you place the most perishable ingredients in a dedicated section of your fridge or pantry, then you’re less likely to forget about them before it’s too late.

“I live by the motto ‘front of fridge, front of mind,’” says Hong. “The main idea is to showcase your food by pulling your fresh produce out of the crisper drawers and placing it eye-level in your fridge. Use clear glass jars or containers so you can easily see what you have available. This prevents food waste because your produce isn’t getting pushed back and forgotten in your drawers. You can also stand up your hearty veggies (like carrots, celery, radishes) and leafy herbs in jars and tent them with produce bags or reusable silicone bags to prevent wilting.”

5. Overnight oats are a breakfast lifesaver.

Not a morning person? Learning how to make overnight oats will be a game-changer for your a.m. routine. The best thing about this easy meal is that it only requires a few ingredients and five minutes to make!

“While you can meal prep and cook breakfasts like everything else, for me it’s just easiest to reduce it to two words most days: overnight oats,” says Mitchell. “I often add either fresh or frozen fruit to mine and a couple tablespoons of chia seeds. Super quick, easy, and totally whole-food, plant-based!”

6. Make sauces and dressings first.

Here’s a sneaky meal prep tip that will make the cooking process easy: Assemble any liquid components of a dish before you touch the heftier ingredients. This method ensures that you have all your separate elements ready to go so you aren’t left scrambling to make a sauce when all the other elements of your meal are ready to come together.

“Many recipes call for you to make the dressing or sauce while the recipe itself is cooking, but I find that I can get easily distracted and lose track of where I am,” say Mitchell. “If I make the dressing first, then it’s ready to go.”

7. Portion out salads into individual jars.

Salads can be one of the trickiest meals to prep in advance. If you make it in one big bowl, the greens are likely to get soggy and veggies might dry out and lose flavor. The answer to your salad woes: Layer individual portions into glass jars to stash in the fridge so you have ready-made meals at your fingertips.

“On Sundays I use extra large Mason jars to create salads, and they generally keep through Friday,” recommends McBride. “I take a bit of a shortcut on the prep by using a premade garden salad from a bag and add baby kale, baby arugula, and a power greens mix which has chard and spinach. I’ll start by placing broccoli slaw (pre-shredded, from a bag), shredded carrots, and roasted cauliflower pieces at the bottom of the jar. Then add the greens mix, and then any other toppings I like, such as nuts and seeds. Things like cucumber and tomatoes can get slimy, so I chop them up separately and place them in a Mason jar with a bit of balsamic vinegar to top the salad once it’s plated. For my dressing I just mix up enough in another jar to last me for several days. A favorite of mine is [a mix of] balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, stone ground mustard, and sriracha.”

8. Invest in good reusable containers.

You might meal prep like a boss, but do you have enough Tupperware to properly store your delicious creations? The right kitchen gear can vastly improve the efficiency of your prep days and make reheating leftovers a breeze.

“I love my reusable containers because they stack really well and make your fridge easy to maneuver,” says Marek. “And if they’re clear, you can see what you have going on inside them. I typically put the prepped ingredients in the front and the completed dishes behind those so I don’t lose track of what I still need to use during the week.”

Tips for Putting It All Together and Staying on Track

Make the most of your newfound meal-prep skills by learning how to make the process of whipping together a tasty meal like a pro.

1. Freeze leftovers for a rainy day.

One common complaint about meal prepping is a disinterest in eating the same thing several days in a row. If that’s the case for you, try freezing half of every dish that you make so you can reheat the meals at a later date. Not only do you keep things interesting for your taste buds, but you have emergency meals stashed away for a night when you don’t feel like cooking. This technique is especially effective for single people who are cooking for one and want to ensure their hard work doesn’t go to waste.

“If I have a particularly busy week it’s nice to have something in the freezer so I can lessen the amount of cooking I need to do,” says Marek. “You can make a full-size recipe and freeze half of it for later or even make a whole other batch to save for a rainy day.”

2. Cook in smaller spurts if you don’t love lots of leftovers.

There’s no hard and fast meal prep rule that says you have to make a giant pot of soup every Sunday to last you the whole week. If you enjoy making meals throughout the week for more of that “made to order” feeling, then only make one or two meals at a time. This strategy ensures you have a hot meal for dinner the same night and leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.

3. Find a community to keep you accountable and inspired.

If you find yourself getting in a meal-prep rut, it can be helpful to draw on the creativity of other home chefs to light your fire again. From recipe blogs to Facebook groups, there are tons of digital communities that offer support.

