Adopting plant-based diets high in fiber may reduce global warming and obesity prevalence. Physiological and psychological determinants of plant-based food decision-making remain unclear, particularly in real-life settings. As fiber has been linked with improved gut-brain signaling, we hypothesized that a single plant-based compared to an animal-based meal, would induce higher satiety, higher mood and less stress. In three smartphone-based studies adults (nall = 16,379) ranked satiety and mood on 5/10-point Likert scales before and after meal intake. Statistical analyses comprised linear mixed models, extended by nutrient composition, taste ratings, gender, social interaction, type of decision and dietary adherence to consider potential confounding. Overall, meal intake induced satiety and higher mood. Against our hypotheses, plant-based meal choice did not explain differences in hunger after the meal. Considering mood, individuals choosing a plant-based meal reported slightly higher mood before the meal and smaller mood increases after the meal compared to those choosing animal-based meals (post-meal*plant-based: b = -0.06 , t = -3.6, model comparison p < .001). Protein content marginally mediated post-meal satiety, while gender and taste ratings had a strong effect on satiety and mood in general. In this series of large-scale online studies, we could not detect profound effects of plant-based vs. animal-based meals on satiety and mood. Instead of meal category, satiety and mood depended on taste and protein content of the meal, as well as dietary habits and gender. Our findings might help to develop strategies to increase acceptability of healthy and sustainable plant-based food choices.