A little trick I use to improve the diet of my clients is to use plant points and make this into a bit of a game. Over the years coaching hundreds of clients, both in person and online, I’ve noticed that most people know they should eat more plants, but they either don’t know what that really looks like, or they just get stuck eating the same handful of “healthy” foods over and over.
That’s where plant points come in.
Think of plant points as a simple, fun way to track how much diversity you’re getting from plant-based foods in your diet. It’s not about being vegan or vegetarian (unless that’s your thing), it’s about getting a wide range of plant foods to support your gut health, energy, immune function, and overall well-being and health.
Here’s how it works. Every time you eat a different plant-based food (like a type of fruit, vegetable, grain, legume, nut, seed, herb, or spice) you earn 1 plant point. The more variety, the better. Most sources say to aim for 30 different plants per week, but this is somewhat arbitrary and you can tailor the target to your needs.
In our coaching approach, we like to push things a little further. Not only do we aim for a higher weekly total, often 40 to 50+, but we also set daily and meal-based targets to help build consistency, not just variety. That means aiming for around 3-5 plant points per meal, and hitting a daily total of 10-15. Of course, we don’t do this with every client, but the ones who really want to improve their diet quality and really squeeze the diet for every last benefit, we tend to push the targets. But we do also have clients who are just working to get 3-5 plant points per week.
This article will walk you through everything you need to know about what plant points are, why they matter, how to track them, and how to build the habit into your real life, even if you’re busy, on a budget, or dealing with food sensitivities.
Let’s dig into plant points!
What Are Plant Points?
Plant points are a simple way to track the variety of plant-based foods you’re eating over the course of a week. It’s not about counting calories or macros, it’s about counting different types of plants. The goal is to encourage dietary diversity, because each plant food brings its own unique set of fibres, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds.
So how do you earn a plant point?
Every unique plant food = 1 point per week.
Here’s what counts:
- Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, courgette, carrots… each one gets its own point.
- Fruits: Apples, berries, oranges, bananas, etc.
- Whole grains: Like oats, quinoa, barley, and bulgur.
- Legumes: Think lentils, black beans, chickpeas, soybeans.
- Nuts & seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, etc.
- Herbs & spices: Yes, even a pinch of thyme, oregano or turmeric counts.
- Fermented plant foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh.
A few things to keep in mind:
- It’s not about portion size. Whether it’s a handful of spinach or a big bowl of lentils, it still counts as 1 point.
- You only count a food once per week, even if you eat it multiple times.
- Different types of the same food, like green apples and red apples, usually count as 1 point, unless they’re nutritionally distinct enough to be considered separate (which can happen, especially with “heirloom” varieties or more exotic options).
Why does this matter?
Because your gut thrives on variety. Research, especially from studies like the American Gut Project, shows that people who eat 30 or more different plant foods per week have a more diverse, resilient, and healthier gut microbiome.
This is super important, because your gut health is linked to everything from digestion to mood, immunity, inflammation, sleep, and even how well you recover from training.
So instead of obsessing over perfection with the diet and trying to micromanage everything, we focus on plant diversity as a practical, sustainable habit. It’s a habit that improves the quality of your diet over time, without adding a huge amount of stress and isn’t restrictive.
The best part is that once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. You’ll start looking at your meals and naturally asking, “How many plant points are on my plate right now?” and “How can I add more plant points to this meal?”
Up next, we’ll dive into why plant diversity matters so much, not just for your gut, but for your energy, performance, immune system, and overall health.
Why Plant Diversity Matters
Once you understand the benefits of plant diversity in the diet, hitting those daily plant point targets will not only become second nature, it will just make sense.
When you eat a wide variety of plant foods, you’re not just feeding yourself, you’re feeding the trillions of microbes living in your gut. These little guys play a massive role in your health, from digestion and immunity to mood, energy, and even how your body handles stress.
Here’s what happens when you increase plant diversity:
1. A Healthier, Happier Gut Microbiome
Each plant contains its own unique types of fibre and phytochemicals, which serve as prebiotics (the fuel your good gut bacteria need to thrive). Different bacteria prefer different foods, so the more diverse your diet, the more balanced and resilient your gut and gut bacteria generally becomes.