“Joining a group of WFPB meal preppers through your favorite social media site is a great way to stay motivated and engaged in the process,” recommends Mitchell. “Take pictures of your meals and share them, and seek out advice with others. I belong to several groups on Facebook, including a community exclusive to the Forks Over Knives Meal Planner that has been invaluable in letting me know I’m not alone, seeing the success of others, and keeping me on the road with encouragement and advice from others.”

4. Minimize food waste by using all your produce scraps.

It’s inevitable that some ingredients will go to waste during busy weeks, but you can work on reducing food waste both during the prep process and throughout the week as you assemble your meals. Being mindful of food waste will stretch your grocery dollars and has the added benefit of being environmentally friendly!

“Keep all of your veggie scraps (especially onion skins and ends, carrot skins, celery hearts, and garlic skins) to make a simple homemade veggie broth,” advises Hong. “Or when you see berries about to go bad, freeze them for smoothies or make a homemade jam.”

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post 20 Meal-Prep Tips From People Who’ve Been Doing It For Years appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

We’ve created a delicious base recipe that’s quick, easy, and oil-free that can be transformed into tons of different dishes with a few extra ingredients. When you’re craving a healthy and hearty meal to use up extra produce, check out our eight creative twists on this staple dish that serve up major flavor.

Base Recipe: Easy Ratatouille

35 minutes | Makes 6 cups

While ratatouille traditionally features a heavy dose of olive oil, we love this lighter, heart-healthy version where the veggies get mouth-wateringly tender when simmered in their own juices. Flavored with the fragrant notes of thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sage, this colorful dish will transport you to the French countryside with every bite.

Ingredients

3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or one 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch chunks

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 small bell pepper (any color), cut into ½-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf (optional)

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan combine the first eight ingredients (through bay leaf, if using). Add 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to simmering over medium; reduce heat to medium- low. Simmer, covered, 20 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (Alternately, cook ratatouille in a slow cooker on high 2 hours or in a multicooker on high pressure 5 minutes.)

8 Ways to Transform Ratatouille Leftovers

You’ll love our ratatouille recipe straight out of the pan, but there are plenty of other ways to serve it or repurpose leftovers. Here are eight easy ideas to enjoy every last bite of this fragrant veggie stew.

1. Bruschetta

Spoon ratatouille on top of thin slices of toasted whole grain bread. Garnish with sliced olives and/or chopped fresh basil.

2. Provençal Chili

Add 1½ cups cooked or canned kidney or pinto beans and 1 cup corn kernels to 6 cups ratatouille. Serve mixture warm over rice, and top with sliced avocado and chopped fresh cilantro.

3. Ratatouille Pasta

Add ½ cup cooked or canned chickpeas or white beans to 2 cups ratatouille and serve the mixture warm over your favorite whole grain pasta. Garnish with chopped fresh basil and nutritional yeast

4. Mediterranean Shepherd’s Pie

Stir two 15-oz. cans of lentils (3 cups), rinsed and drained, into 6 cups ratatouille. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish. Slice two 16-oz. packages of tube-style polenta into ½-inch-thick rounds, and use them to completely cover the ratatouille. Bake for  35 to 40 minutes at 375 ̊F or until the filling is bubbly and polenta is crispy.

5. Chilled Grain Salad

In a large bowl combine 3 cups cooked hearty whole grains (such as freekeh, sorghum, or barley), 1½ cups canned or cooked black-eyed peas, and 3 cups ratatouille. Chill 1 hour to allow grains to absorb ratatouille juices. Top with 1 cup chopped fresh parsley, basil, or cilantro and 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts.

6. Gazpacho

Starting with chilled ratatouille, remove a few vegetable chunks to use as a garnish. Process 3 cups ratatouille in a blender or food processor until smooth. Thin with water as needed to achieve your ideal consistency. Serve as a chilled soup; garnish with reserved vegetables, chopped fresh chives, and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Stuffed Pita

Spread the inside of a whole wheat pita bread round with hummus. Add chopped lettuce or cabbage and top with hot or cold ratatouille, chopped fresh tomato, onion slices, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

8. Ratatouille Pizza

Place 3 cups of ratatouille in a strainer to drain off liquid. Spread vegetables over a store-bought whole grain pizza crust; bake 10 to 12 minutes at 450°F. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and fresh oregano.

The post Ratatouille Reimagined: 8 Ways to Enjoy Leftovers of the Classic French Dish appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

I challenged myself to make some big changes. I mustered what little willpower I had left and stopped drinking—just quit, forever. Then I dared myself to step outside and go for a short run. I spent most of the time gasping for air and walking, but I did it. Soon I joined a high-intensity interval training program with energetic coaches and good music. The gym was close to the new house that my wife and I managed to purchase. Little by little, and with the support of family and friends, I was seeing changes in myself and starting to feel like the person I wanted to be.

