30 Day Plant Based Diet Plan
Eat your way to better health with our 30 day plant based diet plan.
Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.
What is a plant-based diet?
A plant-based diet is a diet where your main source of nutrients is plants. Often confused with veganism, plant-based diets are wide-ranging and include veganism, vegetarianism, pescatarianism, and flexitarianism. In short, as long as the star of your meals is plants, you will be eating a plant-based diet.
This means that some plant-based diets may include animal-derived products such as meat, dairy, or eggs, as long as these foods are not the main component of the diet.
Plant-based means eating fruit and vegetables and includes grains, herbs, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This means your macronutrients, protein, fat, and carbohydrates are all sourced from plants. This might be a significant change for some of us who are used to meat dinners every night, but it is entirely possible, and our 30 day plant based diet plan template can help you get started.
Research shows that reducing meat consumption and increasing the number of plant-based foods in our diets can work wonders for our health. In the next section, you might need to make smart swaps and try some new foods, which we'll introduce, along with their health benefits. So, if you've recently heard about the benefits of plant-based diets or want to incorporate more plant foods into your meals, read on.
Printable 30 Day Plant Based Diet Plan
Download this 30 Day Plant Based Diet Plan to help clients eat better and achieve their health goals.
Foods included in a plant-based diet plan
A plant-based diet is not automatically healthy. French fries and cookies could be considered plant-based! Instead, a balanced plant-based diet will include minimally processed, whole-plant foods, and some ingredients are especially versatile, nutritionally beneficial, and delicious! Here are just a few that come up repeatedly in plant-based meals.
Brown rice
Brown rice is a fantastic wholegrain alternative to white rice or processed carbohydrates that contains the whole rice grain; it is a source of dietary fiber which improves feelings of fullness and feeds the good bacteria in your digestive system (Rao, 2016).
If you're feeling hungry shortly after a plant-based meal, try adding high-fiber whole grains to your meals to keep you feeling full.
Tofu
When following a plant-based diet, it's essential to be intentional about reaching your daily recommendations for protein, but luckily, there are many great plant-based protein sources. One of the most versatile plant-based proteins is tofu.
One of the best things about tofu is its ability to soak up whichever flavors you add, so try marinating it overnight in your favorite seasonings. If you're looking for that meaty texture without the meat, try pressing the water out of the tofu using a tofu press before tossing in seasonings and cornstarch and baking in the oven until crispy.
Black beans
Speaking of protein, black beans have a reputation as a superfood and certainly live up to the name. They can serve as a great addition to or replacement for meat-based proteins such as ground beef and offer protein, dietary fiber, folate, and magnesium.
Sweet potato
While white potatoes can be included in a plant-based diet, try swapping for sweet potatoes now and then to bump up your beta-carotene intake. Additionally, try leaving the skin on and cleaning it before preparation to get the additional nutrients in the skin. Add coconut milk to cubed or crumbled tofu, sweet potato, yellow curry sauce, and your favorite vegetables, such as bell pepper or canned tomatoes, for a delicious, plant-based curry.
Almond milk
People may wish to swap dairy products for plant-based alternatives for many reasons, and luckily, we have many options these days. Plant-based milk like almond, coconut, or oat milk are widely available. While plant-based milk is not nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk, plant-based dairy alternatives, such as almond milk or vegan butter, contain other nutrients not present in dairy products, such as dietary fiber.
How does this diet plan work?
This 30 day plant based diet plan works like an empty structure for you, or your client, to fill out over the 30 days. To work through this template, follow these quick steps below.
Step 1. Name and details
Enter your name and details into the spaces provided at the top of the first page of the template. This can be done digitally using the interactive PDF form or printed out and filled in by hand.
Step 2. Goals for diet plan
Before embarking on any life change, like a change in diet, it's important to set clear goals for the endeavor. We have provided space for you to set out these goals.
Step 3. Food restrictions, allergies, and preferences
Everyone has some foods they prefer over others, whereas others may have allergies or food restrictions, such as celiac disease.
