Planning Your Meals: Breakfast

For traditionalists, you can easily modify basic fare to meet ovo-lacto or vegan needs. Vegetarian sausage or fake bacon is a fine substitute for the real thing, and a chickpea scramble offers the same protein boost as eggs. Round it out with whole-wheat pancakes and coffee, and all you need is the morning newspaper.

Breakfast doesn’t need to involve cooking. A bowl of cereal, hot or cold, with hemp milk and a glass of juice is a balanced breakfast. A slice of toast with peanut butter and a piece of fruit is a quick meal, too. Many people prefer something simple and quick in the morning. Just because you’ve gone vegetarian doesn’t mean that you have to turn every meal into a production!

Anything you like to eat can be breakfast. Leftover lasagna, a slice of cold pizza, or reheated Chinese food is as good for you in the morning as they are at night. Microwave a frozen vegetarian entrée, or have some lentil curry. It’s up to you, so eat whatever you like best.

Have breakfast any time; the same eat-what-you-like rule applies at lunch or dinner. There’s no rule that says you can’t enjoy pancakes and vegetarian sausage for your evening meal.

Planning Your Meals: Lunch

Lunch is a great meal, because you can eat just about anything you want, from breakfast foods to sandwiches to soups and salads. Borrow ideas from other meals for your midday repast—waffles with fruit compote, or a bowl of chili and a whole-wheat muffin.

If you take your lunch to work or school, invest in a small, insulated lunch bag. Pop in a reusable freezer insert, and keep you cold stuff cold all day. Or freeze a bottle of water and place that in your bag; it’ll be thawed in time for lunch and serve double duty by keeping your lunch chilled!

You remember how great those big salads that you bought in restaurants were? You can make your own fabulous salad to eat either at home or at work. You just need the right ingredients! Mixed greens, romaine, butter lettuce (or a combination) is your base. Add tomatoes, shredded soy-free cheese, sunflower seeds, sliced red pepper, or any other thing that sounds appealing. If you take it to work, put a serving of salad dressing in a separate container so your salad stays crisp until mealtime.

If you miss favorites like tuna or chicken salad, make vegetarian versions using tempeh or other meat alternatives. Load them into a pita pocket with some lettuce and tomatoes and you have a hearty meal.

If you forget to bring your lunch and know there won’t be the time or the opportunity to get something on your work break, pick up something on the way to work. Most fast-food restaurants are open quite early in the morning, so stop in and get a bean burrito, big salad, or veggie burger during your morning commute. Stash it in you desk or the office fridge so that it’s there when you finally stop for lunch.

Stock up on some of the great instant soups, stews, and curries available at your natural foods store. These cup-of-soup style products are often surprisingly tasty, and all you need is hot water from the water cooler in your office or dorm. Just don’t make a steady diet of them; they’re usually loaded with sodium.

Have dessert with your lunch! Enjoy leftover bread or rice pudding from last night’s dinner, or a couple of vegan chocolate chip cookies. Always include a piece of fresh fruit for a sweet treat.

Any combination of foods you like as snacks can add up to a great lunch. Try two or three—or more—of the following:

Hummus and carrot sticks
Veggie and soy-free cheese wraps
Trail mix
Yogurt and fruit/granola
Granola bars
Muffins
Leftover spaghetti or lasagna
Veggie hot dogs
Bean burritos
Whole wheat bagels
Vegetarian sloppy joes
Pasta salad
Sushi
Cereal and hemp milk
Potato salad or coleslaw
Popcorn with nutritional yeast seasoning
Black olives
Leftover Chinese food
Bean dip with tortilla chips