Prescription for Change

One day I received an email from my primary care physician’s office letting me know that my wonderful doctor was finally retiring. I needed to find a new one, so I did some research and found a physician who seemed promising: Daniel Pourshalimi, MD. During my first meeting with him, he performed an exam and asked me questions about my health, including my diet. Then he said, “Rick, I am going to say this once. It is something I say to all my new patients. I won’t bother you with it again unless you are interested in learning more. Most of my patients don’t go through with my recommendation, but here it is: I think you should be eating whole-food, plant-based meals.” 

My knee-jerk reaction was “Really? I eat pretty healthfully. Why this?” Dr. Pourshalimi was more than happy to lay out for me the diet’s important health benefits, not only for me but also for my wife and our two boys. He handed me a document he’d created explaining the basics of plant-based nutrition. He also told me to jot down the names of some books and documentaries to explore, among which were The Game Changers and Forks Over Knives. Listening to my new doctor, I thought: “Most patients don’t go through with this, huh? Well, I’m ready for a new challenge.” 

After that appointment, my wife and I watched The Game Changers. Toward the end of the film, a man who protects animals from poachers looks into the camera and says that he realized “the easiest way to protect other animals is just not to put them in your mouth.” I looked over at our puppy, then to my wife, and knew that we’d begin the switch the next morning.

Plant-Based Kitchen Makeover

We started by going through the refrigerator and cabinets, reading every label, and removing anything that had animal products. We had very little food left. So we went shopping at a new vegan-friendly market and were surprised that our purchases were not nearly as expensive as what we were used to. Bonus! 

We also reorganized our food storage, getting rid of all wasteful plastic bags and wraps, subbing in Mason jars. We stopped using paper napkins and paper towels, and we began composting! But what to cook? My vegan-recipe repertoire was woefully spare. We invited some friends over who had been vegan for years and asked if we could bend their ears for some advice while munching on some vegan takeout. They did not disappoint, sharing websites, books, recipes, tips and tricks, and more.

For years, I’d been preparing different meals for each member of the family due to individual issues or needs (food allergies/sensitivities, IBS, wanting to gain or cut weight, and sometimes just an aversion to a specific ingredient). So I decided I would try and find some WFPB dishes that all of my family members could eat. I hit the internet, and a number of Forks Over Knives recipes popped up. Then I noticed Forks Meal Planner and thought that would be a great place for us to begin our journey. 

A Little Bit of Structure

Forks Meal Planner made the transition much less daunting and showed me the ropes of whole-food, plant-based cooking. I went to culinary school years ago just for kicks, and I thought there was very little left for me to learn about making meals, but I was wrong: I don’t think I’d ever prepared a dish without first pouring several glugs of oil in a pot until I used the recipes in the Meal Planner. 

Over the past six months, we’ve used the Meal Planner daily, and we’ve enjoyed the food and better health. I’m always excited for Thursdays, when the new recipes for the next week are posted. I customize the number of servings, swap out recipes for any requests family members have made, and add in a snack or dessert for the week. I use the shopping-list feature routinely, which is a huge help. 

Before, I was making multiple dishes for each mealtime, and we ordered takeout more than once a week so that I could recover. Now, we regularly eat the same dishes, which feels like a miracle. Finding creative ways to use fresh produce has been pleasurable, and I continue to educate myself, along with watching a fun lineup of vegan chefs on YouTube and TikTok. 

Stronger Than Ever

Since making the switch to WFPB last summer, my nails have grown stronger and my mind has grown sharper. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure many years prior and prescribed three medications to keep it in check; I am proud to say that my doctor has taken me off of two of those medications. Now my pill box doesn’t rattle like a container of Tic Tacs. At 48, I find myself healthier and stronger than ever. 

This chapter of my life has been marked with many successes (and not the career kind, which I used to think were the only kind). Each change I made gave me the will and confidence to make the next change. Quitting alcohol made exercise seem possible. Running daily made going to the gym easier. All the physical fitness forced me to get rid of clothes that no longer fit my new body, so I got to choose a new way to dress. I decided to take my boys hiking, grow my hair long, set up a morning routine to drop everything and hug my wife as soon as I saw her.

