Health & WellnessBeginnerPreview
Plant-Based Nutrition
Learn how to meet every macro and micronutrient need from plants, eliminate the most common deficiency risks, and create affordable weekly meal plans.
Anyone transitioning to or curious about plant-based eating who wants clear nutritional guidance rather than generic advice.
Course content
Workbook & downloads
Put the course into practice — a printable workbook plus editable templates you can fill in and reuse.
Preview the workbook
This workbook accompanies the Plant-Based Nutrition course and translates each module into hands-on exercises, structured worksheets, and actionable checklists. Work through each section as you complete the corresponding course module, and revisit the templates regularly as your diet evolves. The exercises are designed to surface your specific gaps and build systems tailored to your household, budget, and lifestyle.
The Plant-Based Nutrient Map
Audit your current diet against the six highest-risk nutrient shortfalls and build your personalised supplement protocol.
Exercise: Nutrient Gap Self-Assessment
Before changing anything in your diet, answer the following prompts honestly based on your current eating patterns. There are no right answers — this is a diagnostic, not a test.
- List every food you regularly eat that contains vitamin B12 (include fortified foods and supplements). How many micrograms per day do you estimate you consume from these sources?
- How often do you eat high-iron plant foods (lentils, beans, pumpkin seeds, fortified oats) in the same meal as a vitamin C source? What is your current practice and where are the gaps?
- Do you currently take an algae-based DHA/EPA supplement? If not, what is your weekly intake of ALA-rich foods (walnuts, ground flaxseed, chia seeds)?
Worksheet: Supplement Protocol Builder
Use the course recommendations to fill in your personalised supplement protocol. Consult your GP before adding any supplement if you are pregnant, have a chronic condition, or take prescription medications.
- B12 form chosen (cyanocobalamin / methylcobalamin)
- B12 dose and frequency (e.g., 2,000 mcg weekly / 50 mcg daily)
- Vitamin D3 source and dose (IU per day)
- Algae DHA/EPA brand and daily dose (mg)
- Iodine source (iodised salt / supplement dose in mcg)
- Optional zinc supplement dose if dietary intake is insufficient
- Optional calcium supplement form and dose if food intake is below 700 mg/day
- Planned annual blood test date and GP name
Checklist: Absorption Enhancement Checklist
- Soak all dried lentils, chickpeas, and beans for 8–12 hours before cooking
- Add a vitamin C source to every iron-rich meal (lemon juice, tomatoes, bell pepper, broccoli)
- Avoid tea and coffee for 60 minutes before and after iron-rich meals
- Choose sourdough or yeast-leavened whole grain bread over unleavened crackers as a zinc source
- Do not take calcium supplements in the same dose as iron or zinc supplements
- Use cast-iron cookware for acidic dishes like tomato-based sauces and bean stews
Building the Complete Plant Plate
Design your personal WFPB daily plate and verify it meets protein, fibre, and fat targets using the hand-portion system.
Worksheet: Daily Plate Blueprint
Fill in your personal daily plate allocation based on the WFPB portfolio framework. Use the hand-portion benchmarks from the course lesson as your guide.
- Your body weight (kg) and calculated daily protein target (g)
- Breakfast protein anchor food and estimated grams of protein
- Lunch protein anchor food and estimated grams of protein
- Dinner protein anchor food and estimated grams of protein
- Snack protein contribution (food and grams)
- Daily total protein estimate (g) — compare to your target
- Daily dark leafy green vegetable choice and serving size
- Daily ALA omega-3 source (ground flaxseed / chia / walnuts) and amount
- Daily fibre estimate (g) based on food choices
Exercise: Label Literacy Practice
Pick up three packaged plant-based foods from your kitchen or grocery store. For each one, complete the analysis below using the criteria from the course lesson.
- For each food, record: product name, protein per serving (g), fibre per serving (g), sodium per serving (mg), and whether B12 or calcium fortification appears in the ingredient list.
- Based on your analysis, which of the three products is the most nutritionally complete for a plant-based diet and why? Which would you remove or limit?
- Identify one restaurant you visit regularly. Look up the menu online and describe the most complete plant-based meal you can construct from it, including your estimated protein contribution.
Checklist: WFPB Portfolio Daily Adherence
- At least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits consumed today (target 7–9)
- At least one serving of dark leafy greens (kale, bok choy, collards, broccoli) for calcium and iron
- A legume-based protein anchor included at at least two meals
- A whole grain carbohydrate base chosen over a refined white grain at at least one meal
- At least one tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seed consumed for ALA omega-3
- Tea or coffee avoided within 60 minutes of the highest-iron meal of the day
- Vitamin C source paired with the highest-iron meal of the day
- Daily B12 supplement taken (or weekly dose noted in calendar)
Weekly Menu Planning for Any Budget
Build your personalised one-week menu template and grocery list aligned with your budget tier and household size.
Worksheet: Budget Tier and Grocery Allocation Worksheet
Calculate your actual weekly food budget and allocate it across food categories using the 40/30/20/10 framework from the course.
- Number of people in household being fed on this plan
- Total weekly grocery budget ($)
- Budget per person per day ($) — divide total by household size and 7
- Budget tier assigned (Tier 1 / Tier 2 / Tier 3) based on per-person-per-week spend
- Protein anchor budget (40% of total weekly) ($)
- Vegetables and fruits budget (30% of total weekly) ($)
- Whole grains and carbohydrate bases budget (20% of total weekly) ($)
- Flavour, oils, condiments, supplements budget (10% of total weekly) ($)
- Planned batch cook date and time this week
- Protein anchors to batch cook this Sunday (legume types and quantities in grams dry)
Exercise: Seven-Day Menu Template Design
Using the protein rotation principle from the lesson, fill in your personal seven-day menu template. You do not need seven unique meals — repeating protein anchors on two days each is the intended approach.
