Meatless in March 2022

It’s time for our annual Meatless in March Challenge! Our focus for March 2022 will be eating more whole, delicious plant foods. That means lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, mushrooms, whole-grain foods, seeds, nuts, beans, etc. We will post helpful information and recipe resources all month on our social media channels. Join us March 1-31, 2022.

Do you have to go completely Vegan or completely cut out meat for this challenge? NO! It’s up to you to decide just how meatless you want to be. If you want to eat seafood or have eggs and dairy…that’s your choice to make. We want to encourage everyone to eat more fiber-rich, nutrient-rich plant foods. It’s time to swap out those highly processed, chemical/preservative-rich foods for homecooked plant-based goodness.

How can you join us? All you have to do is commit. No signup required.

• Commit to going Meatless Every Monday. No flesh foods. No chicken, beef, pork, seafood, etc. We also suggest cutting out dairy to get the biggest impact. 
• Tuesday thru Sunday – Eat at least one completely Plant-Based, healthy meal each day – Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner.
• Share photos of your meals and snacks on social media with the challenge hashtag #BWLWMar
• Curious about Vegetarianism or Veganism? Go ALL Out and make all of your meals completely plant-based. Give it a try for one week… or the whole month. The choice is up to you.
• NOTE: This is a flexible challenge. If you only want to go meatless on Mondays, that’s awesome. If you choose to eat one meatless meal every other day, that’s great too. All you have to do to join this challenge is commit to eating more plant foods and less processed food during the month of March.

Need Accountability? Connect with us.

We will post a Daily Check-in post every evening at 6:30 pm EST in our Facebook Group and on our Instagram account. We want to hear from you during this challenge. Let’s talk about our challenges and our victories.

Need Recipes?? Scroll down for a collection of free resources to help you get started.

Leave a comment below and let us know why you are joining the challenge.

Vitamin B12 and Iron: If you decide to go completely meatless, consider taking a Vitamin B12 supplement. If you are anemic or have iron deficiency issues, you may not want to start by going completely plant-based. One meal a day may be a better way to start your plant-based journey. That being said, there are many iron-rich plant foods. Do your research and listen to your body.

Allergies and Health Issues: If you have any food allergies or digestion issues related to plant foods/produce OR any medical issues* that don’t allow you to eat a plant-based diet, this isn’t the challenge for you. For example: If you are on medication that limits your intake of vegetables due to vitamin K or have a digestive disorder, this may not be the challenge for you. If you are a diabetic or have blood pressure issues, discuss the pros and cons of a plant-based diet with your doctor or a nutritionist before trying this challenge. (Medical Disclaimer Below)

How is going meatless beneficial for weight loss and health?
Plant foods are great for weight loss, especially low-calorie, high fiber foods, like greens, beans, and celery. These foods are full of fiber, nutrients, antioxidants, healthy carbs, and more. Fiber-rich food can be very filling, thus keeping you satisfied for hours. Starches like rice and sweet potatoes are great for weight loss when they aren’t cooked with tons of oil, butter, salt, and sodium. (1 medium sweet potato is just 103 calories) Fruit can be an excellent substitute for candy and cookies.

What should you eat? Here are some suggestions.

• All fruits. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced, or canned.
• All vegetables and leafy greens, including starches. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned.
• All whole grains – Examples: whole-wheat (unbleached), brown rice, jasmine rice, quinoa, oats, oatmeal, whole grain cereal, barley, grits, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, rice cakes and popcorn. (Avoid white, refined flour if you can)
• All nuts and seeds – Examples: walnuts, peanuts, almonds, soynuts, pecans, pinenuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.
• All legumes. That means BEANS of all kinds.
• Quality vegetable oils, like olive, avocado, coconut oil, grapeseed and sesame.
• Beverages: spring water, distilled water, brewed tea, freshly made juice and smoothies that you make yourself, etc.  However, you should focus on increasing your water intake if you haven’t been drinking enough. Give your body a rest from the dye, additives, added sugars, and chemicals in many drinks.
• Other plant-based foods/condiments: Seitan, tofu, nut “milks”, tahini, natural/plant-based sweeteners (in moderation), vinegar, seasonings, salt, herbs, and spices.

Avoid or cut back on: Fried foods, food smothered with butter, fast food, high sodium foods, meat (of course), artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and processed/refined sugar. Stay away from Vegetarian and Vegan junk food and highly processed vegetarian food as much as you can. (i.e., If you have a vegan cookie, it’s still a cookie. Just because it’s plant-based doesn’t mean it’s healthy.)

Low Carb Lifestyle: On a low carb/Keto plan or worried about sugar intake due to blood sugar issues? You don’t have to go meatless. Join us by eating more low glycemic index fruits, darky leafy greens, and veggies.

Meal Plans and Recipe Resources

Check out these Black Creators for great plant-based recipes (I will be adding to this list. Leave a comment and let me know your fav.)

• iamtabithabrown.com
• healthiersteps.com
• 10millionblackveganwomen.org
• foodheavenmadeeasy.com
• sweetpotatosoul.com
• shine with plants
• jessicainthekitchen.com
• byanygreensnecessary.com
• makeitdairyfree.com
• rachelama.com
• veganwhat.org
• collardsaretheoldkale.com
• icanyoucanvegan.com
• baumassfoods.com

Free Meal Plans and Recipes to help you get started:

• Eating Well Magazine’s 7- Day Clean Eating Vegetarian Meal Plan – 1200 calorie version – 1500 calorie version
• Eating Well Magazing’s 28 Day Meatless Challenge Meal Plan
• 7 Day High-Protein Meal Plan from Hurry the Food Up
• 16 Vegetarian Keto Recipes from Delish.com
• Eating Well Magazine’s Low-Carb Vegan Meal Plan – 1200 Calories
• 19 Pescatarian Dinner Recipes That Don’t Neglect the Veggies from Brit + Co
• 28 Day Pescatarian Meal Plan from A Couple Cooks
• PETA’s Two Week Vegan Meal Plan
• Plant Based on a Budget’s Free Meal Plans
• The Daniel Plan – A great updated version of what many know as the Daniel Fast. Faith Based. This site offers a lot of resources for free!
• Oh My Veggies Meatless Meal Plans – A treasure trove of meatless meal plans for 4
• Whole Foods Market’s 7 Day Vegan Meal Plan and Plant Based Meal Plan

Guides and article on going vegetarian or vegan

• African American Vegan Starter Guide – Free PDF guide
• Laid Back Guide to Going Vegetarian
• Iron in the Vegetarian Diet
• Pescatarian Diet 101
• How to Follow a Healthy Vegetarian Keto Diet
• Plant-Based Meal Planning for Diabetes
• 10 Awesome Benefits of Eating a Plant Based Diet
  
• 21 Day Vegan Kickstart
• A Beginner’s Guide to Going Vegan and Living Your Best Plant-Based Life
• How to Go Vegan
• 12 Tips for Becoming Vegan
• Meatless Monday Campaign
• Veganism Found to Be the Best Diet for Weight Loss

Books*

*Medical Disclaimer: If there is any reason why you should not change your diet and how you normally eat due to an ailment, pregnancy, blood sugar issues, chronic illness, allergies or other medical issue, Do Not participate in this challenge. If you have trouble digesting raw or cooked fruits and veggies, this is not the challenge for you. When in doubt, speak with your doctor before joining any weight loss challenge or before starting ANY eating plan/diet.

*This post includes Amazon affiliate links. We may receive compensation if you make a purchase. It’s just one of the ways we keep the lights on. 🙂