'Vegan Meals I Eat In A Day To Build Muscle'

Derek Simnett, known as Simnett Nutrition on his YouTube channel, recently shared a video detailing the high-protein vegan meals he eats in a day to support muscle growth. As a certified nutritionist and fitness enthusiast, Simnett has spent over a decade training and more than 15 years following a plant-based diet. He uses his platform to challenge the persistent myth that building muscle requires animal products, demonstrating how a well-planned vegan diet can provide all the necessary nutrients for strength and recovery.

In his latest video, Simnett outlines a full day of eating, focusing on meals that are not only high in protein but also nutrient-dense and easy to prepare. He emphasizes that “you don’t have to consume animal products in order to build muscle” and that plant-based meals can be both healthy and delicious. Below is a breakdown of his daily meals, including key ingredients and preparation methods.

Pre-workout fuel

Before heading to the gym, Simnett starts his day with a simple energy boost. He consumes beetroot crystals, which potentially improve blood flow and athletic performance. This is followed by a quick snack of Medjool dates stuffed with almond butter and a pinch of salt. He explains: “This is great because it’s very low volume, so it won’t fill up your stomach but gives some great energy to really push it during the workout.” To enhance his performance, he also takes a pre-workout supplement.

Post-workout meal

Following his workout, Simnett prepares a nutritious meal using leftover potatoes from the previous day. He sautés them with various vegetables and spices, creating a colorful and nutrient-dense base. To increase the protein content, he adds fava bean-based tofu, explaining: “In this whole block, there’s 64 grams of protein, but I don’t need that much in one meal, so I’m going to have probably about two-thirds of this, which is around 40 grams of protein.”

He crumbles the tofu into a bowl and seasons it with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and pizza sprinkle blend before cooking. Once the mixture is ready, he stirs in spinach and shredded cabbage mixed with sauerkraut. The meal is finished with slices of cucumber and a couple of spoonfuls of homemade hummus.

After taking a bite, Simnett comments: “Yeah, it’s good. Could use a little hot sauce, though… yeah, that’s the ticket. Dang, that’s good.”

Midday snack

For a midday snack, which also serves as a light lunch, Simnett prepares a smoothie bowl using frozen bananas, blueberries, ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and fresh parsley from his garden. He adds a Cara Cara orange for extra sweetness and a scoop of vanilla ice cream-flavored protein powder. He also includes creatine, which may benefit brain health, as well as athletic performance.

Once blended, he tops the smoothie bowl with granola and pumpkin seeds. As he digs in, he praises the flavor and texture: “Smoothie bowls are the freaking best. It’s like I’m eating ice cream in the middle of the day, but it’s got a bunch of protein and other healthy foods as well.”

He also highlights how this type of meal provides long-lasting energy, stating: “In the middle of the day at like 2:00, you know how you start to crash a little bit and reach for coffee or sweets? This is the kind of stuff that you need to be having – it’ll wake you up and make you feel amazing.”

Dinner

A vegan red curry, a high-protein plant-based meal to build muscle — Simnett Nutrition/YouTube For his evening meal, Simnett makes a high-protein Thai Red Curry

For dinner, Simnett makes a red curry tofu dish. He cubes extra firm tofu and coats it in a mixture of red curry paste and water before air-frying it. He then heats a canned red curry sauce in a saucepan.

To bulk up the meal, he adds fire-roasted vegetables and frozen broccoli, allowing the ingredients to absorb the rich flavors of the sauce. To complete the dish, he sautés kale with garlic powder, onion powder, and a touch of salt and pepper.

After taking a bite, he praises the flavors: “That paste really added a bunch of nice color and a bunch of flavor on the outside of the tofu.” He also raves about the curry, saying, “I’m definitely not a curry connoisseur – I like most curries that I try – but this one is especially good.”

A full day of vegan meals for muscle growth

Simnett wraps up his video by reviewing his meals and emphasizing the variety and nutrition in a well-planned vegan diet. He concludes: “Hopefully, I gave you some ideas on different meals that you can make at home yourself, and hopefully, I showed you that you don’t have to eat meat in order to build muscle.”

Follow Simnett Nutrition on YouTube and Instagram.