As a vegan mom raising vegan children, I was struggling to find a meal planner that checked all the boxes. My requirements were: be able to map out a week of meals over an easy to maneuver two-page spread, log the food items my baby enjoyed, track signs of teething and decreased appetite, and have a way to quickly visualize if my baby had a well-rounded week of food. After no luck I decided to create one and the Vegan Meal Planner: Baby Edition was born. I also added weekly pages with fun memory logging prompts. There is a bonus page with a breakdown of plant-based milk options. This meal planner will work for omnivores and herbivores and whether you are using the baby-led weaning method or not.

Vegan Meal Planner

I created and designed this Vegan Meal Planner with my family in mind. We were grocery shopping more after relocating to an area that had fewer vegan dining options. My husband and I were cooking a lot at home and we needed a way to get organized. Meal planners help in several ways. It takes the stress out of creating a daily menu on the fly, it reduces over-buying or food waste, and it allows for tracking successful meals. I included a recipe page, and here is why. I was constantly searching for vegan recipes on Pinterest or blogs, or would come across a post on Instagram featuring a dish I definitely wanted to try. The screenshots weren’t working for me and I needed a way to quickly find these plant-based gems. So I included a recipe page per week. These encourage you to add some variety to the menu with a new dish without the time of finding the recipe when it comes time to cook. I also wanted to give my readers some quick references specific to veganism. The first few pages are dedicated to helpful substitutes.

Books:

Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families by Reshma Shah and Brenda Davis and David L. Katz

This a MUST have. Whether you are newly pregnant or raising teenagers, this is the book for you! It has so much wonderful information in easy to read sections and charts. It covers the basics in nutritional requirements as well as lifestyle advice. The perfect guide to starting your plant-based journey is here! If you are a veteran, but wanting a refresher or some new recipe ideas you will also benefit from this read.

Save on Nourish at Booksamillion.com.

How Not To Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. by Michael Greger M.D. FACLM and Gene Stone

The authors of this book do an amazing job of gathering medical and nutritional studies, explaining the findings in layman terms, and providing the steps one can take to better their health based on the evidence explained. The book is divided into chapters based on body system or disease, so the reader can begin to target changes specific to their needs before having to read the entire book. Of course, I still recommend reading the entire book, because the second half really dives into how to make changes and which changes are most vital for your health.

Save on How Not to Die at Booksamillion.com.

The China Study: Deluxe Revised and Expanded Edition: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-Term Health. by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II

Save on China Study at Booksamillion.com.

The Cheese Trap: How Breaking a Surprising Addiction Will Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, And Get Healthy. by Neal D. Barnard MD FACC and Marilu Henner

Save on The Cheese Trap at Booksamillion.com.

Websites:

NutritionFacts.org

21-day Vegan Kickstart

Apps:

21-day Kickstart (Free)

Daily Dozen (Free)

Happy Cow Find Vegan Food ($3.99)