There’s a whole world of vegetarian food to explore, and this week you'll be amazed by the creative, delicious and simple to prepare cruelty-free meals that are out there — from old favourites like pizza, lasagne and curry, to exciting new discoveries!
Meal Ideas Shopping List Eating Out Cooking Classes
Meal Ideas
Breakkie Lunch Snacks Dinner Sweets

Quick 'n' easy:
  • Toast with Vegemite, or jam
  • Raisin toast with vegetable margarine, jam, or Tofutti 'cream cheese'
  • Fresh diced fruit with soy yoghurt
  • Cereal or muesli (try with almond or soy milk for an extra vitamin boost)
  • Porridge
  • Brekky Shake
  • Green Smoothie
Some preparation required:
Quick 'n' easy:
  • Turn instant noodles into an instant success by adding fresh baby spinach, chopped spring onion, sliced mushrooms, thinly sliced carrot and/or other fresh veggies
  • Fry's veggie cottage pie (a yummy microwave-friendly option that's found in the freezer section of many supermarkets)
  • 'Gourmet' tinned ready-to-eat vegie soup
Sandwich fillings, wraps, and bagel ideas:
  • Mediterranean: Hummus, roast pumpkin, roast capsicum, pine nuts and baby spinach
  • Tasty Tahini: Tahini mixed with a dash of soy sauce, grated carrot, sprouts,  red onion and sliced cucumber
  • Avo-solutely Great: Avocado (used as a spread), sliced mushrooms, roast eggplant, semi dried tomatoes and lettuce
  • Tempting Tofu: Hummus, marinated/smoked tofu, grated fresh beetroot, tomato, sliced black olive and lettuce
  • Veggie Burgerwich: Fry's veggie burger patty, red onion, tomato, tomato sauce mustard and lettuce
  • Veggie-Snag Sanga Deluxe: Hummus, sliced veggie sausages, roast sweet potato, semi dried tomatoes, sprouts and baby spinach
  • Simple 'n' Tasty: Simple with Tofutti 'cream cheese', tomato, red onion, sliced cucumber, a dash of salt and pepper, lettuce
  • Mexi-Wrap: Tofutti 'cream cheese', refried beans, tomato, lettuce, salsa
  • Falafel Wrap: Hummus, falafels, tomato, parsley, red onion, roast pumpkin, and lettuce
Lunch on the run:
  • Vegetarian sushi is an easy option
  • Falafel kebabs are delicious and filling
  • Bakeries often have veggie pies or veggie pasties
  • Subway veggie patty and veggie delights are a readily available choice
  • Chinese, Indian, Thai and Mexican usually also offer good veg options
  • Most sandwich bars can also make up a yummy veggie sandwich, bagel or focaccia
Quick 'n' easy:
  • Mixed Nuts
  • Trail Mix
  • Fresh fruit
  • Dried fruit
  • Muesli Bars
  • Biscuits
  • Carrot and celery sticks with hummus
  • Rice crackers and dip (eg. hummus)
  • Fruit smoothies
  • Sandwiches, including: vegemite, peanut butter, jam, Tofutti 'cream cheese' and jam (tastes almost like a cheesecake!)
Quick 'n' easy:
  • Spaghetti Bolognese: Pick your favourite pasta sauce (eg. roast vegetable, tomato garlic, olive and chilli, etc). Use Sanitarium 'veggie mince', or tinned lentils instead of beef mince. Add some fresh veggies for extra flavour.
  • Stir Fry: Pick your favourite stir fry sauce (eg. black bean, sesame, garlic and ginger, etc). Throw in your favourite veggies. Try adding tofu, tempeh or a 'mock meat' for extra texture.
  • Roasted Veggies
  • Veggie 'Cheese' Burgers
  • Mexi-Wraps: Tofutti 'cream cheese', refried beans, tomato, lettuce, salsa
  • Falafel Wraps: Hummus, falafels, tomato, parsley, red onion, roast pumpkin, and lettuce (delicious toasted)
Some preparation required: Salads:
Quick 'n' easy:
  • Nana's Light Apple Pies
  • So Good Ice Cream
  • Silken tofu with coconut cream and lychees in syrup
  • Fruit Salad
Some preparation required:
Shopping list
Staples Ready-Made Snacks Where to shop

