healthy balanced eating

newjerseyveggie · Jul 23, 2006

hi! i'm new to veggie eating and want to make sure i am doing it in a smart way (i've met a lot of people who used to be veggie, but got sick cause they weren't eating right and had to go back to eating meat). 
can anyone suggest what i should be eating on a typical day? breakfast, lunch, dinner? what things should i make sure i get in my diet? i try to eat a lot of veggies.... please advise. thanks!

Tweety · Jul 23, 2006

You should be eating a variety.......key word....variety.......of whole grain foods (cereals, breads, oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pastas), beans (lentils, pintos, black beans), soy products (tofu, tempeh, meat analogs - sparingly on these they are overly processed - veggie burgers, etc), healthy fats like walnuts, flax, canola and olive oils, avacodo, and of course a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to include dark green leafy's, red foods like tomato and berries, orange foods like orange bell peppers, carrots, melons, and blue berries, on and on with fruits and veggies. 
Whole foods and variety is the key. The menus are endless.

newjerseyveggie · Jul 23, 2006

thank you - that's helpful. do you know of where i can get a sample weekly menu? with recipes included?

Tweety · Jul 23, 2006

No sorry. Ckick the recipe option above. 
Menus can be tailored to your own individual tastes.

Keelin · Jul 24, 2006

Check out the Healthy Food Log in the General Health forum <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> It should give you some ideas of balanced meals. And read some cookbooks, recipes, etc and see what appeals to you! 
What are some foods/dishes that you enjoy? We could probably come up with a sample menu for you, to give you an idea.

Libellula · Jul 24, 2006

as a vegan, I try really hard to be balanced in my eating habits, without depriving myself of anything but without going overboard on anything as well... variety is key, as well as making sure you're not overdoing or underdoing certain foods (carrots make me orange). the past few days, this has been what my meals have looked like: 
B: A ginger-raisin bran muffin with soygurt that has granola and raisins mixed in; or whole grain cereal with soymilk and dates 
S: either a muffin or small handfull of pretzles with a nut butter 
L: hummus in pita bread or on a whole wheat tortilla with assorted veggies, a piece of fruit OR leftovers from the previous nights dinner (the past few nights dinner was vegan sloppy joe; veg dogs/burgers with oven roasted potato wedges; falafel), maybe some soy delicious ice cream 
S: something carby after a run, mostly ww toast with jam or nut butter 
D: something vegan mom makes or leftovers: vegan sloppy joe, falafel, pad thai, etc..

penny79 · Jul 24, 2006

Most meat eaters are deficient in nutrients so please do not subscribe to the myth that somehow meat makes one healthy. in fact, meat and dairy are associated with many diseases while grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruit are associated with protecting one's health. sample breakfasts 
oatmeal with nuts and maple syrup, fruit 
smoothie [all fruit] with toast and jam or toast and nut butter, a drizzle of flax oil 
homemade cinnamon rolls and juice 
any other bread item with nut butter, jam, and/or flax oil and fruit 
cereal or granola with nut milks and dried fruit sample lunches 
veggie sandwich with tomato, cucumber, onion, hummus, sprouts, guacamole 
burrito with beans and rice, vegetables 
rice with broccoli, cauliflower, other veggies, and peanut sauce 
pizza with no cheese, extra vegetables 
quinoa salad 
couscous with vegetables [maybe morrocan style] 
salad with different veggies, nuts/seeds, dried fruit, fresh fruit, dressing and flax oil sample snacks 
kale with garlic and olive oil 
carrots, celery, cucumbers, hummus 
nuts/seeds 
fruit 
any other vegetable 
potato with broccoli and nutritional yeast cheese sauce 
soy ice cream 
pretzels 
rice chips/crackers 
blue corn chips and salsa sample dinners 
pad thai with veggies on the side 
szechuan tofu with broccoli and rice 
lentil marinara sauce with angel hair and diced tomatoes or buy soy boy ravioli and add tomato sauce 
pizza [as above] 
chili, other soups and stews 
sweet n sour tempeh with green peppers, carrots, other vegetables that you like 
any vegetables with rice or other grain [go for variety, like quinoa, couscous, spelt, barley, millet, wheat, amaranth, teff] sample desserts 
cookies [get some earth balance and vegan chocolate chips] 
fruit 
smoothie 
cakes 
pies 
the key is to make things yourself, get plenty of greens and broccoli, flax oil daily [do not cook with it; add it afterwards], nutritional yeast, and drink water, get out in the sun for 10 min., be happy you are living peacefully.

sallyomally · Jul 24, 2006

Good information. Exactly what I've been looking for.

anatta · Jul 26, 2006

Try: <a href="http://www.dialadietitian.org/resources/handouts/protein_samp.html" target="_blank">http://www.dialadietitian.org/resour...tein_samp.html</a> <a href="http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/menu.html" target="_blank">http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/menu.html</a> 
And the many many veg recipe websites out there.

chiaraluna · Jul 26, 2006

Here's a site with vegan sample meals for two full weeks: <a href="http://www.vegcooking.com/veganMenus.asp" target="_blank">http://www.vegcooking.com/veganMenus.asp</a> <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">

jonjan · Jul 28, 2006

this is a tricky question. It really depends on your body. For me, i eat 90% fresh organic fruits, about 1000 calories a day, and my energy and health is fabulous (great energy, never get sick, doctor tells me he wishes all his patients were as healthy as me). 
If i can be humble to share my ideas.. Explore your new diet in gradual explorings. Like if you're giving up meat, then explore high-protein, and part-fatty mock meats.... so the new food is veggie and a bit healthier, but it also isn't a giant leap from what you were used to. 
Listen to your bod. Before you eat, stop and ask yourself what exactly your body wants. Is it thirsty? if so, then dry crackers or things like that won't fulfill it. Is it just wanting flavor? then that's not really food related <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> and it's good to realize that. 
Allow yourself to keep evolving your diet based on how you body feels. It might be the case that after a while, you find soy milk just as heavy on your body as cows milk and meat used to be. 
explore, there's organic, non-gmo, raw, sprouted, and more. Just follow where your body leads you, but it requires a lot of listening to the bod. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">

newjerseyveggie · Jul 31, 2006

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/hi.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":hi:"> Thank you so much to everyone who replied. i've been reading a lot from this board lately (very happy I found it!). 
i'm going to go over these sample menus. that's very helpful. 
see not only have i become a vegetarian...but in the process i'm not too into the whole processed food thing either (i.e. tofu, tempeh) -- sure i'll eat that stuff, but it's still processed and I'd rather go the route of eating beans, then for example tofu. make sense? i just want to do it healthily (sp?) LOL 
thanks!

wildflower · Jul 31, 2006

tofu and tempeh are very healthy. yes technically they are processed, but they arent bad for you. not all processed foods are bad. just remember that. its processed foods with loads of added salt, sugar & fat that are bad for you. 
tofu & tempeh are good for protein as well as calcium. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> 
just experiment! thats what i did. when i first went vegan, i didnt really like tofu & stuff like that. i didnt know what to do with it. it took years for me to love it. you will start to love your food <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> look up loads of recipes.

healthy balanced eating

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