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Using knives and stoves safely

Using appliances properly (All children will reach the age when they can use blenders, ovens, food processors, and toasters without adult supervision, but until that age, make sure they only use them with an adult.)

Practicing proper hygiene in the kitchen, including washing hands thoroughly and regularly, cleaning up as they go, and properly handling and storing food

Chapter 9

Planning Your Meals to Stay on Track

In This Chapter

Planning healthy vegan meals

Understanding the importance of breakfast

Discovering some preplanned menu options

Snacking vegan style to satisfy your cravings

Living vegan means becoming a skilled food detective. Navigating the grocery store can be like picking your way through a field of land mines — but only in the first couple of weeks. You’ll quickly pick up on the ingredients to avoid and discover new favorite products to fill up your cupboard.

This chapter can help you plan a healthy week of meals to get you started in la vida vegan. Shopping from lists of staple supplies, planning well-rounded meals, and stocking up on snacks all ensure that your best vegan intentions are successful. So grab your magnifying glass, your shopping list, a quick swig of hemp milk from your hip flask, and then head out the door to your local health food store. And don’t forget to bring your reusable shopping bags for extra eco-vegan street-cred.

Building a Plan for Vegan-rific Success

Looking at lists of possible vegan staples can help you understand what’s necessary to round out your kitchen supply. After all, creating your own lists and planning out meals is your key to success and really owning this process. As many coaches have said, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.”

As you begin planning, first think about what types of foods you want to eat on a regular basis and begin amassing recipes that you can go to time and again. Then use the lists provided later in this section to plan your own shopping trips.

As you’re making the transition to a vegan lifestyle, you can start with a clean slate and dump every nonvegan item in your cupboard (giving the items away to someone who will use them, of course). Or, to make the switch a little more sane, you can begin by planning to eat one or two vegan meals each day. Doing so allows you to keep some of your old food habits while transforming your shopping, cooking, and eating habits slowly.

Gathering easy and appealing recipes for meal planning

Begin your vegan adventure by looking through recipes and choosing several that fit your taste preferences and cooking abilities. Selecting simple foods and recipes that don’t require too many sophisticated cooking tools or techniques can help you transition in the beginning. Also, starting your cooking projects on the weekend will allow you more time and flexibility. Running to the store for a missing ingredient will be less stressful on a Saturday afternoon compared to a Tuesday night.

Include complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat sources throughout your day. And don’t rely too heavily on processed “fake” vegan foods like soy hot dogs and deli meats. These foods are fine every once in a while, but you can easily fall into the habit of using them every day instead of cooking with fresh food. These soy foods aren’t inherently unhealthy, but they aren’t whole, vital foods like vegetables and whole grains either.

Make sure you have a healthy breakfast every day so you don’t get stuck starving out in the wilds of your office or in the car on the way to school. Keep a variety of snack options stocked at home so you can take a couple with you to help you through the day.

Here are some smart and simple menu planning tips to help you succeed:

Provide variety and choice. Start with foods you know that you and/or your family enjoy and offer several healthy options that they can pick and choose from.

Offer a variety of textures, tastes, and temperatures. A variety of textures, tastes, and temperatures,