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Back-to-School Vegan Lunch Ideas: Quick, Healthy, and Family-Friendly! I know mornings can be a rush, especially when you’re trying to put together a lunch that’s both nutritious and something your kids will actually enjoy. That’s exactly why I created this series of easy vegan lunch recipes—to help make mealtime simple and stress-free without compromising on flavor or nutrition. These meals are packed with wholesome ingredients that are both kid-approved and easy to prepare, making them perfect for busy school days. And if you end up with leftovers, don’t worry—these recipes make great dinners or second-day meals too! So why not give this recipe a try and take the pressure off those hectic mornings? I hope this meal becomes a family favorite, just like it did in mine! ✨ 
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As a busy parent, I know how hectic mornings can be, especially when trying to pack a lunch that’s both healthy and exciting for your kids. That’s why I created a series of easy vegan lunch recipes! These meals are not only nutritious but also super simple to make, with ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. This recipe has a great mix of protein and fibre from beans and pasta. I recommended wholemeal pasta if your kiddo will eat it. Try a mix of whit and brown if still getting them used to it. The best part? These lunches are delicious and kid-approved, but adults will love them too! Whether you’re making lunch for your little ones or prepping a quick meal for yourself, these recipes are perfect for the whole family. Plus, they don’t take much time to whip up—just a few minutes in the kitchen, and you’ve got a satisfying, plant-powered lunch. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as mine does! ✨  To help make ‘back to school’ a little easier for you, try this quick, healthy black bean pasta in your kids lunch box. If you cook the pasta the night before, it’s faster to assemble in the morning. Combining high fibre and protein rich black beans with prebiotic onions for gut health, not only are you creating a delicious lunch that you can feel happy about, but it’s also delicious. You can choose any type of pasta you like, wholemeal, high protein or legume based. They all taste good in this recipe.  As a health conscious person, you’re dedicated to your and your families wellbeing. But self-prescribing supplements can often do more harm than good. Here’s five reasons you should consult a qualified nutritionist before reaching for that bottle of supplements.
1. You Might Be Treating the Wrong Deficiency Picture this: You’re a tired, run-down vegan parent and a friend suggests you should take an iron supplement. You buy one from the supermarket and start feeling a little better at first—but the energy boost doesn’t last, and you’re still exhausted, cranky, and struggling to keep up with your kids. Why didn’t the iron supplement work? It could be that low iron wasn’t the issue at all. Your fatigue might actually be caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency perhaps. “But I take vitamin B12,” you say. But did you know there are four different forms of vitamin B12? If you’re not taking the right one, you might still be missing the mark. Meanwhile, all that iron you’re taking could actually be causing oxidative stress if your body doesn’t need it. Over-supplementing with iron can harm you in the long run. 2. Iron Levels Aren’t Always What They Seem Let’s say you’ve had your blood tested, and your ferritin levels are fine, so you assume your iron levels are good. But here's the catch: ferritin isn’t the best marker of iron sufficiency. It can be artificially elevated when you’re experiencing inflammation, which could lead you to believe you’re getting enough iron when you’re actually not. 3. Excessive Supplementation Can Make Things Worse Some supplements, like zinc and iron, can actually lead to decreased nutrient absorption when taken in excess. You might think you’re replenishing your stores, but you could actually be making your nutritional status worse. 4. Some Supplements Compete for Absorption For example, calcium can impair magnesium, iron and zinc absorption at specific doses. Despite this many supplements combine these nutrients together. This can lead you to believe you’re geing optimal supplementation, when in reality, these nutrients are best taken separately to ensure your body absorbs them properly. 5. Micronutrients Are Best Taken In Specic Ratios Your body needs micronutrients in specic ratios for optimal health as micronutrients never work alone. For example, calcium and magnesium should be consumed in a 2:1 ratio. If the ratio is out, you might be increasing your risk of metabolic, inflammatory and cardiovascular disorders and not supporting micronutrients to work optimally. Why You Should Consult a Nutritionist Supplements should only be taken after a full diet assessment and review of your pathology results to ensure they’re actually needed. Your body’s nutritional needs are as unique as you. A qualied nutritionist can help you identify the right supplements (if any) and make sure you're taking them in the correct form and dosage for optimal absorption and health. Want personalised guidance on how to get the right nutrients from food and supplements? As a qualied vegan nutritionist, I can help you navigate your nutritional needs, ensuring you make the best choices for your health and your family’s well-being. Book a FREE Health Reset to see how I can help you feel your best and optimise your nutrition. Stephanie Sandor, Nutritionist BHSc., BComm., Cert IV (Fitness) Your Vegan Nutritionist (formerly Planting Nutrition) Are you curious about the incredible health benefits of a plant-based or vegan diet? From lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer and type 2 diabetes, the advantages are plentiful (1). Some research shows that while vegans enjoy numerous health perks, they may face an increased risk of bone fractures due to lower body weight and bone density. This is why it’s vital to be proactive about your bone health—especially as osteoporosis, low bone density, affects one in three women and one in five men worldwide (2). Lets break this down a little more. A body mass index (BMI) of less than 20 kg/m2, is associated with greater bone loss and fracture risk (3). And vegans and plant based eaters tend to have a have a lower BMI, due to lower body weight and less rates of obesity. So maintaining a healthy BMI between 20 and 24.9 is a smart move. You see, breaking a bone may not seem that big a deal while you are young, but as you age, it can lead to loss of independence and increased mortality risk. But here’s the good news: You have the power to enhance your bone density and reduce your risk of osteoporosis through diet and lifestyle changes. And the earlier you start, the better! Here’s How You Can Boost Your Bone Health:
A whole foods plant-based diet can also reduce dietary acid load, promoting better bone density and overall health due to the abundance of alkalising plant foods. In contrast Western style diets rich in acidifying meat, eggs and cheese increase a diets acid load (4) This not only increase risk of osteoporosis, but also contributes to low grade inflammation and tissue damage. Ready to Take Control of Your Health? Whether you want to increase your intake of plants, or are eating a full plant based diet, I am here to help. Book your FREE 15 minute phone consultation today to see how I can support you References:
Soy foods offer a convenient and versatile source of high quality protein. However much hesitation and confusion exists around soy foods despite all the research showing it is a healthy and beneficial addition to a balanced diet.