Think of it like this, if your gut is a zoo, different plants feed different kinds of animal (“good bugs”) in your zoo. Eat the same three veggies all week? You’re only feeding part of the zoo. Eat 30+ different plants? You’re helping to feed the whole zoo and are helping the animals to flourish.
2. Improved Digestion & Regularity
A diverse microbiome improves how your gut processes food, reduces bloating, and keeps things moving smoothly. Yes, I’m talking about bowel movements. A healthy happy gut is a regular gut. If you are only going to the bathroom 1-2 times per week, you need to get on the plant eating train.
3. Lower Inflammation & Better Immune Function
About 70% of your immune system lives in your gut, and a well-fed microbiome helps regulate it. That means fewer flare-ups of chronic inflammation, better defence against colds and viruses, and more efficient healing from workouts or injuries.
4. More Energy, Focus, and Stable Mood
Gut health is potentially directly tied to mental clarity, mood, and stress resilience, thanks to the gut-brain connection (aka the vagus nerve). A well-fed microbiome is hypothesised to help regulate serotonin production and reduce brain fog.
Most people do tend to notice that they do just feel better when they eat more plants (especially if they replace processed foods in the diet).
5. Better Recovery and Athletic Performance
If you train regularly, you need nutrients that support tissue repair, reduce excess oxidative stress, and regulate inflammation. That’s where plant polyphenols, antioxidants, and minerals come in. The more variety you eat, the broader your nutrient coverage, which is especially important if you’re very active.
6. Long-Term Disease Prevention
Diverse plant intake has been linked to lower risk of chronic diseases like:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Certain cancers
- Autoimmune conditions
It’s not about any one food being magical. It’s the synergy of a variety of different foods that supports your body’s natural defence systems.
A Quick Note on Probiotics & Postbiotics
While we’re on the subject of gut health, it’s worth mentioning:
- Prebiotics come from the fibres and compounds in whole plant foods.
- Probiotics come from fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, and miso (these also count as plant points!).
- Postbiotics are the helpful byproducts (like short-chain fatty acids) your gut microbes produce after you feed them well.
By getting a diversity of plants in the diet, you increase the likelihood that you will positively impact your gut bacteria and in turn, they will positively impact you.
In the next section, I’ll show you how we go beyond the “30 plants per week” guideline and focus on daily and meal-based goals that help you build lasting consistency, without feeling overwhelmed.
Daily vs. Weekly Goals (and Why We Prefer Both)
You’ve probably seen the recommendation floating around the internet:
“Aim for 30 different plant foods per week.”
That’s a great place to start. It’s backed by research, it’s simple, and it helps people become more aware of their food variety.
But here’s what I’ve noticed as a coach: weekly goals are great in theory, but in practice… they can fall apart pretty fast.
You know how it goes. Life gets busy. You forget what you ate on Tuesday, or you realise on Sunday night that you’ve only hit 12 plant points and now you’re scrambling to play catch-up. That’s not helpful, and it doesn’t build long-term consistency.
That’s why in our coaching, we focus on daily and meal-by-meal targets, not just weekly totals.
The Coach’s Formula for Plant Point Success:
- Per meal: Aim for 3-5 different plant points. Think: a grain, a veg, a legume, some herbs or seeds and you are done!
- Per day: Aim for 10-15 plant points total. This is a great range for most people to build strong, balanced meals without obsessing. I personally don’t mind if there is some overlap and certain plant points are counted more than once for the daily target (because you still have to hit the weekly target).
- Per week: With a lot of our clients, we like a stretch goal of 40-50+ points, not just 30. This gives your gut microbiome plenty of fuel, and your meals plenty of flavour and variety. Of course, you have to start from where you are, and jumping to 50 may just be unrealistic.
Why This Approach Works So Well:
It builds habits you can actually sustain. By focusing on today and this meal, you’re much more likely to stay consistent without getting overwhelmed.
It improves meal quality automatically. If you’re aiming for 3-5 plant points per meal, you’ll naturally build better-balanced plates, with more fibre, nutrients, and antioxidants.
It creates structure without restriction. You’re not cutting foods out, you’re layering plant variety in. It’s flexible, inclusive, and positive.
It helps you learn what your body loves. As you experiment with different plant foods, you’ll start noticing which ones help your digestion, boost your energy, or support recovery better.
