Vegetarian Meal Plan

This vegetarian meal plan is full of easy, hearty vegetarian dinner recipes (plus bonus meal ideas). Whether your goal is to eat more produce or save money on groceries, you won’t even miss the meat!

I’ve written a lot of meal plans over the years… there’s the Whole30 Meal Plan, the $50 ALDI Meal Plan, the original $50 One Week Meal Plan, and the second $50 One Week Meal Plan… not to mention all sorts of meal planning advice.

As you can imagine, I get a lot of special requests for meal plans too… gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, pescatarian diet, paleo, low-carb, low-sugar, or a vegan meals plan…

I can’t please everyone, but I would like to fulfill some of your requests, starting with a whole week’s worth of vegetarian dinner ideas!

No matter your reason for wanting healthy vegetarian dinners, we’ve got you covered. There’s lots of flavor, no meat, and this vegetarian meal plan is super friendly on the budget too!

ONE WEEK VEGETARIAN DINNER MEAL PLAN

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• 100% real food vegetarian recipes that are simple, straightforward, and family-friendly.
• Easy healthy recipes that can typically be made in under an hour.
• A few store-bought items for foods I usually make from scratch (bread and vegetable broth). Feel free to make these items from scratch if you prefer.

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:

• This vegetarian meal plan is not tied to a specific grocery store or price point, but I’ve ensured it’s frugal and budget-friendly. To save the most money, shop from your own kitchen first, substitute whenever possible, and shop your local sales for the best deal.
• Spices, oils, and vinegar. This plan doesn’t use large amounts of these things, and you likely already have these cooking staples.
• Honey or brown sugar. These are both used in a baking recipe this week, but the amount called for is small, and common substitutes are available for both.
• Precautions for food allergies. My family is blessed to not have food allergies (that we know of!) and since my blog is a real food blog, not necessarily an allergy recipe blog, I don’t account for food allergies in my meal plans.

NO BREAKFASTS OR LUNCHES?

These vegetarian meal plans also don’t include breakfast or lunch recipes because, in my experience, most families have personal preferences on what they want for breakfast or lunch.

No worries though – I have NO DOUBT the ingredients you buy for this meal plan will provide extras that you can use to cover breakfasts and/or lunches. Use the “Bonus Meal Ideas” section at the bottom to create your own breakfast and lunch menu. Those are just some ideas to get you started, and they’re there to help you use the ingredients you’re already buying!

7 DAY VEGETARIAN MEAL PLAN: WHAT TO BUY

The goal with any meal plan is to buy as little food as possible, use everything you buy, and do both without sacrificing taste or quality. You’ll get a wide variety of veggie flavor in these plant-based foods!

Please note that this is not a dairy-free meal plan, and you will see dairy products included!

Here’s what you’re buying for this 7 day vegetarian meal plan:

COLD CASE

Butter

Mmmm… butter. You’ll be using this for Alfredo Sauce and delicious Masa Corn Bread.

Cheddar Cheese

We’re using cheddar cheese primarily for Tomato and Spinach Grilled Cheese, but I recommend buying an 8-ounce block and using it on the Loaded Baked Potatoes too.

Eggs

You are only going to need 3 eggs for this plan so you will have several leftover. Try one of the “Bonus Meal Ideas” to use them up.

Typically, a half-dozen eggs aren’t any cheaper than buying the full dozen but be on the lookout for store markdowns!

Greek Yogurt

You only need 10oz of yogurt for this meal plan, but most small cups are portioned into 6oz containers. You can either buy a larger container of Greek yogurt and put the leftovers to good use with one of the “Bonus Meal Ideas,” or buy two smaller containers and enjoy those last couple ounces for a breakfast or snack. Be sure to check prices so you’re getting the best bang for your buck.

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream is the star of Alfredo Sauce!

Parmesan Cheese

Along with heavy cream, fresh parmesan makes Alfredo as delicious as it is. If you have any extra, add it on top of your Tomato Basil Soup.

Whole Milk

Milk is needed for Masa Corn Bread, and since you’ll have extra, we’re adding a splash or two to the Tomato Basil Soup to make it light and creamy.

PANTRY ITEMS FOR VEGETARIAN DIET PLANS

Black Beans

This meal plan uses black beans for a Warm Black Bean Salad and delicious Black Bean Burgers. Cooking dry beans and legumes from scratch saves the most money, so unless you can find canned black beans for 35¢ each, I recommend buying them dry and cooking them yourself. (You can make Slow Cooker Beans or Instant Pot Beans.)

Bread

I typically make my own bread but included it in case the idea of baking with yeast scares you. If you’re new to baking bread, I recommend the No-Knead Artisan Bread for both the sandwiches and buns in this meal plan. That recipe is perfect for beginners, and it is fail-proof! (Note: To make buns, simply shape the dough into 4 small rounds instead!)

Dried Cranberries

Cranberries are my absolute favorite in the Waldorf Salad, but they’re not super cheap. If you can’t afford cranberries, or can’t find them, using raisins would work.

Masa Harina Flour

Typically used to make corn tortillas, we’re instead using masa harina flour in Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup and Masa Corn Bread.

