We’ve listed our top seven tips for making your transition to a vegan diet simple and delicious. We have also provided some “everyday eating” ideas for each meal (and snack!) of the day. If you want more help making the transition, please order our free vegan starter kit.
- Make vegetarian versions of your favorite meals.
There are vegetarian versions of almost every meal you can think of (really!). “Veg up” your favorite recipes simply by replacing the meat. Here are some ideas:
- Replace the beef in burritos with beans and grilled veggies, or try vegetarian beef crumbles from MorningStar Farms or Boca.
- Top baked potatoes with vegan margarine (such as Earth Balance), vegan sour cream, soy bacon bits (Betty Crocker Bac~Os are vegan!), or salsa.
- Make homemade pizza with soy cheese (or just skip the cheese altogether and add extra garlic and spices), meat-free pepperoni, and vegetable toppings.
- Create a Mexican dip for tortilla chips with refried beans, salsa, guacamole, and diced peppers and onions.
- Make spaghetti with marinara sauce and add roasted vegetables or veggie meatballs (try Nate’s brand or Gimme Lean).
The possibilities are endless—check out our Everyday Eating page for more easy vegetarian meals.
- Explore thousands of delicious vegetarian recipes.
We have thousands of kitchen-tested recipes to choose from! You’ll be amazed by the variety of tasty vegan options, including classic American, Italian, and Creole dishes.
If you’d rather thumb through a cookbook, check out some of our favorite vegetarian cookbooks or borrow a cookbook from the library. There are vegetarian cookbooks for people who don’t like to spend more than 10 minutes preparing dinner as well as for gourmet chefs, so no matter how experienced a cook you are, it’s easy to make great-tasting vegetarian meals.
- Try some tasty faux meats and dairy alternatives.
You can find faux-meat products—including veggie burgers and hot dogs, faux-turkey deli slices and mock-chicken patties, and meat-free barbecue riblets—at almost every grocery store. Dairy alternatives like soy milk, vegan cream cheese, soy yogurt, and nondairy ice cream are also widely available.
As the interest in humane, healthy food has grown, the popularity of these foods has soared—sales of mock meats in the last decade have skyrocketed and now constitute a billion-dollar industry. Not only are these foods delicious and cruelty-free, they’re also usually high in healthy plant protein and low in saturated fat, and they contain zero cholesterol. Some of the most popular brands include Beyond Meat, Gardein, Yves, and Gardenburger.
- Try vegetarian microwavable meals and convenience foods.
Always eating on the run? There are tons of vegan microwavable meals and convenient snacks available everywhere. Here’s just a tiny sample:
- Amy’s Enchilada With Spanish Rice & Beans
- Fantastic World Foods Vegetarian 3-Bean Chili
- Any of the vegetarian soups by Progresso, Amy’s, or Campbell’s (including the lentil, tomato, split pea, and hearty vegetable soups)
- Tofurky Jurky (vegan jerky)
- Silk dairy-free yogurt
- Tofutti Cuties (soy ice cream sandwiches)
- Oreos (Several flavors are vegan!)
- Fresh fruit and PB&J
Check out the full lists of all our favorite convenience products and quick-and-easy vegetarian snacks.
- Search online for the best vegetarian-friendly restaurants in your area.
Whatever your budget and wherever you live, you can enjoy great vegetarian meals. Chipotle, Subway, zpizza, Yard House, Ruby Tuesday, and Johnny Rockets are just a few of the national chains that sell tasty veggie burgers and other meat-free options. Locally owned restaurants around the country are also selling an exciting array of vegan meals to please every palate. Browse reviews of some of the hottest vegan-friendly restaurants in the country and get links to the best online restaurant guides on our Dining Out page.
If you find yourself dining at a behind-the-times restaurant that doesn’t have decent vegan options on the menu, ask the server if the cook can prepare a vegan dish (one without meat, eggs, or dairy products). Restaurants are glad to accommodate special requests, and most chefs get bored making the same menu items all the time, so they love the chance to get creative and make something new! Of course, you can always call ahead to ask about vegan options if you want to choose where to eat before you leave home.
- Explore the wide variety of meat-free ethnic foods.
While you can make vegetarian versions of all your favorite classic American dishes, you can also delight your taste buds by choosing from the huge variety of vegan ethnic foods, such as these:
- Hummus (a tangy spread made from chickpeas), falafel (a spicy mix of beans that can be made into patties and “meatballs”), and dozens of other meat-free Middle Eastern foods
- Grilled vegetable (and/or bean) fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, and tacos
- Sushi with avocado, carrots, or cucumber in place of raw fish
- Chinese spring rolls, tofu (sometimes called “bean curd” in Asian restaurants) and noodle dishes, and vegetable fried rice
- Thai coconut curry and tofu pad Thai
- Vegetable samosas (deep-fried dumplings filled with curried vegetables), pakoras (deep-fried fritters), and many other delicious Indian dishes
Although ethnic restaurants in your area are sure to offer these tasty vegan selections (and many more!), you can also make these dishes at home: Check out our recipe search engine and search by cuisine type.
- Learn about the biblical reasons to go vegan.
Jesus should always be considered when deciding which path to take, and going vegan couldn’t be a more Christ-centered choice. Going vegan helps Christians fulfill our call to merciful stewardship, and it’s easy and delicious to boot! Be sure to order our free vegan starter kit, and check out the some of the biblical reasons for making the switch to a more compassionate diet.