A Quick Example:
Let’s say you make a grain bowl for lunch with:
- Brown rice
- Black beans
- Roasted sweet potato
- Spinach
- Pumpkin seeds
- Coriander
That’s 6 plant points in one meal, and it probably took you 10 minutes to prep. With some chicken added to this meal, and a drizzle of olive oil (some people count this as a plant point) or avocado (another plant point), you have a pretty comprehensive and well-balanced meal.
Add some fruit and chia seeds to your breakfast, and throw together a veggie stir-fry or hearty soup for dinner, and you’re easily at 15 points for the day without overthinking it.
By shifting your mindset from “Did I hit 30 this week?” to “What can I add to this meal?” you’ll build a routine that’s actually practical and is something you can see yourself doing into the future (and creating a sustainable plan is the most important thing to long term results).
Next, I’ll show you exactly what counts as a plant point, so you can start tallying them with confidence.
What Counts as a Plant Point?
Now that you know why plant points matter and how to set realistic, consistent targets, let’s look at what actually counts toward your total.
This is where people often overthink things, so let’s simplify it.
The basic rule:
Each unique, whole plant food = 1 plant point per week.
It doesn’t matter how much you eat, whether it’s a tablespoon of chia seeds or a whole bowl of roasted carrots. If it’s a unique plant and you haven’t already counted it this week, it’s a point.
What Counts
Vegetables
This includes both non-starchy and starchy varieties:
- Leafy greens: spinach, kale, rocket, watercress, Swiss chard
- Root vegetables: carrots, beetroot, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes
- Cruciferous: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage
- Nightshades: tomatoes, aubergine, peppers
- Other veg: courgette, squash, mushrooms (yes, fungi count!), celery, cucumber, fennel, okra, asparagus
- Alliums (great for gut health): onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, spring onions
- Corn: whole sweetcorn kernels (fresh, frozen, or tinned)
- Artichoke & Jerusalem artichoke
- Bamboo shoots & water chestnuts
- Sea vegetables: nori, wakame, dulse, kelp
Different colours of the same veg usually count as one. Red and green peppers = 1 point. But a carrot and a beetroot? 2 separate points.
Fruits
Fresh, frozen, dried, or tinned (in juice or water, and not syrup) all count:
- Berries: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries
- Citrus: oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit
- Stone fruits: peaches, plums, cherries, nectarines, apricots
- Everyday & tropical: apples, bananas, mangoes, melons, kiwi, grapes, pears, pineapple, papaya
- Avocado
- Olives (green, black, kalamata, etc.)
- Dried fruit: dates, raisins, apricots, prunes, goji berries (watch for added sugars)
Whole Grains
Focus on grains in their intact or minimally processed form:
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
- Wild rice
- Farro
- Buckwheat
- Barley
- Millet
- Bulgur wheat
- Teff
- Amaranth
Refined grains (e.g., white bread, white rice) generally don’t count, as they have the fibre part removed, along with many of the nutrients we are looking for. Personally, I am not against counting them, but generally people don’t.
Legumes
One of the most versatile (and affordable) ways to earn points:
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Lentils (red, green, brown, yellow, black)
- Kidney beans
- Edamame (soybeans)
- Butter beans
- Pinto beans
- Split peas
- Mung beans
- Peas
Nuts & Seeds
Each variety = 1 point. Nut butters count too, as long as they’re ~100% nut/seed:
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, macadamias
- Seeds: chia, flaxseed, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp
- Nut Butters: peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, cashew butter (all count separately if made from the whole nut/seed)
Herbs & Spices
These count, even in small amounts, as they offer powerful plant compounds:
- Fresh herbs: parsley, coriander, basil, dill, mint, rosemary, thyme, chives, tarragon
- Dried spices: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, oregano, nutmeg, curry powder, cardamom, fennel seed
A dish seasoned with garlic, ginger, and turmeric = 3 plant points!
Fermented Plant Foods
Bonus points for gut health and diversity:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Miso (fermented soy)
- Tempeh
- Fermented pickles (look for “raw”, “live cultures” or “unpasteurised”)
What Generally Doesn’t Count
These foods are plant-derived but too refined or lacking in fibre and diversity value:
- Processed snacks (e.g., veggie crisps, fruit chews)
- Fruit juice (even 100% juice as the fibre is stripped out)
- Refined grains (white bread, pasta, white rice)
- Plant-based oils (olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, etc.)(I personally am not against counting these, especially something like a cold pressed olive oil, as even though it doesn’t have the fibre, it does still retain a lot of nutrients)
- Coffee and standard tea (black or green)(again, I am not against counting these, but even if you do have a coffee or tea daily, you still only get 1 point per day and 1 point per week for these).
