3 myths that make a plant-based lifestyle seem a lot harder than it actually is

Put me in front of a room full of people who are curious about a plant-based diet, and I’ll bet you $100 I can guess most of the questions they have and their reasons for not doing it… yet.

What might some of those be, you ask?

It’s boring. 😐

It’s expensive. 💸

It’s too hard. 🥴

How do I know?

Because I believed every single one of them myself, right up until mere days before I actually made the switch. And if they were true, they’d be completely valid reasons not to bother. 

Spoiler alert: They’re not true. Or at least they don’t have to be.

The truth is, a plant-based diet can be as simple, affordable, and exciting as you want it to be. 

Once you figure out a version that fits into your life and your budget, choosing and preparing healthy, plant-based meals won’t feel like a struggle. It’ll just be part of who you are and what you do – and you’ll probably wonder why you worried so much about making the change in the first place. 😍

In this post, I’m going to break down three of the most common myths I hear about plant-based diets, and show you what’s really true instead.

So, if these thoughts have been hanging out in your head and stopping you from making changes, keep reading.

🥱 Myth #1: A Plant-based diet is boring.

If you’re anything like I was before I went plant-based, your exposure to plant-based meals has probably been pretty limited. A basic salad, maybe a veggie wrap, or some plain steamed veggies with a side of white rice. 

And you’re right… that is boring.

So, it’s no wonder the idea of living off those meals for the foreseeable future makes you want to say “no thanks” and order a burger. I wouldn’t want to take the leap either if I thought that was my food future.

But let’s get super real for a second: How much variety are you actually eating right now? 🤔

When I look back at my meals before I became a self-proclaimed crazy plant lady 🌿, they boiled down to a few simple things:

A couple breakfasts I rotated through.

A lot of sandwiches, or occasionally leftovers, for lunch.

Dinner was usually a rotation of 2–3 different meats, maybe 5–6 different veggies, and 2–3 starches.

Were there exceptions to that? Of course.

But if you took all of my meals over the course of a month, that was absolutely true.

I try really hard not to do math, but that’s a reasonably small number of possible meal combinations, and I ended up eating the same things over and over. And I’ll bet you another $100 that if you take an honest look at what you’re currently eating, the same is probably true for you.

And now that I’ve been in this space for a while, I can assure you that a plant-based diet is anything but boring. 

Because I’m no longer planning meals around a piece of meat, I approach food in a totally different way. It’s not at all unusual for one of my dinners to include 15 different plants… in one meal. I used to be lucky to eat 15 different plants in a month.

I’ve learned to combine foods in ways I never would have thought of before. I try new ingredients all the time, experiment with flavors, and get creative with what’s in my fridge. 

And the best part? I literally never get bored. 😍

🤑 Myth #2: A Plant-based diet is expensive.

Newsflash: Food in general is expensive right now, no matter what diet you’re eating. But I get why this myth feels true.

When you see the upcharges for plant-based substitutes at restaurants, or look at the price of processed vegan foods at the grocery store, it’s easy to think a plant-based diet will break the bank.

And if you’re already on the fence about making the change, it makes sense that you’d want to avoid it. Why would you spend even more money on food you’re not even sure you’ll like?

Here’s what I know: most Americans are already spending a lot on food, and none of it is cheap.

According to most sources, we get 50–70% of our calories from processed foods. A few months ago, I bought a bag of chips for the first time in a year and almost had a heart attack at the price. And I obviously don’t buy it anymore, but someone was just telling me how much a pound of steak cost. 😱

Ouch. 

And let’s not forget about the cost of eating out and takeout. Back when I ate the standard American diet, we ordered pizza, hit the drive-thru, or grabbed takeout way more often than we do now – and those costs add up fast. 

When it comes right down to it, a plant-based vegan diet can actually be less expensive. The basics – things like tofu, rice, beans, lentils, frozen vegetables, and sometimes even fresh produce – can be some of the most affordable foods out there. 

We stock up when beans, veggie broth, or other staples are on sale, and then for a couple of weeks we only need to buy fresh produce plus a few other things. Those weeks, our grocery bill is significantly less. And because we’re eating out far less often, that’s even more money saved.

