It’s a common misconception that a vegan diet is expensive. Vegan Shopping List. There’s nothing wrong with frozen fruits, in fact, they can even be more nutrient-rich than fresh counterparts since they’re picked at their peak of freshness. That being said, don’t be intimidated by cooking dried beans. ©2020 Running on Real Food. Day to day, I eat whole food plant-based and I love how it makes me feel but I also love enjoying treats. Hi! It’s a big one and they make up a big part of my diet. I use dates, banana, applesauce, coconut sugar, maple syrup and stevia in my kitchen. Frozen fruit is great for oatmeal, smoothies, making chia seed jam and adding to baking. I have a thorough post on how to stock a vegan pantry but we’ll cover pantry basics in this section. It’s a big one and they make up a big part of my diet. I have a quick answer for this: much less than buying eggs, cheese, meat, milk, fish and other animal products. Peanut butter – Any good American will already have this in their pantry, but chances are the brand you love is chocked full of sugar. Don’t worry, you can easily replace that commercial brand of peanut butter from your childhood with 100% pure peanut butter at any health food store and most grocery stores. Major chains should carry everything you need and every day plant-based options becoming more and more mainstream. All rights reserved, Healthy College Pantry List - Easy Meal Essentials. Berries: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. Download a copy of our plant-based shopping list to help you get an overview of vegan food choices, plan your upcoming meals and structure your next trip to the store! I always stock quinoa, brown rice, rolled oats and farro, the rest I buy on an as needed basis. As for fruit, I always buy frozen berries for adding to smoothies, oatmeal and for snacking. When in doubt, keep it simple by sticking to whole plant foods. This is a deactivated version of the yeast you would normally use to bake bread, therefore it will not ferment or … As demand increases, so does availability. Required fields are marked *. I’m able to buy almost everything from one mainstream grocery store and only sometimes need one or two items from a more natural food-focused store, if anything at all. Variety is the name of the name here. This has really inspired me to go vegan, so I’m going to. Once you’ve got your fresh fruits and vegetables, start choosing some starchy, unrefined carbohydrates such as sweet potato, potato, squashes, rice, quinoa, beans and lentils. This reference covers suggested servings for each food group, such as legumes, veggies, fruits and seeds needed to cover your daily nutritional needs. may give veganism the side-eye, it should be noted that vegans still enjoy a wide array of delicious dishes and snacks! Recipes to try: Tempeh Quinoa Macro Bowl // Vegan Herbed Tofu Ricotta // Vegan Buddha Bowl with Tofu and Edamame. You can include fresh, dried and frozen fruits in your diet but I’d recommend focusing on fresh and frozen. Learn how your comment data is processed. There are plenty of decent alternatives to dairy available today. Many of these seasonings come with enormous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Changing your eating habits is a big undertaking and these types of food may be particularly helpful as you transition to a plant-based lifestyle. For reference, my husband and I spend approximately $180 per week shopping plant-based and buying as much organic as we can find or our budget allows. Up until this point, we’ve covered all the whole plant foods you’ll need to enjoy a vegan diet and feel good while doing it. We’ll talk more about processed foods later in the post but if you’re just starting out and need some dairy alternatives to help you transition, you can consider items such as: Brands that make products in this category include Daiya, Earth Balance, Follow Your Heart, So Delicious, GO Veggie, Silk, Yoso, Almond Breeze and Tofutti. If you’re pressed for time, having pre-washed and chopped frozen vegetables on hand can be a lifesaver. I once read a truly inspiring book called “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind”. That’s why we came up with a list of 25 vegan staple foods, all of which can be crafted into a large variety of plant-based meal options! When you’ve eaten vegan for years and years, you don’t have to think twice about grocery shopping anymore. Squash: butternut, acorn, kabocha, pumpkin, hubbard. These items are helpful for taking the flavor of all those veggies up a notch. Sea salt is rich in trace minerals and can be a healthy addition to your diet. This is particularly useful if you find yourself wasting food each week. Here are the items that are not part