The 4-week vegan meal plan

How to use this plan

This is a four-week meal plan for one adult, roughly 1,800-2,200 calories a day. Double quantities for two, and scale up snacks if you train.

Adjust portion sizes based on your appetite, activity level, age and goals. If you're trying to gain muscle, lose weight or are pregnant or breastfeeding, your nutritional needs will differ.

Each week has three meals plus one or two snacks. Repeat any day you love. Swap freely - the plan is a scaffold, not a rulebook.

Week 1 - familiar Indian meals with clean dairy swaps.
Week 2 - introduces tofu, bowls and one or two global meals.
Week 3 - more variety: pasta, stir-fries, wraps.
Week 4 - fully mixed, more adventurous, closer to how a settled vegan actually eats.

Continue a B12 supplement (500-1000 mcg methylcobalamin, 2-3× a week) throughout - food alone will not reliably cover it. See the B12 guide.

Week 1 - Familiar swaps

The goal this week is comfort. Every meal is something you already eat, with dairy swapped out.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Mon	Poha with peanuts + soy chai	Dal + roti + bhindi sabzi + salad	Rajma + brown rice + kachumber	Fruit + 30g peanuts
Tue	Oats with soy milk, banana, chia	Chana masala + jeera rice + cucumber	Palak tofu + 2 rotis	Sattu drink
Wed	Vegetable upma + soy chai	Dal khichdi + papad + pickle	Aloo gobi + dal + roti	Roasted chana
Thu	Besan chila with tomato + coriander	Rajma + rice + salad (repeat)	Mixed veg curry + 2 rotis + dal	Fruit + peanut butter toast
Fri	Idli + sambar + coconut chutney	Dal + sabzi + roti	Chole + jeera rice + onions	Handful of almonds
Sat	Peanut butter banana toast + soy milk	Vegetable pulao + raita (soy curd)	Dal makhani (vegan) + rice	Fruit chaat
Sun	Aloo paratha (in oil, no ghee) + soy curd	Sunday thali: dal + sabzi + rice + roti + salad	Light: mung dal soup + toast	Dark chocolate square

Grocery list - Week 1

Grains: brown rice (1kg), atta (1kg), poha (500g), oats (500g), idli batter (or rice + urad)
Legumes: toor dal (500g), moong dal (500g), rajma (500g), chana (500g), besan (250g)
Dairy swaps: soy milk (2L), soy curd (400g) or coconut yogurt
Vegetables: onions, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, bhindi, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, coriander, ginger, garlic, chillies, lemons
Fruit: bananas (12), apples (6), oranges or seasonal (6)
Fats & nuts: peanuts (250g), almonds (100g), peanut butter (small jar), groundnut or mustard oil
Extras: tofu (200g), sattu (250g), roasted chana (250g), iodised salt, spices (already in your kitchen)

Rough cost: ₹1,200-₹1,500 for one person.

Week 2 - Adding tofu, bowls and one global meal

You keep the Indian base but bring in tofu properly, a grain bowl, and one pasta night.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Mon	Overnight oats (oats + soy milk + chia + seasonal fruit)	Tofu bhurji + 2 rotis + salad	Dal + rice + lauki sabzi	Fruit + almonds
Tue	Vegetable poha + soy chai	Quinoa (or brown rice) + roasted veg + chickpea bowl	Palak dal + brown rice	Sattu drink
Wed	Besan chila + green chutney	Rajma + jeera rice + cucumber salad	Tofu tikka + 2 rotis + mint chutney	Peanut butter apple
Thu	Peanut butter banana smoothie (soy milk + banana + PB + oats)	Dal + sabzi + roti + salad	Pasta arrabiata with sautéed veg + chilli flakes	Roasted chana
Fri	Idli + sambar	Chana chaat (with onion, tomato, lemon, coriander)	Vegetable biryani + soy raita	Fruit + walnuts
Sat	Tofu scramble on toast + soy chai	Thali: dal + sabzi + rice + roti	Mexican-style bowl: rice + rajma + salsa + guac	Dark chocolate
Sun	Aloo paratha + soy curd	Khichdi + papad + pickle	Soy-ginger tofu stir-fry (or miso tofu if you have miso paste) + veg + rice	Fruit chaat

Grocery list - Week 2

Repeat most of Week 1. Add:

New: tofu (500g block), quinoa (or brown rice, 250g), whole-wheat pasta (500g), tomato passata or crushed tomatoes (1 tin), rajma (extra), an avocado, frozen or fresh peas, iodised salt (if not already stocked)
Herbs: basil (small pot), extra coriander and mint
Optional: miso paste, soy sauce, chilli flakes, oregano

Rough cost: ₹1,500-₹1,900.

Week 3 - Variety and international flavours

More texture, more colour, easier to make in advance.

