Lesson 5: Vegan Meal Prep Guide

No time for cooking during the week? Our vegan meal prep guide shows you everything you need to know about meal prep, the most delicious meal prep recipes and more. Forget delivery, we’ll cover the best plant-based meal prep options for every meal of the day. They’re all easy to prepare ahead of the week and are packed with nutrients and flavour.

Before we get started, let’s look at the benefits of meal prep and the best strategies for successful meal preparation:

What is meal prep and is it really for me?

With busy schedules and less time for cooking, maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging. Preparing your meals in advance not only allows you to establish a nutritious diet and routine but also to reduce your food waste and cook your meals more cost-effectively. This vegan meal prep guide is definitely for you, if:

• You want to save money by making your own food 
• You don’t like to stress about what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner 
• You want to take control of what is going in and on your food and ultimately into your body
• You want to increase your veggie intake and cut down on heavily processed food

If you’ve tried it before, you’ll know that meal prep isn’t rocket science. And if you’re completely new to it, you’ll be glad to hear that it’s pretty straightforward! However, there are a few things to look keep in mind and set you up for success:

1. Increase your portions

Unless you’re trying to lose weight, don’t reduce your portion sizes! When switching to a plant-based diet, it’s easy to just take the animal products out and not add anything in, but that will leave you hungry and de-energised. Make sure you add in plant-based proteins and balance out your servings.

2. Find your balance:

Meal prepping is not a one size fits all activity. You have to find a way that works for you. Start by prepping your breakfast, lunch, or dinner for one week and see how it works for you. Or simply start with two or three meals a week and take it from there.

3. Do the prep work: 

If there’s one thing that really sets you up for successful meal prep, it’s the right containers! We’d recommend stocking up on reusable glass containers in a variety of sizes. It saves you money and spares the planet from needless waste. Moreover, make sure you create a shopping list for all the items needed before you get started. Plan out a few meals and buy only what you need.

Vegan meal prep guide recipes

Breakfast: Overnight oats

Yes, this one is a classic! But this meal-prep friendly recipe does deserve credit for a number of reasons: it requires no cooking, is packed with nutrients and is super versatile.

Ingredients:

Total prep time: 10 minutes | Makes: 1 portion | Easy

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g rolled porridge oats
• 120ml water or plant milk
• 10g chia seeds

Optional toppings (per serving):

• 50g mixed berries
• 1 tbsp nut butter

1. The night before serving, combine chia seeds, cinnamon, water or milk and oats in a mason jar or glass container.
   
2. Cover and set in the refrigerator overnight to soak.
   
3. The next day, loosen the oats with a little more water or milk if needed. Top with berries and nut butter or adapt this recipe to suit your taste and add dried fruit, seeds and nuts, grated apple or pear, or chopped fruits.

Breakfast: Chia pudding

Kick-start your day with this nutritious and easy-to-make chia pudding. Chia seeds are loaded with fibre, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients.

Ingredients:

Total prep time: 10 minutes | Makes: 1 portion | Easy

• 120ml plant milk
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine maple syrup, ground cinnamon and vanilla and stir to combine.
   
2. Add plant milk and stir until well combined.
   
3. Add chia seeds and stir.
   
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
   
5. Give the mixture an extra stir before serving. Finally, add your favourite toppings – I love adding chopped mango, raspberries or seeds and nut butter.

Lunch: Roasted cauliflower with quinoa and tahini dressing

We LOVE speedy, flavour-packed recipes, and this one is an absolute banger! Oven-roasted cauliflower, spinach, crispy curry chickpeas and the BEST tahini sauce – this combo is SO good you’ll want to make it every day. It’s also super easy to make and simply delicious.

Ingredients:

Total cooking time: 35 minutes | Makes: 3 portions | Easy

For the cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• Squeeze of lemon juice

For the curried chickpeas:

• 300g tinned chickpeas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp curry powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp salt

For the tahini dressing:

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp water
• 1.5 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

To serve:

• 150g baby spinach
• Parsley, chopped
• Pomegranate seeds
• 180g quinoa

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
   
2. Place the cauliflower onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with nutmeg, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss until the pieces are evenly coated.
   
3. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, then spread on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. In a bowl, combine chickpeas, curry powder, olive oil and salt.
   
4. Add the curried chickpeas to the same baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway.
   
5. In the meantime, cook the quinoa. Cook with vegetable stock instead of water for extra flavour.
   
6. Make the tahini dressing by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl.
   
7. And that’s it! Divide everything quinoa between 3 meal prep containers, then cover and store in the fridge.

Dinner: Vegan Chilli Sin Carne

Live life with a little spice! This is the simplest, most rewarding vegan chilli sin carne you’ll ever make! It’s an all-time classic, full of flavour and super simple to make. Made with vegan soy mince, this dish is also packed with plant-based protein.

Ingredients:

Total cooking time: 30 minutes | Makes: 3 Portions | Easy

• 300ml vegetable stock
• 125g plain soya mince (you can also use fresh soya mince instead)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 celery chalk, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tin sweet corn
• 3-4 carrots, chopped
• 1 tim chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

• 300g rice (uncooked weight)
• 6-7 tbsp coconut yogurt
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 3 lime wedges
• Coriander, chopped

Method:

1. Start by preparing the soya mince according to package instructions. Set aside.
   
2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add garlic and onions. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes.
   
3. Add in your carrots and celery and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Season with tomato paste, chilli flakes, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Add vegetable stock, cover and reduce heat.
   
4. Cook for about 15 minutes until the veggies are soft and most of the water has been absorbed.
   
5. In the meantime, cook the rice.
   
6. Add chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, sweet corn and soya mince to the chilli, give everything a good stir and cook for 5 more minutes.
   
7. Season with some more salt and pepper if needed. Divide rice and chilli between meal prep containers and top with spring onion, coriander, avocado, lime wedges and 1-2 tbsp coconut yogurt (remove toppings when reheating).

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