Plant-Based Made Easy With Forks Over Knives – Plus FOK Meal Planner Review

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and then make a purchase, I may get a small commission from that sale, at no extra cost to you.
I still remember the moment as clear as day.
It was a Saturday night.
The boyfriend and I wanted to watch something educational on Netflix, so we clicked on the Forks Over Knives documentary film, barely realizing it would forever change us, for the better.
The next day, June 28th 2015, we went plant-based... and haven't looked back ever since.
Here I stand almost four years later... still enjoying the many benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet and with more excitement than ever to keep advocating for it and spreading awareness of what a diet full of mostly wholesome fruits and veggies can do for your health and well-being.
what is the Forks Over Knives plant-based diet:
Forks Over Knives is so much more than just a diet - it is an entire MOVEMENT.
A movement that aims to spread awareness on the transformative power that whole-foods plant-based eating can have on your health and on your well-being.
The general idea is to consume foods that are whole and unrefined (unprocessed) or minimally refined plant foods and to exclude (or minimize) meat, dairy products, eggs, and highly refined/processed foods such as bleached flours, refined sugars, and refined oils.
Time after time, loads of scientific research has shown that these highly refined foods and processed animal products can be detrimental to our health and have been linked to chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity.
On the other hand, a diet filled with whole foods plant-based meals has proven beneficial to many.
You can read some REAL life transformative stories on the Forks Over Knives website - such as how a plant based diet has helped Corinne Nijjer control her MS relapses and hasn't had one in 10 years!
Or how this 38-year-old got his cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar under control through consuming a whole foods plant based diet after receiving some scary and borderline abnormal lab results that threatened his health.
Or how this 40 year old finally beat IBS and Acid Reflux after struggling with it for 20 years!!!
These are just a few of the amazing and mind-blowing examples that give light to the power of feeding your body clean, whole-from-the-earth, mostly plant-based goodness. And if it all sounds too-good-to-be-true, I encourage you to give it a try yourself - after all, that is the only way you'll know if this will work, for real.
Forks Over Knives is here to help:
At first glance, especially if you are not familiar with this plant-based lifestyle, it might seem as if this is extremely restrictive.
Once you eliminate the meat, dairy, eggs, and refined foods you may start to wonder well, 'What CAN one eat?!' as you stare at your empty fridge.
I know for sure I did.
And that is a fairly common question, one that can bring up a lot of resistance and anxiety about making such a drastic change in lifestyle. However, you do not have to go through this alone. On the contrary, Forks Over Knives and its community of hundreds of thousands are here to help you, and stand by you, guide you, and inspire you along the way.
Since the release of the film in 2011, Forks Over Knives (FOK) has continued to grow and expand their reach. They are no longer just a film documentary on Netflix... but instead have become a leading agent in change throughout the plant-based community, and an invaluable resource for anyone who is interested in learning more about plant-based eating.
They have a ton of tools available for you, right now, such as their ever-growing website that is filled with the latest research on plant-based nutrition and a tonnnn of delicious recipes that are 'whole-foods plant-based oil free' approved, not to mention incredibly inspiring transformation stories like the ones I mentioned above.
The Forks Over Knives' team has also released multiple cook-books, they've launched a cooking course (time to learn a new skill!), a line of food products, a magazine, a mobile recipe app and most recently, a meal planner!!
2015 looked very different for a first time plant-based eater but that is no longer the case in 2019. The help is here, the resources are here, and now all you need to do is make the commitment to change.
And to answer the question of 'what can you eat':
Fruits, veggies, starches, grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds in moderation .. the opportunities are endless.
You may want to check out this page over on FOK's site called 'What To Eat' where they break down the concepts of the diet in an easy-to-understand manner.
And if you're not a do-it-yourself-er and feel that you would benefit from a little extra guidance, the Forks Over Knives Meal Planner will be your new BFF. I actually had the opportunity to try out the meal planner for five days, and I really enjoyed the process.
so, what is the FOK Meal Planner?
It's plant-based eating, made easy.
This meal planner is a GAME-CHANGER, and a time-saver.
It takes the guesswork out from having to figure out what to buy at the grocery store, what to prep ahead of time, and what to cook each night.
The meal planner is basically a five day recipe menu, totally customizable, by YOU.
