Getting everyone in your family to sit down for dinner together be challenging. Add a new plant-based diet to the mix it can seem downright impossible to please everyone. After all, vegetables and kids don’t exactly have the greatest track record.
So are your plans to go plant-based as a family shattered?Not even close.
Having a plant-based family is absolutely possible AND better yet, enjoyable. We’ve written about this family struggle before and offered up some of best tips for transitioning your household. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: with a little preparation and some delicious vegan dishes up your sleeve, you can have plant powered kids (and/or spouses) in no time.
15 Whole Food Plant-Based Recipes for Families:
1. Sweet Potato Toast
Start the day off right with a healthy, hearty plant-based breakfast that everyone in your family can enjoy: sweet potato toast! The best part about sweet potato toast is that it’s so darn versatile which means everyone at your table can customize it to their taste with their toppings choice. Sweet or savory, it’s always a tasty choice with this gluten-free breakfast.
2. Plant-Based Breakfast Panini
Who says breakfast sandwiches have to be savory? Let your kiddos eat chocolate for breakfast (and don’t feel bad about it!) with this breakfast panini. With absolutely no refined sugar or added sweetener, this vegan meal is packed to the brim with fiber, protein, potassium, and antioxidants.
3. 3-Ingredient Vegan Pancakes
These pancakes from Green Evi are vegan, refined sugar-free, and you only need three ingredients. Three! Less prep, less cleanup. Better yet, you’ve probably already got the ingredients in your pantry already.
4. Oil-Free Home Fries
Hunkering in for a relaxing weekend breakfast at home with the fam? You can’t have brunch without home fries and this recipe proves you don’t need oil to make them delicious and crispy.
5. Smoky Vegan Carrot Dogs
Recipes that use familiar flavors are a great tool for any transitioning plant-based family. These smoky vegan carrot dogs from Brand New Vegan, are not only delicious but your kids will LOVE the look of ‘em. Oh, and they’re actually grillable. Hello plant-based cookouts.
6. Vegan Sloppy Joe’s
Parents, get ready for this one to be a regular in your meal plans from here on out. A kid-friendly meal if there ever was one, Pass the Plants’ vegan sloppy joe Instant Pot recipe is made with lentils instead of meat and serves 8.
7. Portobello Plant-Based “BLT”
Swap out the bacon and mayo in your family’s favorite BLT for plant-based ingredients. This quick lunch is great for the busy family.
8. Hearty Vegetable Bolognese
Just dipping your family’s toes in the plant-based pool? This hearty vegetable bolognese from Peanut Butter Fingers is made with walnuts rather than beef and is a perfect gateway meal. Not to mention, an all-ages crowd pleasure. Pour this vegan bolognese over whole wheat or gluten-free noodles. And pair with your favorite salad and one of these quick and easy oil-free salad dressings.
9. Oil-Free Vegetable “Fried” Rice
Need dinner on the table in 15 minutes? Make this vegetable “fried” rice on those busy weeknights - a vegan dish that’s so simple yet so good. And unlike greasy take-out, this family-friendly dish is made without oil.
With only 6 ingredients, Hummansapien has created THE vegan “queso” recipe of your dreams. Like many of her dishes, this queso is healthy spin on a party favorite. Oh, and it’s ready in TEN minutes! Dairy-free of course, and made with whole foods, you may have a hard time sharing this one with your kids but they’re sure gonna want some.
11. Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Nice Cream
Can you still have dessert when you follow a whole food plant-based lifestyle? Definitely! MamaSezz Chef Caroline recommends you get familiar with “nice cream,” AKA homemade plant-based ice cream. This is especially true if you want to get your kids on board with plant-based living! This creamy delicious vegan dessert is made with fruit, instead of dairy.
12. Banana Pinwheels
Packed with protein, these bite-sized pinwheels by Katherine Lawrence are perfect for the on-the-go family in need of a portable snack. They fit nicely in your kids’ lunch boxes or can be brought on plant-based family road trip.
13. Mint Chip Brownie Homemade Lara Bars
Nut-free and low in fat, Feasting on Fruit recreates your favorite healthy snack with these delicious mint chocolate chip brown homemade Lara bars. Only five ingredients and a 10-minute prep time.
14. 4-Ingredient No Bake Cookies
Just like the No-Bake cookies from your childhood...minus the sugar spike and crash. Another quick recipe, with only four ingredients, these gluten-free no-bake cookies from Beaming Baker take no time to whip up and are sure to please even the pickiest eaters in your household.
15. Hot Cocoa
The best way to any kid’s heart? Chocolate, of course. This dairy-free hot cocoa is the absolute best treat on a cold day. Plus, it’s refined sugar-free. That’s right - no bouncing off the walls for your plant-based family.
Bonus: don’t have time to cook?
Let MamaSezz make dinner! Our Family Bundle is filled with ready-made meals for your plant-based family. Filled with kid-friendly dishes like gluten-free Mac Attack (pictured above) and Millie’s Chili - and delivered to your door ready to heat-and-eat. Round out the meals with your favorite salad and voila -- you’ve got dinner in minutes.
What our customers are saying
These fresh whole food, plant-based meals are incredibly tasty and healthy. For this working mama I am happy to have MamaSezz meals on standby for those busy days when I just can't cook! If you like comfort food that is guilt free then try MamaSezz. Oh and they offer to recycle the shipping and packaging products which is kindness to us and our planet![Sarah Johnson Dwyer, MamaSezz Customer]
About MamaSezz
MamaSezzis the leading whole food plant-based prepared meal delivery company in the U.S. We make it easier for you to be your healthiest self by delivering hearty, fresh, ready to eat whole food plant-based meals with no B.S. (you know, Bad Stuff) right to your door.
