Hi everyone, I know that a lot of people cite protein, cost, prep time, etc. as concerns when adopting a vegan or plant-based diet. Well, I have compiled an example day of eating that busts these myths. Meals like this will make plant-based eating a lot easier for many people, including athletes 
Most of the ingredients here are shelf stable and none of them will spoil if left unrefrigerated for an hour or two, except for the blueberries if you buy frozen ones. So most of them can be bought in bulk which saves you money. Many can be bought online in bulk for savings. These ingredients are not fragile, many are sold dry, and are also nutrient dense so you can use your bike to go to the store or walk there and back without worrying about them spoiling. People can save gas or bus fares this way. Also, for instance, soy milk when unopened lasts 2-3 months at room temperature, so you can buy a bulk case online.
These meals are very easy to prepare and could be done in under 30 minutes each.
eg. boil oatmeal, add soy milk and berries, cut up banana or eat whole.
measure peanuts, hummus, and crackers, and put in container for snack at work.
steam chickpeas, spinach, peas and add sauce. brown rice can soak and cook in rice cooker overnight. cut apple in half and either add lemon water or store in water to prevent browning. or alternatively, eat the whole apple for a snack.
boil and drain spaghetti. add sauce, broccoli, tofu, basil, and heat on low. wash and dry peach.
Breakfast
Total for the day with crackers and oil-free hummus, eg. homemade or Cedar's Original brand etc.: 2079 cal 40.8g fat 94.5g protein
Total for the day with cucumbers and regular hummus: 2089 cal 53.2g fat 95.3g protein
Alternatives:
Want more fat?
- Replace 1 cup of the oatmeal with an extra 25g dry-roasted peanuts at snack time
- Replace peach with 50.4g small olives (6 tbsp) 60 cal 5.4g fat 0.6g protein
- Replace apple with ¼ avocado 80.5 cal 7.2g fat 1g protein (gives you 822 cal, 20.2g fat, and 33.8g protein at lunch)
Want more protein or less calories?
- Replace Chickpeas with 198g (1 cup) boiled lentils and an extra 100g spinach at lunchtime 253 cal 1.2g fat 20.9g protein [adjust to your macros]
- Replace ½ cup of the spaghetti with an extra 100g tofu and extra cup broccoli. Total for dinner with this adjustment: 573 cal 17.1g fat 42g protein
..etc.
What about VITAMIN B12?!
Depending on brand, 240 ml of soy milk contains 25 - 50% RDI vitamin b12.
Kirkland soy milk 120ml - 50 cal - 1.7g fat - 3.5g protein - 25% RDI b12
OR have ½ tbsp of nutritional yeast with your spaghetti (shelf stable and can be added to hummus, curry, almost any savoury dish, used to make cheese sauce, etc.): $8.02 for 10oz. = 50 tbsp/container = ½ tbsp day. 15 cal - .2g fat - 2.2g protein - 100% RDI b12. Since vitamin b12 is produced by bacteria, this is a natural source of vitamin b12 8¢/day
Soy milk and other B12 fortified foods are not necessary if taking a supplement. eg. GNC Vitamin B-12 500mcg (8,333% RDI) - taken once or twice a week - $5.99 (6-12¢/week)
Please let me know if any of my calculations are wrong, or if you think you can't get enough protein due to variables like poor food options in your area. Nutritional information source: Google search
Most of the ingredients here are shelf stable and none of them will spoil if left unrefrigerated for an hour or two, except for the blueberries if you buy frozen ones. So most of them can be bought in bulk which saves you money. Many can be bought online in bulk for savings. These ingredients are not fragile, many are sold dry, and are also nutrient dense so you can use your bike to go to the store or walk there and back without worrying about them spoiling. People can save gas or bus fares this way. Also, for instance, soy milk when unopened lasts 2-3 months at room temperature, so you can buy a bulk case online.
These meals are very easy to prepare and could be done in under 30 minutes each.
eg. boil oatmeal, add soy milk and berries, cut up banana or eat whole.
measure peanuts, hummus, and crackers, and put in container for snack at work.
steam chickpeas, spinach, peas and add sauce. brown rice can soak and cook in rice cooker overnight. cut apple in half and either add lemon water or store in water to prevent browning. or alternatively, eat the whole apple for a snack.
boil and drain spaghetti. add sauce, broccoli, tofu, basil, and heat on low. wash and dry peach.
- I have more cheap meal ideas not containing protein powder or superfoods, so let me know if you want to see them.
Why didn't I include prices? Because each region/country has different cheap foods. Tofu is 30¢ for 300g where I live--if it is expensive where you live you can replace it with other high protein and low calorie foods. On the other hand, where I live oatmeal and lentils are expensive compared to in N. America. I have not included spices and seasonings like salt, powdered spices, as those depend on individual tastes (except for dried basil to demonstrate how protein can be hidden in unsuspecting ingredients!).
