Going Vegan the Easy Way: Start With Simple Swaps

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that going vegan means changing everything overnight. New recipes, unfamiliar foods, complicated nutrition rules - it can sound overwhelming. But in reality, one of the easiest and most sustainable ways to go vegan is by making simple, familiar swaps. You don’t need to reinvent your diet. You just need to replace what you already eat with plant-based alternatives, this is going vegan the easy way.

You're probably familiar with a lot of foods that you will rely on as a vegan

Why Swaps Work So Well

Swaps are powerful because they:

• Reduce overwhelm - you’re not starting from scratch

• Keep meals familiar - same dishes, different ingredients

• Support consistency - small changes are easier to stick with

• Protect nutrition - many plant-based swaps are nutritionally comparable (or better)

Instead of asking, “What do vegans eat?” you ask, “What’s the plant-based version of what I already eat?”

Start With What You Eat Most

The best place to begin is with your most common foods. If you eat something several times a week, swapping it has a big impact with minimal effort.

Some examples:

• Cow’s milk → soy milk or oat milk

• Minced beef → lentils, textured vegetable protein (TVP), or soy mince

• Chicken pieces → tofu, tempeh, or seitan

• Butter → plant-based butter or olive oil

• Cheese → nutritional yeast, cashew-based cheeses, or store-bought vegan cheese

You can still make spaghetti Bolognese, stir-fries, sandwiches, curries, tacos - just with plant-based ingredients instead.

One Swap at a Time Is Enough

You don’t have to do everything at once. In fact, when people ask, I usually recommend starting with one category:

• Milk first (often the easiest)

• Then meat at dinner

• Then cheese

• Then eggs

Give yourself time to adjust your taste buds and routines. Many people find that after a few weeks, the plant-based version becomes their new normal, as foods don't taste bad; they just taste different.

Think in Nutrients, Not Just Foods

A good swap isn’t just about taste - it’s about meeting your nutritional needs.

Here are some smart nutrition-focused swaps:

• Meat → beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh (protein, iron, zinc)

• Dairy → fortified plant milks and yoghurts (calcium, B12)

• Eggs → tofu scramble or chickpea flour omelettes (protein, iron)

• Fish → ground flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts (omega-3s)

When swaps are chosen with nutrients in mind, a vegan diet can be both simple and well-balanced.

Use Convenience Foods Without Guilt

You don’t need to cook everything from scratch to be vegan. In fact, frozen vegan nuggets, sausages, burgers, ready meals, and sandwiches can:

• Make transitions easier

• Help in busy weeks

• Reduce decision fatigue

Over time, many people naturally move toward more whole foods - but convenience foods are a perfectly valid stepping stone.

Expect Some Trial and Error

Not every swap will be a winner - and that’s okay. Taste is personal. If you don’t like one brand or option, try another. There are more plant-based alternatives available now than ever before.

A “failed” swap isn’t failure - it’s information.

Progress Beats Perfection

Going vegan doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Every swap you make:

• Reduces animal suffering

• Lowers environmental impact

• Moves your diet in a healthier direction

Consistency matters far more than perfection.

Going Vegan the Easy Way

If you’re thinking about going vegan - or supporting someone who is - remember this: You don’t need a new diet. You need new defaults. Start with the foods you already love, swap them one by one, and let change happen naturally. That’s how most long-term vegans get there - and how you can too.

For more guidance, download our printable Going Vegan Starter Kit from our downloads page.

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