Embarking on Veganuary or resolving to cut down on meat and dairy in 2026? The shift can seem daunting, but with the right guidance, it can be both simple and delicious. We've gathered essential advice and favourite recipes from leading vegan cooks, dieticians, and entrepreneurs to help you navigate a balanced and satisfying plant-based diet with minimal fuss.
Building a Balanced and Nutritious Plate
Transitioning to plant-based eating starts with ensuring nutritional needs are met. Dietitian Reena Sharma emphasises using the NHS Eatwell Guide as a blueprint, stressing the importance of maintaining intake of protein, healthy fats, and omega-3. While walnuts and flaxseeds provide plant-based omega-3, Sharma notes the conversion rate in the body is low and recommends a supplement to be sure.
Ian Theasby, co-founder of the vegan meal company Bosh!, advocates for variety. "Mix up your plate so you've got a good variety of vegetables," he says. "Colour is a great way to see if you've got variety." His top tip is keeping a jar of mixed seeds to sprinkle on meals for an extra nutrient boost. For protein, he relies on three versatile staples: tofu, lentils, and beans.
Food writer Richard Makin (School Night Vegan) champions tempeh as a revelation. "Tempeh is a complete protein source... It is much higher in protein than tofu," he explains, noting it offers about 25g per 100g and is easier to digest due to fermentation.
Mastering Key Ingredients and Simple Swaps
Conquering tofu is a game-changer. Theasby and Henry Firth created the 'two tofu technique' to replicate scrambled eggs, blending silken and firm tofu with black salt for an authentic texture and taste. Chef Rachel Ama advises using firm tofu, coating it in cornflour and pan-frying for a crispy exterior and soft centre before saucing. Dietitian Sharma suggests freezing tofu to create a porous texture that soaks up flavours in broths.
When baking, Makin shares a clever swap: replace a large egg with 50ml of unflavoured, unsweetened soya milk, which is high in the emulsifier lecithin. For butter, he recommends using vegetable or olive oil at 80% of the butter's weight, as butter contains water.
Both Ama and Makin agree that vegan cheese remains a challenge. "I tend to just do without," says Makin, while Ama recommends exploring rich, umami-packed nut cheeses for flavour, if not meltability.
Weeknight Wins and Fitness Fuel
For easy, nutritious meals, the experts have their fail-safes. Theasby lives by a "chop, toss, roast" mantra: cube tofu and veg, season with nutritional yeast and oil, roast for 30 minutes, and serve with kimchi and hummus. Ama recommends a big, spiced pot of mixed beans and beluga lentils that can be served with potatoes, pasta, or rice across several days.
Makin loves a tofu tikka masala using blended silken tofu instead of cream, while Sharma swears by kitchari, an Indian dish of lentils and rice cooked with spices, perfect for any time of day.
For fitness enthusiasts, Theasby, an ultra-marathon runner, debunks the protein myth. He fuels races with carb-loading beforehand, peanut butter and jam bagels on race day, and uses plant-based protein powders during training.
Finally, the consensus is to be kind to yourself. "Don't beat yourself up if you find it too difficult," advises Theasby. The goal is to introduce more plant-based food for health and the planet, and the occasional lapse is part of the journey for many.