Why didn't I include protein powder or supplements like PB2? All of these ingredients--including b12 vitamin pills--can be purchased cheaply at any supermarket. I am not sure if the same is true for vegan protein powder. Yes, there are cheap vegan protein powders. 1: pea - 2: rice - 3: soy - 4: blend But this day of eating is to demonstrate that it's inexpensive to get 90-100g protein and about 2,000 calories and easy even with no protein powder! Considering that an average 60kg woman requires about 40g protein/day and about 1900 calories, this is an extremely high amount of protein, and more than enough for most athletes. For those who do want to go 120g or more, there are still many options. you could easily add a scoop of unflavoured pea/soy protein to either of the sauces in lunch or dinner, or eat a higher amount of legumes, reduce grain intake and increase vegetable intake (ensuring that you have a big enough serving of vegetables to get enough calories), etc.
Breakfast
- 2 cups cooked oatmeal (468g) 316 cal 6.4g fat 12g protein
- 100g soy milk 54 cal 1.8g fat 3.3g protein
- 1 medium banana (118g) 105 cal 0.4g fat 1.3g protein
- 1 cup orange juice (248g) 111 cal 0.5g fat 1.7g protein
- optional addition: 25 blueberries (34g) 19.5 cal 0.1g fat 0.2g protein
total for breakfast incl. berries: 553 cal 10.7g fat 18.5g protein
- Dry-roasted peanuts (25g) 146.2 cal 12.4g fat 6g protein
- 100g spinach 23 cal 0.4g fat 2.9g protein
- ½ cup dry chickpeas (garbanzo) (100g) 364 cal 6g fat 19g protein (edit: cooked yields 1.5 cups--which is a lot I know--but you could easily go for only 1 cup cooked chickpeas, at 15g protein, and still be at about 90g protein/day)
- 50g green peas 40.5 cal 0.4g fat 5g protein
- 1 cup brown rice (195g) 216 cal 1.8g fat 5g protein
- 100g curry sauce like Uncle Bens medium 98cal 4.4g fat 0.9g protein
- ½ medium apple (91g) 47.5 cal 0.1g fat 0.2g protein
total for lunch: 789 cal 13.1g fat 33g protein
- ½ an 8" cucumber (150g) 24 cal 0.1g fat 1g protein
- 2 tbsp hummus (30g) 70 cal 4.5g fat 2g protein
- 1 cup cooked spaghetti (140g) 221 cal 1.3g fat 8g protein
- 150g canned tomato sauce with mushrooms 52.5 cal 0.1g fat 2.2g protein
- 2 cups chopped broccoli (182g) 62 cal 0.6g fat 5.2g protein
- 200g tofu 152 cal 9.6g fat 16g protein
- 2 tbsp dried basil 22 cal 0.4g fat 2g protein
- 1 medium peach (150g) 59 cal 0.4g fat 1.4g protein
total for dinner: 506.5 cal 12.4g fat 34.8g protein
Total for the day with crackers and oil-free hummus, eg. homemade or Cedar's Original brand etc.: 2079 cal 40.8g fat 94.5g protein
Total for the day with cucumbers and regular hummus: 2089 cal 53.2g fat 95.3g protein
Alternatives:
Want more fat?
- Replace 1 cup of the oatmeal with an extra 25g dry-roasted peanuts at snack time
- Replace peach with 50.4g small olives (6 tbsp) 60 cal 5.4g fat 0.6g protein
- Replace apple with ¼ avocado 80.5 cal 7.2g fat 1g protein (gives you 822 cal, 20.2g fat, and 33.8g protein at lunch)
Want more protein or less calories?
- Replace Chickpeas with 198g (1 cup) boiled lentils and an extra 100g spinach at lunchtime 253 cal 1.2g fat 20.9g protein [adjust to your macros]
- Replace ½ cup of the spaghetti with an extra 100g tofu and extra cup broccoli. Total for dinner with this adjustment: 573 cal 17.1g fat 42g protein
..etc.
What about VITAMIN B12?!
Depending on brand, 240 ml of soy milk contains 25 - 50% RDI vitamin b12.
Kirkland soy milk 120ml - 50 cal - 1.7g fat - 3.5g protein - 25% RDI b12
OR have ½ tbsp of nutritional yeast with your spaghetti (shelf stable and can be added to hummus, curry, almost any savoury dish, used to make cheese sauce, etc.): $8.02 for 10oz. = 50 tbsp/container = ½ tbsp day. 15 cal - .2g fat - 2.2g protein - 100% RDI b12. Since vitamin b12 is produced by bacteria, this is a natural source of vitamin b12 8¢/day
Soy milk and other B12 fortified foods are not necessary if taking a supplement. eg. GNC Vitamin B-12 500mcg (8,333% RDI) - taken once or twice a week - $5.99 (6-12¢/week)
Please let me know if any of my calculations are wrong, or if you think you can't get enough protein due to variables like poor food options in your area. Nutritional information source: Google search