- Ultra-processed meat substitutes (“chicken-style” nuggets, soy burgers, etc.)
The same plant in different forms is still just one point. Red and green apples = 1 point. Raw spinach and cooked spinach = 1 point. Oat porridge and oatcakes = both oats = still 1 point.
Keep a Running List
If you’re just getting started, jot down every unique plant food you eat each week. You’ll start to notice which foods you repeat, and where you might try something new.
This habit isn’t about perfection, it’s about slowly making progress to increase the diversity of your diet. It’s about being curiosity, and creating colourful, nutrient-rich meals that support your energy, digestion, and long-term health.
Coming up next I’ll show you how to track your plant points simply and consistently, without adding stress to your day.
How to Track Plant Points (Without Overcomplicating It)
Now that you know what counts as a plant point, let’s talk about how to actually track them, because ultimately, awareness is where change starts.
One of the things I tell my clients all the time is that if you want to improve something, you need to pay attention to it first. What gets tracked, gets managed.
That doesn’t mean tracking your food has to be complicated, time-consuming, or obsessive. With plant points, the goal is simple, just start noticing and recording the different plant foods you’re eating throughout the week.
There are a few different ways to track, and the best option is the one that works for you. Some clients like using a physical checklist or printable tracker where they can tick off each plant as they go. Others prefer keeping a running list in their Notes app or logging it meal-by-meal in a spreadsheet. I even have clients who keep a whiteboard on their fridge with a tally that the whole family can contribute to, which does turn it into a bit of a fun game.
What matters most isn’t the method, it’s the habit of checking in with yourself and your meals.
Personally, I encourage people to track plant points by the meal rather than waiting until the end of the day. Because that moment of awareness, right when you’re building your plate, is where you have the most ability to change things and increase your plant points. You might realise you’ve only got two plant points on your plate and think, “Okay, what else can I add?” Maybe you toss in a handful of spinach, a spoonful of flaxseeds, or some herbs and spices. That small adjustment can actually quite dramatically improve your diet over time.
Tracking doesn’t need to be done forever either. You won’t need to do this forever to get the benefit. Just a few weeks of mindful tracking will give you a great sense of your baseline, show you where you tend to repeat foods, and help you start naturally reaching for more variety.
Over time, your meals start to change on their own. You’ll look at your breakfast and just know if it needs an extra plant or two. You’ll start naturally rotating your grains or choosing different veggies each week at the shops. The best part about all of this is that you’ll feel the difference in your digestion, energy, and overall mood, and this will make you want to continue.
So, don’t stress about being perfect here. You don’t need to count every leaf of basil or every sprinkle of cinnamon. Just start noticing, start counting what’s easy to count, and aim to improve your score little by little.
Next up, I’ll share my favourite strategies to help you boost your daily plant points without overhauling your entire diet. Small tweaks lead to big wins.
Simple Strategies to Boost Your Daily Plant Points
If the idea of hitting 10-15 plant points a day feels a bit out of reach right now, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Most people think they’re eating a “pretty healthy” diet until they start tracking plant diversity and realise they’re rotating through the same 7-10 foods all week.
The good news is that you don’t need to overhaul your diet completely overnight. In fact, one of the best parts about the plant point approach is that small, intentional tweaks can add up fast. You’re not cutting things out, you’re just adding more of the good stuff in.
Let’s talk about how to do that in a way that actually works in real life.
Start with what you’re already eating.
This is one of my favourite coaching strategies. Look at the meals you already enjoy and ask, how can I sneak in one or two more plants? If you’re having eggs for breakfast, toss in some sautéed spinach and herbs. Making a sandwich? Add bean sprouts, cucumber, or some lettuce. Stirring a soup or stew? Throw in some lentils, beans, or frozen mixed vegetables.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel here, you just need to eat more plants.
Use herbs and spices like a pro.
