Easy vegan diet plan for weight loss is perfect for people who want to lose weight by eating a vegan diet but are unsure of how to get started. The high fiber foods included in this diet plan will help you feel full and maintain a healthy weight.
In this article we will discuss the vegan weight-loss meal plan on a budget that is followed by vegan people. This diet focuses on fruits, vegetables and whole grains and also vegan sources of protein. Learn more about the health benefits of weight loss.
Vegan Weight-Loss Meal Plan on a Budget
Lose weight—and save yourself money in the process—with this budget-friendly vegan meal plan.
Lose weight the right way and save money at the same time with this budget-friendly vegan meal plan. With this 1,200-calorie meal plan, you’re on track to lose a healthy 1 to 2 pounds per week without feeling like you’re breaking the bank on specialty “diet” foods. The meals and snacks in this plan feature healthy plant-based whole foods that are high in protein and fiber, like beans, edamame and tofu, to help you feel satisfied while eating fewer calories.
By simply eating vegan you’re saving money, as meat and other animal products tend to be the most expensive part of meals. We also tailored this plan to cut costs by strategically using ingredients and leftovers in different ways throughout the week to keep the per-serving cost for the whole week at $50. Be sure to read the Budget-Saving Tips throughout this vegan weekly meal plan for other cost-saving ideas to keep your grocery bill low.
Vegan Meal Plan and Grocery List for Weight Loss
Whether you’ve been a practicing vegan for a while now or have recently decided to follow a plant-based diet, know that just like any diet, there are healthy as well as unhealthy ways to go about nourishing yourself on a vegan meal plan. Here, we outline everything you need to know about vegan nutrition as well as some healthy vegan meal plans for weight loss or weight management.
What’s the difference between vegan and plant-based?
Before we venture into the plant-astic world of foods to avoid, as well as include, on your vegan meal plan for weight loss, it’s important to understand the distinction between being vegan and eating a plant-based diet. While being vegan does mean consuming plant-based foods, following a plant-based diet doesn’t necessarily mean you’re vegan. Confused? Read on.
Plant-based nutrition isn’t just anchored in wholesome plant foods such as fruits, veggies, legumes, grains and nuts, but is also the elimination of all kinds of animal products and by-products from your diet. Plant-based eating is one of many parts of a vegan lifestyle. Embracing veganism goes beyond just what we eat but also rejects the consumption and use of any goods—clothes, cosmetics, furnishings etc.––originating from or tested on animals.
Vegan meal plan and weight loss
Now we’ve got that all cleared up, let’s tackle the nuts and bolts of following a vegan diet. If you’re reading this, then we can safely assume you’re looking to tweak your eating habits to lose weight or manage your current weight in a satisfying, sustainable way with some vegan menu ideas.
Studies show that cutting down on the consumption of animal products, and introducing more fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, which are key ingredients in a vegan meal plan, goes a long way to reduce the chances of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
A vegan meal plan can also help support any weight loss efforts. A balanced, nutrient-packed vegan diet is rich in fibrous foods, that will satiate you, keep bad cholesterol in check and have your metabolism humming like a well-oiled engine. When going vegan it’s important to incorporate more plant-based protein into your diet and sometimes supplement your vitamin B12 levels, which have a tendency to be low in an unbalanced vegan meal plan.
Vegan meal plan grocery list
To maintain optimal health and vitality when on a vegan meal plan, aim to select fresh, seasonal, locally sourced, unprocessed and organic foods if they are available to you.. Here are recommended key ingredients to add to your healthy vegan meal plan grocery list:
Whole grains
Brown rice and oats not only keep you satiated for longer than their processed equivalents but are also a great source of iron. Ezekiel bread is a nutritional all-arounder, made from several types of grains, including sprouted whole grains and is chocked full of fiber. You might also want to give Coach Jenne’s healthy bread recipe a go. Millet, amaranth, barley and farro will keep you full, minimize spikes in blood sugar, as well as add more variety to your nutritional intake.Tip
When it comes to weight loss or weight management, make sure to eat whole grains in moderation.
Vegetables
Butternut squash and sweet potato are rich in calcium, so no need to worry about ditching dairy products. Broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are part of the cruciferous family and are cancer-fighting superheroes. Green leafy vegetables like kale, collard greens, and spinach will boost your iron levels and if you eat them with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, vitamin C will accelerate your iron absorption.
