Shiny Surendran
MSc, Grad Dip Sports Nutrition (Intl Olympic Committee), Accredited Sports Dietitian - Sports Dietitians Australia, Level 2 Kinanthropometrist - ISAK, New Zealand4 min read



Once you’ve opted to go on a plant-based diet, you need to ask yourself what sort of food you would like to concentrate on. After all, the Vegan Food Pyramid is entirely different from the traditional one we’ve followed all along. Despite being a scarce diet in India, many parts of the country are a vegan refuge. There are many dishes that are completely vegan, like the scrumptious coconut curries of Kerala, to delicious dals in all its forms. It isn’t challenging to obtain vegan food in India with some planning. Since we are still amidst a pandemic, and can’t risk eating out once a weekend just yet! What you can try to do is to cook with the best of ingredients within UR budget!
In general, vegan meals are prepared on a daily basis and contain fresh ingredients from local markets, which also helps contribute to UR local farmers, promote sustainable living and caters to UR palate and diet! Our nutrition experts, Shiny Surendran and Dr Lakshmi K share a few tips and South Indian vegan diet options that are easy to follow, budget-friendly and offer a variety of dishes to choose from. This vegan menu guide and diet are sure to do wonders for you. Thank us later!
How To Overcome Hurdles of Not Finding Vegan Food While Eating Out
There are a variety of precautions that need to be taken to ensure that UR food is free of any animal products. India produces and consumes a great deal of milk and can grow up unexpectedly. The secret to success is to have some knowledge of the Indian diet and how it varies in various regions. As a result, with a little pre-planning, it’s indeed generally possible to adopt a plant-based diet in India without too much trouble. It’s really imperative for you to read the nutritional labels on every product UR buying—source localized food from UR locality and support UR local farmers.
Calcium can be derived from plant-based foods such as almonds, pistachio nuts, hazelnuts and brazil nuts.
Vegan Foods List | |
Jowar | Tofu |
Brown rice | Almond |
Bajra | Oat milk |
Buckwheat | Almond milk |
Besan | Olive Oil |
Dals and pulses | Peanut butter |
All vegetables & fruits | Almond butter |
Coconut oil | Mixed sprouts |
Coconut butter | All vegetable oils |
Mushroom | Jaggery |
Breakfast cereals | Corn |
Millets | Ragi |
Plain flour | Corn flour |
You can use these vegan options in combinations with an array of spices and fresh produce, which will help enhance the flavours of every ingredient!
South Indian Vegan Diet Curated By Dr Lakshmi K. – PhD in Food Science & Nutrition ( University of Georgia, USA)
Timings | Mon/Wed/Fri | Tue/Thurs/Sat |
Early morning | 1 glass of warm water with half a tsp of lemon juice and half tsp of vegan honey | Glass of warm water + a pinch of turmeric with 2-3 drops lemon juice + 1/2 tsp vegan honey |
Breakfast | Oats Carrot idli + coconut chutney or lentil dosa/pesarattu + flax seeds karam podi + sambar | Oats upma with mixed veggies or Ragi dosa with tomato chutney |
Mid -morning | ABC smoothie (apple + beetroot + carrot) | Green smoothie (Spinach + 1/2 banana + 1 tsp wheatgrass powder + green apple with water or almond milk |
Lunch | Millets khichdi or millet bisi bele bath + 1 tsp coconut oil | Thakkali Sadam with brown rice + coconut yogurt |
Evening snack | Sprouts salad with green tea | Black chana chaat with black coffee |
Dinner | 1 cup of spinach soup + jowar roti + one cup veg curry | Dalia upma with carrots, spinach and peas |
Post-Dinner snack | 1 apple with almond butter + chamomile tea | Sunflower or pumpkin seeds + Turmeric/saffron tea |
*Tip: Hydrate yourself throughout the day. Drink infused water with chia seeds and lemon slices or mint and cucumber.
Following our vegan diet/menu will help you outline UR meals throughout the week and also won’t let you stray from UR vegan diet! Opting to go vegan is beneficial for the planet and helps our local farmers too. It pushes progressive practices which can, in turn, better our health and overall well-being. These meals are not only easy to make but budget-friendly as well! Moreover, all the ingredients are readily available. So give this menu a try and let us know how it works for you!
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