Vegetarian meal plans
Most plans I write have no meat, no fish and no eggs. Some are Jain. None of them needs a separate shopping list from a health store.
How I build a plate
I start from what is already cooked at home and change the proportions. Half the plate vegetables or salad, a quarter dal, paneer, chana or curd, a quarter roti or rice. Then I check whether the protein for the day is spread over three or four meals instead of landing all at dinner.
Oil and ghee stay in the kitchen. I only ask you to measure them with a spoon for one week, so we both know the real amount.
Festivals, fasts and weddings get planned, not banned.
Where the protein comes from
Approximate values, rounded. Dals, rajma and soya are weighed dry, before cooking. The portion column is what usually ends up on a plate at home.
| Food | Per 100 g | Usual portion | Protein in that portion | Jain plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paneer | 18 g | 100 g | 18 g | yes |
| Tofu, firm | 12 g | 100 g | 12 g | yes |
| Soya chunks, dry | 52 g | 30 g | 16 g | yes |
| Moong dal, dry | 24 g | 40 g | 10 g | yes |
| Chana dal, dry | 21 g | 40 g | 8 g | yes |
| Rajma, dry | 22 g | 40 g | 9 g | yes |
| Roasted chana | 20 g | 30 g | 6 g | yes |
| Peanuts | 25 g | 30 g | 7 g | yes |
| Sprouted moong | 7 g | 100 g | 7 g | ask first |
| Curd (dahi) | 3.5 g | 150 g | 5 g | set the same day |
| Toned milk | 3.2 g | 200 ml | 6 g | yes |
Small swaps I suggest most often
Breakfast
Poha or upma stays, with a katori of curd next to it. Twice a week, moong chilla instead.
The 5 pm gap
Roasted chana or a handful of peanuts instead of the samosa from the office stall. Not every day. Three days out of five is already a real change, and it is easier to keep up than a strict rule you break on Thursday.
Dinner after 9
Lighter roti count, more paneer or dal.
Want this worked out for your own kitchen? Start with the first consultation or see the online meal plan.