Plant-Based High Five: daily nutrition goals made easy
(with thanks to Emma Strutt from Greenstuff Nutrition)
When you’re new to meat-free eating, it can feel like you need a nutrition degree just to plan lunch. Protein? Check. Iron? Check. Fibre? Vitamins? Omega-3s? Cue overwhelm.
That’s why we LOVE this simple tool from one of our favourite health professionals, Emma Strutt — the Plant-Based High Five. Think of this as your daily anchor for building nourishing, plant-powered meals.
It’s not about perfection or calorie counting (no need to whip out the food scales every time you snack on a carrot). It’s about aiming for five simple daily goals most days, so you’re ticking the big nutrition boxes without even trying.
5+ Serves of Vegetables
Veggies are your nutrition superheroes — low in kilojoules, bursting with minerals (like magnesium), vitamins (like C and folate), gut-loving fibre, and cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
Hot tip: Make sure you’re including some cruciferous veg daily — think broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, bok choy. They contain special compounds (including sulforaphane) linked to lower cancer risk.
One serve = 1 cup raw salad veg, or ½ cup cooked veg.
Example for one day:
- Breakfast: Spinach and tomato in your tofu scramble
- Lunch: Broccoli and carrots in a stir-fry
- Dinner: Roast pumpkin, cauliflower, and zucchini
- Snacks: Cucumber sticks with hummus
4+ Serves of Wholegrains
Whole and intact grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice, barley, wholemeal pasta) keep your energy steady, your gut happy, and your heart healthy. They bring fibre, B vitamins, magnesium, and even a little protein.
One serve = ½ cup cooked grains, or 1 slice wholemeal bread.
Example for one day:
- Breakfast: Rolled oats with soy milk and berries
- Lunch: Quinoa salad with roast veg
- Snack: Wholemeal pita bread with dip
- Dinner: Brown rice with curry
3 Serves of Fruit
Fruit is nature’s candy — but with extra benefits. Packed with vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that protect your heart and brain.
Berry bonus: Aim for at least one serve of berries daily — they’re antioxidant powerhouses.
One serve = 1 medium piece of fruit, 2 small fruits (like plums), or 1 cup berries.
Example day’s worth:
- Breakfast: Blueberries on your porridge
- Snack: Apple with almond butter
- Dessert: Mango slices after dinner
2+ Serves of Protein-Rich Foods
Protein isn’t just for gym buffs — it’s for muscles, hormones, and immune health. On a plant-based plate, protein comes packaged with fibre and healthy fats, not cholesterol. Think beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds, and edamame.
One serve = 1 cup cooked legumes, 100g tofu/tempeh, or 30g nuts/seeds.
Example day’s worth:
- Lunch: Lentil soup
- Dinner: Tofu stir-fry
- Snacks: Handful of almonds or pumpkin seeds
1 Serve of Omegas
Your brain’s best friend! Omega-3 fats are essential for heart, brain, and joint health.
Plant-based sources of omegas include flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sea weed and walnuts.
One serve = 1 tablespoon chia/flax/hemp seeds, or 30g walnuts.
Example day’s worth:
- Breakfast: Chia seeds in overnight oats
- Snack: Walnut halves in a trail mix
And Don’t Forget… Vitamin B12
If you’re 100% plant-based, you’ll need a reliable B12 source — seek out fortified foods and we strongly recommend a daily supplement. B12 keeps your nerves, blood, and brain in top shape.
A Day on the Plant-Based High Five
Here’s how it could look all together:
- Breakfast: Overnight oats with soy milk, blueberries, chia seeds, and walnuts (1 fruit, 1 omega, 1 wholegrain)
- Snack: Apple, slice of wholemeal bread with almond butter (1 fruit, 1 protein, 1 wholegrain)
- Lunch: Quinoa salad with roasted broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lentils, and tahini dressing (3 veg, 1 wholegrain, 1 protein)
- Snack: Hummus with cucumber and capsicum sticks (2 veg, 1 protein)
- Dinner: Brown rice with tofu stir-fry (bok choy, zucchini, mushroom) (2 veg, 1 wholegrain, 1 protein)
- Dessert: Mango slices (1 fruit)
Bottom line: Don’t sweat it if you miss a serve here or there. This isn’t a competition or an exercise in precision — it’s a simple framework that helps you get the most from your food. Aim for the High Five most days, and you’ll be well on your way to smashing your nutrition goals.
👉 For more nutrition tips and plant-based resources, check out our No Meat May Nutrition page.