These are the most underrated plant points of all. A sprinkle of oregano, a pinch of turmeric, and some fresh coriander on top of your tacos, that’s three points right there, and they take virtually no effort. Plus, they make your food taste way better.
If you’re someone who struggles with bland meals, get curious in the spice aisle. Each new flavour is an opportunity to boost your score and your satisfaction.
Build “power bowls” with layers of plants.
Grain bowls, salad bowls, breakfast bowls, or whatever your vibe is, bowls are an easy way to load in plant diversity without needing a formal recipe. Start with a base (quinoa, brown rice, oats), add a few colourful veggies, some beans or lentils, a healthy fat like avocado or seeds, and finish with fresh herbs or a zesty drizzle of lemon. You’ve just racked up 6-8 plant points without even trying.
Keep frozen and canned options stocked.
Not every plant needs to be freshly chopped and perfectly prepped. Frozen berries, mixed vegetables, canned beans, jarred artichokes etc. are all legitimate plant point contributors. They’re affordable and convenient, and make it easy to build variety into meals even when time is tight.
Plan one “diversity meal” each week.
Pick a day and make a meal that’s just packed with as many different plants as you can reasonably throw together. It could be a big veggie chilli, a stir-fry with all the odds and ends in your fridge, or a colourful salad with a dozen ingredients. Make it a game, involve your family or partner, and see how high you can go.
One of my clients turned this into a Sunday ritual with her kids, and now they compete to come up with new plants to add each week. It’s become part of their family culture. Food fun, that is not forced, but still incredibly healthy.
Ultimately, you don’t need to be perfect here. Just start looking for the easy wins, and stacking them up. The extra sprinkle, the quick swap, the slightly more colourful plate. Over time, those small changes become second nature and add up. Your plant points go up, and so does the quality of your nutrition.
In the next section, we’ll talk about how to personalise this approach, especially if you have food sensitivities, allergies, or a limited range of foods you can tolerate.
Adjusting for Food Sensitivities, Allergies, and Dietary Preferences
At this point, you might be thinking, “This all sounds great, but I can’t eat half of these foods.” Maybe you’ve got IBS, follow a low-FODMAP diet, have a nut allergy, or certain textures or flavours just don’t sit well with you.
I get it, I have discussed this stuff a million times with different clients. Biological individuality matters. Not every gut handles every plant the same way, and no two people have the exact same nutritional needs. That’s why a big part of what I do as a coach is help people work within their unique boundaries to still build a high-quality, diverse diet that feels good and works for their body.
The good news is that you don’t need to eat everything, you just need to expand your variety within what’s tolerable and realistic for you.
Let’s say you can’t tolerate legumes. No problem. Focus more on fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and spices. Maybe you’re sensitive to raw veggies. Totally fine. Roasted, steamed, or blended into soups and sauces all still count.
If you’re dealing with IBS or following a therapeutic plan like low-FODMAP, the key is to rotate safe foods and get creative with combinations. Even if your “plant library” is smaller than average, you can still hit meaningful diversity over time.
This is also where cooked, canned, or blended plants can make a big difference. Cooking often reduces the digestive load of certain fibres, making them easier to tolerate. Blending foods into smoothies, dips, or soups is another great way to work around texture issues or sensitivities.
Another strategy I use with clients who have restrictions is focusing more on colour and type within a safe category. For example, if you tolerate berries well, try strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries throughout the week, as they each count separately. Or if grains are your safe zone, rotate between oats, millet, rice, and quinoa instead of eating just one over and over.
At the end of the day, plant points are designed to be flexible. They are supposed to help you improve your diet quality, not become a stressor. The goal is to help your body, not stress it out. It’s totally okay if your weekly target looks different than someone else’s. What matters is that you’re building diversity within your own comfort zone, expanding at your own pace, and paying attention to how your body responds.
If you’re unsure where to start or what your “safe zone” is, that’s where coaching can be a game changer. We can troubleshoot, test foods, and build a sustainable strategy that supports your health without leaving you feeling restricted.
Next, we’ll explore another piece of the puzzle, how to keep this habit realistic and affordable, even if you’re working with limited time or a tight grocery budget.
Making Plant Diversity Work in Real Life, Even On A Budget Or A Busy Schedule
When we talk about eating more plants, a lot of people picture overflowing farmers’ markets, colour-coded fridges, or perfectly prepped rainbow bowls on social media. But in the real world you might be juggling work, kids, workouts, and trying to just get dinner on the table without losing your mind.
