Whether you have already decided to go vegan or you are contemplating it, this shopping guide simplifies getting all the nutrition you need from plant-based foods. The list of vegan-friendly foods is long, making it easy to say goodbye to dairy, eggs, meat, and fish.
According to Women’s Health Magazine, food shopping for vegans can still be a chore, even though there are several vegan-friendly products in most grocery stores. To keep it simple: avoid processed foods.
Nutritionist Shanthi Appelö, from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, told Women’s Health:
The more processed a food is, the more time vegans need to spend label-reading to spot ingredients that could be animal-derived. Even foods that seem like they would be vegan may not be.
In addition, filling your shopping cart with all processed vegan foods is expensive. While ready-made meals are more convenient for people with busy schedules, homemade meals are far healthier and significantly cheaper.
Here’s an essential vegan shopping list that will ensure you eat everything you need on the nutritional food pyramid, and you can tweak it to your taste and budget.
Plant-Based Proteins
Proteins are a vital part of a healthy diet because they contain amino acids that maintain your immune function and transport nutrients. Vegans need to eat three servings of legumes (beans, lentils, and peas) daily to get the essential amino acid lysine. In addition, legumes are a great source of iron which is missing from other plant-based proteins.
Here’s a tip: If you eat legumes with vitamin C-rich vegetables, it will increase iron absorption. Some vitamin C-rich vegetables include peppers, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, thyme, Kakadu plums, and Camu Camu.
According to Healthline, tofu and other minimally processed meat alternatives like tempeh made from fermented soybeans or seitan made from gluten are also suitable replacements for eggs and meat and are excellent protein sources. Seaweed and algae also contain high amounts of protein, making vegan sushi a healthy meal. In addition, nuts and nut butter contain protein and offer other health benefits.
Grains and Cereals
A healthy Vegan diet includes whole grains, cereals, and pseudocereals because they are a good source of complex carbs, iron, fiber, B vitamins, and minerals. However, some are better than others. For example, spelt contains three times more Selenium than Teff, and both have 10-11 grams of protein, while pseudocereals like amaranth and quinoa come very close, with 8-9 grams of protein. When buying rice, avoid white and stick to brown or purple rice and buy whole wheat pasta instead of white.
Fruits
Fruits are filled with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Eating fruits (and vegetables) in season is better because they are more flavorful and nutritious since the fruits are not processed or preserved.
Some of the best fruits are:
- Strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, or any other berry,
- Citrus fruit like oranges, grapefruit, pomelos, lemons, and limes,
- Avocados, bananas, apples,
- And exotic fruits like dragon fruit or jackfruit.
Veggies
Vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals and play a protective role against many chronic diseases. Diets high in veggies and fruit are associated with several health benefits. For example, a 2019 systematic review of meta-analyses found that increasing vegetable intake could significantly decrease the risk of developing various common diseases.
Higher vegetable consumption, when compared to lower, were linked with:
- A 12% reduction in strokes
- A 14% decrease in coronary heart disease
- An 11% reduction in the metabolic syndrome
- A 13% decrease in all-cause mortality
Since so many different kinds of vegetables exist, the best way to get all the nutrients your body needs is to eat veggies throughout all color groups: green, red, yellow, orange, purple, and white.
- Green: kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, bean sprouts, zucchini, and arugula. The darker the green, the more iron, protein, and minerals it has. In addition, dark green leafy vegetables act as antioxidants in the body.
- Red: tomatoes, onions, radishes, beets, and peppers.
- Yellow: peppers, squash, zucchini
- Orange: carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes. The more the orange color, the more beta-carotene it holds.
- Purple: eggplants, cabbage, and the purple varieties of sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and radishes.
- White: cauliflower, onions, and garlic.
Oils and Fats
Women’s Health recommends incorporating healthy fats and oils into your daily diet because they help absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. When cooking, avoid palm oil and instead use coconut, olive, avocado, walnut, or soybean oils. You can also benefit from healthy oils by eating olives, nuts, nut butter, and nutritious seeds.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts contain healthy oils and protein. Almonds and walnuts, in particular, have anti-inflammatory properties and are great for lowering cholesterol. The best seeds to eat are hemp, chia, and flax. They contain the highest protein levels in the seed category and are filled with healthy fatty acids like omega-3 and packed with other benefits.