Don't overthink bowls - they're simply grains, protein, vegetables and a flavourful dressing in one meal.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Mon	Chia pudding (chia + soy milk + banana + PB)	Buddha bowl: quinoa (or brown rice) + roasted sweet potato + chickpeas + tahini	Dal + roti + sabzi	Fruit + peanuts
Tue	Vegetable upma	Thai-style peanut noodles with tofu + veg	Palak tofu + brown rice	Roasted chana
Wed	Oats with soy milk + walnuts + seasonal fruit	Rajma + jeera rice	Chana masala + 2 rotis	Sattu drink
Thu	Besan chila + green chutney	Vegetable pulao + salad	Tofu tacos (rotis or tortillas + beans + salsa + guac)	Fruit + almonds
Fri	Poha + soy chai	Dal + rice + sabzi	Vegetable Thai green curry + rice	Peanut butter toast
Sat	Tofu scramble on toast	Chickpea salad wrap (roti or wrap + chickpeas + veg + hummus)	Butter tofu (vegan) + 2 rotis	Dark chocolate
Sun	Masala dosa + coconut chutney + sambar	Sunday thali + kheer (with cashew milk)	Light soy-ginger tofu soup + toast	Fruit chaat

Grocery list - Week 3

Repeat Week 2 base. Add:

New: rice noodles (250g), sweet potato (500g), tahini or extra sesame, hummus (or make from chana), tortillas or extra rotis, iodised salt (if not already stocked)
Optional: Thai green curry paste (check ingredients - avoid fish sauce), coconut milk (1 tin), cashews (100g)

Rough cost: ₹1,800-₹2,300.

Week 4 - Full range, fully vegan

By now, this should feel normal. Week 4 is the mix you can rotate forever.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Mon	Overnight oats + seasonal fruit + chia	Grain bowl: quinoa (or brown rice) + roasted veg + chickpeas + tahini	Dal + roti + sabzi	Fruit + almonds
Tue	Peanut butter smoothie (soy milk + banana + PB + oats)	Tofu bhurji + 2 rotis	Mushroom risotto (with cashew cream)	Roasted chana
Wed	Tofu scramble on toast	Rajma + jeera rice + salad	Vietnamese-style tofu + rice noodle bowl	Sattu drink
Thu	Idli + sambar	Chana chaat	Palak dal + brown rice + roti	Fruit + peanut butter
Fri	Chia pudding	Falafel wrap with hummus + salad	Aloo gobi + dal + roti	Dark chocolate
Sat	Aloo paratha (oil) + soy curd	Vegetable biryani + soy raita	Pizza night: homemade or vegan-cheese pizza + salad	Fruit + walnuts
Sun	Masala dosa + chutney + sambar	Sunday thali + a small vegan sweet	Comfort meal - repeat your favourite from the month	Popcorn

Grocery list - Week 4

Repeat Week 3 base. Add:

New: arborio or short-grain rice (250g), mushrooms (250g), cashews (extra), rice noodles (repeat), chickpea flour or ready falafel mix, pizza base or flour + yeast, iodised salt (if not already stocked)
Optional: vegan cheese (Bombay Cheese Co., Katharos), vegan mozzarella for pizza

Rough cost: ₹2,000-₹2,500 (pizza and vegan cheese push this up).

Making the plan work for you

One prep session on Sunday: cook a big dal, boil chana or rajma, roast a tray of veg, cook a pot of rice or quinoa (or brown rice). Everything else is assembly.
Rotate weeks freely - once you have Weeks 1-4, alternate them. You do not need a new plan every month.
Eat enough. Many whole plant foods are less calorie-dense than animal products, so if you're feeling hungry, increasing portion sizes or adding healthy fats can help.
Blood tests aren't necessary after one month for most people. If you're due for routine bloodwork or have concerns, discuss testing with your healthcare provider. Many long-term vegans simply monitor key nutrients periodically as advised by their doctor.

Smart swaps

If you don't like an ingredient, don't force yourself to eat it.

Tofu ↔ chana
Rajma ↔ black beans
Brown rice ↔ white rice
Oats ↔ poha
Peanut butter ↔ tahini
Quinoa (or brown rice) ↔ millet or rice

Meal prep shortcuts

If you don't enjoy cooking every day:

Freeze cooked dal in portions.
Freeze cooked rajma and chana.
Chop vegetables in advance.
Cook extra rice for fried rice the next day.
Keep frozen peas and corn in the freezer.
Store roasted peanuts and roasted chana for instant snacks.

Disclaimer

This meal plan is intended as a general guide and should not replace personalised nutrition advice. Everyone's calorie, protein and nutrient needs are different and vary with age, body size, activity level, medical conditions and life stage. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have a medical condition, are managing an eating disorder or have specific health goals, speak with your doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes.

For the underlying nutrition principles, see the beginners guide, the high-protein guide and the B12 guide.