And if you’re on a tight budget or don’t have access to fancy health food stores, the whole “eat more variety” message can start to feel out of reach.
So let’s bring this back down to the real world.
You don’t need to spend a fortune or hours in the kitchen to eat a plant-diverse diet. In fact, some of the most affordable, accessible plant foods are also some of the most powerful.
Start with the basics.
Foods like oats, lentils, carrots, bananas, brown rice, frozen spinach, and canned beans are plant point gold, and they’re available in most food shops, often for very cheap. You don’t need exotic powders or €10 microgreens to build a strong foundation.
One of my go-to strategies with clients is creating a short, rotating list of budget-friendly plant staples they actually like and can always keep on hand. Then we find simple ways to swap, rotate, and build meals around those, rather than starting from scratch every week.
Use your freezer like a toolbox.
Frozen fruits and veggies are a total game changer when time and money are tight. They’re just as nutritious (sometimes more so) than fresh, they don’t spoil as quickly, and they’re easy to toss into stir-fries, soups, smoothies, and grain bowls. I always keep frozen peas, mixed veg, spinach, and mixed berries on hand for quick point boosters.
Batch prep for busy weeks.
You don’t need to meal prep your whole life. But cooking up one big pot of veggie chilli, lentil soup, or a tray of roasted mixed vegetables can easily get you 6-10 plant points in a single dish. Use that as a base for lunches, dinners, or quick grab-and-go options during the week. It cuts down decision fatigue and keeps your variety up without daily effort.
Buy in season and shop smart.
Eating seasonally usually means better flavour, lower cost, and more variety built in throughout the year. You don’t need to chase superfoods, just see what’s on sale or abundant where you are, and let that guide your shopping list. If it’s apple season, try different types. If cabbage is cheap, make a slaw or sauté it with garlic and spices for extra points.
Progress > perfection.
I’d rather see you hit 15–20 different plant foods a week consistently, using a mix of canned, frozen, and fresh, than struggle to hit 30 using only organic kale and purple cauliflower from the gourmet health shop.
It’s not about doing it the “Instagram way.” It’s about doing it your way with real food that fits in with your real life.
In the next section, I’ll share how to turn this habit into something fun and meaningful for your whole household.
Making It a Family or Household Habit
Changing your eating habits is a lot easier when the people around you are on board. Whether you’re cooking for a partner, raising kids, or just sharing a fridge with roommates, bringing others into your plant points journey can make the whole process more fun, more sustainable, and honestly, more rewarding.
The great thing about plant points is that they’re simple and flexible enough to work for the whole family, and you don’t need anyone to follow a strict diet or eat a salad for every meal. You’re just adding more plants into what you’re already doing, and making it feel like a game instead of a chore.
Get the kids involved.
Kids love structure, they love challenges, and they really love keeping score. One thing I often suggest to parents I work with is to turn plant points into a weekly family challenge. Create a colourful chart or whiteboard in the kitchen, and track how many different plants everyone eats. Add some fun, and give out gold stars and high-fives, or let the “winner” choose a special meal or activity for the weekend.
You can even do a “rainbow challenge” where you try to eat one plant from every colour of the rainbow in a single day. It’s a great way to teach kids about nutrition in a way that feels empowering and fun, instead of restrictive.
If your kids are picky eaters, you don’t need to force it, you just offer options. Let them choose which veggies go on their plate or help you pick new fruits at the store. Even encouraging them to name the different plants they’re eating builds awareness and ownership.
Share the strategy with your partner or roommates.
This doesn’t have to be a solo mission. Even if you’re the one leading the charge, you can make plant points a shared experience. Talk about why you’re doing it, and not in a preachy way, but in a “Hey, I’m doing this thing that helps with energy, digestion, and recovery, and it’s actually kind of fun” way.
You might be surprised how quickly others want to join in once they realize this isn’t a diet—it’s a low-pressure, high-reward way to eat better. Especially if you make it taste good.
Make meals that do the heavy lifting.
One of the best tricks for family or group eating is to cook one meal that hits a ton of plant points at once, then let everyone customise their portion. Think taco bars, big stir-fries, build-your-own grain bowls, pasta with a blended veggie sauce, or big trays of roasted veggies with dips.
