The customer wants a “whole foods plant based” meal – What is that?

The whole foods plant based way of eating is based on nutritional science and strongly supported by online resources and social networks. It is a growing trend in Australia as people discover the profound health benefits of eating this way. It is subtly different from a vegan diet as the emphasis is on the health supporting benefits of whole plant foods rather than avoiding everything made from animals.

Whole foods plant based meals are based on whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruit. It’s a high carbohydrate, low fat diet with minimal nut and seed products and no added salt or oil. That’s right, no oil, not even cold-pressed extra virgin organic olive oil, and especially not coconut oil.

The Whole Foods Plant Based Diet made easy

• No animal products: including no dairy, eggs or fish
• Oil free, no added salt and with minimal nuts
• All cooking is done without oil whether it’s baked, sautéed, steamed or microwaved. Water or stock are used for sautéing and frying and no foods are deep fried (see No Oil! for more information)
• Include generous quantities of complex carbohydrate foods such as brown rice, whole grain pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or quinoa (you need twice the serving size of these to get the same calories as a piece of meat)
• Vegetables of all types are included, particularly green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables. Lots of vegetables please!
• Lentils, beans and tofu/tempeh are included (but not deep fried tofu)
• Nuts and nut butters are used sparingly in sauces/dressings
• Salt and soy sauce are are best added at the table. Avoid using high-salt commercial sauces
• There is no need to be bland: garlic, chilli, curry, herbs and spices can all be used. Lemon juice and balsamic vinegar make great oil free dressings

Resources for chefs:

• Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook – Chef Del Sroufe (2012).
• Better than Vegan – Chef Del Sroufe (2013).
• See Recipes page for links to more whole foods plant based recipe books and websites
• Plant-Based Professional Certification Course – Rouxbe Cooking School. Would suit professional cooks who want an immersion in plant-based cuisine

Page created 4 March 2014
Page last updated 28 October 2015

• Resources
• Guide for Chefs

In Australia, a whole foods plant based way of eating is virtually unknown. Finding a restaurant that will cook delicious WFPB meals is difficult. Asking for a vegan meal will often result in a meal that is unsuitable for someone following a whole foods plant-based lifestyle. Oil is the ubiquitous ingredient along with salt, and when combined with the current low-carb fad (which often means starchy vegetables or whole grains are missing from the menu) there are limited options – even at a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. Asian cuisine is often your best choice, as they can usually provide rice and you can ask for vegetables to be cooked without oil, or at least with minimal oil.

Most of us eat out for social reasons and so wish to avoid making a fuss in front of friends. If possible phone ahead to the restaurant and discuss your needs with the chef or manager. This way you will know in advance how accommodating they are to your dietary needs. We have prepared a Guide for Chefs to help you discuss this with them (you could try referring them to this guide). If there is any doubt about being served a satisfying meal then a useful strategy is to “pre-load” with a healthy serving of starchy and non-starchy vegetables and/or grains before you go out. This way you won’t be too hungry and can make do with a small serving of vegetables if that is all that is available. Another strategy is to take along emergency snacks such as a baked potato or two in a zip-lock bag and if the setting is appropriate then add it to your plate, or if this is seen as inappropriate for the particular restaurant then wait to eat your snacks elsewhere – outside or on the way home.

Discussing your dietary requirements with restaurant staff:

• Ask which menu items can be prepared with no or minimal oil. Avoid arguing about the health effects of oil as they are unlikely to believe you. Try saying you are ‘intolerant’ to oil (or that it makes you feel ill, which won’t be far from the truth).
• Request sauces or dressings to come on the side
• You still need to use the word ‘vegan’ so they understand the meal must be free of animal foods
• Use the menu as an ingredients list to help you make suggestions to the chef as to what they can cook for you, as suggested by the Engine 2 Diet team:

At a pizza place get a “toppings salad”.  Ask for a list of all of the toppings, and then create a salad with all of the plant-strong ingredients. Ask for a few big handfuls of spinach (or whatever greens they have) and then load up your salad with things like: mushrooms, tomato, onions, peppers, beans, artichokes (if they are not marinated in oil), sprouts, pineapple and more. Most places have a vinegar you can use, or you can always bring your own dressing.

At a place serving omelets? Ask for an omelet with out the egg! Ask the chef to use water to “fry” up all of the vegetables that they have as filling options. Spinach, mushrooms, potatoes, tomato, onion, pepper. Most omelet stations have salsa and hot sauce!

At an ice-cream place? Get a bowl of fruit with a few walnuts sprinkled on top.When you eat out, sometimes it is all about getting creative. Look at the menu as a list of ingredients!

*It is our dream to have enough people asking for ‘whole-foods plant-based no-oil’ meals that it becomes just another dietary option on the menu.

Mary McDougall presents some great tips for dining out when you must:

Resources

WFPB Guides to eating out:

• Guide to Dining Out – PlantPlate has some excellent advice for finding the most WFPB friendly options for each different cuisine.
• Dining Out – Dr John McDougall provides advice via his newsletters for dining at Mexican style and Thai restaurants, and at a Sandwich shop
• Top 5 Tips for Dining Out – Plant Based Dietitian

Restaurant directories:

• Eating out guide – VeganEasy.org provides links to vegan friendly restaurants in all states of Australia. The ‘Top picks in non-vegan restaurants’ is useful advice for WFPB eaters.
• Happy Cow: The Healthy Eating Guide – You can search by location for restaurants and health food stores. Regions covered include: USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Bangkok, Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo

Page created 13 June 2014
Page last updated 27 February 2017