If I have a regret (and I really don’t), it would be that I didn’t make these changes sooner.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Meal Planning has Simplified My Life, Improved My Health appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

DAY 0 (Advance Prep for Day 1)

1. First things first: Go shopping. We’ve created a handy shopping list to fill up your fridge so you’ll have everything you need for this week of meals.
2. Cook 1 lb. dry brown lentils according to package directions. Store cooked lentils in the refrigerator so they’re ready to go on Day 1.
3. Soak 1 lb. dry chickpeas overnight so they’re ready to cook on Day 1.
4. Prep Overnight Oats with Apple for your Day 1 breakfast: In a container combine 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup plant-based milk, 4 chopped pitted dates, 2 tablespoons raisins, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Day 1

Day 1 is your biggest cooking day, so we recommend starting on a Sunday. You’ll be making three recipes, including a Hearty Lentil Ragu that will also serve as lunch tomorrow and a Parsley-Lemon Hummus you’ll enjoy throughout the week. Get your chickpeas cooking while you heat up your breakfast.

BREAKFAST: Overnight Oats with Apple Heat prepped oats in a pan (or in the microwave) with a splash of plant milk or water. Serve topped with ½ apple, diced. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

LUNCH: Chickpea Pasta Salad with Walnut Dressing In a bowl combine 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce; 1 cup cooked penne pasta; 1 cup cooked chickpeas; ½ cup each diced carrot, celery, tomato, and red bell pepper (save remaining red bell pepper); and 2 tablespoons minced onion. For dressing, in a blender combine 2 tablespoons walnuts, 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley, 1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Toss salad with dressing.

DINNER: Hearty Lentil Ragu with Penne

SNACK: Parsley-Lemon Hummus In a blender or food processor combine 3 cups cooked chickpeas, ½ cup packed fresh parsley, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Blend to a smooth paste. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if needed to reach desired consistency. Serve with celery sticks (3 stalks sliced in half). Refrigerate leftover hummus in an airtight container.

PREP FOR TOMORROW: Cook the entire bag of brown rice according to package directions. Soak black beans overnight.

Day 2

You’ll get a lot of mileage out of today’s toasted Homemade Muesli, enjoying it twice as a breakfast, once as a topping. For dinner, you’ll be whipping up a robust casserole using some pantry staples. 

BREAKFAST: Homemade Muesli In a nonstick skillet over low toast 3 cups rolled oats, ⅓ cup chopped walnuts, and ⅓ cup chopped raisins 5 to 7 minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional) and 2 pinches ground cinnamon. Mix well. Transfer to a tray to cool. Serve with a handful of blueberries, 1 sliced banana, and plant milk. Store leftover muesli in an airtight container.

LUNCH (leftover): Hearty Lentil Ragu with Penne

DINNER: Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole with Chickpeas

SNACK: Cinnamon Apple Salad In a medium bowl combine 1 cup diced apple, 4 chopped pitted dates, 1 tablespoon raisins, 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 2 pinches ground cinnamon. Mix well. Serve right away or chill before serving.

PREP FOR TOMORROW: Cook the entire bag of black beans according to package directions. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.

Day 3

When it comes to eating plant-based on a tight budget, potatoes are your best friend. You’ll be prepping an extra Potato Burrito Bowl for an easy grab-and-go lunch tomorrow. You’ll also be making extra Oatmeal-Date Pancakes to enjoy throughout the week, as pancakes can maintain their flavor and texture for five days when stored properly. 

BREAKFAST: Oatmeal-Date Pancakes In a blender or food processor combine 1⅓ cups rolled oats; 12 chopped pitted dates, 1 cup plant milk, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Blend to a coarse batter. Heat a nonstick skillet over low. Pour ¼ cup batter per pancake onto the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes or until the pancakes start to release from the pan. Flip; cook 3 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve a few alone or with sliced banana and a handful of fresh blueberries. Allow leftover pancakes to cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for use later this week.

LUNCH (leftover): Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole with Chickpeas

DINNER: Potato Burrito Bowl

SNACK (leftover): Parsley-Lemon Hummus

Day 4

You’ve reached the midweek stretch! Breakfast and lunch are both in the bag today, thanks to your efforts earlier this week! Enjoy Sweet Potato Fries as a snack or as a side to dinner.

BREAKFAST (leftover): Homemade Muesli

LUNCH (leftover): Potato Burrito Bowls

DINNER: Lentil Burgers  

SNACK: Sweet Potato Fries Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut 1 large sweet potato into wedges and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until just tender and slightly browned on the edges. Serve warm with ketchup.

Day 5

On order today is a slew of satisfying meals. You’ll be cooking up a storm, but the payoff will be well worth it. Look forward to enjoying leftover Chickpea Curry Stew with Kale for lunch tomorrow.