Research shows that soy is a nutrient-rich food, and can be particularly advantageous when used as a protein source to replace animal protein which can be high in saturated fat. So lets chat about all the benefits of including soy in your diet. What Is Soy? Soy is a versatile and nutrient dense legume. It’s health benefits are predominantly due to compounds called isoflavones, which are a type of phytoestrogen. These compounds induce numerous health benefits including cancer prevention, lowering cholesterol and even reducing menopausal symptoms (1). Benefits of Soy: Can soy protect against cancer and is soy safe to eat after breast cancer? A meta-analysis of 47 studies found that a higher soy intake is associated with a 10% reduced risk of overall cancer incidence. For every 25 grams of soy consumed daily, cancer risk decreased by 4%. The primary compounds responsible for this effect are soy isoflavones, rather than soy protein alone. Specifically, prostate and lung cancer risks were reduced by 6% and 10% respectively (2). Consuming soy during adolescence is also shown to reduce breast cancer risk in later life for women (3). Furthermore, soy foods are shown to be safe for women with breast cancer and may even reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence (4, 5, 6) Can soy improve menopause and perimenopause symptoms? The isoflavones in soybeans include genistein, daidzein, and glycitein. These are shown to reduce hot flushes in menopausal women. Specifically, 18.8mg of genistein showed substantial reduction of hot flushes in menopausal women. Thats around 40mg of total isoflavones from whole soybeans. (7) 3.5g of isoflavones are found in each gram of soy protein and traditional soy foods (8). A women’s risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes unfortuantely increases post menopause. Therefore replacing high saturated fat sources of protein with soy foods can reduce these risks. 25g of soy protein consumed daily can improve lipid levels to reduce a women’s health risks (9). Soy consumption is also shown to lower risk of both cardiovascular disease as well as type 2 diabetes (10). Is soy bad for your thyroid? Concerns about soy foods affecting thyroid function are unfounded. For those with hypothyroidism taking thyroxine, this medication should be taken away from soy and all foods for that matter for optimal absorption. Best best results, this medication should be taken 1 hour before breakfast. So long as you are consuming sufficient iodine in your diet, soy foods should not affect your thyroid function (11). Does soy protect against heart disease? Consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily is shown to lower low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in those with elevated LDL by up to 6%. In this study, soy was consumed as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet. While 50g of soy protein per day was compared with casein intake, the protein found in milk. Soy protein outperformed casein in lowering non HDL cholesterol (12) How much soy is safe to eat? Based on current research, consuming 25 grams of soy protein and 50 to 100 mg of isoflavones daily is considered appropriate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration supports that including at least 25 grams of soy protein daily in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol can help reduce LDL cholesterol. For most people, consuming two to four servings of soy foods per day, such as 120 grams of tofu or 250 mL of soy milk, is beneficial. It's best to incorporate soy foods by replacing less healthy options in an overall balanced diet. Conclusion Incorporating soy foods into your diet can offer numerous health benefits, from reducing cancer risk to supporting cardiovascular health. Despite some misconceptions, soy is a nutritious and valuable part of a balanced diet. References 1 National Center For Complementary and Integrative Health https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/soy 2 Fan Y, Wang M, Li Z, Jiang H, Shi J, Shi X, Liu S, Zhao J, Kong L, Zhang W, Ma L. Intake of Soy, Soy Isoflavones and Soy Protein and Risk of Cancer Incidence and Mortality. Front Nutr. 2022 Mar 4;9:847421. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.847421. PMID: 35308286; PMCID: PMC8931954. 3 Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev (2001) 10 (5): 483–488. https://aacrjournals.org/cebp/article/10/5/483/253410/Soyfood-Intake-during-Adolescence-and-Subsequent 4 MD Anderson Cancer centre. Is soy safe for patients with breast cancer?https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/is-soy-safe-for-patients-with-breast-cancer.h00-159538167.html 5 American Cancer Society. Soy and Cancer Risk: Our Expert’s Advice https://www.cancer.org/cancer/latest-news/soy-and-cancer-risk-our-experts-advice.html 6 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Oncology Nutrition. Soy and Breast Cancer. https://www.oncologynutrition.org/erfc/healthy-nutrition-now/foods/soy-and-breast-cancer 7 Messina M. Soy and Health Update: Evaluation of the Clinical and Epidemiologic Literature. Nutrients. 