• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
beautifulingredient.com
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • PORTFOLIO
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • PORTFOLIO
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT
    • PORTFOLIO
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » year round

    How to Start Eating More Plants

    Jump to Recipe
    A plate filled with berry sauce, yogurt, chopped kiwi, and granola with text indicating how to start eating more plants

    If you have decided to eat more plants, I applaud you! Or maybe you know someone who is considering it. You both might have the same question: Where to start? Eating more plant-based whole foods has improved my life in so many ways, and I wish the same for you. My hope for anyone starting out is to take it slow, enjoy the ride, and be kind to yourself along the way, keeping in mind that it is a process. Here, I'm letting you in on what I wish I'd known when I started eating more plants.

    Chili bowls with toasted polenta rounds, greens, vegan sour cream. and smoky hemp heart seasoning.

    When I switched eating eggs, dairy, and occasional meat and fish to fully plant-based, I jumped in with both feet. It wasn't a gradual change, and in retrospect I think my body was confused and needed more time to adjust to the change.

    If I were to switch now, it would make more sense to do it more gradually. Here are some ideas on what that might look like:

    For someone who never eats plant-based meals, just try adding one meal a week. Perhaps add another the following week, or continue for a few weeks before adding more.

    For someone who occasionally eats plant-based, such as most breakfasts, try having a plant-based lunch each day for a few weeks before adding a plant-based dinner.

    The bottom line is doing it in a way that doesn't disrupt your digestive system too much. Do what feels right to you and discuss it with your doctor.

    Below are my top tips for starting out when you decide to eat more plants.

    Jump to:
    • Top tips for eating more plants
    • Food sensitivities and allergies
    • Simple recipes to start with
    • General food safety
    A plate of kiwi yogurt with granola and cherry sauce with a market basket of kiwi behind it.

    Top tips for eating more plants

    Here are four things I wish I'd known when I began my own plant-based journey:

    Start with adding. 

    Focusing on what you can add is a much easier way of changing eating habits than focusing on taking away what “shouldn't” be eaten. What is your favorite dish that you tend to have on repeat? What plant-based component could be added to that meal? If you love spaghetti with meat sauce, for example, try adding some lentils to the sauce. They cook up in just 20-30 minutes.

    Keep it simple. 

    Eating well doesn't necessarily mean using a recipe. Adding a snack of sliced apple to your day can be a great start. If that doesn't appeal to you, sprinkle with warming spices like cinnamon and/or spread almond butter on it. When my son was young and not very interested in eating salads or cooked veggies, he did love eating frozen peas and soups. There are plenty of easy ways to explore eating whole plant-based foods. Keep it easy for yourself and discover what you like most.

    Change gradually. 

    This gives your body (and microbes) a chance to adjust, and it's a lot easier to focus on small changes rather than changing all at once. When you're ready for a Meatless Monday, see if you can be consistent with it. Once that's more comfortable, try adding another meatless meal to the week, and so on. Didn't like what you ate? Ask yourself how you could tweak it a bit to make it more palatable for you. Keep in mind that the further you go down the plant-based path, the more likely your tastebuds will adjust to loving plants! They just need a little more experience with them first.

    Every meal is an opportunity. 

    Didn't eat the way you'd planned to? It happens. Let that meal go and start fresh with the next one. Make the choice you want to make easy by keeping prepped plant-based foods ready to eat in your fridge (like quinoa).With a little intention and small steps toward habit building, big changes can happen over time. You've got this!

    Food sensitivities and allergies

    Along the way, some people can discover food sensitivities or even allergies. That's why I recommend discussing dietary changes with your doctor. While your doc may not be well informed about nutrition, they can help you troubleshoot what's happening with your body if symptoms show up.

    As mentioned above, changing a diet too abruptly can lead to stomach issues, too. This can lead to confusion about whether a particular ingredient can be eaten or not. That's why I recommend starting out gradually rather than switching to all plants all the time right away. It's important to ease in to help your digestive system adjust. 

    For your convenience, this is all reiterated in the card below, which has a printing option.

    Eating more plants has meant optimizing my fuel source while enjoying its beauty, simplicity, flavor, texture, and comfort. Now, I eat far fewer processed foods and no longer eat animal-based foods - because that's the way I prefer it. Discover where this journey takes you.

