Vegan Pantry Essentials
When you first go vegan it can be overwhelming. You may not know what to buy, what to eat, or how to cook any vegan food well. Thats why I'm here. In this post you will find my staples that I ALWAYS have in the pantry. Most of these items can be found in bulk or in large quantities so you can save a few bucks! Pretty much every grocery store will have these essentials so you don't need to worry about not finding them. I hope this is helpful to you and if you are interested in my refrigerator staples then let me know! That would include fruits and veggies I always have, tofu, tempeh, almondmilk...things of that nature.
Grains
An essential part of a plant-based diet! I like to have a big variety so I don't get bored of having the same thing everyday
- White Rice (I like sushi rice and basmati)
- Black or Purple Rice (full of micronutrients and a fun way to change up the normal rice)
- Brown Rice (I like short grain or basmati)
- Barley (great for in soups or in buddha bowls)
- Quinoa (quick cooking with lots of protein)
- Regular Oats or Steel Cut Oats (perfect for breakfast or in baking)
Snacks
Healthy, easy snacks for on the go or if you're feeling munchy
- Popcorn Kernels (by them plain and pop them yourself for a light snack)
- Nuts (packed with healthy fats and protein)
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Macadamia Nuts
- Walnuts
- Cashews (soaking them makes good sauces or desserts too!)
- Dark Chocolate
- My Oil-Free Granola
Legumes
Full of fiber and protein, should be a staple in everyones diet
- Variety of beans (I like to get them dry and cook them myself for cost but canned are good too! Find what beans you like)
- Black Beans
- Fava Beans
- White Beans
- Garbanzo Beans
- Pinto beans
- Lentils (red, green, brown, etc)
Smoothie Bowl Toppings
Since I eat so many smoothie bowls this deserves it's own category!
- Buckinis
- Chia Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Goji Berries
- Cacao Nibs
- Coconut (Shredded or flaked)
- Flax Seeds
- Raw Pumpkin Seeds
Savory Toppings
Not including spices and herbs, but includes other healthy additives to make vegan food taste amazing!
- Poppy Seeds
- Sesame Seeds (black and white)
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Nutritional Yeast (it's a must)
Baking
If you want to play around with vegan pizzas, mac and cheeses or desserts, then these are things you may want to try.
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Gluten-Free Flours (if you are GF or want to experiment)
- Brown Rice Flour
- Rye Flour
- Oat Flour (you can make it yourself)
- Buckwheat Flour
- Spelt Flour
- Chickpea Flour
- Cornmeal Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Almond Flour
- And the list goes on and on and on
- Apple Cider Vinegar (good for vegan buttermilk)
- Coconut Oil Spray (spraying down pans is essential if you don't want things to stick)
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips
- Raisins (good for snacking too)
- Amaranth (ancient grain perfect in granola or even cookies)
- Coconut Cream (good for cakes or coconut whip cream!)
- Polenta (perfect for breading or adding to the bottom of pizzas)
- Carob Powder or Cocoa Powder
- Egg Replacer (or you can use ground flax seeds)
- Cane Sugar (brown sugar, demerara sugar, etc)
- Coconut Oil (good butter replacement)
- Coconut Sugar (healthier alternative to cane sugar)
- Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
- Unsweetened applesauce (oil replacement)
Pasta and Noodles
Makes for a quick and easy meal and good for meal prep. And yummy sauces are not hard to make.
- Regular pasta (bowtie, rigatoni, etc)
- Gluten-Free Pasta (made with brown rice, quinoa, or even beans or lentils!)
- Rice Noodles (ramen, stir fry, or vermicelli)
- Spring Roll Wraps
