In case you are looking for a general guide to stocking your vegan pantry, below I have shared what I typically stock in my pantry and fridge to keep my plant-based diet on track. For specific recommendations on protein powders and supplements, please see my Amazon page.
It can be a bit of an investment at first to stock up on the items I keep in my pantry, especially the specialty plant-based items, but once I have them, I am set for a really long time. In the end, I save so much money by being able to cook at home and prepare healthy meals quickly. Obviously, these are not required items if you are a vegan (though I could never be without certain items, like my beloved nutritional yeast, a.k.a. “nooch.”).
What’s in my pantry?
- Canned Goods (look for BPA free and low sodium)
- Chickpeas
- Black Beans
- Vegan re-friend beans
- Kidney beans
- Cannelloni beans
- Vegan soups
- Bulk Items
- Lentils (any variety)
- Dried beans (chickpeas, black-eyed peas, black beans, etc.)
- Quinoa
- Wild rice
- Dried Turkish figs
- Brazil nuts
- Pecans (raw)
- Almonds (raw)
- Cashews (raw)
- Gluten-free oats
- Dried unsweetened coconut
- Dried fruit (no sugar added, typically papaya & mango)
- Non-Perishable Staples
- Gluten-Free Pasta (chickpea or lentil-based)
- Granola (if strictly vegan, check for honey or milk ingredients)
- Buckwheat pancake mix (easily made vegan by substituting a flax egg)
- Tea (I prefer to buy in bulk from tea shops, but also like to have matcha, Dandelion and green tea on hand)
- Specialty Plant-Based Staples
- Spirulina Powder (store in fridge for freshness)
- Coconut Sugar
- Nutritional Yeast Flakes
- Ground/Milled Flaxseed (store in fridge once opened)
- Raw Maca Powder
- Raw Cacao Powder
- Hemp seeds (store in fridge once opened)
- Plant-based Protein Powder (I like Amazing Grass peanut butter & chocolate or ALOHA chocolate)
- Nut Butter
- Almond butter (only ingredient = almonds)
- Cashew butter (only ingredient = cashews)
- Sunflower seed butter (only ingredient = sunflower seeds)
- Sauce & Condiments
- Pasta sauce (verify it’s vegan and no added sugar)
- Curry simmer sauce (verify it’s vegan)
- Tahini
- Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- Coconut aminos
- Sriracha (check ingredients as it may include fish sauce)
- Harissa (if you love spice!)
- Brown mustard
- Dijon mustard
- Vegan mayo
- Ketchup (organic, no added sugars preferred
What I Buy at the Grocery Store
This is what I am typically shopping for on any given day. Of course I’ll pick up items from the pantry list if I need them. I don’t always buy all of these things or have them all in stock all the time, but this list nearly encompasses the items I look out for depending on what I want or need.
- Organic Produce (I try to follow the Dirty Dozen and buy locally when I can)
- Spinach
- Other greens for salads (romaine, spring mix, arugula, etc.)
- Bananas (organic because non-organic messes with my digestion)
- Apples
- Grapes
- Celery
- Bell Pepper
- Tomatoes
- Kiwi (eating the skin is okay)
- Cucumbers
- Blueberries (organic, frozen when not in season)
- Raspberries (organic, frozen when not in season)
- Strawberries (organic, frozen when not in season)
- Non-Organic Produce
- Avocado (store in fridge once ripe)
- Sweet Potatoes (Japanese and regular)
- Carrots
- Red onion
- Squash (spaghetti, delicata, zucchini, butternut)
- Ginger root
- Beets
- Sprouts (alfalfa or broccoli)
- Lemons
- Limes
- Micro-greens
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Mint
- Refrigerated Items
- Sauerkraut or other fermented items
- Oat milk
- Tempeh
- Tofu (I usually go for sprouted and extra firm tofu)
- Hummus
- Non-Refrigerated Items
- Seaweed snacks
- Tortilla chips, snacks and crackers made with recognizable ingredients
- Specialty & Splurge Items
- Drinks such as reishi chocolate drinks and teas, or other ones that look good
- Vegan yogurt
- Vegan cheese / cream cheese
- Vegan ice cream