    Simple recipes to start with

    Here are a few simple, tasty recipes to get you started:

    Chocolate Strawberry Oatmeal

    Chocolate Orange Energy Bites

    Easy Potato Corn Chowder

    Easy Pasta Bolognese with Red Lentils

    Chopped kiwi topping a plate of yogurt and cherry sauce with kiwi in a market basket and sliced on a chopping board surrounding the plate.
    Print

    How to Start Eating More Plants

    Eating more plant-based whole foods has improved my life in so many ways, and I wish the same for you. My hope for anyone starting out is to take it slow, enjoy the ride, and be kind to yourself along the way, keeping in mind that it is a process. Here, I'm letting you in on what I wish I'd known when I started eating more plants.
    Calories

    Instructions

    • Start with adding. Focusing on what you can add is a much easier way of changing eating habits than focusing on taking away what “shouldn't” be eaten. What is your favorite dish that you tend to have on repeat? What plant-based component could be added to that meal? If you love spaghetti with meat sauce, for example, try adding some lentils to the sauce. They cook up in just 20-30 minutes.
    • Keep it simple. Eating well doesn't necessarily mean using a recipe. Adding a snack of sliced apple to your day can be a great start. If that doesn't appeal to you, sprinkle with warming spices like cinnamon and/or spread almond butter on it. When my son was young and not very interested in eating salads or cooked veggies, he did love eating frozen peas and soups. There are plenty of easy ways to explore eating whole plant-based foods. Keep it easy for yourself and discover what you like most.
    • Change gradually. This gives your body (and microbes) a chance to adjust, and it's a lot easier to focus on small changes rather than changing all at once. When you're ready for a Meatless Monday, see if you can be consistent with it. Once that's more comfortable, try adding another meatless meal to the week, and so on. Didn't like what you ate? Ask yourself how you could tweak it a bit to make it more palatable for you. Keep in mind that the further you go down the plant-based path, the more likely your tastebuds will adjust to loving plants! They just need a little more experience with them first.
    • Every meal is an opportunity. Didn't eat the way you'd planned to? It happens. Let that meal go and start fresh with the next one. Make the choice you want to make easy by keeping prepped plant-based foods ready to eat in your fridge (like quinoa).With a little intention and small steps toward habit building, big changes can happen over time. You've got this!

    Notes

    Along the way, some people can discover food sensitivities or even allergies. That's why I recommend discussing dietary changes with your doctor. While your doc may not be well informed about nutrition, they can help you troubleshoot what's happening with your body if symptoms show up.
    Changing a diet too abruptly can lead to stomach issues, too, which can lead to confusion about whether a particular ingredient can be eaten or not. That's why I recommend starting out gradually rather than switching to all plants all the time right away. It's important to ease in to help your digestive system adjust. 
     

    General food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands and ingredients well before using
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    More year round

    • Toasted Polenta Rounds (air fryer or oven)
    • Vegan Sour Cream (oil-free)
    • How to Make Garlic Salt (with reduced sodium)
    • Easy Pasta Bolognese with Red Lentils (vegan)

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Kari smelling anise hyssop while standing behind her market basket and fresh produce.

    Welcome to a world of beautiful food!

    I'm Kari, and this is where I celebrate beautiful ingredients and focus on ways to make eating more plants easier. Recipes are centered around whole foods and are vegan, oil-free, refined sugar-free, and mostly gluten-free. And so delicious!



    recent recipes

    • Vegan Instant Pot Chili with Greens (oil-free)
    • Simple Baked Sourdough Stuffing with Fresh Herbs (vegan)
    • Easy Homemade Potato Corn Chowder (vegan)
    • Vegan Watermelon Salad (oil-free)

    explore recipes

    • gluten-free
    • snack
    • 30 minutes or less recipes
    • 5 ingredients or less

    as seen in

    Whole food ingredients surrounding text indicating this blog is one of teh top 50 vegan blogs of 2023.
    Thrive Magazine 35 featuring the work of Beautiful Ingredient

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    beautiful ingredient

    About
    Contact

    Subscribe

    eating more plants

    Recipe Index
    Vegan Travel


    food photography services

    Work with Me • Portfolio
    Photography/Recipe Request Form

    Privacy Policy • Terms of Use • Copyright/Content Usage

    Copyright © 2023 Beautiful Ingredient