What Vegan TikTok Star Tabitha Brown Eats in a Day to Stay Healthy and Energized

Tabitha Brown has more than 4.7 million fans on TikTok and 3.1 million followers on Instagram and counting. With such a large and engaged following, it's very clear Tabitha Brown's soulful and warm personality, her body-positive messages and her vibrant vegan culinary creations are simply infectious.

With her signature tagline "because that's my business" and her approachable plant-based comfort food recipes, the actress, mom, beauty entrepreneur and vegan home cook has skyrocketed in popularity since she started sharing her recipes on social media. But ICYMI, she certainly hasn't always been vegan.

As we reported in November 2020, a 30-day vegan diet challenge in 2017 helped Brown overcome many of the symptoms she was struggling with related to depression, chronic fatigue, vision challenges, major anxiety and more, so she decided to stick with a vegan meal plan for good. Soon after making this pivot, Brown decided to start sharing her recipe ideas and other day-in-the-life moments on TikTok and Instagram to hopefully inspire others that it can be easy eating green.

For those new to the concept of a meat-free menu, Brown suggests, "Take the thought of 'plant-based' out of your mind and just think of it as food. Without the label, you won't feel as intimidated," she says.

Related: 9 Healthy Tips to Help You Start Eating a Vegan Diet

Decreasing the intimidation factor of veganism and simply letting her inner light shine are now the guiding principles Brown brings to every post and project. And those projects are adding up quickly: Brown's first book Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business) is out in September (preorder now: $22.99, Amazon), she's starring on Showtime's new series The Chi and she tells us she's working with Food Network on "a fun competition food show."

"Since I started my TikTok page, I've learned that I'm enough just as 'me,'" Brown tells EatingWell exclusively.

And we're so grateful she's sharing that "me"—spunky, creative and empowering—with her growing legion of fans on social media and beyond.

With all that's on her plate, we asked Brown what she eats on a typical day to stay so energized. Of course, the "world's favorite mom" was happy to dish about all things vegan food. Because that's her business.

Getty Images / Paul Archuleta

What Tabitha Brown Eats in a Day

Breakfast

"I keep a glass of water on my nightstand to drink right away to wake up my system," Brown tells us. "I usually work out before I eat. Then after, I make a smoothie with banana, almond or cashew milk and vegan mushroom protein (such as FOUR SIGMATIC Superfood Organic Plant-Based Protein with Chaga Mushroom and Ashwagandha; buy it: $29.99 for 10 single-serving packets, Amazon) plus pineapple, spinach, peanut butter, blueberries, agave and cinnamon."

On days she doesn't exercise and has time to whip up and sit down for a meal, Brown digs into some avocado toast, a stuffed avocado or a vegan breakfast sandwich or burrito.

"Field Roast has these new breakfast sausage, morning patties (buy it: $6.49 for four, Instacart). Honey let me tell you something, growing up in the south we'd eat a sausage biscuit. The texture of this is so perfect, I can make a big biscuit sandwich again! My husband loves that on a bagel," Brown says. (Note: Brown is currently working in partnership with Lightlife and Field Roast brands.)

She also loves the Field Roast Apple and Maple links (buy it: $5.49 for 12, Target) because they are "so quick to sauté. You can also throw them in your air-fryer—that doesn't dry them out, and they're crunchy on the outside and meaty and moist on the inside," she says.

Lunch

For lunch, Brown often tosses together a quick no-cook meal, such as "a salad or a veggie wrap with avocado, tomato, onion, hummus and pickles, with chips on the side," she says.

If she's in the mood for a warm meal, Brown might grab some leftovers from a plant-based Mexican-inspired meal she whipped up earlier in the week for family dinner.

"Jackfruit and mushroom tacos are on repeat. We're a big taco family, and I love it if you make that same filling with shredded jackfruit, mushrooms, peppers and onions, season it with taco spices and use it in bowls, burritos and tacos," she says. (We're pretty sure she'd adore our Vegan Jackfruit Tacos!)

Dinner

At the dinner hour, Brown might sizzle up coconut vegan crab cakes, Thai-inspired mushrooms over quinoa or a plant-based pasta dinner with a salad on the side. ("Pasta with vegan sausage, peppers, onions and spinach sauteed with garlic, plus a kale pesto with vegan butter," might just be her favorite go-to, she says.

"Lightlife Plant-Based Ground (buy it: $8.59 for 12 ounces, Instacart) is my go-to when I want to make a burger, meatballs or spaghetti sauce. It's so similar to ground turkey! I didn't eat beef before I went vegan, and this is the perfect substitute for ground turkey. Most people try it, then ask, "I thought you were vegan?" because it tastes too similar to the real thing," Brown laughs.

Related: 20 Healthy Vegan Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes

Snacks

Brown admits she's "not a big dessert person, but I snack on popcorn or fruit. Dried mango is like candy to me!"

For an energy boost during a busy afternoon or when she's on set, Brown also likes to snack on nuts, such as almonds, cashews or sweet chili pistachios (buy it: Wonderful Pistachios Sweet Chili Flavor; $7.99 for 14 ounces, Amazon).

The Bottom Line

In less than 5 years as a vegan, Brown has literally taught a masterclass on how to transform all of her non-vegan foods into 100% animal product-free masterpieces that are packed with plenty of produce and protein. We think this is a brilliant strategy to stay satisfied—and not feel like anything is missing.

This is exactly what Brown suggests to any mixed-diet families to make it possible (and fun!) to still sit down to meals together.

"When I first went vegan, my family didn't continue after the first 30-day challenge we did together. I'd make chicken for my husband; if I made all of the sides vegan, we could still eat together," she says. "I figured out how to make my mac and cheese and collard greens vegan. It didn't feel like anything really changed. Then everyone is eating plants without even realizing!"