This Flexitarian Diet Plan Makes Eating More Plants Easy

You don’t have to go vegan or vegetarian to enjoy the benefits of plant-based foods. As many as 15% of people practice a flexitarian (“flexible vegetarian”) lifestyle, where most of their meals are plant-based, but they do enjoy the occasional omelet or charcuterie board.

“We should be looking at plant-based diets as ‘plant-forward’ diets,” shares Rachael Derr, RDN, Purple Carrot’s resident dietician. “This is less restricting and focuses more on increasing vegetable intake at each eating occasion, providing a more flexible approach versus a diet approach.”

Whether you’re going plant-based for just a few days or almost the whole week, following a semi-vegetarian diet is good for both you and the planet. If you want to reap the rewards of a diet that emphasizes plant-based foods, we’re here to help you craft a flexitarian diet plan that works for you.

How to craft a flexitarian diet plan

Before we get into recipe inspiration, let’s get into how to craft this diet plan. Start with choosing your commitment level, then head to the grocery store (or Purple Carrot menu) for minimally-processed, plant-based staples.

Choose your level of flexitarianism

The great thing about being a flexitarian is you get to make the rules. Ease into it by going plant-based just two days a week, or commit to five days and save the animal products for the weekend. Dawn Jackson Blatner, the registered dietician who first coined the term “flexitarian,” suggests a beginner, advanced, and expert level that spans this commitment.

Once you decide how often you want to enjoy plant-based meals, the easier it will be to plan for the week.

Stock up on plant-based staples

It’s nice to plan a full week’s menu when you can, but let’s be real. Sometimes, you don’t know what’s for dinner until it’s time to start cooking. Having the right supplies on hand makes it easier to throw together something plant-based and delicious. Shop for your favorite plant-based pantry items, such as whole grains (quinoa, farro, brown rice) and legumes like beans or chickpeas.

Uncooked plant-based proteins like tempeh and most types of tofu can easily be frozen, so you’ll always have something flexitarian-friendly on hand. There are also steps you can take to ensure your produce lasts longer, but it’s also a good idea to have some veggies in your freezer at the ready.

Focus on minimally processed foods

Flexitarian success is all about making mindful choices. When you do want to indulge in animal products as a flexitarian, aim for leaner, less processed options. Poultry and fish are better choices than steaks or deli meat. It’s also a good idea to reduce intake of high sugar and high sodium snacks. Go for nutrient dense snacks like good-for-you nuts to satisfy your salty cravings.

Setting your intentions before making a flexitarian diet plan

It also helps to ground yourself in the reason why you’re going flexitarian before making your first weekly meal plan. Whatever’s motivating you can be a great guide for how often you want to eat plant-based.

For instance, if you’re concerned about the environmental impact of eating animal products, studies show that eating vegan just a handful of times each week still significantly reduces your dietary carbon footprint. If you’re trying to gain long-term health benefits, prioritizing plant-based swaps can also help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, as you increase fiber intake and decrease highly processed foods.

Remember, it’s OK to start slow. Eating plant-based just two days a week at the beginning is a great way to ease in. The goal is to build a lifestyle you can sustain, and the more gradually you make that transition, the more likely you are to be successful. And when you feel like you’re struggling, it always helps to return to the main reason why you started following a flexitarian diet plan in the first place.

Try this sample 7-day flexitarian meal plan

So, what exactly does a week of flexitarian eating look like? We’ve crafted a sample menu to give you some inspiration.

Day 1: Sunday

Before the chaos of the week begins, this is the perfect day to do some prep work. Try cooking a few big batches that will give you enough leftovers for when you need something quick and easy when you get home from work.

Breakfast: Plant-based banana oat pancakes are perfect for Sunday brunch, and you can freeze any leftovers to make mornings easier through the week.
Lunch: A light salad is a great way to balance out a more carb-heavy breakfast, and you can customize however you wish. Keep it plant-based and add chickpeas or beans for extra protein, or you can add a grilled chicken breast if Sunday’s your meat day.
Dinner: Try a grain bowl using some of the veggies you chopped up for your salad, or test out something new with edamame, cucumbers, and roasted seaweed. Make a larger portion of grains like quinoa or brown rice so you can customize new grain bowl variations throughout the week.

Day 2: Monday

As the weekly grind starts, feel nourished without extra stress with these meal options:

Breakfast: Blend up a smoothie that you can enjoy on your morning commute. Whether you prefer a banana and peanut butter mix or want something more berry forward, it helps to have pre-chopped fruits in the freezer, so you can whip something up in just a few minutes. You can double the batch and share with your kids, too!
Lunch: Enjoy a leftover grain bowl with the lunch and dinner ingredients you had yesterday. If you need a little more variety, you don’t have to keep it plant-based each time. For instance, if you had a fully vegan quinoa bowl with beans, avocado, tomato, and cucumber, sprinkle on a little feta cheese for some added healthy fats.
Dinner: Try a plant-based burger for a satisfying and nutritious option. Veggie burgers are easy to heat up, and you can add whichever toppings you like. We highly recommend a black bean burger topped with vegan mayo and the tomato and avocado leftover from lunch. If you’ve got some diced up sweet potatoes waiting in the freezer, throw them in the oven or air fryer for an easy, filling side.