You can bake with nuts and seeds, sprinkle them on salads, oatmeal, muesli, vegan yogurts, and smoothies. You can also blend them to make spreads to dip carrots or celery in or spread on whole-wheat bread.
Healthy Snacks and Treats
There are many delicious vegan snacks, including:
- Dried fruits like figs, dates, and cranberries;
- Popcorn kernels (pop your own in vegan butter or coconut oil);
- Nuts and seeds;
- Dark chocolate (which is loaded with health benefits.)
Vegan Dairy
According to Healthline, vegans can replace dairy with calcium-fortified plant-based milk and yogurts. There is a wide range of available dairy milk substitutes made from soy, rice, oats, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and coconut at any supermarket or online. Vegan cheeses are also getting easier to find, and there are many vegan and dairy-free ice cream options.
Vegan Ice Cream
According to Go Dairy Free, there were very few non-dairy options for vegan or lactose-intolerant people ten years ago. Today, there are several vegan ice creams to choose from in natural food stores or supermarkets.
When summer comes around, and you start craving ice cream, here are seven of the many great choices of non-dairy ice creams made of almond, coconut, oat, or soy. They come in many flavors and are available in scoopable pints, sandwiches, and bars.
Häagen-Dazs
This indulgent ice cream producer started with only three flavors in 1976 when the company first opened. Now, Häagen-Dazs has over 50 flavors, including a unique non-dairy line of pints and bars, with delicious flavors like Amaretto Black Cherry Almond Toffee, Chocolate Fudge, Coconut Caramel, Mango Sorbet.
According to Go Dairy Free, every flavor is customized instead of using a coconut or almond base on all varieties. Finally, all of Häagen-Dazs’ flavors are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. However, if you’re on a tight budget, it’s more expensive than other ice cream brands.
Tofutti
Tofutti has been around since 1981 and is one of the first brands to make soy-based non-dairy ice cream substitutes. It uses non-GMO soy, and RSPO certified palm oil, is egg-free and vegan. There are six delicious flavors available in pints, sandwiches, and bars. However, Tofutti doesn’t only make ice cream; it also has a line of soy-based sour cream, cheeses, and dips.
So Delicious
MindBodyGreen describes this ice cream as the ultimate non-dairy treat for coconut lovers. The brand uses coconut milk as its base, making it extra creamy and flavorful. In addition, So Delicious has almond milk and oat milk-based frozen treats. That’s not all, there are also sugar-free varieties, so there’s something for everyone to indulge in.
Planet Oat
This non-dairy dessert is made from oat milk and coconut oil. Planet Oat comes in eight mouth-watering flavors, including Blueberry Oat Crumble, Coffee Fudge Swirl, and Cookies & Crème. However, Planet Oat is best known for its coffee creamers and oat milk.
Daiya
Daiya is a Canadian brand known more for its vegan cheese line but also makes non-dairy ice cream bars, according to MBG. There are four delicious flavors, including Espresso Coffee and Salted Caramel Swirl. Daiya products contain no dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, peanuts, and fish, making them ideal for people with allergies.
Breyers
Breyers non-dairy ice cream comes in four classic flavors and is readily available in grocery stores. All four flavors are made with almond milk instead of cream and are soy-free and gluten-free except for Oreos Cookies & Cream. In addition, the ice cream comes in 1.5-quart tubs, so it’s an economical choice for those who are lactose intolerant or vegan.
O’My Gelato
O’My Gelato is a rich vegan non-dairy gelato that has a whipped texture and almost tastes homemade. Nine popular flavors are available, including Strawberry and Cake Batter, which do not contain dairy, gluten, soy, peanuts, or pea protein.
Other non-dairy, vegan ice creams include Ben & Jerry’s, Cado Avocado Frozen Dessert, Frönen Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts, Chloe’s Oatmilk Raspberry Chip Pops, Coconut Bliss Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Van Leeuwen Vegan Salted Caramel, Almond Dream Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert, Steve’s Dairy-Free Ice Cream, Modern Pop Mint Chip, and the list goes on!
Now that you know so many different kinds of vegan-friendly foods and deserts to eat, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t switch to a vegan diet, at least if you’re considering it. To find out even more plant-based foods, check out Vegan.io’s complete vegan shopping list. Bon appetite!