Step 4. Start date and 30-day diet plan
Add the start date of the 30-day diet plan, and use the calendar provided to enter in breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks for each of the 30 days.
Step 5. Reflect on the 30 Day Plant Based Diet Plan
After the 30 days, we have provided space to reflect on the 30 days- what has gone well and the next steps following this 30-day plan.
30 Day Plant Based Diet Plan example (sample)
To see an example of a balanced plant-based diet plan made using this template, look at our example diet plan here. This example shows how our template can create a customized, plant-based eating plan.
Download this free 30 Day Plant Based Diet Plan example here:
Benefits of following a plant-based diet
There are many benefits to following a plant-based diet, from health to environmental impact; here are just a few:
Reduce your meat intake
Embracing a plant-based diet by reducing meat intake can contribute to lower risks of heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers while also promoting better cholesterol levels and improved overall cardiovascular health (Kim et al., 2019).
Increase your dietary fiber intake
A plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains provides dietary fiber, aiding digestion, promoting gut health, and reducing the risk of constipation while contributing to sustained energy levels and weight management.
Increase your plant protein intake
Incorporating plant-based protein sources like legumes, tofu, and quinoa into your diet not only supports muscle development but also provides essential amino acids, with the added benefit of reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases associated with high animal protein consumption (Tharrey et al. (2018))
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Consuming various colorful fruits and vegetables as part of a plant-based diet provides a rich array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, supporting immune function, reducing inflammation, and contributing to vibrant skin and overall well-being.
Reduce your environmental impact
Opting for a plant-based diet helps decrease your carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use, and deforestation associated with livestock farming, making a more sustainable and eco-friendly choice for conscious consumers (Scarborough et al., 2023).
Why use Carepatron as your dietitian software?
Are you looking to help your clients achieve their nutrition goals? Are you looking for ways to encourage plant-based foods for your dietetics clients? Carepatron manages your admin, automates processes, and handles data security and compliance so you can focus on your clients.
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Rest easy knowing that Carepatron employs bank-level digital encryption and adheres to HIPAA-certified data security standards. Carepatron ensures you meet your data privacy obligations while maintaining easy access to the documents you need.
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Template library and community of professionals
This 30 day plant based diet plan and hundreds of other templates are designed to streamline healthcare administration tasks in Carepatron's dedicated resource library. Additionally, by joining Carepatron, you'll become a member of our global community of healthcare professionals dedicated to improving accessibility in healthcare.
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References
Kim, H., Caulfield, L. E., Garcia‐Larsen, V., Steffen, L. M., Coresh, J., & Rebholz, C. M. (2019). Plant-based diets Are Associated With a Lower Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Disease Mortality, and All‐Cause Mortality in a General Population of Middle‐Aged Adults. Journal of the American Heart Association, 8(16), e012865. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.119.012865
Rao, T. P. (2016). Role of guar fiber in appetite control. Physiology & Behavior, 164, 277–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.06.014
Scarborough, P., Clark, M., Cobiac, L., Papier, K., Knuppel, A., Lynch, J., Harrington, R., Key, T., & Springmann, M. (2023). Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters, and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts. Nature Food, 4(7), Article 7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00795-w
Thierry, M., Mariotti, F., Mashchak, A., Barbillon, P., Delattre, M., & Fraser, G. E. (2018). Plant and animal protein intake patterns are strongly associated with cardiovascular mortality: The Adventist Health Study-2 cohort. International Journal of Epidemiology, 47(5), 1603–1612. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyy030
Commonly asked questions
You don't have to be strictly vegan to follow a plant-based diet. Plant-based eating emphasizes foods derived from plants while allowing some flexibility for individual preferences.
Not necessarily. While many plant-based diets are healthy, overall health depends on food choices. It's essential to focus on whole, nutrient-dense plant foods and balance your diet appropriately.
Getting enough protein on a plant-based diet is easily achievable by incorporating legumes, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, and whole grains into your meals. Variety is critical to ensuring you receive all essential amino acids.
