5 Easy Steps On Your Plant-Based Journey

How to start your plant-based journey

Who can relate to feeling lost before trying something new?

Food is so personal. It’s completely normal to need support and inspiration when trying to eat plant-based. Give yourself permission to feel adventurous — say yes to that unwieldy-looking eggplant for the first time. Or give yourself space to experiment when you’re looking for that just right stand-in for your favorite cheddar.

OMD is here to walk you through your plant-based journey with ease — and it starts with 5 easy steps.

1

GET INFORMED

Learning more about the connection between industrialized animal agriculture, the environment, social equity and your health is helpful in getting invested in the “why” of eating plant-based. Whether you’re trying OMD because you want to help protect disappearing habitat, or if you’re looking to lower your blood pressure, there are so many resources.

Here are some of our favorite reads, films and podcasts:

2

GET INSPIRED

Once you’ve gotten a solid dose of information, you’ll probably feel fired up to eat more plants. If you’re excited to start, but need some inspiration, we’ve collected a few of our favorite bloggers and YouTubers for you to get your plant-based groove on:

tortilla soup

Bloggers

Recetas Latinas Veganas — for reimagined Latin recipes en Español

Isa Chandra — blogger-turned-restaurateur, Isa’s recipes are filling and come with a dose of humor to boot

Minimalist Baker — if you’re looking for easy recipes that are consistent crowd-pleasers

Vegan Richa — another go-to for quick-and-dirty plant-based recipes. We especially love her delicious Indian dishes.

Oh She Glows — looking for recipes on the healthier side? You’ll love Angela’s mom-approved meals.

YouTubers

Sweet Potato Soul — think soul food is off the table when eating plant-based? Think again!

Cheap Lazy Vegan — common barriers for many people are price and convenience when it comes to food. That’s why we love Cheap Lazy Vegan’s recipes.

Guilt-Free TV — Do you even lift, bro? You can eat plant-based and be fit. For recipes to fuel the “no-meat athlete” in you, check out this channel.

3

GET READY

Congratulations, now you’re armed with knowledge and a head full of tasty plant-based recipes! This is a big step in getting started, but are still other steps you can take to set yourself up for success in your mission.

How many times have you heard or wondered about what a plant-based kitchen and pantry looks like, or how people meal plan? We get these questions all the time. Getting ready is half the battle, but once your shelves are stocked with colorful staples and you have your week’s meals mapped out, you’ll find that eating OMD will be a fun exploration, not a debacle.

Need help getting there? Sign up for the OMD Newsletter for a free plant-based Starter Guide and check our our blog for information on how to stock your kitchen, a shopping list, and a 7-Day Meal Planner to get started.

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Starter Guide cover
avocadoes
4

GO SHOPPING

Now that you have your shopping list handy and you’re primed for change, now it’s time to hit up your local grocery store or farmers market (if you have one accessible) to stock up on all the ingredients and staples you’ll need!

Here are some tips for shopping for healthy foods:

Scan the perimeter — you’ll find most often, “the good stuff” — fresh fruits and veggies — are stocked along the edges of most grocery stores. Check out the variety, and if you have kids, get them involved by letting them pick their fruit or veggies for the week. Let your curiosity shine!

Busy? Go for canned, frozen or dried — If you’re a busy mom or a 9-5 hustler, maybe you aren’t sure when you’ll be able to get to those fresh ingredients. That’s ok. Ditch that guilt. You can always opt for dried or canned versions of some of the staples to cut back on food waste. Our go-tos? Diced tomatoes, legumes, frozen fruits for smoothies and even chopped veggies to throw together a weeknight stir fry.

  • shopping at farmers market
  • shopping for produce
  • shopping fresh strawberries
5

GET CREATIVE

What happens after you’ve cooked up a steaming plate of colorful plant-packed goodness?

Here’s the fun part! Once you’ve cooked up your plant-based treats, snap a photo and post it to the ‘gram or any other social channel with the the hashtag, #omd4theplanet for a chance to be featured on OMD’s pages.

Doing OMD is a celebration to vibrant health, better communities and a cooler planet, so don’t be shy — share the love!