Do you struggle with decision fatigue? You’re going to love this set of four vegan meal plan templates – one for each season! Let’s face it, the worst part about dinner isn’t cooking or cleaning up, it’s figuring out what to make! Meal planning is such an important task… but wouldn’t it be nice if there was a shortcut to get it done in 10 minutes? Now there is!

I first created this collection of four seasonal vegan meal plan templates for myself but they became some of the most popular printables on my website! They were inspired by “Mad Libs” style forms in which all you have to do is fill in the blanks to write funny stories. Except in this case you get a meal plan and shopping for next week!

Type in your email below to receive the download link, then check your email and print the PDF forms before you continue reading!

Here’s how to use the vegan meal plan templates.

Step 1 – Choose the right season

Unless you’re in California (lucky you!), the current season will determine the type of produce that’s in season, which means it’s not only abundant but also fresher, more nutritious, and cheaper! Pick the right page from the vegan meal plan template pack and take a cursory glance at the vegetables suggested. In spring, there’ll be lots of leafy greens, while winter squashes show up in, well, winter.

Step 2 – Scan your fridge, freezer, and pantry

Take stock of what you already have in the kitchen, with a focus on leftovers and produce that should be used ASAP. You spent money buying the ingredients and time cooking them up, so don’t let that go to waste! Move things around to make sure you even see what’s at the back! Write down what you have in the appropriate block on the vegan meal plan template.

Don’t forget to check your pantry for cool ingredients, like sauces, condiments, or spice mixes, that you could use to boost the flavor of some of the coming week’s meals.

Step 3 – Plan your week using the template

Now it’s time for the fun part: mixing and matching some ideas from me with what you have found in step 2, plus some seasonal produce.

Make sure to have your calendar open so you make realistic plans: if you won’t be home until 8 pm on a weeknight, it’s not a good time to launch into a lasagna.

Each day features a standard healthy vegan meal – soup and stews, stir-fries, and salads and bowls – that I am confident you can easily improvise based on your experience. If you feel unsure, you may want to take my Cooking Without Thinking course to practice and grow your confidence!

Step 4 – List the ingredients you need

Once you’ve got a rough meal plan for dinners, add other lunch or snack items you typically need.

Step 5 – Compile shopping list

The shopping list box is small because it’s assumed that you have many pantry ingredients already. Focus on the fresh produce and perhaps a few new items for the list.

How’s your pantry inventory?
If you feel it’s overflowing, it’s time for a Vegan Pantry Challenge
If you are just getting started with healthy vegan cooking, you may want to check out my pantry ingredient suggestions.

Cooking club makes it much easier to stick to your batch cooking dreams!

Step 6 – Advance prep steps

This is your final step for this vegan meal plan template. Think about what you might be able to prepare in advance in a batch cooking session to make your weeknights easier. Consider joining cooking club to do your batch cooking in good company!

You’re done! Time to go shopping and get cooking now.