- List your seven protein anchors for the week (one per day), choosing from lentils, chickpeas, black beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and any other plant protein you enjoy. Note the specific dish you plan to make with each anchor.
- For each day, identify which seasonal vegetables you will pair with the protein anchor. List two vegetable options per day — one fresh and one frozen — so you have a fallback if the fresh option is unavailable.
- Identify one day this week where social eating, dining out, or a work event could interrupt your plan. Write out your specific strategy for that day using the techniques from Module 4 Lesson 1.
Checklist: Weekly Grocery and Batch Cook Checklist
- Dried lentils stocked (minimum 500 g for one person, scale by household)
- Dried chickpeas or canned chickpeas stocked for the week
- At least one whole grain staple stocked (brown rice, oats, or quinoa)
- Frozen edamame and frozen spinach or broccoli in the freezer
- Plant milk with B12 and calcium fortification stocked
- Tofu or tempeh purchased for the week's protein rotation
- Ground flaxseed or chia seeds stocked for daily ALA addition
- Iodised salt or iodine supplement on hand
- Sunday batch cook completed — legumes and grains cooked and stored in the fridge
- Weekly B12 supplement dose recorded if using weekly dosing schedule
Checklist: Seasonal and Frozen Shopping Checklist
- Checked the current seasonal produce for your region before building this week's menu
- Compared fresh vs. frozen price per 100 g for at least three vegetables before purchasing
- Chose frozen over fresh for off-season vegetables where nutritional value is equivalent
- Identified one in-season vegetable to purchase in bulk and freeze for later months
- Reviewed store flyers or discount apps before shopping to purchase seasonal protein anchors on sale
Sustaining Plant-Based Eating Long-Term
Build your social strategies, monitoring systems, and personalised long-term plant-based protocol.
Exercise: Social Friction Audit
Identify the specific social and logistical situations that create friction for your plant-based eating, and design a concrete response strategy for each.
- List your three highest-frequency social eating situations (e.g., family Sunday dinners, work lunch meetings, partner's non-plant-based cooking). For each, describe the specific friction it creates and write one concrete strategy you will use to navigate it.
- Identify two restaurants you visit most often. For each, look up the menu and describe the one dish you will order as your default plant-based choice and why it is nutritionally sound.
- Write out how you will describe your eating pattern to a sceptical family member or colleague using only positive framing (what you are adding, not what you are removing). Practice keeping it to two sentences.
Worksheet: Annual Monitoring and Review Protocol
Set up your annual plant-based diet check-in system using the biomarkers and subjective indicators from the course.
- Annual blood test booking date
- GP name and clinic
- Biomarkers to request: B12 (with MMA if possible), 25(OH)D, ferritin, zinc, omega-3 index (if available)
- Current estimated serum 25(OH)D level if known (nmol/L)
- Current estimated ferritin level if known (mcg/L)
- Planned 7-day Cronometer tracking start date for initial dietary audit
- Three subjective markers to monitor monthly (energy, exercise recovery, cognitive clarity, hair/nails, skin)
- Date to review and update weekly menu template for next season
- Date to review supplement protocol (annually or after blood results)
Checklist: Your Long-Term Plant-Based System Launch Checklist
- Three core supplements ordered: B12, vitamin D3 (lichen-sourced), algae DHA/EPA
- Cronometer account created and 7-day tracking period scheduled
- First Sunday batch cook completed and repeated for two consecutive weeks to establish the habit
- Annual blood panel appointment booked with GP
- Personal seven-day menu template written and pinned to the fridge or saved digitally
- Social strategy written for the three highest-friction eating situations in your life
- Seasonal produce calendar downloaded or bookmarked for your region
- Frozen staples (edamame, spinach, broccoli, berries) permanently stocked in freezer
- B12 supplement dose entered as a recurring weekly calendar reminder
- One new plant-based recipe identified to try in the next seven days
Your Action Plan
- Day 1: Complete the Nutrient Gap Self-Assessment in Section 1 before making any dietary changes — diagnose first
- Day 1–2: Order your three core supplements (B12 cyanocobalamin 2,000 mcg weekly, vitamin D3 1,000–2,000 IU daily, algae DHA/EPA 250–500 mg daily)
- Day 3–9: Install Cronometer and log every meal for 7 consecutive days to surface your actual nutrient intake patterns
- Day 7: Complete the Daily Plate Blueprint worksheet using data from your Cronometer audit
- Day 7: Plan your first Sunday batch cook — choose two legumes (e.g., lentils + chickpeas) and one whole grain (brown rice or quinoa) to prepare for the week
- Day 8 (Sunday): Complete your first batch cook and store cooked legumes and grains in labelled containers in the fridge
- Week 2: Fill in the Seven-Day Menu Template using your protein rotation plan; pin it to the fridge or save it as your phone wallpaper
- Week 2: Complete the Label Literacy exercise using three packaged foods from your kitchen
- Week 3: Complete the Social Friction Audit and write your two-sentence dietary explanation for sceptical conversations
- Month 1: Book your annual blood panel with your GP; request B12 (with MMA if possible), 25(OH)D, ferritin, and zinc at minimum
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