Top Six Tips for Plant Based Cooking

Whether you are transitioning to a plant based diet (also called a vegan diet), already eating plant based food, or looking to take your plant based cooking to the next level, it’s important to follow a few tips to keep your veggie based meals tasty, economical, and easy to fix.

Tip One: Cook With Ingredients That You Like

The best and most logical suggestion to get the biggest benefit is to cook with the vegetables, grains, and beans that you like the most. You need to focus on the recipes that involve ingredients that appeal to your tastebuds. Trying new foods is always good, but building a base of foods that you enjoy eating is a great starting point.

Tip Two: Cook With Vegetables That Are in Season

To ensure that your plant-based diet is as affordable as possible, you need to cook with fruits and vegetables that are in season. If you are constantly having to purchase expensive fruits and vegetables for your meals, you will quickly discover that your budget is maxed out far before it is time to work on the next month’s budget. Being mindful of your grocery money as much as possible will demand that you buy only foods that are in season.

Tip Three: Plant a Vegetable Garden

If you are interested in living the ultimate plant based lifestyle, it is time to start investing in a backyard garden. You don’t need to dedicate acres of space to the garden, but a small area to grow at least the basic vegetables would be essential.

If you can find additional space to add some more vegetables, that would be ideal. However, never feel as if a garden is wasted if you only have a few feet. To start with, you need to look towards tomatoes and even peppers. As these are some of the easiest vegetables to grow, they will also take up very little space. Having your own fresh produce to add into the vegetable recipes is a huge grocery saver.

Food gardening can elevate your healthy, plant based meals, since you are providing your body with the freshest and most nutritious ingredients on the planet. And it’s fun, too. Getting to pick your own vegetables from the earth for your tasty plant based meals is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Veggie gardening is also great exercise, and will help improve and increase your appetite.

Tip Four: Look for Local Farms

Look for ways to save as much money as possible. If you are going to embrace a plant-based lifestyle, you should reap all of the benefits. This means looking for pick-your-own farms, which will allow you to pick your own produce at a significant savings.

If you are only buying small batches of produce you will discover that it can quickly turn expensive. Purchasing larger supplies locally can give you ample stock to enjoy fresh foods. You can freeze or store additional supplies to have for the off-season months.

If you buy from local farms—at a farmer’s market in town, or at a farm stand—you cut out the middleman (a grocery store, for example), so your prices are always cheaper and your vegetables fresher.

Tip Five: Cook with the Pros and Take Classes

Another tip to follow as you are getting started with plant-based cooking, is to look for great cooking classes. Pick ones that are designed to start teaching from the very basics. This will help you to learn numerous ways to cook without the problem of your meals tasting plain and boring.

If you are truly interested in exploring a delicious plant-based lifestyle, then the cooking classes are something that you will have to venture into. Check with your local university, library, chamber of commerce, food coop, or even online for the most convenient and appealing classes for you.

An alternative to the classes would be to stop by a friend’s house and get cooking tips from them.This however is only effective if your friend is a vegan and can teach you the best tips and tricks for retaining flavor and producing delicious meals. Working to live a healthy lifestyle does not involve boring meals that you suffer through. With practice you can create truly remarkable dishes.

Tip Six: Buy a Plant Based Cookbook

The easiest solution to learn how to prepare plant based meals for beginners is to purchase a quick ebook on plant based cooking. This way you can have the recipes on your iPad or phone in the kitchen as you prep plant based meals.

One cookbook that contains over 200 recipes is The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook (see photo). You can read all about it here.

It is one of the best plant based cookbooks for beginners. Not only do you get a cookbook, but it also comes with a 30 day jumpstart guide to get you going on improving your health, shed a few pounds, and reach your diet goals. In addition to these two items, you also receive a grocery list so you know exactly what to purchase for your recipes. Find out more here.

Vegan cookbooks are NOT all alike. In general, you are going to want to pick one that gives you easy plant based meals. There is nothing more frustrating than to buy a cookbook and find out it has ingredients you can’t find in your grocery store, or the recipes involve too much time and too many steps to complete.

Follow these six tips to ensure your plant based meals are healthy, delicious, budget-friendly, and easy to prepare.