There are many ways to create a balanced, healthy plant-based meal! However, there is a loose formula you can follow to achieve the best results for your health and energy levels. If you’re striving for optimal nutrition on a vegan diet, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve come up with visual aids to help you enjoy perfectly balanced meals every time you sit down at the dining table! Check them out here:

As illustrated, there is an appropriate amount of portions for every food group at each meal. However, you may need different amounts to suit your individual needs. Your height, weight, and age are all important factors to consider when building your plant-based plate. Here’s our in-depth breakdown for each food group:

Grains/Starches

Vegan Plate Breakdown Grains and Starches

One portion of grains or starches is around 60g. This is equivalent to:

1/2 cup brown rice
1 slice of bread
1/2 a bagel
1 tortilla
1 small potato
2 oz. pasta
2/3 cup oatmeal
1 cup of cereal

Our suggested daily intake for grains/starches on a plant-based diet is 3 portions. So, you could aim for one portion at each meal. Alternatively, you could go for 2 portions in one meal, 1 in another, and none in the third meal.

Beans

We should all consume at least 3 portions of beans a day! That means one portion per meal will suffice. Here’s what one serving of beans looks like in its various forms:

1/2 cup cooked beans
1 cup of soy milk
150g or 3/4 cups tofu
1/4 cup bean dip
1/4 cup textured soy protein

Nuts/Seeds

We should aim for just one portion of nuts and/or seeds per day. This amounts to 1/3 portion per meal, or one portion in just one meal each day. One full serving equals:

1/4 cup mixed nuts or nut of choice
2 tbsp. nut or seed butter

Fruits

Fruits are available in all shapes and sizes! We should consume one portion of berries each day, and then an additional 3 portions of various other fruits. Here’s what one appropriate portion of fruit would look like on your plate:

1 medium fruit (apple, small mango, peach, banana, orange, etc.)
1 cup chopped fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit, like raisins, dried figs, dates, etc.

Go for at least one portion of fruit at each meal!

Vegetables

As for your greens, we should be aiming for about 5 portions every day. These should include one type of cruciferous vegetable (cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips…), two servings of leafy greens (spinach, arugula, watercress, mustard greens, etc.), and two other vegetables, like potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, or others. Aim for about 2 servings of vegetables at each meal to maintain optimal health. Here’s what just one portion would look like on your plant-based plate:

1 cup raw leafy greens
1/2 cup cooked leafy greens
1 cup raw non-leafy vegetables
1/2 cup cooked non-leafy vegetables
1/2 cup sprouts

Oil

Oil is not necessary in a healthy plant-based diet. There are plenty of healthy, unrefined fats in plant foods! When possible, try to obtain them through nuts, seeds, avocados, and other plant sources. However, oil can boost the flavor and texture of your meals! Just try to keep your intake below 5 tbsp. a day, and avoid oils that are high in saturated fat, like coconut oil and palm oil.

Supplements

If you’re following a 100% plant-based diet, you may consider taking a few supplements at each meal, or once a day. Check out our complete vegan supplement guide for more info on the nutrients you may not obtain in sufficient amounts through your regular meals!

Not only do the guidelines presented in the above visual apply to your lunch and dinner meals—you can easily create balanced dishes out of breakfast foods, too! Go for a breakfast hash or a side of stir-fried veggies to incorporate some greens into the most important meal of the day. And as for beans, a glass of soy milk, beans and toast, or tofu scramble will do the trick! Check out our meal suggestions to get a clear idea of what your healthy breakfast could look like:

Vegetable, black bean, and potato hash. Side of trail mix, or a fruit and nut bar.
Oatmeal made with soy milk, topped with sliced bananas and ground flaxseeds. Small green smoothie on the side.
Tofu veggie scramble on whole wheat toast. Apples and peanut butter on the side.

If you’re going for lunch, keep in mind that on a vegan diet, almost any meal can include legumes and veggies—even pasta! For example, try some whole wheat spaghetti with textured soy protein in tomato sauce with veggies, or a hearty Minestrone. Not feeling Italian food? Here are some additional examples:

Loaded vegetable fried rice with cashews and a pea or soy-based meat substitute. Fruit of your choice on the side.
Vegan bowl with quinoa and grilled tempeh topped with vegetables, dried cranberries, and a tahini dressing.
Lentil and walnut patty on a whole wheat bun, filled with leafy greens and fresh vegetables (tomato, onion, cucumber, etc.). Side of fruit smoothie.

If you’re craving something a bit more savory or indulgent for dinner, we’ve got you covered! Check out these yum and nutritious meal ideas:

Homemade pizza with tomato sauce, dairy-free cheese, textured soy protein ‘sausage’, hearty vegetables, freshly sliced figs, and sunflower seeds.
Vegan gnocchi with marinara sauce, textured soy protein, and vegetables. Fruit salad with pecans for dessert.
Seitan ‘steak’ and rice burritos with pinto beans, fajita-style vegetables, mango salsa, and cashew cream.

We hope we were able to make you hungry with these delicious plant-based meal ideas! For even healthier versions, skip the vegan meat and cheese substitutes, as well as any added oil.

These are only a handful of the thousands of balanced dishes you can create using plant foods. So, get creative and plan out a few meal ideas of your own! We can assure you, you won’t run out of new tasty vegan creations any time soon. Thanks for looking out for the planet and our animal friends! Bon appétit!