The Buddha Bowl System Guide - Watermark Naturals

Buddha bowls are one-dish plant-based meals. The story goes that Buddha would visit villagers with an empty bowl. They would offer him an assortment of vegetarian foods until his bowl was overflowing with abundance.

Buddha bowls are beautiful, nourishing, often enjoyed cold (depending on the season), and can be made from leftovers, or prepped in advance. The ingredients are arranged artfully, being attentive to color and design. Being one-dish meals, clean-up is minimal and family members can pick and choose their portions, ingredients and dressing.

Buddha Bowls are flexible enough for both lunch and dinner meals. While Buddha Bowls are traditionally vegetarian, Nourish Bowls are the equivalent that include animal proteins. Whether your meal is all plants, or mostly plants, whole food plant-centric meals have color, fiber, flavor, and are built around the plants.

How to Work a Buddha Bowl System

Before doing grocery shopping for the week, choose 2-3 ingredients from each category in the Mix and Match Ingredient Chart for Buddha Bowl Freestyling.

After your grocery shop, cook any vegetables, grains or beans ahead. Keep them sealed separately in air-tight containers in the fridge, these will store well for 3-5 days.

Wash and chop the vegetables you’ll need and keep in air-tight containers in the fridge.

Wait to assemble the bowls until the day of

Tips for Assembling Buddha Bowls

Pick an ingredient or two from each category
Heating is optional
Assemble in a bowl
Drizzle with dressing of your choice
Garnish with gusto
Mix and enjoy

Tips and Shortcuts

Keep canned beans on hand for quick use. Purchase vegetables prewashed and chopped.

Have your grocery list do double-duty. Make extra portions at dinner and use leftover vegetables, grains, beans to assemble into a buddha bowl for the next day.

Use store-bought dressings or make a larger batch of homemade dressings (most will keep well in the fridge for up to 7 days)