Why it’s time to try being part-time plant based and how to do it properly

We are discovering countless reasons why a plant-based diet is better for you. But not everyone wants – or needs- to give up meat completely.

So, part time is a good middle ground.

Adopting a part-time plant-based diet can lead to improvements in blood pressure, reductions in heart disease, and a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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Our lifestyles and surroundings have evolved in the past ten years, making embracing the balanced and flexible diet more accessible. Eating predominantly whole, plant-based foods while still enjoying occasional servings of animal proteins is a great way to reap several health benefits while not cutting out nutritious foods like lean beef, poultry and seafood.

By incorporating plant-based eating just a few days per week, you increase your intake of foods that are lower in calories and higher in fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

For example, you could replace the meat in a meal with nutritious plant-based proteins like Australian Mushrooms or legumes. Mushrooms contain some of the nutrients found in meat, grains, and dairy, making them the perfect swap.

They also provide a unique bundle of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help support general well-being, energy levels, and a healthy immune system.

A 7 day meal plan for someone who wants to dabble in plant based eating

If you’re looking to switch up your diet and add more plant-based foods, your meal plan should be easy-to-follow, nutritionally balanced and delicious to increase the likelihood the plan will be sustainable for you. It’s important that you include a variety of foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, legumes and nuts.

For those looking to incorporate more plant-based foods into their week, try out my simple and delicious 7-day meal plan:

Day 1:

Breakfast: Mixed berry protein smoothie Lunch: Mixed green salad with marinated mushrooms, chickpeas, avocado, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette Snack: Handful of nuts Dinner: Vegetable stir fry with tofu, capsicum, mushrooms with brown rice

Day 2:

Breakfast: Sauteed Australian mushrooms and eggs on wholemeal toast Lunch: Mixed salad with tuna and brown rice Snack: Sliced mushrooms and hummus Dinner: Lean sausages with mixed green salad

Day 3:

Breakfast: Protein oats with non-dairy milk (or cows milk), chia seeds and berries Lunch: Chicken and salad sandwich with pesto Snack: Sliced banana with peanut butter Dinner: Blended mince and mushroom burger on a wholemeal bun with salad

Day 4:

Breakfast: Omelette loaded with capsicum, Australian mushrooms and tomatoes Lunch: Salmon poke bowl Snack: Mixed berries with a handful of nuts Dinner: Chickpea and lentil dahl with brown rice

Day 5:

Breakfast: Smashed avocado and Australian mushrooms on wholemeal toast Lunch: Tempeh rice paper rolls Snack: Rice cakes with cheese and tomato Dinner: Sautéed mushrooms and veggie burrito bowl with avocado

Day 6:

Breakfast: Green tropical smoothie Lunch: Teriyaki salmon with Asian greens Snack: Stuffed dates with peanut butter Dinner: Mushroom and lentil bolognese with wholemeal spaghetti

Day 7:

Breakfast: Roasted vegetable frittata Lunch: Wholemeal wrap with mushrooms, capsicum, avocado and feta Snack: Sliced apple with peanut butter and honey Lunch: Mushroom burger with salad and sweet potato wedges

Dr Sam Hay is a GP, director of Your Doctors and Your Doctors Randwick and also was the Chief Medical Advisor “the Doc” for Channel 7’s SAS Australia Series 1. Find out more about Dr Hay here.