Legumes: Beans, lentils and soy
Legumes are the foundation of any well-rounded vegan meal plan. They deliver enough plant-based protein to keep your metabolism running, your muscles strong and your cravings at bay so you don’t feel the need to grab any processed treats when hunger strikes. Soy products like tofu, tempeh (fermented soy) and soy milk are foods that benefit your weight management efforts the most when consumed in their unprocessed and unsweetened forms.
Tip
Bloating isn’t always weight related and can be an unpleasant side effect at first if you’re unaccustomed to eating legumes. Fear not, this subsided after awhile, but in the meantime here are some handy hints to combat the bloat.
Healthy fats
Olive oil and avocado both have high levels of vitamin E, which is excellent for your skin health, as well as high levels of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Walnuts, chia and flaxseed (ground flaxseed is best) are high in plant-based omega-3 oils, an anti-inflammatory that helps your body release excess water or toxins. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which protects the lining of your gut, preventing nutrients from seeping through (leaky gut syndrome) and the development of food sensitivities.
Nuts, nut butters, and milks
Walnuts, peanuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios and hazelnuts, as well as their nut butter variants, aren’t only delicious but are also handy snacks to take on the go. Their high protein and calcium levels will keep you satiated, and you won’t need much else to satisfy hunger pangs. Calcium-fortified plant milk such as soy, almond and rice milk are particularly nourishing. Why not try making your own homemade almond milk or cashew cheese?
If you aren’t already making your own nut butter or milk from scratch, then be sure to read the ingredient list when purchasing store-bought products. Avoid any added sugars and hydrogenated oils. Rule of thumb, if you can’t pronounce an ingredient, don’t buy it.
Berries, apples and bananas
Berries are free radical fighters, protecting you from inflammation and cancer, as well as helping your skin stay supple and young-looking. Bananas are a key ingredient in a lot of vegan meal plan baking and sweetening. Though high in soluble fiber, it’s best to be mindful how much you eat, as bananas are still high in sugar. Apples contain pectin, which feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut, and a healthy gut leads to a healthy weight.
Note: Though there is a wide range of wonderful fruit to choose from, the ones featured above are our favorites as part of a vegan meal plan for weight loss and are also easily available.
Insulin is an important factor in weight management. Keep your blood sugar levels from spiking and crashing dramatically by choosing fresh fruit over dried fruit and pairing fruit it with a protein like nuts or seeds.
Vegan Sources of Protein
In the app, 8fit vegan meal plans are tailored to fuel your weight loss and fitness efforts in a sustainable and wholesome way. We achieve this by making sure you get a high-protein vegan meal plan that energizes your body and mind. Here is a list of essential plant-based proteins to include in your vegan meal plan grocery list.
- Unprocessed soy products
- Non-dairy alternatives — almond, cashew and oat milks or yogurts
- Legumes
- Peas
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
- Seitan
- Nori seaweed
- Nutritional yeast (also packed with energy-boosting B12)
Foods to avoid on a vegan diet
- Processed faux meats like vegan meats, e.g. sausages, burgers or tofurkey
- Sweetened dairy alternatives
- Vegan baked goods or sweets (Note: Just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy)
- Fried foods
- Sauces like tomato ketchup, salad dressings, vegan mayonnaise, stir-fry flavorings
- Refined sugars
- Agave syrup (Agave is commonly used in vegan baking, but is extremely high on the glycemic index and can lead to spikes in blood sugar)
Tip
When eating out at a restaurant, be aware that dishes tend to be highly salted, sauced and more oily than when prepared at home, Don’t be shy and ask for sauce or dressings on the side.
There’s more where that came from! Take a look at our guide to veganism to learn everything you need to know.
Vegan recipes from the 8fit app
Now that you’re up to speed with everything you need to know about vegan nutrition for health, vitality and weight management, we have a few vegan menu ideas to tempt your tastebuds. Add these breakfast, lunch and dinner options to your weekly meal plan in the app.
Gourmet breakfast: Blueberry flax quinoa
Cheap and cheerful lunch: Sesame tofu and vegetable bowl
Quick and easy dinner: Warm and crunchy chickpeas
Easy Vegan Diet Plan For Weight Loss
Day 1
Budget-Saving Tip: Put in the Prep Work—Preprepped ingredients are convenient but they’re also more expensive. Save yourself the money and prep your own veggies, make sauces and dressings from pantry staples (like oil, vinegar, herbs and spices) and cook a big batch of brown rice to use throughout the week rather than buying precooked packets.
