There are so many amazing vegan foods out there, you may be surprised by just how many options there are! Here’s just a few examples of some of the foods vegans eat.
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Buy fruits and vegetables from all the categories below. Pick up affordable basics like carrots, apples, bananas, and celery, and supplement with produce that’s on sale/in season.
Fruits
Frozen fruit is useful for smoothies and baking (previously frozen fruit for topping oatmeal or non-dairy yogurts) Dried fruit can be taken on the go with nuts or trail mix used as a topping for breakfast cereal, and in baking.
FRESH
- Apples
- Pears
- Kiwis
- Oranges
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
- Limes
- Peaches
- Plums
- Nectarines
- Bananas
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Watermelon
- Honeydew
- Cantaloupe
- Apricots
- Grapes
- Mangoes
- Cherries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
FROZEN
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Mixed berry blends
- Sweet cherries
- Mango
- Mixed fruit blends
DRIED
- Raisins
- Currants
- Cranberries
- Apricots
- Dates
- Figs
- Apple slices
- Banana chips
Vegetables
Buy a few vegetables to eat raw in salads, sandwiches, or with dips. Pick up at least 1-2 leafy greens for salad bases and sandwiches. Buy a few vegetables to eat raw in salads, sandwiches, or with dips. Choose a variety of fresh or frozen vegetables that are good for steaming, sautéing, stir-frying, and roasting. Frozen vegetables are a great staple and are very versatile. You can pick up extra when they're on sale without worrying about spoilage, they're easy to prepare in hurry, and can be a great healthy backup option if you miss a grocery shopping trip. Frozen produce is typically more nutrient dense than fresh produce, because it's flash frozen at its peak ripeness.
FRESH (Raw & Cooking)
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cauliflower
- Cucumbers
- Snap peas
- Tomatoes
- Bell peppers
- Avocado
FRESH (Cooking)
- Zucchini
- Mushrooms
- Squashes
- Asparagus
- Kale
- Garlic
FRESH (Leafy Greens)
- Baby kale
- Baby spinach
- Romaine
- Butter lettuce
- Leaf lettuce
- Salad mixes
FROZEN
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Corn
- Peas
- Edamame
- Stir-fry mixes
GRAINS, BEANS & LEGUMES
Keep 2 or more 100% whole grain bakery products on hand for making sandwiches, wraps, or pitas. These products freeze well - keep a selection in your freezer and just thaw single servings as needed. Keep 2-3 whole grains/starches and a few different types of beans, legumes, and soy products. Mix and match them and add a vegetable side dish for a complete meal. Oatmeal is great to keep on hand for easy, healthy breakfasts. Look for quick, rolled, or steel-cut oats and avoid most instant oatmeal packets.
100% WHOLE WHEAT
- Bread
- Tortillas
- English muffins
- Bagels
- Pitas
- Pasta
WHOLE GRAINS & STARCHES
- Oatmeal (quick, rolled, or steel-cut)
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Seitan (wheat gluten)
- Sweet potatoes
- Russet potatoes
BEANS & LEGUMES
- Chickpeas (canned/dry)
- Black beans (canned/dry)
- Kidney beans
- Lentils (dry)
- Hummus
- Veggie burgers (lentil, bean, or vegetable based)
- Edamame (frozen)
SOY PRODUCTS
- Firm tofu
- Soft/silken tofu
- Smoked/marinated tofu
- Tempeh
- Soy milk
HEALTHY FATS
Healthy fats are a very important part of a healthy vegan diet! Include a wide selection of items from this list to make sure a good balance of omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids. Keep a couple of different whole foods like avocado, dark chocolate, nuts/seeds, or olives on hand for snacking, at least 1 nut/seed butter for dipping fruit, spreading on toast, or adding to oatmeal, and a couple of different oils for cooking, making salad dressings, or supplementation. Larger quantities of nuts and seeds should be kept in the freezer to prevent spoilage.
High Fat Foods
- Avocado
- Edamame
- Coconut milk
- Dark chocolate
- Olives
- Hummus
Oils
- Coconut oil
- Flax seed oil
- Sesame oil
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Vegan “butter”
- Vegan margarine
Nuts & Seeds
- Peanut butter
- Almond/Nut butters
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Sunflower seeds
- Sunflower seed butter
- Pumpkin seeds
- Chia seeds
- Ground flax seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Tahini (sesame butter)
NON-DAIRY PRODUCTS
Choose 1 unsweetened non-dairy milk for all-purpose use in savoury cooking, baking, and smoothies. Choose 1 great tasting non-dairy milk to add to tea, coffee, or for enjoying straight. Choose whichever plant-based milk you enjoy the flavour of most. Soy milk is great because it's high in protein and mimics the nutritional profile of cow's milk. Vanilla, chocolate or other flavours are great for sweetening and flavouring coffee.
MILK
- Soy milk
- Almond milk
- Cashew milk
- Oat milk
- Coconut milk
- Rice milk
- Hemp milk
- Flax milk
YOGURT/CHEESE/BUTTER
- Soy/almond/
coconut yogurt - Tofu desserts
- Vegan butter/
margarine - Vegan cheese shreds/slices
- Vegan cream cheese
- Nutritional yeast
VEGAN PANTRY
A selection of condiments, herbs, and spices on hand makes it easy to diversify your meals. These items tend to last a long time, so wastage isn’t much of an issue. Buy dried herbs or spices you don’t use very often from the bulk section in smaller amounts. For fresh herbs, wash and freeze any leftovers that you won’t use right away.
Keep at least 2-3 various sweeteners in your kitchen (1 for sweetening hot beverages like coffee and tea, 1 for sweetening oatmeal, topping pancakes and toast, and 1 for baking and general use.)
SWEETENERS
- Organic cane sugar
- Agave syrup
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- Coconut sugar
- Fruit preserves
- Dates
- Dried fruits
- Dark chocolate chips
- Stevia
FLAVOURS, HERBS, & SPICES
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Cumin
- Turmeric
- Chili powder
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Pepper
CONDIMENTS
- Salsa
- Hummus
- Soy sauce
- Sriracha
- Mustard
- Vegan mayo
- Vegetable bouillon
- Nutritional yeast
- Lemon/lime juice
- Vinegar (white, balsamic
COOKING & BAKING
- Whole grain flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Corn starch
- Apple cider vinegar
- Coconut oil
- Earth Balance Butter
- Ground flax seed
- Yeast