The masa adds the flavor of tortilla chips to the soup without the added cost or preservatives that come with processed chips. On top of the awesome flavor in the soup this flour also makes a killer cornbread!

MORE PANTRY ITEMS

Vegetable Broth

I also usually make my own vegetable broth as well, but I’ve included it in the “pantry” list in case you don’t have vegetable scraps in the freezer. You’re going to use it in Tomato Basil Soup and Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup.

Fettuccini

Fettuccine Alfredo isn’t quite the same without fettuccine pasta, but feel free to substitute if you have another pasta already at home!

Sunflower Seeds

I love sunflower seeds for the crunch they add to salads, but if money is tight, you can omit these. Another great option is chopped nuts – any nuts will do!

Tomato Paste

As with most recipes calling for tomato paste, there will be some leftovers here. Here’s how you can freeze tomato paste for later and not waste the rest of that can!

Tomatoes, Diced

Simple and straightforward, we’re using a can of diced tomatoes in Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup.

Tomatoes, Canned Whole

These tomatoes are for the Tomato Basil Soup. I prefer Cento Tomatoes, but any brand that doesn’t have additives will work.

Whole Wheat Flour

We’re using whole wheat flour for Black Bean Burgers and Masa Corn Bread. If you don’t have whole wheat at home, I recommend substituting all-purpose flour to keep costs down.

PRODUCE

Carrots

You’ll need these for the Oven-Roasted Carrots to have alongside the Alfredo.

Cilantro

We’re using cilantro in the Warm Black Bean Salad and Black Bean Burgers. Any leftover cilantro would be great as a topping for the Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup!

Garlic Cloves

There’s lots of delicious garlic this week – it adds great flavor to many of the recipes in this vegetarian fat loss meal plan!

Granny Smith Apple

This meal plan will split this apple between the Waldorf Salad and Spinach and Kale Side Salad for the week.

Green Cabbage

Cabbage brings crunch and cheap nutrition as slaw for the Black Bean Burgers and Warm Black Bean Salad.

Jalapeño

Add some heat to the Warm Black Bean Salad with jalapeño. Go small and smooth if you like it mild or choose a bigger pepper with more wrinkles if you like it hot!

Kale

A bunch of kale is so much cheaper than a pre-chopped bag of kale, and you’re using it in two hearty salads this week.

MORE PRODUCE

Lime

You can either buy a fresh lime or use lime juice if that’s what you already have at home.

Mushrooms

Cremini mushrooms are used in the Loaded Baked Potatoes, but you can use whatever variety of mushrooms are on sale.

Onions

Since onions are so versatile and called for in just about everything, buying a 2-to-3-pound bag would be a great money saver in the long run, since bagged produce is often cheaper than produce sold per pound.

Red Bell Pepper

The Warm Black Bean Salad calls for red bell peppers, and you’ll roast some to top your Black Bean Burgers!

Russet Potatoes

One of my favorite vegetables to cook because they are so cheap! We will be using potatoes in both Potato Wedges and Loaded Baked Potatoes for our vegetarian diet plans.

Spinach

Be sure to compare prices between pre-washed spinach and a bunch of spinach in the produce section. Depending on the time of year, bunches can be really affordable!

Sweet Potatoes

These are the star of the Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup. While adding sweet potatoes to taco soup may sound odd to some, it is definitely worth trying because it is so darn tasty!

Tomato

Even though these aren’t in season yet, I love using them in the Grilled Cheese with some spinach to create a yummy twist on a classic.

FROZEN

Corn, Frozen

For this vegetarian meal plan, you will need two pounds of frozen corn kernels.

Peas, Frozen, 8oz

Frozen peas add a little flair to your Alfredo this week.

Also, remember that you will have a few extras left over of certain things you buy, so use the “Bonus Meal Ideas” to use them up so they don’t go bad!

ONE WEEK VEGETARIAN MEAL PLAN: DINNERS

• Monday: Warm Black Bean Salad // Cole Slaw
• Tuesday: Alfredo with Spinach and Peas // Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots // Kale and Spinach Side Salad
• Wednesday: Black Bean Burgers // Cole Slaw // Potato Wedges
• Thursday: Tomato and Spinach Grilled Cheese // Tomato Basil Soup
• Friday: Cheesy Vegetarian Loaded Baked Potatoes // Kale and Spinach Salad
• Saturday: Waldorf Salad
• Sunday: Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup // Masa Corn Bread

VEGETARIAN FAT LOSS MEAL PLAN FAQS

BONUS IDEAS TO MEAL PLAN FOR VEGETARIAN WEIGHT LOSS

As you can see from the items above, you’ll have a few leftover ingredients from your shopping trip. Here are some delicious vegetarian meal ideas to use it all up, so nothing goes to waste!

• Strawberry Pancakes (using leftover eggs, milk, and whole wheat flour)
• Corn Tortillas (using masa harina)
• Oven Roasted Hash Browns and Scrambled Eggs (if you have leftover potatoes)
• French Toast or Pumpkin French Toast Casserole (using leftover bread, milk and eggs)
• Make a batch of Homemade Pumpkin Pie Creamer (using creamer and milk while needing pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice)
• Save all of your vegetable ends and make your own vegetable broth (uses normally discarded vegetable peels and ends)

MORE FREE MEAL PLANS

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