From the green grocer:
  • Your favourite seasonal fruits for breakfasts, snacks, and desserts
  • Plenty of Fresh Veggies, such as:
    • Carrots, tomatoes, snow peas, beetroot, lettuce, baby spinach, cucumber (great for sandwiches & salads)
    • Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, squash and bok choy (great for stir fries and pastas)
    • Potatoes, sweet potato, and pumpkin (great for soups and baked)
From the supermarket:
  • Bread, crumpets, wholegrain rolls, bagels, wraps, etc
  • Legumes such as 3 bean mix, lentils, chickpeas, refried beans, etc are great for salads, pastas, and soups
  • Sanitarium 'Veggie Delights' sausages, veggie patties, veggie 'mince', tofu, and tempeh are great for adding to stir fries, pastas, sandwiches, etc.
  • Cereal, muesli or other brekkie food
  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Pasta sauces
  • Stir fry sauces
  • Spreads such as hummus, vegemite, peanut butter, Tofutti 'cream cheese', jam, etc.
From the deli:
  • Semi dried tomatoes
  • Olives
  • Mediterranean marinated grilled veggies (sweet potato, zucchini, artichoke, capsicum, eggplant, etc.)
  • Tabouleh (great in wraps, or as a side dish)
In the freezer:
  • Fry's Veg Shepherd's Pie
  • Fry's Vegetarian Schnitzel (great with roasted veggies, a salad or even used as a pattie in a burger)
Elsewhere:
  • Curried Lentil Pies
  • Vegetarian 'gourmet' ready-to-eat tinned soups
Snacks
  • Nuts can be great to snack on, as well as to throw in salads
  • Muesli bars
  • Trail mix
  • Dried fruit
  • Dolmades (a.k.a. 'Vine wraps') — get them in the fresh deli section of the supermarket
Treats
  • Biscuits
  • Dark chocolate
  • So Good icecream
  • Nana's 'Lite Apple Pies'
  • LEDA 'Choculence' (tim tam-esque bikkies), mint biscuits
  • LEDA dairy-free rum balls (found in the health food section of supermarkets)
Whilst you can get everything you need to make delicious and varied vegetarian or vegan meals from your local supermarket and green grocer, here are some additional tips for finding amazing cruelty-free gourmet foods and specialty vegetarian products:

In any location:
  • Health food stores — look out for mock meats, a wide variety of dried legumes, gourmet vegetarian spreads etc.
  • Asian supermarkets — often stock a variety of mock meats including 'duck', 'pork', 'fish', even 'prawns'!
Online Australia-wide: Melbourne:
  • Vincent's Vegetarian Food, 353 Barkley st, Footscray
  • Habib's Wholefoods, 2/260 Flinders st, Melbourne
  • The Radical Grocery Store, 6 Wilson Ave, Brunswick
  • Absolutely Gluten Free, 34A Synnot st, Werribee
  • Alex's Kosher & Continental Mart, 831 Glenhuntly rd, Caulfield South
  • Don't Panic It's Organic, 2/84 Mt Eliza way, Mount Eliza
  • Global Green Vegetarian Food, 105 South Road, Braybrook
  • Golden Age Vegetarian & Health Food Mart, 18b Rutland rd, Box Hill
  • Joe's Organic Market, 64 Victoria rd, Northcote
  • Kraus Foods, 62 Glen Eira rd, Elsternwick
  • Leo's Fine Foods, 26 Princess st, Kew
  • Sunnybrook Health Store, 553 North rd, Ormond
Sydney:
  • Vegan Choice Grocery, 113 King st, Newtown
  • Taste Organic, 25 Falcon st, Crows Nest
  • Earth Food Store, 81a Gould st, Bondi
  • Lamyong, 12/575 Woodville rd, Guildford
  • Manly Health Foods, 8/23 Wentworth st, Manly
  • Zen Gardens Vegetarian Healthy Food, 2/48 Hill st, Cabramatta
Brisbane:
  • Green Edge, 191 Wardell st, Enoggera
  • Fundamental Food Store, 217 Given Tce, Paddington
  • Ms Flannery's (several locations)
    • Cnr Rode rd & Webster rd, Chermside
    • Shop 5/1 Bryants rd, Loganholme
    • 191 Moggil rd, Taringa
    • 52 Annerley rd, Woolloongabba
    • Wynnum Plaza, 2021 Wynnum rd, Wynnum
Perth:
  • Vegetarian Market, 2/22 James st, Perth
  • One World Cuisine, 7/23 South st, Kardinya
  • PAWS, 120 Beaufort st, Perth
  • Cruelty Free WA, 28A Queen st, Fremantle
  • Hills Fresh, 7110 Great Eastern Hwy, Mundaring
  • Bagels and Beyond, Shop 22 Centro Dianella Shopping Centre, Grand Promenade, Dianella
  • Eden Delicacy, 60 Adelaide st, Fremantle
  • Kitchen Warehouse, Midland Central, Clayton st, Midland
  • Kosher Food Centre, 3 Plantation st, Menora
  • Manna Wholefoods, 274 South tce, South Fremantle
  • Midland Junction Fresh Markets, 380 Eastern Highway, Midland
  • Fresh Provisions (several locations):
    • 258 Canning Hwy, Bicton
    • 303 Stirling Hwy, Claremont
    • 77 Walcott st, Mt Lawley
Adelaide:
  • Bliss Organic Café, 7 Compton st, Adelaide
  • Great Nature, 3/48 Beach rd, Christies Beach
  • Foodworks, 70 Jetty rd, Glenelg
  • Foodland, 169 The Parade, Norwood
  • Real Organics, 46 The Parade, Norwood
Canberra:
  • Capital Asian Groceries, 1/8 Purdue st, Belconnen
  • Mountain Creek Wholefoods, 14 Barker st, Griffith
  • Saigon Asian Food, 6 Cape st, Dickson
Hobart:
  • City Organics, 34 Criterion st, Hobart
  • Eumarrah Whole Foods, 39 Barrack st, Hobart
  • The All Organic Shop, 341 Elizabeth st, North Hobart
Darwin:
  • Greenies Real Food, Shop 12 Rapid Creek Shopping Village, Milner
Eating Out
Life is not all about preparing food (thank goodness!). Don't forget to treat yourself to a nice night out once or twice during the Vegetarian Week Challenge. Most capital cities have quite a few veg restaurant gems just waiting to be discovered. Here are a few recommendations:

Melbourne
  • Soul Food Vegetarian Café — Extensive menu, great food and service in a lovely atmosphere. 273 Smith Street, Fitzroy
  • White Lotus — Great Asian food, well priced. 185 Victoria St, West Melbourne
  • Veg Out Time — Positive eating, vegetarian and vegan creations. Great for takeaway. Delicious healthy food. 2 locations: 8/63a Fitzroy St, St Kilda, and 366 Chapel St, South Yarra
  • The Gasometer Hotel — Enjoy vegan pub food (like 'chicken' parma!) in a relaxed live music venue. 484 Smith St, Collingwood
  • Lord of the Fries — Best hot chips in the land; awesome burgers (vegan cheese available!). Looks like meat, tastes like meat, 100% cruelty-free! 5 locations: Elizabeth & Flinders St (opposite Flinders St. Station), and Shop 5 Flinders St Station (opposite Federation Square), Melbourne Central, Northland and Chadstone.
Sydney
  • Green Gourmet — Vegan Chinese with a buffet and Yum Cha on weekends. A blast to your taste buds with dishes like vegan 'peking duck'! 115-117 King St, Newtown
  • Iku Wholefood Kitchen — Organic and Vegan take-away. Many locations, see their website for your closest.
  • Funky Pies Cafée — Amazing organic, cruelty free pies and rolls by the beach 144-148 Glenayr Av. Bondi
Brisbane
  • The Forest Cafe — Great food, cruisy atmosphere. Wholefood organic vegan cafe. 124 Boundary St, West End
  • Kuan Yin Vegetarian Tea House — Amazing Asian vegetarian food. Very well priced, very friendly staff. The Taiwanese Fried ‘Chicken’ is a must-try! 198 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley
  • Ykillamoocow — The original ‘No Bull’ Pie, Vegan Dagwood Dogs... Say no more! West End Markets (Davies Park), Saturdays.
  • My Heart Garden — Quaint vegetarian cafe serving yummy global cuisine. Great variety, very friendly staff. Shop 5, 225 Hawken Dr, St Lucia
  • Huo Fo Vegetarian Court — Huge variety of ‘convincing’ mock meat dishes. Cnr. Mains Rd & McCullough St, SunnyPark
Perth
  • One World Cuisine — Delicious asian restaurant and bakery, with a friendly atmosphere — and a 'pays as you feel' buffet. 7/23 South st, Kardinya
  • Annalaksmi — Vegetarian restaurant, “eat as you like and pay as you feel” Jetty #4 Barrack St, Perth (on the Swan River)
  • Sri Melaka Vegetarian Nyogna Restaurant — Vegan Malaysian Nyonya Cuisine, the ‘meaty’ menu consists of 100% vegetarian ingredients 2 James St, Perth (next to Lotus Vegetarian)
  • Sassy's on Swan — Healty vego food, lentils, beans, tofu etc. Open for breakky West Australian Rowing Clubhouse, 171 Riverside Drive, Perth
  • The Wild Fig Cafe — Veg-friendly cafe, Wednesday is ‘vego feast night’! 33 West Coast Drive — Watermans Bay, Perth
Adelaide
  • Bliss Organic Cafe — Vegan cafe, open for breakfast, laid-back atmosphere, friendly staff. 7 Compton Street, Adelaide
  • Zen House — Friendly, well priced, great variety of veg Asian food including mock-meats (plus, they have take-home stuff in the freezer, including exquisite vegan ice-cream!). 17 Bent St, Adelaide
  • Vegetarian Delight — Extensive menu of veg Asian cuisine including mock meats and lots of vegan dishes. Great prices, atmosphere and service. 462 Port Rd, Hindmarsh
  • Joy Discovery Vegetarian Cafe — Healthy global cuisine, lots of yummy vegan options.13 Bent St, Adelaide
  • Vego ‘n’ Lovin it — Burgers, soups, vegan ice-cream, lots of charm, well priced. 240 Rundle St, Adelaide (upstairs above B sharp records)
Hobart
  • Shu Yuan — Asian vegetarian restaurant, plenty of mock-meats dishes and other great food. Well priced! 64 Liverpool St, Hobart
  • Nourish — Vegetarian cafe, with some vegan options 129 Elizabeth St, Hobart
  • Annapurna — Indian cuisine (NOT 100% VEG, but offers some good vegetarian and vegan options) 2 locations: 93 Salamanca Pl, Hobart, and 305 Elizabeth St, North Hobart
Canberra
  • Kingsland Vegan Restaurant — A lovely Vegan Asian restaurant with plenty of classic dishes, such as 'beef' and black bean, mongolian 'lamb', as well as some delicious original creations. Shop 5 67-69 Woolley St Dickson Plaza Dickson
  • Au Lac Vegetarian Restaurant — A cosy Vietnamese restaurant, with a good variety. 4/39 Woolley St Dickson Plaza Dickson
  • My Rainbow Dreams Cafe — A lovely cafe with a great variety of cuisines, including burgers, wraps, curries, soups and a delicious selection of sweets. Dickson Chambers Shp G1b/ Dickson Plaza
Not near a capital city? Happy Cow Compassionate Eating Guide will help you track down the closest veg-friendly eateries near you. And most non-veg restaurants also offer a selection of vegetarian meals to choose from. In particular, Thai, Indian, Lebanese, Chinese and Mexican restaurants often having a good selection.
Cooking Classes
Got a day off? Why not take a vegetarian cooking class! Many places offer affordable vegetarian/vegan cooking classes, including community centres and some vegetarian restaurants (ask at your local). Whether or not you can find a class during veg week, make sure you check them out when you get the chance!

