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    What’s a vegan diet? An average day of meals

    Published: Oct 21, 2015 · Modified: May 27, 2021 by Cadry Nelson
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Salad with chickpeas, rice, and avocado in bowl.

    Salad with roasted chickpeas, avocado slices, and sauerkraut in bowl.

    What’s a vegan diet? Here’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner from one ordinary day. Spicy black bean tacos, salad, and polenta!

    The feedback on my first What Vegans Eat post was really positive. Many people said they’d like to see more pictures from regular days of eating to get a sense of what’s a vegan diet. I’m going to do one post a month to show normal, everyday vegan meals.

    What’s a vegan diet?

    A vegan diet is one that doesn’t include any animal products – including meat, dairy, eggs, and honey.

    Here are my ordinary vegan meals from one day in October…

    Steaming bowl of polenta on table.

    Breakfast

    Now that the mornings are getting cooler, I’ve been returning to a favorite cold weather breakfast – creamy polenta. The kind I like is organic and finely ground. It has a smooth texture that’s akin to mashed potatoes and cooks in just minutes.

    (To see a full recipe and my preferred brand of polenta, check out this creamy polenta recipe.)

    Lunch

    Bowl with salad, roasted chickpeas, turnip pickles, avocado, and sauerkraut.

    For lunch, I had a salad with creamy cashew dressing and half of an avocado. On the side, raw sauerkraut and homemade turnip pickles. I made a cup and a half of roasted chickpeas and topped the salad with a handful of them and cracked pepper.

    Snack

    Before I went on a hike a few hours later, I pulled out the remaining roasted chickpeas from the refrigerator and finished them off for a snack.

    Dinner

    Tacos on plate. Chips and salsa in background.

    That night for dinner, David and I made one of our household favorites – spicy black bean tacos.

    Some family friends had plucked all of their tomatoes before the first frost, and we were lucky enough to end up with a bunch of them. I made a big batch of salsa and guacamole while David made the black beans for the filling.

    On the side, we had some chips for dipping, and of course, lots of hot sauce and jalapeños.

    Still want to know more about what’s a vegan diet? For more everyday vegan meals, check out these posts from the “What Vegans Eat” series: September, November, December, and January.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tracey

      October 21, 2015 at 9:30 am

      I usually love smoothies in the summer, now I’m loving oats!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 21, 2015 at 9:36 am

        Yes, the amount of fresh smoothies and juices I enjoy goes way up in the summer!

        Reply
    2. Shell

      October 21, 2015 at 10:08 am

      I’ve never refrigerated roasted chick peas before. I’ll have to try that. Do they lose their crunch after being in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 21, 2015 at 10:11 am

        Yes, they do lose their crunch and become drier. They are definitely best fresh, but I still like them cold.

        Reply
    3. Bianca

      October 21, 2015 at 3:06 pm

      Yum! That polenta sounds so yummy. I should add that to my breakfast rotation. And that salad looks AMAZING!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2015 at 3:03 pm

        Since you already like grits, it seems like it would be a hit with you!

        Reply
    4. Lisa | The Viet Vegan

      October 22, 2015 at 5:59 pm

      mmmm that polenta sounds fantastic, I’ll have to try it. Very interesting post =) I love seeing what other vegans eat!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2015 at 3:03 pm

        I’m glad to hear that, Lisa!

        Reply
    5. Susan

      October 22, 2015 at 6:42 pm

      You have so much amazing food! I am not that interesting. Mind if I come and stay with you for a while?? 😉 We can watch Buffy and talk about cats!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2015 at 3:02 pm

        Absolutely! The next time you’re in my part of the world, it’s a date. 😀

        Reply
    6. Nicole @ Vegan Nom Noms

      October 23, 2015 at 6:45 am

      This has def inspired me to finally try polenta!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2015 at 3:09 pm

        Terrific! Let me know what you think.

        Reply
    7. Isabetta

      October 23, 2015 at 6:44 pm

      This was really helpful to me and everything looks so good.I eat a lot of tacos so that one was especially appreciated.Thanks,Cadry!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 23, 2015 at 6:49 pm

        I’m so glad to hear that, Isabetta! I’m a big taco fan too. I have them at least once a week, if not two or three times. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Caitlin

      October 29, 2015 at 8:12 am

      I think these posts are great, to give people a sense of what vegans eat. I also find it interesting just because I’m curious, haha. Thanks for doing another!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 29, 2015 at 3:00 pm

        Terrific, Caitlin! I’m glad to hear it!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Cadry!

    I’m a longtime vegan. (14 years!) But I grew up eating a Standard American Diet. I know that all of us crave foods that are familiar, comforting, and delicious.

    That’s why it’s my passion to share mouthwatering plant-based recipes that taste like home.

    More about me →

    Spring recipes

    • Green salad with blood oranges & peanut dressing
    • Tangy peanut salad dressing (vegan)
    • Vegan eggs Benedict (for an amazing brunch!)
    • Vegan hollandaise sauce (dairy free & egg free)

    Salads

    • Easy tahini dressing for salads, bowls, or falafel (vegan)
    • Balsamic vinaigrette dressing (Just 5 ingredients!)
    • Vegan chef salad with seitan & avocado
    • Israeli couscous salad with olives & artichokes

    Easy weeknight meals

    • Air fryer baked potato in about 35 minutes
    • Buffalo chickpea sandwich with vegan blue cheese
    • Three bean chili: Warm up with a bowl
    • Vegan taco pizza with black beans: A taste of nostalgia
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