Breakfast (312 calories)
- 1 slice Vegan Banana Bread
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
A.M. Snack (95 calories)
- 1 medium apple
Lunch (325 calories)
- 4 cups Green Salad with Edamame & Beets
Use the Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette to dress the salad in place of the red-wine vinegar and olive oil dressing.
P.M. Snack (35 calories)
- 1 clementine
Dinner (454 calories)
- 2 1/2 cups Roasted Veggie Brown Rice Buddha Bowl
Meal-Prep Tip: Save the broccoli stems when making the Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies for tonight’s dinner to use in place of the kohlrabi in the Thai Peanut Curry Noodles recipe on Day 5.
Daily Cost per Serving: $6.36
Daily Totals: 1,221 calories, 52 g protein, 140 g carbohydrates, 28 g fiber, 55 g fat, 1,290 mg sodium.
Day 2
Budget-Saving Tip: Reuse Ingredients—The meals and snacks in this plan reuse many of the same ingredients to keep your shopping list short and your bill under budget. You can scan the meal plan further to see how you can pare down your shopping list even more to save money. For example, skip the pecans in the Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats and the pumpkin seeds in the Citrus Lime Tofu Salad and just use almonds so you don’t need to buy so many different varieties of expensive nuts and seeds.
Breakfast (215 calories)
- 1 1/2 cups Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats
A.M. Snack (112 calories)
- 1/4 cup hummus
- 1/2 cup cucumber slices
Lunch (390 calories)
- 4 cups Citrus Lime Tofu Salad
P.M. Snack (30 calories)
- 1 plum
Dinner (471 calories)
- 1 serving Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
Use 2 cups of the Easy Brown Rice you made on Day 1 in place of the precooked brown rice packages noted in this recipe.
Meal-Prep Tip: Prep 2 servings of the Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding (through Step 1) and refrigerate for breakfast on Days 3 and 6.
Daily Cost per Serving: $8.07
Daily Totals: 1,218 calories, 48 g protein, 145 g carbohydrates, 29 g fiber, 56 g fat, 1,412 mg sodium.
Day 3
Budget-Saving Tip: Shop in the Bulk Section—If your grocery store has a bulk section, head there for your spices, dry goods, nuts and seeds and more. This way, you’re only buying exactly what you need, which is much more economical.
Breakfast (229 calories)
- 1 cup Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding
A.M. Snack (141 calories)
- 1/2 cup edamame
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1 Tbsp. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette
Combine edamame and cucumber in a bowl; toss with vinaigrette.
Lunch (353 calories)
- 1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed
- 1/2 cup Easy Brown Rice
- 1 cup Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies
- 2 Tbsp. Creamy Vegan Cashew Sauce
Combine beans, rice and vegetables in a bowl. Top with the cashew sauce.
P.M. Snack (30 calories)
- 1 medium plum
Dinner (450 calories)
- 1 serving Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice
- 1 cup Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu
Daily Cost per Serving: $7.79
Daily Totals: 1,203 calories, 54 g protein, 121 g carbohydrates, 32 g fiber, 60 g fat, 1,029 mg sodium.
Day 4
Budget-Saving Tip: Rely on Pantry Staples—Check to see what you already have on hand and find ways to use up those ingredients before buying new. If you have a can of chickpeas handy, sub them in for the black beans in tonight’s Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing recipe. Don’t have avocado oil in your pantry? Use whatever neutral oil you do have (like canola oil or peanut oil) as an alternative when making the Vegan BLATs recipe on Day 7.
Breakfast (215 calories)
- 1 1/2 cups Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats
A.M. Snack (70 calories)
- 2 clementines
Lunch (390 calories)
- 4 cups Citrus Lime Tofu Salad
P.M. Snack (42 calories)
- 1/2 cup blueberries
Dinner (472 calories)
- 1 serving Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Daily Cost per Serving: $7.06
Daily Totals: 1,189 calories, 54 g protein, 174 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 39 g fat, 1,090 mg sodium.
Day 5
Budget-Saving Tip: Cook Once, Eat Twice (or More!)—Save a serving of dinner to have for lunch the next day or batch-cook items at the beginning of the week and repurpose them in different ways (like we do in this meal plan) for quick, easy and affordable meals.
Breakfast (207 calories)
- 1 slice Vegan Banana Bread
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
A.M. Snack (107 calories)
- 1/3 cup edamame
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1 Tbsp. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette
Combine edamame and cucumber in a bowl; toss with vinaigrette.