BREAKFAST: Savory Polenta Porridge with Broccoli In a pan bring 1 cup water to boiling. Add ¼ cup finely chopped onion, ¼ cup diced red bell pepper (save what’s left for Day Seven), and ½ teaspoon each onion powder, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Roughly chop half of an 18-oz. tube precooked polenta, reserving remaining polenta for tomorrow’s snack. Add chopped polenta to the pan. Cook over low 10 minutes more or until polenta softens. Mash polenta to a porridge using a fork. Add 1 tablespoon each lemon juice and finely chopped fresh cilantro. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Top with 1 cup steamed broccoli.

LUNCH: Tex-Mex Pasta Salad Cook 1 cup dry penne according to package directions. Two minutes before pasta is done, add 2 cups chopped kale. When pasta finishes cooking, drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1½ cups cooked black beans, 1 cup thawed frozen corn, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, and ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Toss to combine. Add sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

DINNER: Chickpea Curry Stew with Kale

SNACK: Oatmeal with Bananas In a small saucepan bring 2 cups of water to boiling. Add 1 cup rolled oats. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand for 2 minutes. Serve topped with 1 sliced banana.

Day 6

Warm up the rest of your Oatmeal-Date Pancakes for breakfast this morning; then heat up the extras from last night’s Chickpea Curry Stew with Kale for a quick and hearty lunch. Shepherd’s Pie will be the final dinner you cook this week, and you’ll be making enough to eat tomorrow night, too.

BREAKFAST (leftover): Oatmeal-Date Pancakes with Fresh Blueberries

LUNCH (leftover): Chickpea Curry Stew with Kale

DINNER: Budget-Friendly Shepherd’s Pie

SNACK: Polenta Bruschetta Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice half of an 18-oz. tube precooked polenta into six ½-inch-thick disks. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Slice half a tomato into six wedges (save the rest for later). Top each polenta disk with 1 tablespoon Parsley-Lemon Hummus and a tomato wedge. Serve right away.

Day 7

Congratulations! For just $49.69, you’ve nourished yourself for seven days. Now that you’ve got down the basic formulas for eating plant-based on a budget, you can get creative with leftovers to come up with nourishing vegan meals on the cheap.

BREAKFAST: Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake a sweet potato 30 to 40 minutes or until tender. Let the potato cool slightly. Remove skin. Mash potato in a bowl with 2 pitted dates, finely chopped. Sprinkle with ¼ cup Homemade Muesli and a handful of fresh blueberries.

LUNCH: Potato Salad Scrub 2 medium-size Yukon gold potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place potatoes in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, about 15 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a large bowl to cool. Add 1 cup diced celery, ½ cup grated carrot, ½ cup diced tomato, ¼ cup diced red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix well. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.

DINNER (leftover): Budget-Friendly Shepherd’s Pie

SNACK (leftover): Lentil Burgers

1-Week Vegan Meal Plan Shopping List

Let’s go shopping! With this list, you’ll be set for the week. We’ve listed ingredients “From Your Pantry” that are likely already in your kitchen and not factored into the budget. Note that some produce will be split across recipes and days, so store any leftover pieces in the fridge.

To make it all work, head to stores where you get the most bang for your buck. We shopped at Trader Joe’s, Smart & Final, Walmart, and 99 Cents Only Stores in Los Angeles while developing this menu.

Fresh Produce

• 3 apples …………………………………..$2.31
• 3 bananas…………………………………$0.81
• 8 oz. fresh blueberries………………$3.30
• 1 head broccoli (¾ lb.)……………….$1.77
• 7 carrots (32 oz.)……………………….$1.96
• 1 lb. celery (about 13 stalks) ………..$2.08
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro………………. $0.88
• 8 oz. dates………………………………. $3.24
• 1 bunch kale……………………………..$1.48
• 3 lemons ………………………………….$1.74
• 7 medium yellow onions ……………$2.18
• 1 bunch parsley…………………………$0.98
• 1 large red bell pepper ………………$1.48
• 5 lb. Yukon gold potatoes ………….$5.98
• 2 medium sweet potatoes………….$2.94
• 3 heads romaine lettuce ………….. $2.74
• 4 tomatoes……………………………….$1.28

Packaged Goods/Bulk Bins

• 1 lb. dry black beans………………….$1.56
• 1 lb. dry brown rice……………………$0.92
• 1 lb. dry brown lentils………………….$1.42
• 1 lb. dry chickpeas ……………………. $1.46
• 6¾ cups rolled oats…………………… $5.02
• 1 lb. penne pasta……………………….$2.30
• 1 18-oz. tube precooked polenta……$3.72
• ½ cup raisins …………………………… $0.99
• 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes……..$1.76
• ½ cup chopped walnuts ……………..$1.84

