There are loads of foods that will give you a great protein hit. Use beans, nuts, tofu or meat-substitutes like veggie mince in your favourite recipes for a well-balanced meal.

About a third of your food should be starchy carbs. Wholegrain is better than white or refined foods – there’s more fibre, nutrients, and keeps you fuller for longer. E.g. wholegrain bread, wholewheat pasta, brown rice.

Aim to eat a broad variety of fruit and veg in different colours for maximum nutritional impact – think of it as eating a rainbow! One-third of what you eat every day should be fruit and veg. Fresh, frozen and canned all count!

Turning your favourite meals veggie isn’t hard – all it takes is a few simple swaps. Keep it familiar by using beef-style veggie mince, chicken-style pieces and nuggets, bean burgers, veggie meatballs…

A well-balanced vegetarian diet will give you all the nutrients your body needs. As with every type of diet, choose reduced fat, no added sugar, and low salt products wherever possible.

Going Veggie Guides

The Vegetarian Society’s veggie guides are packed with helpful tips on meal ideas, nutrition and how to eat to beat climate change. Use the Vegetarian Eatwell Guide for a handy look at the ideal veggie dinner plate, to get a balance of healthier and more sustainable food.

  • I’ve been vegan for decades because I don’t need to kill things to stay alive. I don’t want their blood on my hands and I want to live with nature and not against nature. It’s the most punk rock thing I’ve done in my life.

    John Robb, musician, music writer, author, TV and radio
  • I chose to change my diet to a vegan one, for animal welfare and environmental reasons, and it’s been a brilliant decision. It’s just a part of my life, I feel better and importantly,  I know my decision is having a really positive impact. Join in this National Vegetarian Week, tuck into some tasty recipes and give it a go too!

    Justin Moorhouse, comedian
  • Eating a diet high in delicious seasonal veg, would not only have a huge impact on curbing carbon emissions but would also give a much needed boost of support for nature and biodiversity (not to mention a boost to our guts).

    Thomasina Miers, cook / co-founder of Wahaca / food writer
  • One of the biggest ways to positively impact the environment is to eat more plant-based meals. We’re supporting National Vegetarian Week as we think that eating plant-based has never been as easy, or as tasty, as it is today!

    Henry & Ian, BOSH!
  • National Vegetarian week is a great time to explore cooking and eating fantastic and varied plant-based meals. There’s never been more options, information and exciting ideas out there to make this a fun and delicious opportunity to eat well and help the planet.

    Eddie Shepherd, award winning modern plant-based chef
  • National Vegetarian Week encourages us, for just one week, to put a spotlight on delicious vegetable-centred meals. We all know we should be eating more vegetables and less meat, fish and dairy, for both our bodies and the planet and now is the time.

    Anna Jones, cook / writer / best selling author
  • I have a lovely recipe that showcases one of my favourite ways to make green veggies! Lots of texture and balanced flavours, I’m super excited to share my recipe with National Vegetarian Week.

    Denai Moore, vegan chef
  • World Pig Week is delighted to support National Vegetarian Week. We’ll never forget the support the Vegetarian Society gave to our launch this year to help keep piggies off plates x It’s so easy to transition these days, with so many tasty and nutritious plant-based alternatives. There’s absolutely no justification to support the barbaric livestock industry. If you love animals, please stop eating them!

    World Pig Week
  • A beautiful week that anyone can get involved with. Adopting a more plant based diet is one of the most powerful things we can do as an individual to help turn the tide on the Climate Crisis. We all need to think more about the food we eat and where it comes from, getting involved in a week like this is a great place to start and a tasty one too.

    Ceallach Spellman, actor/presenter
  • Being vegetarian or even deciding to eat less meat, is such a simple, personal and positive step to helping the environment. Feel empowered, make a difference, strive for a more plant based diet.

    Michaela Strachan, award-winning TV presenter and author
  • Our aim at Deliciously Ella is to show how delicious, easy, and exciting plant-based food can be, to encourage more people to give a few more veggie meals a go. We’re so proud to support the Vegetarian Society with their mission, which is so aligned to ours.

    Ella Mills, founder of Deliciously Ella
  • National Vegetarian Week is a great chance to focus on vegetable-based dishes and share enticing recipes. And hopefully encourage us to incorporate more plant-based food in our diets, which is better for our own health and the planet.

    Jackie Kearney, MasterChef finalist and award-winning author
  • Food is love. It connects us to our family and friends but also to our local and global food producers and even nature through our food web. Reconnecting with our food in this way can help us make the best choices for our personal and planetary health whilst even improving our food experiences and the taste of our food.

    Eco-Chef Tom Hunt
  • Reducing the amount of meat in our diet benefits our health and the health of the planet. National Vegetarian Week is a fantastic opportunity to challenge yourself to make plants centre stage for a week. Having so many delicious recipes to try, makes it easy and manageable. Enjoy!

    Annabelle Randles, Founder of The Flexitarian, cook / food writer
  • I’m incredibly honoured to be a supporter for NVW. It means a lot for me to be able to share my recipes with NVW. If you eat plant-based 365 days a year or you’re looking for more veg on your plate, my recipes are for everyone and anyone. Thank you for the work of Vegetarian Society and happy NVW!

    Max La Manna, low-waste chef / award-winning author
  • Whether you’re a devout vegan or a carnivore who enjoys a graze on the green side, delicious vegetarian food shouldn’t be about trying to mimic meat dishes or relegating them to the ‘sides’ section of the menu, we should be celebrating the vast selection of veggies available to us in all their colourful and nutritious glory.

    Kwoklyn Wan, TV chef and best-selling author
  • There’s so much incredible vegetarian and vegan food and I think it’s so exciting how many people are seeing that too!

    Kim-Joy, Great British Bake Off star
  • Will you join me this National Vegetarian Week?
    It’s so easy and so very rewarding…we can all be fabulously kind to the planet by eating more delicious veggie food. Please give it a try, for me…thank you!

    Dame Joanna Lumley
  • Helping the environment can feel overwhelming, but each of us can make a difference, and it’s easy to do. By reducing or cutting out meat, we can lower our carbon footprint, helping the planet and all its occupants. That’s why I am supporting National Vegetarian Week. Sign up, try some of the delicious vegetarian recipes, and know you’re having a positive impact!

    Chris Packham, wildlife TV presenter & conservationist
  • National Vegetarian Week is a great chance to explore the delicious ways we can use fruit and veg to create something amazing!

    Jordan Pomerance, Young MasterChef’s vegan finalist