Wrap Up: 2018 OMD Earth Day Blogger Challenge

Last month, we challenged some of our favorite mom influencers to swap one meal a day for the planet for our OMD Earth Day Challenge.

Nine bloggers. Twenty-one days. One Meal A Day.

So what exactly does that mean? We challenged nine bloggers to go plant-based for at least one meal a day, for 21-days. The results? Let’s break it down from the very beginning…

Before we dive into all the stunning dishes, tips, and tricks, let’s start with  the basics. How did our OMD Challenge bloggers kick off the challenge?

Get Support
“If you aren’t already in love with vegetables or obsessed with smoothies and smoothie bowls, making one meal a day plant-based might feel overwhelming. Luckily, there are plenty of resources to help. Check out the OMD 7 day meal planner tool on the OMD website for ideas.” — Carissa, Creative Green Living

Commit to an Attainable Goal
“Can you eat a plant-based diet for one meal a day? What about 3 meals per week? Think about what is feasible for your schedule and lifestyle and make the commitment to switch to a plant-based diet for those days/meals.” — Caryn, Rockin’ Mama

Create a Shopping List
“Meal planning begins with my weekly trip to the grocery store. Once I have a general idea of the meals I’ll be preparing, I prepare a list to ensure that my fridge is stocked with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based proteins. If you snack or enjoy the occasional dessert, be sure to include healthy plant-based options on your shopping list.” — Caryn, Rockin’ Mama

Don’t Get Discouraged
“OMD is about progress, not perfection.” — Diana, Recetas Latinas Veganas

Suzy Amis Cameron, our campaign Founder, likes to say that eating plant-based is a win-win-win: it promotes better health for you, takes care of the planet and protects animals. Whatever motivates you, going plant-based one meal a day, saves 194,667 gallons of water and cuts the carbon equivalent of driving 3,077 miles in your car. And that’s just with one meal a day to start! And there’s more. Here’s the power of your plate.

Better Sleep
“When I made the switch to plant-based eating at least one meal a day I noticed a shift in my sleep almost immediately. There’s no denying that our diet directly affects how well we sleep.” — Lori, Groovy Green Living

Healthier Choices
“The plant based meals I am choosing don’t leave me feeling bloated or weighed down. I feel healthy, nourished and ready to take on the next part of my day. When I feel healthy and nourished, I’m also more likely to keep making healthy meal choices for the rest of the day. I am also less likely to give into the temptation to eat junk food that I shouldn’t be having anyway.” — Carissa, Creative Green Living

Saving Money
“Currently my weekly budget is $200 a week and I’d like to get that below $150 a week…When you have a meat protein at every meal, the cost adds up.” — Nicky, Little Family Adventure

Fight Disease
“[Plant-based eating] reduces the level of cholesterol, triglycerides. It can also reverse disease such as diabetes, hypertension.” — Diana, Recetas Latinas Veganas

Improving Your Children’s Health
“My family has a long history with food allergies. These past few years we’ve figured out how to give our daughters the best nourishment and found that a plant-based diet has been an amazing change for which we’re very grateful since we haven’t had to return to those difficult moments with medication and hospitalizations.” — Diana, Recetas Latinas Veganas

Plan Your Meals
“The easiest way for me to stick to a plant-based diet is to plan out my meals for the week. If I do not know what I’m going to eat for lunch on any given day, I’ll likely resort to a meal out. And if I am not familiar with the restaurant, I may not have many plant-based meal options.” — Caryn, Rockin’ Mama

Do a Little Research
“Check out HealthyCow.net — a phenomenal database of vegan and/or vegetarian restaurants.” — Michelle, Simplify Live Love Blog

Recreate Traditions
“Our Latin foods are so marvelous, and in my blog I try as much as possible to please the cravings of my family and my readers, using only small variations to keep the unique and desired flavor of our grandmothers. That delicious flavor that brings us back to our favorite childhood memories.” — Diana, Recetas Latinas Veganas

Have Plenty of Fruits and Veggies on Hand
“My fridge is always filled with spinach and other greens. When it’s meal time I swap out the meat or carbs for spinach or another green vegetable. If you don’t have fresh greens try adding frozen.” — Lori, Groovy Green Living

“Something I noticed during my participation in the OMD campaign is that my refrigerator was full of fresh fruits cut and ready to eat; fruit was also available in a bowl in the center of the kitchen table, which caused even the children to consume more fruit and make it easier to direct them to that bowl full of rich and juicy options every time they asked for something to eat.” — Maybelline, Naturalmente Mamma

Explore New Cuisine
“Certain ethnicities are just really conducive to veganism. Do you like Mexican or Thai food? You’re in luck! They both have lots of vegan friendly options. One of my favorite vegan lunches has been the rice and bean bowl. Add sauteed veggies, guacamole, and spicy salsa and I hardly miss the meat or the cheese! Yum! Phad Thai with tofu? Also yum!” — Michelle, Simplify Live Love Blog

Ok, let’s eat! Here are some of the delicious recipes our OMD bloggers whipped up during the campaign.