Refrigerator/Freezer Aisles

• 1 16-oz. package frozen corn………$1.96
• ½ gallon unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk…$2.44

TOTAL: ……………………………….$63.21

From Your Pantry

• Cayenne pepper
• Mild chili powder
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Curry powder
• Dried oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cumin
• Dried Italian seasoning
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Pure vanilla extract
• Sea salt
• Smoked paprika
• Taco seasoning
• White wine vinegar or cider vinegar

To receive affordable, healthy, customizable vegan meal plans straight to your inbox every week, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post 1-Week Vegan Meal Plan: How to Eat Plant-Based on a Budget for $3 a Meal appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

1. You’ll Have More Free Time

When you wait until the day-of to decide what you’re going to eat, you set yourself up to make yet another run to pick up groceries or takeout. But when you spend a chunk of time upfront preparing for the week—picking out recipes and going to the grocery store, and even prepping the whole meal or some of its ingredients—you free up valuable time in your jam-packed weekdays. “You’re front-loading your [effort], so you literally are saving hours,” says Hultin. It’s more efficient to sit down once a week, scan through your pinned recipes or earmarked cookbooks, and make one grocery list for the week, rather than repeat the process every day or two.

And meal prepping takes this time-saving benefit up one more notch: Instead of pulling out the ingredients and measuring spoons for breakfast and lunch and dinner seven separate times throughout the week, you can set up one assembly line that you can divvy up into separately packaged portions. Other time savers: Make a big pot of soup or grain salad that you can use as a side dish several times throughout the week. Cook enough oatmeal or quinoa to get you through the week’s recipes. Or when you have downtime, chop up vegetables, soak some beans, or marinate tempeh. Then at meal times, you can quickly reach for the prepped goods. For more meal-prep tips, see In the Kitchen with Darshana: Weekend Prep 101.

2. You’ll Waste Less Food

According to a report by the National Resources Defense Council, Americans throw away about a quarter of the food and beverages we buy every year, due in part to spoilage, impulse buys at the grocery store, poor planning, and wasting leftovers. Fresh fruits and vegetables make up about 22 percent of that food waste, according to the same report. Weekly meal planning helps you purchase only the groceries that you actually need—and to make maximum use of every ingredient. When you intentionally account for half of an onion to be used in your enchilada recipe and another half to garnish your bean chili, then you won’t have a forgotten, partially cut onion withering away in the fridge until it’s unusable. When you meal plan, you are more aware so you can plan to use the whole food, says Hultin. Another environmentally friendly perk of meal planning: You’ll bypass all the packaging that goes along with takeout meals. 

3. It Saves You Money

Throwing away less food means throwing away less money. And fewer visits to the store and restaurants means that you’ll be spending less on groceries and takeout. “When you’re organized, you’re just buying what you need,” says Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, author of California Vegan. You don’t have to plan—and pay—for 21 separate meals as you would if you were playing it by ear for each meal every day of the week. When meal prepping a week’s worth of lunches for one, for example, you can choose one recipe that serves five and then portion it out into five lunches over the course of the week. Do the math and it’s a huge cost savings: On average, in any given week of meal planning, you can prep ahead for one or two breakfast recipes that you can rotate, one recipe for a week of lunches, and four or five dinners that will lead to leftovers. That’s more than half the meals!

4. You’ll Stress Less

Thinking about what you’re going to eat takes mental energy, something that can be in short supply during a lunch break or at the end of the long workday. “One of the things I hear from people all the time is that they come home and that they literally have no idea what to cook, and that’s just stressful,” says Palmer. 

End-of-the-day burnout can also lead to decision fatigue. “That leads us to make choices we might not otherwise make,” says Hultin. But if you use your easiest day of the week to plan and prep ahead of time, then on your hardest days you have what you need at your fingertips. And by building into your weekly plan room for leftovers, you give yourself days off. 

5. You’ll Eat Healthier

Making healthier, more mindful meal choices by planning ahead contributes to better overall health. A 2017 study of more than 40,000 people found that those who planned their meals adhered more to nutritional guidelines, had more variety in their diet, and were less likely to be overweight or obese. Meal planning allows you to plan balanced plant-based meals that have a variety of healthy ingredients. Cooking at home also helps you consume less sodium, salt, saturated fat, and sugar than you would eating out. “Meal prepping means you can create things wholesomely from the beginning because you can control the ingredients,” says Palmer.