You can add breakfast, you can add a sixth day (for the weekend if you cook all your meals at home), you can remove certain recipes that you don't like, or add new ones that better satisfy your cravings.
It's.All.There.
No more scouring the internet for hours trying to find healthy plant-based approved recipes that 'may or may not' turn out exactly right.
No more deciphering what ingredients to purchase at the grocery store or forgetting an ingredient that is essential for a recipe - because the grocery lists are broken down for you.
No more breaking your head on weekends thinking about what you should prep ahead of time to save yourself some time throughout the week.
The planner does all of this automatically. It is believed that one saves an average of 20 hours a week simply by following the meal plan and not having to worry about anything else!!!
Honestly, if this would have been around in 2015 my life would have been so much easier - as well as my plant-based transitioning. Even today, with almost four years of plant-based eating experience under my belt, I found this meal planner to be very effective.
my experience with the meal planner
Yes, I run a *food* blog and have many many recipe ideas in my head.. but, I am also a busy woman running around juggling work, life, and laundry. Not to mention we never ever eat out which means all of our meals are made at home, mostly by me.. and it can (does) get hectic.
This meal planner made my week flow seamlessly. I didn't have to 'think' about what to make for breakfast/lunch/dinner because I knew the planner had my back.
I didn't fret before my trip to the grocery store trying to predict what ingredients I would need for the week - because I had my FOK meal planner grocery list 'print out' in hand (which you can also access from your cellphone).
I saved time because the meal planner made it easy for me to meal prep my quinoa and sauteed veggies ahead of time and make certain meals in large quantities so that i would have left overs for the week ahead.
Not to mention the recipes were really delicious - as you can see via all of the pictures throughout this post.
So if the meal planner did all of this for me, imagine in what ways it can help you if you are just starting out on this journey?
What exactly do you get in the Forks Over Knives Meal Planner?
- Weekly meal plans with recipes that are ready in 35 minutes or less
- Chef created meals, so you know they're going to taste amazing
- Weekend meal prep guide (Tells you what certain parts of the recipes you can make ahead of time on the weekend to save you time during the week when you're the most busy)
- Dynamic grocery lists that you can print out and take with you, or access right from your phone. And if you change a recipe, the grocery list automatically updates!
- New recipes added weekly and access to over 900 recipes - so it's very unlikely that you'll get bored any time soon.
- Nut/soy/gluten-free version of almost all recipes - and this is HUGE because as someone who has a family with a ton of needs (we try to eat gluten free and soy free as much as possible) this was super helpful.
And as if all of that wasn't super helpful as it is, you'll also get access to a subscribers-only Facebook group community where you can find answers to your questions and tons of encouragement.
See? I told you, you didn't have to grow through this alone. 😉
Risk-free two week trial (no credit card required)!!
The best part of ALL is that you can try the meal planner risk-free for 14 days, and there's not even a credit card required..
And if you do decide to sign up, there's a 30-day money back guarantee if you aren't satisfied...
And you can sign up for as little as $2.30 a week!! That's cheaper than your average latte.
So really the question becomes, why not?
What do you have to lose? Nothing.
But, boy oh boy, do you have so much more to gain.. physically, mentally, and emotionally.
There is a reason why plant-based eating has gained so much momentum in recent years.
There is a reason why all of us plant-based-foodies advocate so loudly for this amazing way of living.
We want you in on our secret. 😉
We want you in on good health and vibrant living.
Because well-being is your birthright.
final words - you're not in this alone
What started as one man's mission to spread awareness of the life-changing (and life-saving) benefits of a plant based diet, has today become an extraordinarily huge movement.
A movement whose main message is to let you know that plant-based eating can be made easy, that making healthier food choices doesn't have to be difficult or confusing. That you *do* have time.
With so many amazing resources right at your fingertips (quite literally), making the transition to a plant-based diet, or at the very least, adding more plant-based meals into your lifestyle routine has never been easier.
I hope you find this article informative.
I hope it sparks a light of curiosity within you.
And if it does, don't forget, you're not alone. Forks Over Knives (and I!) are here to help.
with love + gratitude,
Jen ♥
CLICK IMAGE TO PIN
subscribe to our blog below.
Just *one* email a week. Promise. <3
Did you make this recipe?
tag us on instagram @sproutingzeneats and use hashtag #sproutingzeneats so that we can feature your creations! 🙂