That way, everyone’s getting variety, and no one feels like they’re eating “health food.”
When healthy habits feel collaborative, they generally stick. They also create a ripple effect. Kids grow up with a positive relationship with food, partners feel supported (instead of dragged into a nutrition plan), and your household builds a shared language around wellness that’s grounded in real food.
In the next section, I’ll walk you through a sample day of eating that adds up to 15–20 plant points, so you can see just how doable this really is.
A Sample Day of Eating with 15-20 Plant Points
At this point, you might be wondering, “Okay, but what does this actually look like in a typical day?”
Once you see this style of eating in action, you’ll realise how doable it really is. You don’t need to eat fancy meals or prep all weekend to hit a solid plant point count. With a little bit of planning and a dash of intentionality, you can rack up 15-20 plant points without breaking a sweat.
Let’s walk through a sample day. This is the kind of template I might suggest for a client who’s just getting started, wants to feel better throughout the day, and doesn’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.
Breakfast: Overnight Oats with Toppings (5-6 points)
- Rolled oats
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseeds
- Blueberries
- Banana
- Cinnamon
This is a quick, prep-ahead breakfast that checks off six plant points before your day even starts. It’s fibre-rich, keeps you full, and supports digestion. With some added protein (maybe whey protein powder in the mix), you have a pretty complete meal.
Lunch: Grain Bowl with Roasted Veggies & Beans (6-8 points)
- Quinoa
- Roasted sweet potato
- Broccoli
- Black beans
- Red bell pepper
- Kale or spinach
- Avocado
- Fresh cilantro or parsley
You can prep this in advance or build it from leftovers. Toss it all together with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, and you’ve got a powerhouse lunch full of texture, colour, and flavour. Add some chicken to this and you have a really phenomenal meal that supports health.
Snack: Apple with Nut Butter & Pumpkin Seeds (3 points)
- Apple
- Almond butter
- Pumpkin seeds
This is a classic, satisfying combo that’s perfect for that mid-afternoon energy dip. And each of these counts as a separate plant point.
Dinner: Stir-Fry with Prawns & Brown Rice (5-6 points)
- Brown rice
- Prawns
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sesame seeds
This is a quick weeknight dinner that comes together in 15-20 minutes and can be endlessly customised. Add a splash of tamari or a homemade sauce, and you’ve got something delicious that covers both variety and nutrition.
Bonus Add-On: Herbal Tea (1 point)
- Peppermint, ginger, or turmeric tea before bed
Even your evening wind-down can sneak in a plant point!
Total: ~18-20 Plant Points
With zero calorie counting, no strict food rules, and no fancy ingredients, you’ve just supported your gut, boosted your fibre, added anti-inflammatory nutrients, and likely felt more satisfied throughout the day.
This is the beauty of the plant point approach, it’s simple, flexible, and deeply nourishing. It’s not about perfection. It’s about consistently layering more plant variety into what you already enjoy eating.
Next up, I’ll share some common pitfalls and misconceptions that tend to trip people up early on, so you can stay ahead of them and keep building momentum.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions About Plant Points
Here are the most common misconceptions and mistakes I see, and how to work around them so you can keep things simple, sustainable, and stress-free.
“I already eat healthy, so I don’t need this.”
Eating “healthy” and eating a diverse diet aren’t always the same thing. A lot of health-conscious people eat the same few meals on repeat: chicken, broccoli, brown rice, and maybe almonds. That’s technically clean eating, but it’s not varied. If we want to nourish our gut, our immune system, and our energy levels long term, diversity matters just as much as quality.
Even if your diet is full of whole foods, plant points can highlight areas where you might be stuck in a rut.
“Only fresh plants count, right?”
Nope! One of the biggest misconceptions is that only raw, organic, or fresh produce counts toward plant points. Not true. Frozen, canned, dried, cooked, and fermented, all of it counts.
Cooked plants are often easier to digest, especially for people with sensitive guts. Canned beans? Count them. Frozen spinach? Absolutely. Dried herbs and spices? Totally legit. Variety is the goal, not perfection.
“I need to eat huge servings to earn a point.”