6. You’ll Have Fun

Meal planning leaves room to get creative week to week so that even though some meals may repeat, you won’t get bored with what’s on your plate. There are near limitless resources for inspiration, from cookbooks to social media. (See the hashtag #mealprep on Instagram.) You might get excited by the idea of trying every overnight oats variety you can find on Pinterest. Or you may start to think about changing up your daily grain bowls, sheet pan meals, or salads by rotating through flavor profiles, such as Southwestern, Mediterranean, Thai, and Italian. You could even challenge yourself to a color theme, as Palmer did when she stumbled upon an abundance of purple produce at the farmer’s market.

The post 6 Benefits of Meal Prepping appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Then, while on my honeymoon in 2013, I started to experience severe stomach pains and bloating after every meal. I went to multiple doctors, and they couldn’t find anything wrong with my stomach. Eventually, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and leaky gut syndrome. I was given medication, but it only seemed to worsen my symptoms. 

In 2015 I decided to try switching up my diet to see if that might help. I adopted a high-fat, low-carb diet that consisted of meat and vegetables, along with lots of oil and other fatty foods. I completely eliminated dairy, grains, and beans, and I ate very little fruit. I found some relief, but I was still having stomach issues and suffering from asthma and migraines. 

While on vacation in September 2018, I was scrolling through Netflix and came across the Forks Over Knives film and decided to see what it was about. When I was done with the film I was curious about trying the diet, but I was skeptical. At that point I’d been avoiding grains and legumes for years because I’d been told that they could worsen my stomach symptoms. I couldn’t see how I could eat those things and get better. 

Around the same time, I started experiencing unexplained chest pains and weight gain. Again, I went to see a specialist and they couldn’t determine the problem. They said that my blood pressure was perfect; my labs were fine; and my heart looked good. The only thing they could think to tell me was that I was obese and needed to lose weight. Eventually, I talked to a nurse practitioner who told me that my gallbladder could be causing chest pain. I went for a HIDA scan (an imaging test used to examine the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine), and sure enough the chest pain was caused by my gallbladder, which was functioning at less than 5 percent. 

On top of that, I was so tired all the time. As a registered nurse, I work 10- to 12-hour shifts, and I never felt like I had enough energy. I couldn’t believe I felt so bad at just 35 years old. 

In 2019, I found a great doctor who ran some more lab work for me. Two things stuck out: My A1C (a measure of average blood sugar) was 6.0, putting me in the prediabetic category. My C-reactive protein level—which measures inflammation and should generally be under 3—was 8.4. I was stunned. I had not had a grain or fruit in years, and yet my A1C was high; I was prediabetic and overweight; and my entire body was inflamed. 

She then tested me for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and found that I had hydrogen sulfide SIBO and that meat and other foods were causing me to have a reaction. That was the final thing that convinced me to go whole-food, plant-based.

Making the Transition

In November 2019, I went in 100 percent to the whole-food, plant-based way of eating. I found some plant-based YouTubers, such as Brittany Jaroudi, who talked about their journeys, and that gave me a lot of inspiration. I also had a chance to meet Michael Greger, MD, in person and listen to his seminar, and that really helped solidify that WFPB was the right path for me. I downloaded the Forks Over Knives Recipe App and signed up for Forks Meal Planner, and I picked up the magazine. I also bought the How Not to Die Cookbook. As I became more confident in my plant-based cooking, I started creating my own meal plans. 

The thing that surprised me the most was the diversity of food available to me. Even though I was not eating meat, processed foods, oil, or dairy, I still had so many options. For the first time, eating became exciting to me, and I found a love for cooking that I never knew I had. I started to enjoy coming up with new dishes. 

And I began to see the health benefits. I had more energy. My mood got better. My asthma symptoms decreased. About six months in, I discovered that I had some food intolerances due to leaky gut, but I made the necessary adjustments and stuck with the WFPB way of eating.  

Thriving Through and Through

More than a year later, I continue to see the benefits of this lifestyle change. Today I hardly ever need to use my inhaler. My labs have shown significant improvement: My A1C dropped from 6.0 to 5.3, and my C-reactive protein dropped from 8.4 to 3, putting me in the normal range for both. And my iron doubled! I’ve lost more than 50 pounds, and I continue to lose weight just by eating the foods I love. For the first time in a long time, I’ve had the energy to actually want to exercise.  

My favorite thing to eat now is beans. I love making soups loaded with beans and veggies; they are convenient for lunch during my long, busy workdays. The No-Tuna Salad Sandwich is another go-to meal for me. 

