Vegetarian Weekly Meal Planner Printable

What’s different from the standard version

The standard Weekly Meal Planner is diet-agnostic. This vegetarian variant adds:

• Plant-based protein reminders — each meal slot prompts you to note your protein source (beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, yogurt, etc.)
• Vegetarian meal categories — columns or labels for legumes, tofu/tempeh, eggs/dairy to help you balance variety
• Same Monday–Sunday layout, Notes column, and overall structure

If you eat meat, the standard version is a better fit. If you’re vegetarian and want to avoid the pasta-and-cheese rut, this variant keeps you intentional.

Field walkthrough

Plant-based protein reminders: In each meal cell, mentally (or literally) check: what’s the protein? Lentils, chickpeas, tofu, eggs, Greek yogurt—pick one per meal. The reminders prevent defaulting to carb-heavy meals without protein. Scan your week: do you have beans 3x, tofu 1x, eggs 2x? Good mix.

Vegetarian categories: Use them to plan variety. Legumes (black beans, lentils, chickpeas) one night. Tofu or tempeh another. Eggs or a frittata another. Dairy-based (cheese in pasta, Greek yogurt parfait) occasionally. The categories aren’t prescriptive—they’re a checklist so you don’t eat lentils seven days in a row.

Notes column: Soak beans, press tofu, marinate tempeh. Vegetarian cooking often needs advance prep. The Notes column is where those reminders live.

How to use this planner — 2 real scenarios

Lacto-ovo vegetarian planning varied protein sources

You eat eggs and dairy but no meat. Sunday evening you plan the week with protein in mind. Monday: lentil soup (legumes). Tuesday: veggie frittata (eggs). Wednesday: chickpea curry (legumes). Thursday: tofu stir-fry (tofu). Friday: black bean tacos (legumes). You’ve hit legumes 3x, eggs 1x, tofu 1x. The categories make the balance obvious. You fill the grocery list—2 cans chickpeas, 1 block tofu, 1 dozen eggs, red lentils—and you’re set. No more “what’s for dinner?” followed by cheese and crackers.

New vegetarian transitioning from meat-based meals

You went vegetarian a month ago. You keep cooking “regular” meals and removing the meat, which leaves you with sides and empty plates. The protein reminders force you to ask: what’s the protein? You plan black bean enchiladas instead of “Mexican.” You add marinated tempeh to your Buddha bowl. You rediscover frittatas. The planner feels like training wheels—in a few weeks you’ll think in plant-based proteins naturally—but the structure gets you there.

Example fill-out

Monday: Breakfast — Overnight oats with almonds (protein: nuts, yogurt). Lunch — Chickpea salad wrap (protein: chickpeas). Dinner — Red lentil dal with rice (protein: lentils). Notes: Soak chickpeas if dried; canned works too.

Tuesday: Breakfast — Greek yogurt + banana (protein: yogurt). Lunch — Leftover dal over greens (protein: lentils). Dinner — Veggie frittata with cheese (protein: eggs, cheese). Notes: Make extra frittata for Wednesday lunch.

Wednesday: Breakfast — Scrambled eggs + toast (protein: eggs). Lunch — Frittata slice + salad (protein: eggs). Dinner — Tofu stir-fry with rice (protein: tofu). Notes: Press tofu Tuesday night.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

1. Cheese and pasta as default. The protein reminders exist to break that habit. Aim for legumes, tofu, tempeh, or eggs at least once per day.

2. Same protein every day. Lentils are great—five nights in a row is monotonous. Rotate: beans, lentils, tofu, eggs across the week.

3. Skipping protein at breakfast. Oatmeal alone is mostly carbs. Add nuts, yogurt, or an egg. The reminder prompts you.

4. Forgetting prep. Beans need soaking. Tofu benefits from pressing. Use the Notes column for advance prep reminders.

Customization tips

Vegan: Ignore egg/dairy categories; focus on legumes, tofu, tempeh, nuts. Structure stays the same.

Google Sheets: Add a “protein source” dropdown per meal. Build grocery list from that column.

Pair with Grocery List: Transfer legume, tofu, and produce needs to the Grocery List printable. Plant-based shopping has different staples—bulk bins, produce—keep them organized.