Current state of our pantry. Beans were on sale, so we stocked up. All of this cost about $25 and will last us 2-3 weeks.

Bottom line: a plant-based diet, just like any other way of eating, can be as expensive or as affordable as you want it to be. It all depends on what you choose to eat.

🥴Myth #3: A Plant-based diet is too hard.

I don’t know about you, but when I was eating the standard American diet, cooking “from scratch” meant opening a box or chopping a vegetable or two. Anything more than that? Too complicated. So I get why this myth feels true.

And if you’re planning to eat a plant-based diet without relying on vegan convenience foods, there is a little bit of truth to this one. You’ll probably spend a little more time in the kitchen than you’re used to.

But don’t let the idea that you will need to spend eight hours every Sunday meal prepping stop you from trying – because it absolutely doesn’t have to be that way.

Take it from me: before we went plant-based, I tried meal prepping exactly one time. I loved the idea of it, but I hated spending a whole day cooking, only to eat the same thing over and over. It just wasn’t for me.

The reality is, a plant-based diet doesn’t have to be complicated. Sure, there may be some chopping involved, but there are plenty of ways to create healthy, plant-based meals without spending all day in the kitchen. There are simple meals with minimal prep, shortcuts to save time, and easy ways to make plant-based eating work for you. It just takes an open mind and a little trial and error. 

And sometimes, a little outside help and support… which is where I come in 😉.

Just like with cost, plant-based eating can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. The key is figuring out what works for you and building those new habits to support it.

The plant-based life you didn’t know you could have

When you start letting go of the myths, a whole new world opens up – sometimes in surprisingly practical ways:

🛒 Grocery shopping gets cheaper and less stressful. Imagine bragging (even just to yourself) about how low your grocery bill was this week because all you needed was produce plus a few additional things.

🤷‍♀️ Food shortages don’t faze you. While everyone else panics about eggs and milk disappearing before an impending snowstorm, your cart is filled with plant-based staples that will last a long time in your pantry or freezer.

🙌 You just feel different. You have more energy, less sluggishness, better digestion… it all adds up. And beyond how you feel physically, there’s pride in knowing you’re doing something good for your health, the animals, and the planet.

😍 And believe it or not, you start to enjoy the process. Meals become a game instead of a chore. You might find yourself seeing how many different plants you can fit into a single meal, or even challenging yourself to see if Today You can eat more plants than Yesterday You. (Yes, I do this sometimes. Don’t judge.)

You get to try new-to-you fruits, vegetables and grains, and combine them in all kinds of new and exciting ways.

Restaurant menus can become puzzles to solve, and it starts to be fun to see what crazy, planty combos you can pull together to create a meal. 

And honestly… there’s nothing more satisfying than sharing new plant-based foods with the people in your life who are still skeptical… and watching them genuinely enjoy them (and sometimes even request that you make them again)!

Ready to make this a reality?

We’ve just busted three of the biggest myths about plant-based eating. It’s not boring, expensive, or complicated… unless you want it to be.

But knowing the truth is one thing. Living it is another. And that’s where support comes in.

Inside my 1:1 coaching program, Empowered by Plants, I help you bridge the gap between “I know I should…” and “I’m actually doing this!” 

Every session is tailored to your life, so you never feel like you’re being forced into a cookie-cutter plan that just doesn’t work for you.

Together, we’ll:

🥦 Look at what you’re already eating and find ways to add more plants to your meals without throwing your brain (or your family) into panic mode.

📋Build some plant-based routines and habits that work with your budget, your preferences, and your schedule.

😱 Troubleshoot real-life situations – like what to do with the leftover kale in the back of the fridge. Or how to handle great Aunt Edna’s comments about how you’re going to get scurvy if you don’t eat some turkey at Thanksgiving dinner.

I’ve got your back through all of it and can help you navigate whatever situations come up, whenever they come up.. (And psst… tell Aunt Edna scurvy is caused by a Vitamin C deficiency, not a protein deficiency, and plants have both!)

So, here’s your next step: take action. 

👉 Apply for 1:1 coaching, and see what a simple, variety-packed, affordable plant-based life can actually look like.