Eating plants is good for you! Most of us know this already, but did you know that it doesn’t mean only eating fruits and vegetables, but also nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, and legumes? Not only are plants nutritious and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but eating more plants and less meat helps combat climate change and pollution.
A plant-based diet doesn’t mean eating strictly vegan (though it can!) but rather incorporating more whole, plant-based foods into your diet. I have an almost 4-year-old and a 1-year-old, and I understand the hesitation some people may have when thinking about transitioning towards a more plant-based diet. Will your picky kids eat it? What can you feed your family? Will the food be satisfying?
My advice: keep it simple! For example, common snacks in our house consist of any kind of fresh fruit, like berries, apples, grapes, watermelon, and bananas; fresh veggies like cucumber slices and carrots with hummus; and vegan muffins. The good news is that there are TONS of plant-based blogs, recipes, websites, and other resources out there for ideas and inspiration.
Vegan or plant-based blogs:
A few recipes our family enjoys:
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- Black Bean Burgers (see notes to make these vegan)
- Snickerdoodle Smoothie (use almond or other plant-based milk)
- Also once a week, we’ll chop up a bunch of veggies, sauté them and serve over rice with coconut aminos or soy sauce for a super simple, healthy meal!
