General diet - vegan

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, fish, milk, egg, or products derived from them.

Indications

Vegans.

Nutritional adequacy

Not nutritionally adequate unless fortified foods (eg 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

	Allowed	Not allowed
Hot main dishes	Dishes specially prepared for vegans based on beans, peas, tofu, textured vegetable protein (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, fish, milk or eggs Any dishes cooked with wine made with egg white as a fining ingredient
Sauces, gravies	Vegetable-based sauces without dairy or meat fats	Stocks and gravies made with meat, butter, milk, or stock powders made with animal products
Starchy vegetables / pasta / rice	All prepared without milk, butter or milk containing margarine	Vegetables prepared with milk, cheese, animal fat, or butter
Vegetables	Vegetables prepared without milk, butter or milk-containing margarine	Vegetables prepared with milk, cheese, animal fat, or butter
Soups	Vegetable soups made without animal-based stocks, milk, butter or milk-containing margarine	Soups prepared with meat, eggs, poultry, milk, butter or milk-containing margarine
Sandwiches	Peanut butter, soy cheese, hummus, felafel, baked beans (+/- salad) (All Band 1, providing at least 10g protein per serve)	All others
Salads, dressings	Beans (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 milk 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 Baked beans in ham or cheese sauce
Fruit	All fruits, fresh and canned	-
Yoghurt	Soy yoghurt (gelatine free)	Dairy-based yoghurt
Desserts	Fresh and canned fruit Soy custard Jellied fruit prepared with agar or vegetable gums	Desserts containing dairy, eggs, gelatine, cochineal or rennet (e.g. custards, ice-cream, regular jelly, junket)
Milk and cheese	Soy or rice milk fortified with calcium and vitamin B12 Soy cheese (free of gelatine or animal rennet)	Cow’s milk and cheese Soy cheese containing casein
Beverages	Fortified soy or rice milk, juices, soft drinks, cordial, tea, coffee	Cow’s milk, Aktavite®, Ovaltine®, Milo®, Bonox®
Biscuits	Biscuits made with only vegetable fats and oils and no milk	Regular commercial biscuits
Miscellaneous	Nuts and seeds Egg replacer	Cream

References

1. Dietitians Association of Australia. Nutrition manual. 8th ed. Canberra: DAA; 2009.
2. Craig WJ, Mangels AR, American Dietetic Association. Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:1266-82.
3. Marsh K, Zeuschner C, Saunders A, Reid M. Meeting nutritional needs on a vegetarian diet. Aust Fam Phys 2009;38(8):600-2.
4. Vegan Society NSW.

Change log

July 2019

Section updated	Change
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