Blog / Food
The plant-based plate rule
Half the plate vegetables, a quarter protein, a quarter carbs and a thumb of fat. On a vegan plate the protein quarter needs a little more attention, because that is where plant eating most often falls short.
The rule, from plants
Half the plate vegetables or salad. A quarter protein: tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame, lentils or beans. A quarter carbs: rice, potatoes, bread, pasta or oats. A thumb of fat: olive oil, nuts, seeds or avocado. The original rule, and why it works.
Make the protein quarter count
Beans and lentils are carbs as well as protein, so a plate built only on them can come up short on protein. Make tofu, tempeh, seitan or edamame the protein quarter most of the time, and treat beans as a bonus on top.
Go a little bigger
Plant protein is slightly less concentrated, so let the protein quarter creep towards a third of the plate. It is the one place where more is almost always better.
Cook it twice a week
A tray of baked tofu, a pot of lentils and a pot of rice on Sunday and Wednesday, and every lunch is a matter of filling half a container with salad.
Count for four days, once
Weigh and count properly for four days to see where your normal eating lands. Most people find the gap is at breakfast. Three ways to fix that.