Day 3: Tuesday

Balance your day with a sweet start and savory finish:

Breakfast: Hearty oatmeal is a great way to kick off the day, and the best part is you can customize with your favorite toppings. Add a spoonful of your favorite nut butter to stay full a little longer or throw on some of your favorite berries for added fiber and flavor.
Lunch: Salads aren’t the only way to get your recommended servings of veggies. If you’ve got any last leftovers from your Sunday salad and grain bowl, stack them on your favorite sandwich bread. Tomato, avocado, and cucumber can be surprisingly satisfying. You can add a slice of cheese or keep it fully vegan.
Dinner: Craving takeout but trying to stay healthy? This peanut pad thai from Purple Carrot is super easy to make and way more wallet-friendly than delivery.

Day 4: Wednesday

Convenience is king when you’re halfway through the week.

Breakfast: With tons of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, chia seeds pack a nutritional punch. This coffee mocha chia pudding feels like an indulgence, but has lots of nutrients to power your day, and all you have to do is grab it from the fridge.
Lunch: If you didn’t finish off last night’s pad thai, the leftovers are even better the next day.
Dinner: Grilled salmon cooks up quickly and offers a multitude of health benefits. Serve with a side of green beans if you want to keep it low carb, or add a baked potato on the side for a filling healthy dinner.

Day 5: Thursday

You’re almost at the end of the week, and these meals will help power you through the home stretch:

Breakfast: Toast with nut butter is ready in minutes, but satisfying enough to keep you full until lunch. You can keep it simple or add a few extra toppings. A drizzle of honey adds sweetness or throw on some banana slices for extra fiber and potassium. Chia and flax seeds are also a great way to add texture to your toast.
Lunch: Salads don’t have to be all leafy greens to be healthy. Experiment with the tangy flavors of a chickpea salad. Get in some extra zest and Vitamin C with a squeeze of lemon, and if you need some extra protein, canned tuna makes a great addition.
Dinner: Let Purple Carrot help you out. This General Tso’s tofu is ready in just 30 minutes — less time than it takes to wait for delivery to arrive. It’s also a high-protein meal that keeps you full, so you won’t have to battle midnight snack cravings later.

Day 6: Friday

Say TGIF with these tasty end of the week meal options:

Breakfast: If you love a breakfast burrito, this plant-based egg and chorizo offers 20 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber with just two minutes of prep time.
Lunch: After such a hearty breakfast, you probably want something light for lunch. Assemble a lettuce wrap with any leftover chickpea salad from yesterday.
Dinner: Last night’s General Tso’s tofu is super yummy reheated, but if you finished it off on Thursday, this might be a good time to work in some lean poultry with baked chicken breasts. Roast any vegetable you’ve got in the freezer, like Brussels sprouts or carrots and serve on top of a whole grain like brown rice.

Day 7: Saturday

Without the pre-work morning rush, you’ve got more time to cook up a flavorful breakfast or brunch to kick off the weekend.

Breakfast: Tofu scrambles are a great way to use up any remaining veggies, and when you know how to cook tofu, they’re almost as easy to prepare as a regular egg scramble. It can be as simple as sauteeing a few onions and peppers before cooking your tofu, or add in some broccoli, carrots, and tomato for a colorful plate.
Lunch: That tofu scramble makes great leftovers, but if you want to switch it up, an easy peanut butter sandwich never fails to satisfy. Just like with your morning nut butter toast, you can add fruit for extra nutrition, texture, and taste.
Dinner: Lentils are a big plant-based staple for good reason. Unlike most beans, you don’t have to soak them overnight. Simmer in vegetable or chicken stock for an easy lentil soup and freeze the leftovers for an easy meal any time.

FAQs about creating a flexitarian diet plan

What are the health benefits of a flexitarian diet?

Flexitarian diets offer many of the same health benefits as a vegan lifestyle. Eating more whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, may help regulate blood sugar and prevent diabetes, while also managing cholesterol levels and lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease.

What’s the difference between flexitarian, vegetarian, and vegan?

Flexitarians eat mostly plant based, but do enjoy animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs on occasion. Vegetarians don’t eat meat or fish, but do include eggs and dairy in their diet, while a vegan lifestyle means you don’t consume any animal products.

What’s the difference between a flexitarian and Mediterranean diet?

Although the Mediterranean and flexitarian diets overlap quite a bit, there are a few small differences. Both diets prioritize plant-based whole foods with some allowance for animal products. The Mediterranean diet, though, is specifically modeled after cultures near the Mediterranean Sea, with an emphasis on olive oil over other types of fats, and more fish than other types of lean meat.

Who created the word flexitarian?

The word flexitarian was coined by registered dietician Dawn Jackson Blatner, who wrote the book The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, and Add Years to Your Life in 2010.

How often do flexitarians eat animal products?

There’s no set of rules as to how often flexitarians eat animal products. It’s really about figuring out what works best with your body and schedule. Dawn Jackson Blatner, founder of the flexitarian diet, outlined three levels of flexitarianism: beginner (two days per week with no animal products), advanced (three days fully plant-based), and expert (five days with no animal products).

“I would approach this by reducing meat to ⅓ or ¼ of the plate (instead of the main focus) and filling the rest with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans,” Rachael says. “This will create a plate full of variety at each meal setting.”

Enjoy flexible meal planning with plant-based Purple Carrot meals

Purple Carrot’s plant-based meal kits and frozen meals are meant to make your life easier while helping you meet all of your nutrition needs. With a range of cuisines to choose from, our chef-crafted, dietician designed menu has options for all plant-based eaters, full or part time. If you’ve been thinking about going flexitarian, Purple Carrot can help you get started with easy meals delivered right to your door.