When the people in my life saw the weight dropping off me, they asked me about it, so I’ve been able to share my story many times. Three of my co-workers have now switched to the WFPB diet, and some friends and family members have started trying to eat more this way, too. I hold information sessions over Zoom to help them understand what WFPB is and how to make the transition. I can’t remember ever feeling as good as I do today.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post From Prediabetic, Asthmatic, and Anemic to Positively Thriving on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

My husband, Steve, had already been diagnosed with high cholesterol and on medication for several years. Both of us were fatigued and experiencing daily acid reflux and heartburn. The heartburn and reflux were so bad that we were going through a large container of Tums every few weeks. 

The heartburn was annoying but, being a nurse, I was more concerned about our weight. Steve’s family has a long history of cardiovascular disease and early heart attack. His grandfather died at 43 of a sudden heart attack, and his father had his first of several heart attacks in his 40s. To my dismay, Steve often joked about when he would have his first heart attack. 

Because we were worried about our weight, we stayed physically active—hiking, biking, walking, and lifting weights—and tried to eat what we thought was healthy. We used a lot of butter and cheese, but we bought low-fat varieties. We cooked with olive oil, because we thought it was good for us. We limited our intake of red meat and ate mostly chicken, ground turkey, and some fish. We tried many times to lose weight through calorie restriction, and we would shed a few pounds here and there, but we were not able to make significant or sustainable progress. 

Seeds of Change

On Aug. 5, 2020, Steve had surgery for a condition that could arguably be attributed to his weight. The seeds for our going whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) were planted while I sat in the waiting room that day. My thoughts wandered, in the way thoughts can when a loved one is under general anesthesia; I thought of how we’d only shared 17 years of marriage so far, and I didn’t want to lose him. I was worried about my own health, as well, and being healthy enough to spend lots of quality time with our grandchildren someday. I started researching healthier lifestyles and came across The Forks Over Knives Plan. 

I ordered the book and read it. Afterward, I discussed it with Steve, and he was game right away. He had gone vegetarian a couple of times in the past and had dropped weight, but it had never been a full-on lifestyle change. This time, we were both on board and all-in. 

On Aug. 10, we made the switch. We jumped in feet first and went fully WFPB—with no added sugar, salt, or oil—on Day 1. I referenced The Forks Over Knives Plan a lot at first, though we did not actually follow the plan outlined in the book. I also subscribed to Forks Meal Planner and started weekly meal prepping right away as well. Using Meal Planner and learning how to do weekly meal prep were instrumental in keeping us on track. I transformed our pantry door into a dry erase board and used it to detail our menu each week. We encouraged one another to stay on track. All in all, we found the transition pretty easy. 

Within two weeks, we both noticed that our heartburn and acid reflux were gone. I did have one episode of reflux (the choking, wake-you-up-from-your-sleep kind) after eating store-bought marinara sauce that I later figured out had oil in it. Also around the two-week mark, I checked my blood pressure and was shocked to see that it was in the 115/75 range—and it continued to decrease from there. My resting heart rate, which had been in the 70s, dropped to the low 60s to high 50s. 

Full of Energy, Free from Symptoms

It’s been about seven months since we adopted this new lifestyle. I have more energy. I no longer have heart palpitations, and I’ve lost 30 pounds. (I lost the first 20 pounds within three months; the last 10 pounds came off a little more slowly.) I have a bit more excess weight to lose, but I know it will come off. I find that I lose about 1 pound a week, on average, just as a natural side effect of fueling my body the way it’s supposed to be fueled, with whole plant foods.

Undergoing my own transformation has been great, but to watch Steve transform before my eyes has been truly amazing. He has more energy than he’s had in years. In addition to losing his heartburn and acid reflux, he’s lost 50 pounds. He had 34 percent body fat when we started this journey back in August; today, he’s at just 20 percent body fat. Back in November, he had bloodwork done, and his doctor had no problem with discontinuing his cholesterol medication. His numbers weren’t perfect yet, but they were so improved and close to the healthy range that the doctor didn’t feel the medication was necessary any longer. 

Meal-Prepping for Success

These days, we like to start our mornings with oatmeal, Banana Breakfast Wraps (a Forks Meal Planner recipe that Steve is especially fond of), or a chickpea scramble. (Steve is becoming quite the pro at scrambles!) On Sundays, I prepare big batches of salad and soup that we eat for lunch throughout the week. Dinner is usually something from Forks Meal Planner. That has been our routine for more than half a year now.

We are both so thankful to everyone who promotes this way of eating, this way of life. It has been the missing piece for us, and our only regret is not finding it sooner. I have no doubt that this way of eating is sustainable and that our health gains and weight loss will be sustainable, too. 

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Getting Healthier Together on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.