Eating a Vegan Diet

What is a Vegan Diet?

A vegan diet is a way of eating that excludes all animal products. This type of diet omits red meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs, and honey. Those who eat vegan do so for health, ethics, and/or environmental concerns.

Vegan Diet Foods List

If you eat (or plan to become) vegan, you’ll want to avoid all animal-based products or animal byproducts and focus exclusively on plant-based foods.

LUNCH

• Mushroom Quinoa Burger – you won’t miss the meat in these tasty burgers; served in a lettuce wrap with chipotle aioli and tomato slices
• Broccoli Tots with Lemon Aioli – “cheesy” oven baked broccoli bites
• Vegetable Soup Provencal with Pistou – a hearty soup made with our house made stock featuring organic green beans, carrots, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, and red bell peppers finished with a tomato garlic basil pistou
• Vegan Caesar Salad – this Caesar salad has all the flavor you crave including garlicky, umami-packed dressing and crunchy, scratch-made croutons.

SNACK

• Crispy Kale Leaves
• Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Benefits of A Vegan Diet

A well-rounded vegan diet can provide health benefits that include:

• Reduced Risk of Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer: Studies suggest a vegan diet may help lower the risk of heart disease and may also help protect against type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, like colon cancer.
• Better Weight Management: For many, vegan diets tend to be lower in calories and fat, and higher in fiber, which can aid in weight loss or weight management.
• Increased Energy Levels: Eating a balanced vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help sustain energy levels.

Eating a balanced vegan diet is important to ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian for personalized advice, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.

Possible Downsides

Unlike many special diets we work with, someone can adhere faithfully to a vegan diet and yet wind up with unwanted and unexpected issues. 

The most common potential pitfalls include:

• Nutrient deficiencies (B12, iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids)
• Over-reliance on simple carbs
• Over-reliance on processed foods
• Limited food options at social gatherings or restaurants 
• Repetitive meals (getting stuck in a food rut)
• Increased grocery costs 
• Those with certain health conditions may need to exercise caution or vigilant planning when adopting a vegan diet (consult your doctor or a registered dietitian in these cases)

Tips for Success

When eating a vegan diet – especially if you’re newly vegan – it’s important to remember that not all vegan diets are created equal. To avoid the vegan pitfalls and reap the diet’s health benefits, focus on whole-food ingredients and nutrient-dense meals.

Some tips for success include:

• Read labels. Just because a packaged food is labeled as VEGAN doesn’t mean it’s healthy (read the ingredient list and do your research).
• Plan ahead. A vegan diet requires more planning and knowledge to ensure you’re getting all the essential nutrients. Consulting a registered dietitian can be helpful.
• Embrace variety. Eating the rainbow and trying new dishes will not only make it more enjoyable to eat vegan, but it will also help ensure you’re eating a balanced, healthy, sustainable diet.
• If you’re a vegan diet beginner, consider easing into it. We have found that those who are new to eating vegan often try to switch “cold turkey” to this new way of eating/living, only to realize they like very few fruits or vegetables, don’t know what to cook instead of meat, or aren’t yet willing to fully give up dairy products. Allowing yourself time and resources to research, plan, and try new foods and meatless, dairy-free meals could make the difference between success and giving up prematurely.

How The Pickled Beet Can Help You Adopt a Vegan Diet

We know it can be challenging to adopt (and stick with) a vegan diet, especially if you’re brand new to it! Shopping, preparing meals, and eating out can become time-consuming and frustrating. Your meals can become repetitive and boring. It can be tempting to lean too heavily on favorite carbs or pre-packaged, processed vegan snacks and entrees.

This is where we come in! 

Our services include:

• Personalized Chef-Prepared Meals – creative, custom, scratch-made meals, prepared just for you, according to your specific diet and taste preferences, then delivered fresh directly from our Miami kitchen to you; if your household has a mix of dietary needs (such as vegans and omnivores, no problem – we can prepare different menus and meals for you)
• Optional Nutrition Consulting Services with our Registered Dietician – an add-on service for our weekly personal chef clients; helpful if you are concerned about proper nutrition on a vegan diet
• Vegan Catering – accommodating you and your guests’ food preferences and allergies

How It Works: Fresh Vegan Meal Delivery in Miami and Fort Lauderdale

Step 2: We Plan Your Menus and Meals

If you decide to move forward as a client, then each week, we’ll create a customized menu just for you/your household. You will get to review, provide any feedback, and approve each weekly menu before we shop for or order your groceries.

Sample Vegan Meals Our Chefs Prepare

For our vegan clients, our professional chefs prepare nutrient-dense meals utilizing whole, organic produce, good fats, and healthy cooking methods, so you can rest assured that you’re consuming clean meals. 

We have many innovative and delicious vegan dishes, so you don’t have to rely heavily on the same old salad and pasta. And if you prefer to ease into a vegan diet, we can start with a few vegan meals each week and work with you to transition at your pace.

ENJOY VEGAN MEALS MADE JUST FOR YOU