Think about the meatless meals you already cook at home. This may include whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce, black beans and rice, or lentil soup and salad.

Change a favorite recipe to be plant-based.

• Make burritos or tacos with beans, rice, and vegetables and without the meat and cheese.

• Prepare chili with beans and no meat.

• Replace burgers with whole grain veggie burgers or grilled portobello mushrooms.

• Make kebabs with vegetables, such as onions, bell peppers, summer squash, and mushrooms.

• Make lentil or split pea soup without meat.

Try some new recipes.

Frozen fruits and vegetables are an easy and low-cost way to eat more plants.

Canned vegetables are another easy and low-cost way to eat more plants.

When you cook beans from scratch, the quick-soak method can help remove some of the indigestible sugars that cause gas.

• Put the beans in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water.

• Bring to a boil for 3 minutes.

• Cover and set aside for 1 to 4 hours.

• Rinse and drain well.

Cooking vegetables without oil: When you are sautéing vegetables on the stovetop, simply replace the oil you normally use with water or vegetable broth. Vegetables naturally have a lot of water in them, which releases when they are cooked, so you only need to add a small amount of water or broth. Just keep an eye on your pan so that your vegetables don’t stick.

The nice thing about sautéing in water or broth is that you end up tasting more of the food instead of the oil. If you are roasting or baking vegetables, you also do not need to use oil. These foods will still cook, and if left in long enough, they will lightly brown.

Baked goods: Instead of oil, use other moist foods, such as bananas, apples/applesauce, soaked dried fruit (like raisins or prunes), dates, and tofu. In preparing your pans for baking cakes, breads, or cookies, you can use parchment paper instead of oil or silicone bakeware.

Check out a local farmers market for good deals on produce.

Salad dressing: For salad dressings, simply omit the oil altogether and leave it at that, or then add a little water or juice to make up for the lost volume.

Sometimes, cooking plant-based meals can take more time. To save time:

• Make a larger pot of beans or lentils and freeze some for later.

• Buy precut fresh or frozen vegetables.

• Buy precooked grains, such as barley, faro, or brown and wild rice.

• When baking yams or potatoes, make a few extra to use in the next meal.

• Use canned beans, including nonfat refried beans.

If your family is not following a plant-based diet with you:

• Cook meat separately and add it to the other plant-based foods.

• Encourage your family to try more meatless meals.

• Try new recipes they might enjoy, such as five-bean chili without meat or portobello mushroom burgers.

You might need to add a few items to your kitchen, including:

• A good chef’s knife to cut vegetables, fruits, and other plant-based foods.

• A blender or food processor.

• A large pot, pressure cooker, or crockpot to cook beans.

• A good nonstick pan.

Make sure to drink plenty of water. It is best to avoid juice, soda, and other sugary drinks.