5 Tips for Making a Vegan Meal Feel Filling and Satisfying (2024)

Erin Alderson

Erin Alderson

Erin is a photographer, recipe developer, blogger, cookbook author, and web developer. Beyond her work, she also loves the mountains, a good cup of coffee, and playing the bassoon.

updated May 2, 2019

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5 Tips for Making a Vegan Meal Feel Filling and Satisfying (1)

One of the biggest complaints I hear about vegetarian and vegan recipes is that they just aren’t enough. I mean, how can a plate full of vegetables and legumes be filling and satisfying? Rest assured, it can be. Here are my five tips for making a well-rounded vegan meal.

1. Balance the plate

I think the misconception that vegan meals are all veg and nothing else gets to the issue at hand. I highly recommend having a mixture of grains, protein, and vegetables — it provides a great balance not only with flavor/bulk but also texture. Grains and legumes help keep the meal filling while the vegetables bring everything together.

2. Flavor with herbs and spices

One of the greatest underused assets in plant-based cooking are herbs and spices. While the herbs and spices don’t directly add to the heartiness of a meal, the addition of these flavors makes a meal more appealing and I think it less likely people are going to miss the meat. Why go with simple salt and pepper when you can kick it up a notch with smoked paprika, cumin, or chipotle powder?

3. Take on the traditional

So often I hear people mention, “Oh man, I miss that from my non-vegan days” but honestly, I have eaten my fair share of vegan meals based on traditional foods and when compared, I’d nearly always choose the vegan version. There are so many of these recipes on the internet but I think it’s fun to come up with my own!

4. Mix up the cooking technique

Just like you would with non-vegan meals, vegan meals can be prepared in a plethora of ways. Braising, roasting, and grilling are fantastic ways to bring out different flavors from the produce. Break out of a rut and try grilling beets or roasting carrots — so good!

5. Showcase the produce

Don’t rule out what I like to call “fork & knife” meals. While I like to keep balance within my meals (and eat a lot of vegan bowl meals), showcasing a beautiful vegetable or fruit can make a great hearty, vegan meal.

Finally, just a note, many vegetarian meals can easily be made vegan by substituting your favorite dairy substitutions, leaving off the cheese, and/or replacing the honey!

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5 Tips for Making a Vegan Meal Feel Filling and Satisfying (2024)

FAQs

5 Tips for Making a Vegan Meal Feel Filling and Satisfying? ›

Dietary fibre: Foods full of dietary fibre - like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds - help promote feelings of fullness. Solid foods: The process of chewing food - and chewing slowly, to boot - helps send fullness cues to your brain, promoting feelings of satiation.

How to make vegan meals more filling? ›

Dietary fibre: Foods full of dietary fibre - like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds - help promote feelings of fullness. Solid foods: The process of chewing food - and chewing slowly, to boot - helps send fullness cues to your brain, promoting feelings of satiation.

How to feel full as a vegan? ›

Eat a protein serving with each meal to keep you feeling full. Great vegan and vegetarian protein sources are beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts, quinoa, lentils, whole grains, and starchy vegetables. As long as you focus on whole foods (rich in nutrients) and avoid processed foods and oils, it will be hard to overeat.

How to make a balanced vegan meal? ›

The aim is to fill ½ of the plate with veggies and fruits, ¼ with grains and starches, and ¼ with plant-based proteins. Include whole food fats and fortified plant-based dairy in the meal, on the side, or as a snack. Supplements may be needed.

What vegan food fills you up? ›

Healthful foods that are high in protein, fiber, or both tend to be filling. Rich sources of protein for vegans include foods such as soybeans, pulses, and some nuts and seeds. Oats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruit are all good sources of fiber.

Why is vegan food so filling? ›

Vegetables, fruits, and grains are all fiber, which means going vegan overloads your body with the stuff.

What foods make you feel really full? ›

High-fiber foods not only provide volume but also take longer to digest, making you feel full longer on fewer calories. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains all contain fiber. Popcorn is a good example of a high-volume, low-calorie whole grain. One cup of air-popped popcorn has about 30 calories.

Does a vegan diet make you feel full? ›

A plant-based (i.e., vegan or vegetarian) meal will lead to better mood, higher satiety, and less stress compared to an omnivorous meal. Higher fiber content in the meals will mediate higher mood and satiety and lower stress, whereas higher unrefined sugar and fat content will mediate the opposite.

What is the 7 day vegan challenge? ›

How does it work? No meat, poultry, seafood, dairy or eggs for 7 days (any 7 straight days). Announce to your friends, family, followers that you're doing the challenge. Add your name to the list of Challengers.

What makes a vegan meal? ›

A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

Is it normal to feel hungry when vegan? ›

It might seem obvious, but "one of the reasons why you might feel hungrier when you transition to a vegan or plant-based diet is because you may not be eating enough calories and nutrients," explains Julie Barrette, a senior clinical dietician with Providence Mission Hospital.

What vegan food makes you happy? ›

The brain uses the amino acid tryptophan to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter largely responsible for feelings of happiness and well-being. Plant-based sources of tryptophan include leafy greens, sunflower seeds, watercress, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, broccoli, and peas.

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