Vegan Military Diet: What Needs to Change
The original military diet contains multiple animal products: tuna, eggs, cottage cheese, hot dogs, lean meat, cheddar cheese, and vanilla ice cream (dairy). For a fully vegan version, all of these must be replaced with plant-based alternatives that maintain equivalent calorie counts.
Key Vegan Substitutions at a Glance
- Tuna → Tofu or chickpeas (calorie-equivalent quantity)
- Eggs → Extra-firm tofu scrambled with turmeric and black salt
- Cottage cheese → Silken tofu blended smooth, or cashew cream
- Hot dogs → Tofu dogs or lentils/beans (calorie-equivalent)
- Lean meat → Cooked lentils or chickpeas
- Cheddar cheese → Vegan cheese (check calorie count on label) or nutritional yeast mixed with cashews
- Vanilla ice cream → Coconut milk ice cream or banana "nice cream"
Vegan Military Diet: Day 1
Breakfast
½ grapefruit, 1 slice whole-grain toast, 2 tablespoons almond or sunflower seed butter (replaces peanut butter if nut allergy concern, otherwise peanut butter is already vegan), black coffee or tea.
Lunch
½ cup firm tofu (drained, seasoned with lemon and spices to replace tuna), 1 slice whole-grain toast, black coffee or tea.
Dinner
1 cup cooked lentils (replaces lean meat), 1 cup green beans, 1 small apple, ½ banana, 1 cup coconut milk ice cream or banana nice cream.
Vegan Military Diet: Day 2
Breakfast
¼ cup silken tofu scrambled with turmeric and black salt (replaces hard-boiled egg), 1 slice whole-grain toast, ½ banana.
Lunch
¼ cup tofu (replaces egg), 1 cup cashew or soy-based yogurt blended smooth (replaces cottage cheese), 5 saltine crackers.
Dinner
2 tofu dogs or 1 cup lentils, 1 cup broccoli, ½ cup baby carrots, ½ banana, ½ cup coconut milk ice cream.
Vegan Military Diet: Day 3
Breakfast
1 oz vegan cheese (replaces cheddar), 5 saltine crackers, 1 small apple.
Lunch
¼ cup tofu (replaces egg), 1 slice whole-grain toast.
Dinner
1 cup firm tofu or chickpeas (replaces tuna), ½ banana, ½ cup coconut milk ice cream.
The vegan version of the military diet provides significantly less protein than the original due to the lower amino acid density of most plant proteins compared to animal sources. Be particularly mindful of using higher-protein plant options (tofu, lentils, edamame, chickpeas) to minimize muscle mass loss during the restriction phase.
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