Here are some more leads for finding a class near you:
Chickpea Curry  
Chickpea Curry
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This is an easy dish to prepare and it tastes sublime!

Prep time: 30 minutes

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Vegetable Pakoras  
Vegetable Pakoras
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Healthy vegetables cooked in a way to satisfy cravings for junk food!

Prep time: 15 minutes

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Easy Lentil Burgers  
Easy Lentil Burgers
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Very simple, yet tastes great. Can be taken to BBQs and cooked. Suitable for Celiacs if using the rice crumbs.

Prep time: 20 minutes

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Roast Pumpkin Laksa  
Roast Pumpkin Laksa
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A great alternative to the meat version, it has a great flavour and aroma.

Prep time: Less than one hour

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Mushroom Stroganoff  
Mushroom Stroganoff
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It tastes awesome, warming and is a lovely winter dish!

Prep time: 30 minutes

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Minestrone  
Minestrone
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This recipe is very filling and the spices mixed with the veggies is divine!

Prep time: 20-30 mins

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Roast Capsicum Soup  
Roast Capsicum Soup
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Despite the roasting and pureeing this soup is very quick to make and has a lovely richness.

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Black Olive Bread  
Black Olive Bread
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This recipe make an awesome light fluffy crusty loaf.

Prep time: 3 hours (including rising and cooking time)

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Butter Bean Pate  
Butter Bean Pate
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You can use it as a dip at partys, or as a filling snack any time of the day!

Prep time: 20 mins

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Golden Butternut Pumpkin Pie  
Golden Butternut Pumpkin Pie
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This is a delicious, hearty pumpkin pie that manages to taste fantastic even if you leave some ingredients out!

Prep time: 1 hour

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'Cheese' Cake  
'Cheese' Cake
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It's the perfect treat. It is inexpensive, tasty and most importantly cruelty free. It's the cheese cake you love, gone vegan for the animals!

Prep time: 1 hour

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Baked Rice Pudding  
Baked Rice Pudding
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Put simply, its easy to make kiddy friendly! so hard to find desserts which are gluten free for our veggie family and the kids love it!

Prep time: 30 minutes

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Totally Decadent Chocolate Mousse  
Totally Decadent Chocolate Mousse
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This is a chocolate mousse recipe suitable for Kings (and Queens).

Prep time: 10 minutes preparation; 2 hours to set

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Banana Date Slice  
Banana Date Slice
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Easy and keeps about a week in the fridge. Great for lunch boxes!

Prep time: 45 mins

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Nutrition Basics

A well-balanced plant-based diet will give you all the nutrients and energy your body needs, including ample iron, calcium and protein — without having to fuss over every meal plan. Simply follow the healthy eating rule of thumb: consume a wide variety of foods including fruit, veggies, legumes, wholegrains, nuts, and seeds. Learn more about basic veg nutrition »


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