Recommended Meal-Prep Gear and Plant Protein Staples

Everything in the Plant Protein Meal-Prep Blueprint can be cooked in an ordinary kitchen. These are the pieces of equipment that make the two-hour Sunday batch realistic, the shelf-stable plant proteins that are often cheaper online in bulk, and the supplements the blueprint discusses, with what to look for.

Equipment

The eight pieces of equipment from chapter 3. Most kitchens already have half of them.

• Electric pressure cooker (6 quarts)

  Turns a 90-minute pot of dried beans into a 12-minute one, and well-cooked beans are easier on the gut. The one purchase that makes the batch schedule realistic.

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• Two rimmed sheet pans

  Tofu and vegetables roast side by side on Sunday.

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• Fine-mesh sieve

  Rinsing quinoa and canned beans, draining soaked legumes.

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• Stick blender or jug blender

  Hummus, dal, dressings and the blended legumes used in weeks one and two.

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• Glass meal-prep containers with lids

  Six to eight single portions and four large ones for components. Glass reheats well and does not stain with turmeric.

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• Ice-cube trays with lids

  Sauces, pesto, stock and miso frozen in single portions.

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• Digital kitchen scale

  For the first two weeks, until 25 g of protein looks like a familiar amount.

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• Tofu press

  Pressed tofu absorbs marinade and browns instead of steaming. Two plates and a heavy can work too.

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Plant protein staples

Shelf-stable foods from the pantry chapter that keep for months and are often cheaper in bulk. Compare the price per ounce with your grocery store.

• Dried lentils (red and brown)

  The best-tolerated whole legume and the cheapest protein in the pantry; red lentils need no soaking and cook in 15 minutes.

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• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)

  About 15 g of protein in a quarter cup dry; rehydrates in ten minutes for chilis, tacos and burgers.

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• Hulled hemp seeds

  Nine grams of protein in three tablespoons with no cooking; sprinkle on oats, bowls and salads.

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• Nutritional yeast, B12-fortified

  Savory flavor plus a little protein; check the label says fortified with B12.

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• Vital wheat gluten

  For homemade seitan, the most protein-dense plant food in the book. Not for anyone avoiding gluten.

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• Kombu (dried kelp)

  A strip in the bean pot is a traditional way to soften beans and add savory flavor. Use a small piece; kelp is high in iodine.

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• Gluten-free asafoetida (hing)

  A pinch gives onion-garlic flavor without the FODMAPs, for the low-FODMAP versions of the formulas. Plain asafoetida is often cut with wheat flour.

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Supplements discussed in the blueprint

Food comes first in the blueprint. If you and your clinician decide a supplement makes sense, these are the points to look for. Check any supplement with your pharmacist, especially if you take regular medicines, are pregnant, or have kidney or thyroid disease.

• Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)

  The one supplement every mostly plant-based eater needs. The blueprint uses 25 to 100 µg a day, or 1,000 µg two or three times a week.

  Ask for a B12 blood test at 6 to 12 months.

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• Plant protein powder (pea, soy or rice-pea blend)

  Useful at breakfast or for adults over 65 who struggle to reach their target. Choose one tested by a third party (NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport) for heavy metals.

  With kidney disease, ask your clinician before adding protein powder.

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• Creatine monohydrate

  The best-studied sports supplement; people who eat no meat start with lower muscle stores. The usual amount is 3 to 5 g a day.

  Not for people with kidney disease unless their clinician agrees.

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• Algae omega-3 (EPA and DHA)

  The direct plant source of the long-chain omega-3 fats; flax and chia supply only the shorter form.

  Can add to the effect of blood thinners.

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• Vitamin D3 from lichen

  A plant-derived D3 for autumn and winter. 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day is a common amount; a blood test settles any doubt.

  Do not take more than 4,000 IU a day without medical supervision.

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Prices and availability change on Amazon. This page is educational and is not medical advice; talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement.