Military Diet Vegetarian Version: The Complete Plant-Friendly Meal Plan

The Vegetarian Military Diet: Is It Possible?

Yes — the military diet is fully achievable for vegetarians. The primary animal proteins on the original plan are tuna, hot dogs, and the Day 1 dinner meat. These three items need substitution for the vegetarian version. Everything else on the plan — eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, bread, produce, and ice cream — is already vegetarian-friendly.

Vegetarian Military Diet: Day 1

Breakfast

• ½ grapefruit, 1 slice whole-grain toast, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, black coffee or tea

No changes needed — Day 1 breakfast is already vegetarian.

Lunch

• ½ cup cottage cheese (replaces ½ cup tuna), 1 slice whole-grain toast, black coffee or tea

Cottage cheese is the closest nutritional swap for tuna in a vegetarian context — high protein, mild flavor, and nearly identical calorie count at the same volume.

Dinner

• 1 cup cooked lentils or chickpeas (replaces 3 oz lean meat), 1 cup green beans, 1 small apple, ½ banana, 1 cup vanilla ice cream

Lentils or chickpeas match the protein and calorie content of a 3-oz lean meat serving while providing fiber and plant-based nutrition.

Vegetarian Military Diet: Day 2

Breakfast

• 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 slice whole-grain toast, ½ banana

No changes needed.

Lunch

• 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 cup cottage cheese, 5 saltine crackers

No changes needed — already vegetarian.

Dinner

• 2 tofu dogs or enough lentils/beans to match ~310 calories (replaces 2 hot dogs), 1 cup broccoli, ½ cup baby carrots, ½ banana, ½ cup vanilla ice cream

Vegetarian Military Diet: Day 3

Breakfast

• 1 oz cheddar cheese, 5 saltine crackers, 1 small apple

No changes needed.

Lunch

• 1 egg (cooked plain), 1 slice whole-grain toast

No changes needed.

Dinner

• 1 cup cottage cheese or firm tofu (replaces 1 cup tuna), ½ banana, ½ cup vanilla ice cream