General diet - vegan
This document is part of the ACI Diet Specifications for Adult Inpatients. It is not to be used for patient education.
Aim
To provide a nutritionally adequate diet for people who do not eat any food of animal origin.
Characteristics
A diet strictly eliminating foods and beverages containing any meat, poultry, seafood, milk, egg, or products derived from them.
Indications
Patients on a vegan diet.
Nutritional adequacy
Nutritionally inadequate unless fortified foods, e.g. cereals and soy beverages, and/or supplements are used to provide adequate vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron and zinc. High-protein plant foods must be available at each meal.
Precautions
Care should be taken to read all product ingredients to look for ingredients of animal origin, e.g. casein, whey, dairy solids, gelatine, honey, albumin, globulin and egg mayonnaise. Food items which are compliant to a vegan diet, but which include a ‘may contain’ allergen statement, are allowed to be provided on the diet.
Paediatrics
Suitable for use in paediatrics when combined with an age-appropriate diet.
Specific menu planning guidelines
| Food type | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Hot main dishes | Dishes specially made for vegans based on beans, peas, tofu, vegetable protein products, e.g. TVP, lentils, nuts (At least one Band 1 choice per day, providing at least 15g protein per serve; others Band 2) | Any dishes containing meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products or eggs Any dishes cooked with wine made with egg white as a fining ingredient |
| Sauces, gravies | Vegetable-based sauces without dairy products or meat fats | Stocks and gravies made with meat, butter, milk or stock powders made with animal products |
| Starchy vegetables / pasta / rice | All made without milk, butter or milk-containing margarine | Vegetables made with milk, cheese, animal fat or butter |
| Vegetables | Vegetables made without dairy products, butter or milk-containing margarine | Vegetables prepared with milk, cheese, animal fat or butter |
| Soups | Vegetable soups made without animal-based stocks, dairy products, butter or milk-containing margarine | Soups made with meat, eggs, poultry, dairy products, butter or milk-containing margarine |
| Sandwiches | Peanut butter, soy cheese, hummus, felafel, baked beans, vegetable protein products, e.g. TVP, with or without salad (All Band 1, providing at least 10g protein per serve) | All others |
| Salads, dressings | Legumes (chickpeas, soybeans, kidney beans, etc.), pasta, potato, rice, plus other vegetables (Band 2, providing at least 10g protein per serve) | Egg-based mayonnaise All others |
| Breads, cereals | Milk-free breads Rice and corn cakes Rice, oats, corn or wheat flour Pasta and noodles made without egg Plain corn-based, rice-based or wheat-based cereals | Bread containing dairy products Croissants Breakfast cereals with milk or honey, e.g. muesli |
| Spreads | Milk-free margarine, jam, peanut butter, Vegemite™ | Honey, cheese, meat spreads, butter, milk-containing margarine |
| Hot breakfast choices | Baked beans in tomato sauce, mushrooms, tomatoes, spaghetti in tomato sauce | Eggs, meat, poultry, seafood Baked beans in ham or cheese sauce |
| Fruit | All fruits, fresh, canned and dried | - |
| Yoghurt | Non-dairy yoghurt (gelatine free) | Dairy-based yoghurt |
| Desserts | Fresh and canned fruit Non-dairy custard Jellied fruit made with agar or vegetable gums | Desserts containing dairy products, eggs, gelatine, cochineal or rennet, e.g. custards, ice cream, regular jelly, junket |
| Milk and cheese | Non-dairy milk fortified with calcium and vitamin B12 Non-dairy cheese (free of gelatine or animal rennet) | Dairy milk and cheese Non-dairy cheese containing casein |
| Drinks | Fortified soy, nut, seed, cereal or rice milk, juices, soft drinks, cordial, tea, coffee | Dairy milk, Aktavite®, Ovaltine®, Milo®, Bonox® Juices refined using animal products |
| Biscuits | Biscuits made with only vegetable fats and oils and no milk | Regular commercial biscuits |
| Miscellaneous | Nuts and seeds Egg replacer Lollies and chocolates with allowed ingredients Salt and pepper Herbs and spices with allowed ingredients | Cream Colours, flavours and additives from animal sources |
References
- Dietitians Australia. Australian Guide to Healthy Eating for Vegetarians and Vegans. Dietitians Australia; 2020.
- NHS. The vegan diet. UK: NHS; 2022 [updated May 2025 cited 6 Aug 2025].
- Better Health Channel. Vegetarian and vegan eating. Dept of Health Victoria; 2023 [cited 6 Aug 2025].
Change log
| Change date | Section updated | Change |
|---|---|---|
| July 2019 | Precautions | Added Food items which are compliant with a vegan diet but which include a ‘may contain’ allergen statement, are allowed to be provided on the diet |
| August 2025 | References | Updated |
| General language | Updated to be consistent with ACI writing style guide | |
Specific menu planning guidelines | Updated to refer to non-dairy sources rather than rice or soy sources to reflect food supply changes |