2016 Nov 24;8(12):754. doi: 10.3390/nu8120754. PMID: 27886135; PMCID: PMC5188409. 8 Messina M. Soy and Health Update: Evaluation of the Clinical and Epidemiologic Literature. Nutrients. 2016 Nov 24;8(12):754. doi: 10.3390/nu8120754. PMID: 27886135; PMCID: PMC5188409. 9 Raga M Bakhit, Barbara P Klein, Diane Essex-Sorlie, Joan O Ham, John W Erdman, Susan M Potter, Intake of 25 g of Soybean Protein with or without Soybean Fiber Alters Plasma Lipids in Men with Elevated Cholesterol Concentrations12, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 124, Issue 2,1994, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/124.2.213. 10 Raga M Bakhit, Barbara P Klein, Diane Essex-Sorlie, Joan O Ham, John W Erdman, Susan M Potter, Intake of 25 g of Soybean Protein with or without Soybean Fiber Alters Plasma Lipids in Men with Elevated Cholesterol Concentrations12, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 124, Issue 2,1994, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/124.2.213. Chronic sinusitis and nasal congestion can be more than just an inconvenience; it can significantly impact your well-being. Common symptoms include:
Additional symptoms may include:
 Women suffering from chronic sinusitis leading to runny and congested nose, headaches and post nasal drip Could Salicylate Sensitivity Be the Culprit? If you’ve struggled to pinpoint the cause of your symptoms, you might be dealing with salicylate sensitivity or intolerance. Salicylate intolerance can mimic symptoms of histamine intolerance. If you’ve tried a low histamine diet without relief, salicylates might be to blame. What Are Salicylates? Salicylates are compounds found in various foods, especially fruits and vegetables (often in the skin), certain legumes, herbs, and cereals like buckwheat. For those sensitive to salicylates, these compounds can trigger immune responses involving basophils and mast cells, leading to symptoms similar to those of chronic sinusitis. How to Identify Salicylate Intolerance A two-to-four-week elimination diet is essential to determine if salicylates are affecting you. During this period, you should:
After the elimination phase, gradually reintroduce salicylate-containing foods to identify your tolerance levels. Support Your Gut Health Maintaining good gut health is crucial during this process. A healthy gut can help mitigate some of the symptoms associated with salicylate intolerance. Need Nutritionist Support? If you suspect salicylate intolerance might be affecting your health, book a FREE 15 minute nutritionist consultation with me today here to see how I can help. Categories“Where do vegans and vegetarians get protein?” This is a common question I still get asked. Well it’s actually not that hard to achieve your protein needs on a plant based diet. Like any healthy style of eating, or achieve any goal really, a little planning goes a long way. Start by calculating your protein needs, based on your weight and health goals. Then plan out a days eating to see how that amount of protein looks distributed throughout the day. Cronometer is a great free app. that helps with this. Opt for the higher protein sources such as tofu, tempeh, seitan, and TVP as your main protein sources then build your meal around those with healthy whole grains, also rich in protein such as teff, and lots of colourful vegetables, including dark green leafy vegetables. Enjoy making flavourful, healthy. plant rich meals.  This delicious vegan banana bread can be made in one bowl using a high speed blender, leaving little for washing up. You can replace the walnuts for a chocolate vegan banana bread bread for a more indulgent take on the recipe.
If you don't have wholemeal spelt flour, you can use regular wholemeal flour. I definitely prefer this over white flour, for a wholemeal healthy vegan banana bread option. This is a super simple vegan banana bread recipe that you will love and have on repeat for an easy afternoon tea or after dinner treat. It’s fluffy and moist, and delicious served warm from the oven or toasted afterwards. Using dates instead of sugar is a great way to add more nutrition while still adding sweetness. Instructions Wholemeal Spelt Banana Bread
Serve with lemon cashew curd. (Recipe below) Lemon cashew curd
Be sure to comment below if you make this recipe and let me know your feedback. Steph xxx  Plant based meals in a flash. Create quick and healthy, balanced whole food plant based meals.
Pro tip - Plan your meals for the week and prep your food for quick and healthy meals. Vary your food choices from each category below for the best health outcomes. Serve sizes are a guide only. Calculate your protein needs first and work around that. Start with your Protein:
Add Your Whole grains:
Then Add Your Veggies:
Boost Your Flavour with Dressing/sauce options:
Additional Plant Based Health Boost
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Certified Nutritionist - Vegan & Plant Based Diets, Vegan kids, Menopause, Gut Health, Weight Loss
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