Although there are plenty of packaged food options for those on a plant-based diet, such as imitation meat burgers and kale chips, whole foods are still the best option, according to experts quoted in a January 27, 2020 ABC News article.
Packaged foods can be high in sodium and saturated fats, said Deirdre Tobias, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Instead of purchasing these products, she said, shop in the produce aisle, experiment with recipes, and “Make your own plant-based foods.”
While a plant-based diet focuses on foods like vegetables and fruits, beans, nuts, and whole grains, it still allows for other foods.
“If you’re not ready to give up meat entirely, still even reducing it to once in a while would have a lot of great benefits,” Tobias said. “The science isn’t there to say a steak or a burger once in a while is horrible for you, it’s the daily consumption that’s problematic.”
Read the ABC News article: Plant-based diets 101: What to know about the buzzy diet trend