Ever since becoming whole-food, plant-based, I have wanted to spread the love. I’ve learned so many things and tried so many dishes that I feel, if people only knew, they’d want to jump on the bandwagon.

My dad has been one of my biggest supporters as I’ve aligned my values with my choices for food. Our morning conversations are often about what new things I’m learning, or new food I have tried. Although he used to be king of the Atkin’s diet (which is just about as far away from my diet as you can get), he is curious. I heard opportunity knocking.

With my dad’s 75th birthday approaching, I decided that one of the gifts I wanted to give him was a week full of my way of life. I was going to wait till his birthday, but I could tell he was eager to try it out, so we started a little sooner. I curated a 5 day menu with three meals each day. I tried to incorporate different flavors, diverse foods, and possible substitutions for some of his favorites. I then prepared these meals and organized three bags for him to pick up.

I was so excited about his anticipation for starting. I tested his taste buds a bit, but he was willing to go on the adventure. Here is a look at his menu as well as diverse foods he had in his meal plan. That is over 60 different plant-based foods in case you were wondering :).

So, how did it go? Well, I can’t say I’ve totally converted him, but I’ve got him thinking about what he eats and introduced some new favorites for him. Let’s see what he had to say…

About the overnight oats, “this will be one of my every breakfast meals.”

Toasted everything bagel with guacamole- “Fan favorite.”

Roasted vegetables with garlic noodles- “excellent.”

Grilled cabbage wrap- “excellent.”

Vegan sloppy joe’s with baked potato- “excellent.”

Unfortunately, he only completed 4 days of the challenge due to some added on stress, but overall I’m happy he has some take-aways that he wants to apply to his own cooking and everyday life. Perhaps he doesn’t need cream cheese anymore. Ground beef? Those Gardein meatless crumbles are pretty awesome. Chorizo and eggs for breakfast? How about oatmeal instead?

There was a little piece of me that was hoping that I could completely convert him, but I think I need to take a step back. I, myself, did not covert overnight. I began as a pescatarian in July of 2022, then vegetarian, and finally a vegan in May of 2023. Even the journey from vegan to whole-food, plant-based didn’t happen overnight. In the end, I’m so thankful to have people in my life who embrace my choices and are willing to try out pieces along the ride. Whether they want me to make them something, want to hear my thoughts, advocate for me, or are kind enough to make a special dish just for me – my loved ones are the coolest.