How to Be Vegan When You Don't Have Time to Be Vegan
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
-Maya Angelou
As Little As Possible
I'm lazy. I just can't help it! Though I work hard when I need to, I find myself trying to figure out how to do most things without expending more energy than necessary. This is a struggle for me when it comes to food because I have certain specifications for how I eat: simple but yummy, prepared easily and fast, low or no oil and mostly whole foods, zero- or low-waste, and, of course, vegan. For someone as lazy as me, that's a pretty high standard I've set for myself. But some people simply don't have the time to worry about working hard to prepare meals for themselves every day or throughout the week. Sure, maybe you could go out to restaurants or formulate a hodgepodge of ingredients at a fast food place (unless you're lucky enough to be near places with vegan options, which are quickly becoming more and more accessible), but that's not a realistic, or healthy, option for most of us.
Cook in Batches & Prepare Meals
One of the simplest and most effective ways to save time is to prepare meals in advance, as seen in the one-hour food prep video below. One day a week, take just an hour or two to prepare food in bulk; lay out the meals you want to eat that week and get all the components prepped, chopped, and cooked as necessary. For instance, oatmeal only takes about five minutes to cook, so prepare enough for six or seven meals, and you don't have to worry about making breakfast all week. For recipe ideas, tips and tricks, and more information, check out The Everything Vegan Meal Prep Cookbook.
One Hour Food Prep Video - Cheap Lazy Vegan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urO4ssMVZWI
Stir-No-Fry & Soup
If you have a lot of fresh vegetables piling up in the fridge (or are trying to get rid of some of your freezer inventory), stir-no-fries and soups are great, quick, simple meals. Plus, they usually last for a few meals. Just plop the veggies in some water or a skillet with some seasoning and you're good to go!
Buy Frozen & Canned Foods
While I consider myself a low-waster, there are still some things I get in plastic, like frozen vegetables and tofu (which you can buy pre-pressed instead of taking the time to press it). Buying fresh foods all the time can be expensive, and they don't last long enough in the fridge. Plus, prepping vegetables is time-consuming; I don't want to wash, peel, chop, season, and bake my potatoes every time I want some fries. So, I like to have frozen and canned veggies and beans on hand so I don't have to worry about that.
My Ultra Lazy Meals
I won't lie to you, I've definitely pulled a Michael Scott (on many occasions) where my meal includes just heating up a bag of frozen vegetables in the microwave; I, however, choose to put the vegetables in a bowl instead of eating them right out of the bag, which amounts to about one extra minute of cleanup afterward. Usually, I top it with some tofu and a sauce (my current favorite is a simple teriyaki, maybe some sesame seeds sprinkled on top if I'm feeling fancy). It's super simple and surprisingly delicious.
Sometimes, when I go through my phases of being super into meal prepping, instead of planning out certain meals for the week, I would cook up a big batch of quinoa, pasta, or rice; at least two blocks of tofu; wash, chop, and store my fresh veggies; and do my grocery shopping to ensure I had enough fruit, frozen vegetables, canned beans, sauces, and seasonings to get through the week. My meal preferences change throughout the week, so I prefer to have the basics I know I'll eat already prepared and then put them together as I wish throughout the week. This may require a little more work than pre-making every full meal, but it's worth it to me to have as much or as little variety in my week of meals that I want.
Always Have Emergency Meals On Hand
PlantPure, from the makers of the documentary Plant Pure Nation, make oil-free vegan frozen meals, which I greatly appreciate since most prepared meals are filled with oil. (Have you ever eaten a vegan Amy's soup? There's more oil than vegetables in those things.) Dr. McDougall's Right Foods, made by plant-based doctor John McDougall, also makes oil-free prepared foods. I always keep some cans of soup around for when I just want to throw something in the microwave where the only work I have to do is put it in a bowl and get out a spoon.
Nothing But Time
While there's no excuse to not be vegan, there are mental barriers many people face when debating whether or not they can really do it. One of the biggest for most is the time it takes to prepare delicious, healthy, vegan food. Hopefully, some of these tips will help you realize that time constraints don't need to limit your ability to do good for the animals, the environment, and your health!
be conscious, be kind, be vegan