Quick & Easy Vegan Staples
With so many people looking to start a vegan diet this year, many Brand New Vegans know what they can’t eat, but aren’t exactly sure what they CAN eat. And maneuvering a grocery store full of temptations can be a little frightening. If you know exactly what vegan staples to buy, it doest have to be. If fact, you can be in and out in a flash compared to your older days as a processed, junk food, meat-eater.
So in this post I thought I’d layout one of my typical trips to the grocery tore. Let it be a starting guide for you.
“Eat Foods. Not too much. Mostly Plants.” – Michael Pollan
Produce
This is always my first stop as soon as I grab my cart. I mean we are plant eaters right? Makes sense . Many people talk about Organic vs Non-Organic, and I guess the best thing to do here is buy what you can afford. Let this quick chart of the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen from PBS help guide you. If you can’t afford the organic – wash it really well when you get home. Another tip – if you don’t think you’ll eat that entire head of Broccoli before it goes bad – buy frozen. There is absolutely nothing wrong with frozen veggies. In fact they are actually picked at peaked ripeness compared to the ‘fresh’ stuff that was picked a month ago and shipped thousands of miles to your store.
- Onions, Garlic, Red & Green Bell Peppers, Green Onions
- Spinach, Kale, Romaine Lettuce, Cabbage
- Carrots, Celery, Tomatoes, Parsnips
- Apples, Oranges, Tangerines, Bananas, Pears
- Avocados for homemade Guacamole (occasionaly)
- Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
- Mushrooms
- Silken Tofu – Firm (yeah at my store they keep the Tofu in the Produce Aisle – no idea why)
Bakery
I’ve always been a bread lover – and I’m sure it’s my downfall. I just love the stuff, especially sourdough. (yum) But just know that the majority of stuff in your bakery aisle is made from processed white flour. No matter what the label on the package says – it’s white flour. Processed flour has been stripped of all nutritional value, which is why they have to add back in the vitamins and minerals they lose in processing. That’s why it says ‘enriched’.
If you can find bread that has as it’s very first ingredient, ”100% Whole Wheat”, – then you’re good to go. And it will be expensive compared to the other stuff.
- Ezekiel 4:9 Brand Breads
- Dave’s Killer Breads
- Tortillas (Corn and Flour)
Bulk Foods
Next stop the Bulk Food Aisle. If your grocery store doesn’t have one, you should really think about finding one that does, as you can get some great deals here. I actually bought an entire set of Canisters just to store all my dried goods. I like the OXO stackable see through canister kits as they look nice on my counter and keep everything sealed and fresh. I have rice and beans in this section but if you see a good deal on bagged rice or beans – by all means grab them. Wal-Mart has some pretty good-sized bags of Jasmine Rice for pretty cheap.
- Oatmeal, Quinoa, Brown Rice
- Red Lentils, Brown Lentils, Dried Beans
- Nutritional Yeast
Frozen Foods
Next stop, frozen fruits and veggies. Be careful in this aisle. It’s full of temptations. I know I know, those Frozen Pizzas and Ice Cream look soooo good – but try and resist. Just look at the ingredients – usually a lot of fat, salt, and sugar. This will not help you take, or keep, the weight off. I will admit, I occasionally buy a box of Boca Burgers or Morningstar Veggie Crumbles, but this is a rare treat or for an extreme case of convenience. One last note – be careful of the Steamed Veggies with ‘flavorings’ or ‘sauces’ – again more fat, salt, and/or sugar. Just get the plain veggies.
- Frozen Berries
- Frozen Veggie Blends (no sauces)
- Frozen Corn, Peas, Spinach
- Frozen Hash Brown Potatoes
- Occasional box of Boca Burgers or Soy Crumbles
Health Food Aisle
Our store has 2 aisles dedicated to “Healthy Foods’. This is what I call the fake food aisle, or the Vegan Junk Food Aisle. Again there are lots of tempting goodies, like “Healthy” Potato Chips (there’s no such thing). Soy & Almond Milk, Daiya Cheese, Tofurky Fake Meats, Amy’s Ready to Eat Meals, Coconut Ice Cream…and it’s all Vegan! Yeah and usually full of calories, salt, oil, and sugar. If you’re transitioning to a Vegan Diet, and still need the fake meats, cheeses, and the like – knock yourself out. It’s expensive, and full of calories, but if it helps you in the long run – go for it. BUT…..eventually you’ll want to avoid this aisle too. Remember, Vegan doesn’t always mean healthy. Read those labels!
Here’s what I buy:
- Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Earth Balance Butter (just remember it’s 100% fat) But it’s healthy fat…. yeah right. And I gotta bridge I can sell ya…
- Daiya Cheese (read the last line over again)
- White Miso
Baking Goods Aisle
Nothing fancy here, just staples. You will eventually be cooking – a lot. And some of this stuff comes in handy. Watch for deals and stock up. You may find that eating this way can be bland in the beginning – so spice it up! Nothing wrong with adding a little spice to your food to make it more palatable. Yes – even salt. Better to sprinkle it on after its cooked though rather than cooking with it – you’ll use less.
- Salt
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Whole Wheat Flour (I like King Arthur)
- White Bread Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Corn Starch
- Spices
- Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Pepper,
- Onion & Garlic Powder, Ginger, Tumeric,
- Italian Seasonings, Paprika, Chili Powder, Cumin
Canned Goods Aisle
Almost done. The last aisle. (Well except for paper stuff – you know TP and the like…. you’re on your own for that) Here is where I stock up on canned beans, tomatoes, green chiles, and whatever other canned veggie you may like. Again, some people worry about Organic, or BPA Free cans. I say get what you can afford. No matter WHAT I buy here, I always, always, drain and rinse really well. If you want to spend the extra bucks on organic or BPA free cans – go for it. I do however try to buy the NO SALT ADDED, or LOW SODIUM versions. And yes, I STILL drain and rinse, just to be sure. Have I said read labels? Goes for this aisle too.
One last thing , when I say canned good aisle, I am NOT talking about canned soups, canned vegetarian chile {shudder}, or canned meat like anything….. It’s all PROCESSED foods people – can you say mega salt, mega fat, mega NO nutritional value at all? Keep it simple – keep it whole foods. Stuff your grandma would recognize.
- Canned Beans (Black, Pinto, Garbanzo, Kidney, Refried, White)
- Canned Tomatoes (Chopped, Whole, Crushed, Stewed)
- Canned Tomato Sauce and Paste
- Canned Green Chiles (not quite like New Mexico – but as close as I can get in Oregon
Done!
See? That wasn’t that hard was it? And look how many aisles we avoided all together, the cereal aisle, the pop aisle, the chip and snack aisle, the meat section, the processed meat and cheese section, the fruit juice, the canned tuna, the canned soups, the canned meat like snacks…….
What exactly is that jelly like stuff that’s in a can of Spam anyway?
