Vegan Diet for Beginners: Easy Tips to Get Started

Are you wanting to eat more plant-based food or go fully vegan? As a vegan for many years I find it very easy to eat wholesome vegan food, but, I know that isn’t the case for everyone so I’m sharing simple tips to help you get started with a vegan diet for beginners.

What can I eat on a vegan diet?

Aside from broccoli, bananas, soy milk and almonds, there are plenty of delicious foods to eat when eating plant-based foods. By the end of this post, you will have a better idea of what to buy and eat to fill your belly with healthy, wholesome and tasty foods for you and your family.

What Should I Eat as a Vegan?

The fantastic people at Precision Nutrition have put together a handy guide for choosing plant foods which I recommend to you to get ideas flowing for vegan meals.

If you want a better copy of the guide: Download this infographic for your tablet or printer and use the step-by-step process to decide which foods align with your goals.

Ellen Fisher Vegan Recipes & YouTube

Another fantastic source of vegan inspiration for what to eat is from the beautiful Ellen Fisher who provides fantastic vegan resources. Check out her YouTube channel for a wealth of information to get started as a vegan or continue to be inspired on your plant-based journey.

Some of Ellen’s vegan videos:

Ellen’s vegan recipe eBooks are fantastic and packed with delicious, nutritious, easy-to-make meals. I have all of her vegan ebooks and highly recommend them for all occasions – everyday meals, birthdays, events and for non-vegan people too. Check out her ebooks here.

Ellen has a YouTube podcast channel with great episodes on going vegan. Check out these vegan episodes:

Vegan Diet Pros

Eat wholesome plant-based wholefoods
Eat an abundance of healthy nutritious foods to satiety
Have clear skin, great digestion, healthy hair, strong nails and good energy
Greater connection with the natural world, a spiritual sense of appreciation for plants, animals and life
Affordable and very budget-friendly. Certain fruits, vegetables, potatoes, beans, rice and oats are great for the budget!
Support animal welfare

Vegan Diet Cons

If you eat processed junk vegan food you won’t feel great long term
If you don’t eat enough calories you will be hungry and deprived of sufficient food
You can still be overweight by eating too much food regardless of your diet

Key Points

Going vegan can be a simple and easy transition. Forget trying to do it perfectly, trying to make changes with every meal straight away or trying to follow big recipes for every dinner. Instead, focus on wholefoods, minimally processed, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

If you need a simple guide, check out my popular Eat the Rainbow vegan nutrition chart to help you eat an abundance of colourful wholesome food.

Get the Eat the Rainbow vegan nutrition chart

Why should you listen to me?

You might be wondering, why listen to me? What do I know about all of this vegan stuff? My passion for health and wellness goes back to my youth. I’ve been interested in nutritious food and being active since a child and always loved fruits and vegetables thanks to my mum, dad and grandma.

In my mid 20’s I started having health issues that were affecting my breathing and digestion which led to doctors, research, blood tests and diet elimination. Many animal foods were triggering the issues so I started eating predominantly plant-based foods and instantly felt better. My love for animals clicked with “why on earth am I eating them and supporting this cruel industry??” and I became vegan, and continue to be vegan for my health, animals and the environment.

Vegan since 2014

I’ve been vegan for almost 9 years and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. There is no way I could eat animals ever again for many reasons, 1) my health is better with plant-based foods, 2) it sickens me to know the horrendous use and abuse animals are subjected to, 3) so much land is destroyed on our beautiful planet simply to farm animals for us to use.

Healthy Vegan Pregnancies

I’ve had two healthy vegan pregnancies with my two children. I conceived first time when planning to get pregnant, I felt fantastic throughout both pregnancies, and had two incredible homebirths.

I can attest that it is possible to feel great when pregnant, have a fantastic appetite and not gain an excess amount of body fat just because my body is growing a baby. I eat an abundance of food when pregnant and my body thrives, there is no deprivation, but I also do not follow the belief of “eating for two” so therefore I must stuff myself. Errr no. I eat to satiety which varies in each trimester when growing the baby.

Vegan Breastfeeding Mum

I breastfed my first child until she was 3 years of age and she stopped naturally on her own accord. I am still breastfeeding my second child who is coming up to 2 years of age. My children thrive on breastmilk and eating vegan food.

Need more help going vegan?

A vegan diet for beginners can be smooth sailing, please stop complicating things. But, and I hear you, but, if you feel overwhelmed, confused or really don’t know what to do, then save this blog post and do one thing from it.

Just one thing.

Focus on one change and do that every day. Just one thing my dear friend. Stop trying to do it all. I know we like to go for the all-or-nothing, but let’s cut ourselves some slack and keep life simple.

Need more inspiration? Take a look at this 100 Year-Old Nutrition Professor: 7 Keys to A Long Life | Dr. John Scharffenberg

This man is phenomenal.

Vegan Meal Planner

Check out my Vegan Meal Planner to help you get organised, inspired and take positive action towards creating a healthy vegan lifestyle.

Eat the Rainbow Printable

Check out my Eat the Rainbow printable to keep it simple, manageable, delicious and fun!

Conclusion

Being vegan is worth it. Eating wholesome plant-based wholefoods is affordable, delicious, healthy and great for the whole family.

Don’t worry about how to do it all and change every meal, just focus on one meal each day to get started and create that new habit, then do another and so on. You can do this, you totally can do it.

Believe in yourself. Whatever your reason to be vegan, know that there are many vegans around the world thriving on plant foods.

Get the Eat the Rainbow vegan nutrition chart or Vegan Meal Planner to inspire you and your family with what to eat and create simple healthy meals that you enjoy.

Eat the Rainbow vegan nutrition chart

Vegan Meal Planner

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Vegan Diet for Beginners: Easy Tips to Get Started