7 Ways Busy Vegans Can Stay On-Top of Their Diet

Living a vegan lifestyle can be very rewarding, particularly as it can help you lose excess weight and maintain a healthy one, as well as lower your risk of diabetes and blood sugar levels and improve your kidney function.

However, if you are juggling work, children, household chores, and other social commitments, it can also be a challenge to ensure you get all the nutrients you need in your meals. Without this, you might succumb to illness or various medical conditions.

So, how can you stay on top of your diet when you lead a busy lifestyle?

In this post, we will outline some practical suggestions on how you can do just that.

1. Plan Your Meals for the Working Week

One of the easiest ways to ensure you're eating a well-balanced diet is to plan your meals ahead of time – and the weekend is a good time to do this.

Taking just half an hour every Saturday or Sunday to map out your meals can save you from having to resort to fast food or quick, unhealthy choices when you are very hungry. 

A good starting point is to jot down what you would like to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. From this, you can then create a grocery list around that which will help you to stick to healthy and nutritious meals.

2. Use Vegan Meal Delivery Services

If your schedule doesn't leave much time for cooking, particularly during the working week, you should consider using a vegan meal delivery service, as this can save you lots of time and hassle.

A great option is vegan meal delivery with Soulara, as they can provide you with high-quality, chef-prepared, plant-based meals that are delivered straight to your door.

The good thing about this company is that they offer a wide range of tasty meals which are designed by nutritionists. It also saves you valuable time in the kitchen and makes it easier to stay on track with your diet.

3. Batch Cook Your Meals

When you do have time to cook, it is a good idea to batch-prepare your favourite meals, such as vegan lasagna, curries, stir-fries, soups, or grain bowls.

By doing this it will enable you to store them in portioned containers in the fridge or freezer, which you can eat as and when you need to throughout the week.

The weekend is a good time to batch cook, and the beauty of this approach is that it not only saves you time during the week but also ensures that you always have a nutritious meal ready to eat.

This, in turn, prevents you from choosing unhealthy, processed foods when you are very hungry, out of a desire to just quickly eat something.

4. Always Have a Well-Stock Pantry

The more plant-based food you have in your pantry, the easier you will find it to make something nutritious to eat.

Good staple ingredients to always have on hand include canned beans and lentils, whole grains like brown rice and quinoa (which can be the basis of any meal), and plant-based protein sources like tofu, tempeh, and seitan.

It is also good to have a regular supply of oats for breakfast, nuts, and seeds, like almonds and chia seeds, and various herbs, spices, and condiments to add flavour.

With these essentials readily available, you can quickly throw together a nourishing meal without having to scratch your head too hard for options.

5. Use Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh produce is great, and it is important to incorporate it into your diet. However, sometimes, it's not practical for those who have a busy lifestyle, given the length of time it takes to wash, peel, chop, and prepare them.

For this reason, it is a good idea to have frozen fruits and vegetables in the freezer you can call on as they are just as nutritious, last for months, and are conveniently ready to use when you need them.

6. Learn Some Quick and Easy Recipes

Using plant-based food, you can often knock up a delicious meal in less than half an hour, including prep time. So, it pays to build up a portfolio of quick and easy vegan dishes you can prepare when time is not on your side.

Having a good selection of them will make deciding what to eat at mealtimes much more straightforward, and if they involve cooking in one pot, it will also save time when it comes to washing up after you have eaten.

7. Have lots of Healthy Snacks Ready

When you're constantly on the go, it is good to have a nice mix of healthy snacks on hand, as they can help you to stay energised and avoid succumbing to processed junk food.

Some great vegan snack options include hummus and veggie sticks, trail mix with nuts and dried fruit, roasted chickpeas, and smoothies with plant-based protein. A little dark chocolate is always a nice option, too.

If you can keep these snacks readily available, you'll always have a healthy option to call upon when hunger pangs strike.