This is another spot where people overthink it. You only need a small amount of a plant food for it to count. A sprinkle of flaxseeds, a dash of cinnamon, a spoonful of sauerkraut, they all matter.
Remember, we’re feeding your microbiome. Your gut bacteria aren’t picky about portion size, they just want diversity.
“Do smoothies and soups count as one point or many?”
Yes, and you should count the individual ingredients. If you make a smoothie with banana, spinach, flaxseed, and blueberries, that’s four points. Same goes for a soup or chilli with multiple veggies and legumes. Just don’t count the same ingredient more than once a week.
This is why blended meals are such an easy way to pack in variety without making five different dishes.
“It’s only about fibre.”
Fibre is a big part of it, yes, but the plant point system is about more than just fibre. Each plant food contains a unique blend of polyphenols, antioxidants, phytonutrients, prebiotics, and other compounds that support your immune system, reduce inflammation, and feed different species of beneficial gut bacteria.
So while fibre is great, it’s the full spectrum of benefits that makes plant diversity so powerful.
“I can’t hit 30, so what’s the point of trying?”
This is a mindset trap. It’s not about hitting a perfect number, it’s about raising your baseline and building momentum.
If you’re at 10 plants per week right now, going to 15 is a massive win. From there, you’ll start to notice how your digestion, energy, and food creativity improve. Progress is the point, not perfection.
Understanding these common misconceptions helps you stay focused on what really matters: building a way of eating that works for your life, feels good in your body, and supports your long-term health.
Final Thoughts On Using Plant Points To Improve The Quality Of Your Diet
You now have a powerful tool in your back pocket that can dramatically improve the quality of your nutrition without counting calories, cutting out food groups, or stressing over perfection.
Let’s bring it all together.
Here’s what I want you to remember:
- Plant points are a simple, flexible framework for improving your diet through variety and consistency, without restriction.
- It’s not just about getting “more vegetables”, it’s about feeding your body (and your gut) with a wide range of fibres, antioxidants, and nutrients that support energy, digestion, immunity, mood, and long-term health.
- While 30 plant points per week is the popular benchmark, we like to aim higher: Think 3-5 per meal, 10-15 per day, and 40-50+ per week to really feel the benefits.
- You don’t have to be perfect. This is about progress over time, learning what works for your body, and building habits that fit your real life.
So what’s next?
Here’s what I recommend:
- Track your current plant diversity for one week. Don’t change anything, and just observe. Use a tracker, your Notes app, or even a blank piece of paper. You just want to get a baseline.
- Pick one meal to improve. Start with breakfast, lunch, or dinner, whichever feels easiest. Add 1-2 new plant foods and see how that shifts the meal (and how you feel afterwards).
- Rotate something you normally repeat. If you always eat spinach, try lettuce. If you’re stuck on brown rice, swap in farro or barley. One small swap = one extra point.
- Make it fun. Turn it into a challenge, get your family involved, try new recipes, and experiment with herbs and spices you’ve never used before. The more playful you make it, the more sustainable it becomes.
- Celebrate your wins. Whether you hit 15 plant points or 45, every new plant you eat is a win for your gut, your health, and your mindset. Track your streaks, share your progress, and be proud of the effort.
If you’re working with me or another coach on our team, we can build this into your weekly check-ins, meal planning, and even help you with your grocery list. It’s a tool that’s endlessly adaptable, whether your goal is better digestion, more energy, improved performance, or just feeling more in control of your health.
If you need more help with your own nutrition, you can always reach out to us and get online coaching, or alternatively, you can interact with our free content, especially our free nutrition content.
If you want more free information on nutrition or training, you can follow us on Instagram, YouTube or listen to the podcast, where we discuss all the little intricacies of exercise and nutrition. You can always stay up to date with our latest content by subscribing to our newsletter.
You may particularly be interested in the following articles:
How Much Fibre Should You Eat?
Putting Healthy Eating Guidelines Into Practice
Diet Quality: Micronutrients and Nutrients Of Concern
How To Eat More Fruit and Veg Made Easy
How To Get More Fibre In Your Diet
Finally, if you want to learn how to coach nutrition, then consider our Nutrition Coach Certification course, and if you want to learn to get better at exercise program design, then consider our course on exercise program design. We do have other courses available too. If you don’t understand something, or you just need clarification, you can always reach out to us on Instagram or via email.