Lunch (306 calories)
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1/2 cup Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies
- 1 cup Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu
- 2 Tbsp. Creamy Vegan Cashew Sauce
Combine greens, roasted vegetables and tofu in a bowl and toss with the dressing.
P.M. Snack (28 calories)
- 1/3 cup blueberries
Dinner (471 calories)
- 1 3/4 cups Thai Peanut Curry Noodles
Meal-Prep Tip: Save 3/4 cup of the Thai Peanut Curry Noodles to have for lunch on Day 6.
Daily Cost per Serving: $4.96
Daily Totals: 1,224 calories, 54 g protein, 122 g carbohydrates, 24 g fiber, 62 g fat, 1,176 mg sodium.
Day 6
Budget-Saving Tip: Make a Shopping List and Stick to It—Write out everything you’ll need for the week, make sure to check your pantry before shopping (so you don’t end up buying stuff you already have) and stick to the list when you’re in the store. A sure way to blow your budget is to enter a grocery store without a shopping list.
Breakfast (229 calories)
- 1 cup Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding
A.M. Snack (121 calories)
- 1 slice whole-wheat bread
- 2 Tbsp. hummus
Toast bread and top with hummus. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Lunch (376 calories)
- Generous 3/4 cup Thai Peanut Curry Noodles
- 1/2 cup edamame
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1 Tbsp. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette
Combine edamame and cucumber in a bowl and toss with vinaigrette. Serve alongside the noodles.
Dinner (472 calories)
- 1 serving Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Daily Cost per Serving: $7.34
Daily Totals: 1,198 calories, 50 g protein, 170 g carbohydrates, 45 g fiber, 39 g fat, 1,295 mg sodium.
Day 7
Budget-Saving Tip: Don’t Buy Organic Everything—You can feel good about buying certain fruits and vegetables conventional if you are trying to stick to a budget, as some are less likely than others to be contaminated with pesticides. Read more about the foods you don’t need to buy organic.
Breakfast (312 calories)
- 1 slice Vegan Banana Bread
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
A.M. Snack (162 calories)
- 2/3 cup edamame
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1 Tbsp. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette
Combine edamame and cucumber in a bowl and toss with vinaigrette.
Lunch (325 calories)
- 4 cups Green Salad with Edamame & Beets
Dinner (425 calories)
- 1 serving Vegan BLATs (BLT with Avocado)
- 1/4 cup hummus
- 2 medium carrots, cut into sticks
Daily Cost per Serving: $9.62
Daily Totals: 1,224 calories, 49 g protein, 119 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 62 g fat, 1,852 mg sodium.
Health Benefits of Weight Loss
1. Boosts energy levels
Weight loss can improve respiratory function and sleep-quality. Removing excess weight also means your body doesn’t have to work as hard to get through the day. All of these benefits together can help you feel more energized.
Bonus: Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of chronic fatigue syndrome. Woot!
2. Improves cholesterol
Being overweight is associated with unhealthy cholesterol levels, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Research shows that obesity is linked to higher bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL).
A 2016 study found that among adults who were overweight or obese, losing 5 to 10 percent of their body weight reduced LDL cholesterol levels and other cardiovascular risk factors. Another study found that even a 1 to 3 percent weight reduction can improve HDL levels.
3. Reduces blood pressure
Experiencing obesity and having overweight can increase your risk of high blood pressure. But remember, a number on the scale isn’t the only thing that counts. It also matters where the weight is placed. A 2018 study found that visceral fat — extra fat around your waist — is particularly dangerous.
4. Improves mobility
Carrying around extra weight can take a toll on your joints. According to the Arthritis Foundation, losing 10 pounds can take 40 pounds of pressure off your knees. More good news! A 2018 study of 174 participants found that weight loss reduced rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
Losing weight can also help your mobility in the long term. A 2017 study analyzed 640 participants with obesity or overweight. Folks who lost weight over the course of 4 years showed less cartilage deterioration than those who didn’t.
5. Improves breathing
Losing weight can help you prevent obesity-related breathing conditions like obesity hypoventilation syndrome. This disorder is caused by extra fat on the chest, neck, or abdomen, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Symptoms include feeling out of breath, fatigue, snoring, and headaches.
6. Reduces risk of heart disease or stroke
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stroke, heart disease, and other cardiovascular diseases account for 1 in 3 deaths in the United States. Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of these conditions.
P.S. It’s also super important to slay a healthy diet and stay active. Your heart will thank you for it