What it WFPB? Plus 5 Easy Meal Ideas to Make

What is a whole food plant-based diet?

A whole food plant-based diet is a diet focused on eating whole foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains. This diet completely cuts out processed foods. While some people will consume meat sparingly, others center their plant-based diet around “veganism”.

With this approach you cut out all animal products and focus on a whole foods diet with more of a plant-based vegan diet lens. An article from Healthline also encourages paying close attention to the quality of food, and eating more organic or local sourced food when you can.

What are the wfpb diet benefits?

An article from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shows there are five major benefits that come from having a plant-based lifestyle:

​Is it this diet practical?

Absolutely! Whether you’re traveling to the international food haven of Barcelona, exploring the tasty streets of Sofia, Bulgaria or cooking it up in the kitchen, eating plant powered food is doable. I found when I first started on my wellness journey the hardest part was day one. My body wasn’t used to eating plant based foods, I heavily craved sugar and I thought buying healthy foods was too expensive.

However, after a week I started feeling even better than before, and the fear that “eating healthy is expensive” slowly dissipated. Instead of thinking “eating healthy is expensive”, I began saying the affirmation “eating healthy helps me thrive” or “money always finds its way to me” after I made any health type purchase.

Even while on a tight budget there are still practical ways to buy plant powered foods.

Even while on a tight budget there are still practical ways to buy plant powered foods. Here are some easy wfpb tips for budget shopping. You can use this both in your hometown or while you’re traveling.

I’ve found buying in bulk makes a tremendous difference in making plant based foods more practical. While you can’t buy everything in bulk, especially fresh foods, it helps to buy dry goods and packaged plant based snacks in bulk. Amazon’s selection of plant based snacks is growing rapidly and is a great place to start.

What are some whole food plant-based meal ideas?

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Or better yet, what are health foods that taste good? If you’ve found yourself asking either of these questions, here are some great resources to help bring out your favorite flavor profiles in all those veggie dishes. From savory spices to hearty herbs, they’ll give you some pointers to bring those healthy food dishes to life. That way, you can create your ideal power plant menu with all those feel good foods.

Imagine tangy orange chickpea vegetable curry topped with fresh parsley and cilantro, or a creamy vegan chickpea salad sandwich. While each of those are vegan lunch recipes, they’re easy recipes that are ideal for busy days and travelers cooking in Airbnbs. There’s also:

For more meal ideas and recipes, read this post 18 lazy vegan recipes. Here you’ll find various dinner recipes that both quick, delicious and easy to make. We even use this recipes while we’re traveling!

Meanwhile, some excellent wfpb resources we love to use while cooking are Forks Over Knives (offers a collection of tasty plant based meals), Foodie Crush (shares yummy plant based meals that include no salads) and Minimalist Baker (features plant-based meals that are also allergy friendly including nut-free, dairy-free, vegan and more).

What if. . . wfpb diets took over the world? (the apocalypse!)

Yup, you read it right. If the majority of the world were plant-based diet eaters, the global impact would be immense. According to research from the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, if we globally adopted a more plant-based diet, greenhouse gas emissions caused from producing food could be reduced by up to 70% by the year 2050.

Moreover, this diet can also positively impact the Earth’s environment more than any other diet according to the research journal “Science of The Total Environment“.

Conclusions on wfpb

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Incorporating more veggies and fruits into your lifestyle can positively impact your health. Whether you’re traveling or busy working, it’s doable. You got this! Just come up with a plan that works for you, your budget, and enjoy the plant-based foods that make you feel good (and other foods too in moderation such as — cheesy pizza, refreshing gelato, toasty sandwiches, etc.).

See also: How to Stay Healthy & Fit While Traveling Abroad

For instance, if your not a fan of a certain fruit, vegetable, or grain, don’t force yourself to eat it. Find something you enjoy eating, and aim to incorporate more of that into your diet. In fact, just like working out, when you enjoy what your doing/eating, you’re more likely to stick with it.

I’m not a fan of oranges, so I don’t force myself to eat them. To substitute, I’ll consume apples, bell peppers, cherries, and blueberries instead. I always feel nourished after eating them, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out from oranges.

If you ever feel pressured to eat foods you don’t like, perhaps ask yourself some food-related questions instead to help you find some foods you do enjoy eating. Some questions you can ask and answer are:

• Is there a fruit or veggie you don’t enjoy eating?
• What’s a fruit or vegetable you love to eat?
• When is your favorite time to eat fruits and vegetables?
• Is there a fruit or vegetable you haven’t tried yet?
• If so, are you willing to try it?

Additional resources

If you’re thinking of traveling soon, and need some wfpb inspiration or vegan guides to get you started, here a couple of resources to get you started.

• The Top Plant Based Snacks on Amazon
• Vegetarian v Vegan: What the Difference
• Vegan Guide to Malta
• How to Travel the World with Food Allergies
• Vegan Guide to Kiev

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