As National Vegetarian Week approaches, steak and burger-lover Jeananne Craig sinks her teeth into a meat-free meal plan

The fridge has been cleared of meat and fish, my kitchen is now better stocked than our local greengrocer's, and I've had my 'last supper' - a steak that probably weighs as much as a small child.

As challenges go, temporarily turning veggie to mark National Vegetarian Week (May 18-24) is hardly up there with trekking the Great Wall Of China. As a lover of all things meaty, however, it's a task that fills me with some trepidation. Not least when, just hours into the seven-day experiment, I'm confronted with a platter of glistening, honey-roasted cocktail sausages at a party (I managed to resist, but only just).

Adopting a meat-free diet brings plenty of benefits to animals and the environment, not to mention your bank balance, once you've taken costly meat and fish off the shopping list. But will veggie food give me all the nourishment and flavour I need, or will I be reaching for a Big Mac by day three?

Luckily, I have a foolproof meal plan devised by online supermarket Ocado and nutritionist Anita Bean, to see me through the week and ensure I get a balanced and varied diet. I sometimes struggle to come up with exciting dishes when cooking for veggie friends, but there are a wide range of tastes and textures in Bean's recipes, from the super-simple bean and quinoa salad to the gnocchi, pesto and roasted veg, and the goat's cheese and tomato frittata. What's more, they're surprisingly filling.

It's all about getting the balance right, according to Bean - ensuring you get enough protein, iron, vitamin B12 (from eggs, dairy products and fortified breakfast cereals), omega-3 (try chia, pumpkin and flax seeds and dark green leafy veg), and vitamin D.

"Vitamin D can be a problem if you don't get much sun exposure or consume oily fish. The best vegetarian sources are egg yolk and fortified margarine, plant milk and breakfast cereals," says Bean.

She adds: "Make vegetarian versions of your favourite meals: replace the meat in stews, curries and casseroles with tinned beans, lentils or tofu."

If you're missing your meat fix, you might like to try meat substitutes such as seitan (a gluten used in stir fries and Chinese dishes) and Quorn meat-free chicken fillets. According to a Mintel survey, the number of vegetarian food and drink product launches doubled globally between 2009 to 2013, so there's more choice than ever.

By the end of my week, I'm feeling great - healthy, clear-skinned and with more energy than usual. I've been getting about seven portions of fruit and veg a day, and from now on, I'll definitely be more imaginative when it comes to planning meals, looking into veggie options instead of using meat as the focal point.

I must admit though, I did miss the taste of meat once or twice. Which is why, the morning after my challenge finished, I started my day with a juicy bacon sandwich. Naughty, yes, but very nice.