of vegan diet: From week to week the specific vegetables you buy will vary but they’ll always make up the base of your shopping. In addition to the fruits listed below, you can also wash and freeze any fresh fruit. If you like baking, you can use any of the sweeteners below for an unrefined option to refined white sugar. The only things I really stock on a regular basis are raisins and dates. Fruits are an excellent, nutritious plant-based food to enjoy on a daily basis. As for flours, I stock quinoa flour and chickpea flour for pancakes and use whole-wheat or gluten-free flour for occasional baking. Nuts are great for snacking, can be added to smoothies, oatmeal and baking and can be used to make your own plant milk, energy bars and energy balls. I strongly identified with its concept of a “beginner's mind”, … I buy dairy-free coconut yogurt often and enjoy it topped with berries and granola, mixed with protein or on top of oats. You can buy most of the foods you’ll need at any grocery store. Whether you’re on a budget, a vegan beginner or an experienced plant-based eater, this list will be helpful in helping you navigate any grocery store. I’ve been trying different Vegan recipes and so far I love everything I’ve eaten. I’m also the author of Super Simple Plant-Based and Vegan Protein Smoothies. It’s compact, easy to read and includes all ingredients mentioned in the post. Create & Manage Your Shopping Lists (100% Free! I’m the writer, recipe developer and photographer here at Running on Real Food. Using dried beans in your kitchen is very budget-friendly and if you plan ahead, it’s easy to include homecooked beans in your weekly meal plan. Sure, sometimes food will just be fuel but sometimes it can be a source of comfort too. I buy cranberries sometimes if I need them for a recipe. download our printable vegan grocery list . Here is a printable version of the vegan grocery list. I use other nuts on an as needed basis. You’re welcome. I like to purchase fruits like apples, bananas and berries weekly and then rotate in more exotic fruits like persimmon, kiwi, mango and papaya. From there, if your budget allows, you can spend more on luxury items like superfoods, more nuts, seeds and nut butter and more of the many wonderful vegan products that have exploded onto the market. Vegan meat and dairy alternatives may be especially helpful as you transition away from an animal-product heavy diet. To simplify your daily diet, you can download my free printable daily nutrition checklist. Vegan Grocery List for Beginners. This includes fruit, vegetables, rice, beans, nuts, seeds, soy products and whole grains. Having a well-stocked pantry of dried herbs and spices will help you create flavorful meals without the need for excess salt. I’m definitely committed to going Vegan, he can stay they way he is. Legumes are a great source of protein in a plant-based diet and they provide many essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Legumes include beans, lentils, soy and peanuts and it might be my favorite grocery category. Cruciferous veggies: cauliflower, broccoli, red cabbage, green cabbage, napa cabbage, brussel sprouts. Veggies you’re not going to get to can be frozen for adding to healthy smoothies to prevent food waste and increase your nutrient intake. ), Copyright © 2015–2017 Bonial International GmbH. Both dried and fresh herbs and spices are rich in antioxidants and have many beneficial and anti-inflammatory properties. have shown many promising health benefits to include in your diet on daily basis. What are ‘vegan store cupboard essentials?’ ... Last but not least, nutritional yeast is the final product to add to your supermarket shopping list, if you don’t have this in your pantry already. For a nutritionally complete diet, vegans will need to stock up on whole grain products, nuts, seeds, legumes, and perhaps even some supplements. Kale, spinach, arugula, collard greens. I try to vary my intake of fruits as much as I can so I vary the micronutrients I get each week. Of course, the assortment of vegan foods depends on the place you live. By eating well 90% of the time I can go ahead and enjoy some goodies too, no worries. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Vegetables are an essential food group needed to cover all your micronutrient needs. To put together your weekly grocery list, I’d suggest sitting down on a Sunday and making a meal plan for the week. Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of the faithful vegan diet, but what essentials should vegans have on hand to meet all of their nutritional needs? Legumes are a great source of protein in a plant-based diet and they provide many essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants.