If you’re new to plant-based nutrition and still find the process of preparing nutritious meals a little tricky, this checklist might help. A few basic shopping tips will give you tips on how to efficiently shop for and store groceries, as well as a general list of ingredients you should always have on hand at home – in the closet, refrigerator or freezer. It is important to always have frozen or dried food in your kitchen – even if you run out of fresh vegetables and fruits, you can make a healthy and tasty meal with noodles, canned tomatoes and frozen spinach!
1. Buy in bulk
It is more convenient to buy everything you need in the supermarket once or twice a week, rather than running around shopping every time you need ingredients. This increases the efficiency of the cooking process and takes much less time during the week.
2. Use a list
Write a rough meal plan for the week, make a shopping list, and stick to it. Deciding ahead of time what food you will be cooking during the week will make it much easier to plan what ingredients to buy. And no more moldy clumps of greens that couldn’t be used!
3. Don’t go shopping hungry
You have probably noticed that when you are hungry, absolutely everything in the supermarket looks attractive, and you want to put everything you see in the basket. And when you go shopping after eating, you have a clear head and you are not tempted by products you do not need.
4. Take only quality products
Of course, quality products usually cost more. There is always a temptation to buy cheap ingredients, but what you pay for is what you get. Take coconut milk, for example: buy the cheapest and you end up with a not so tasty watery liquid, but quality coconut milk will turn dishes like soy stew, curry and homemade ice cream into a real masterpiece with a creamy taste!
5. Find shops with comfortable prices
It often happens that in different stores food prices can vary greatly. Find stores in your area that offer the ingredients you use regularly at a comfortable price, and buy them there – this way you can save money.
General list of ingredients
This list is not exhaustive, and of course, you can buy products according to your taste and needs. When it comes to dry foods, you definitely don’t need to buy it all at once – just grab the right items from the store from time to time, and over time, you will have enough supplies at home.
Fresh food:
Greenery
Bananas
· Apples and pears
· Celery
· Cucumbers
bell pepper
· Lemon and lime
· Tomatoes
Herbs (parsley, basil, mint, etc.)
Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
· Avocado
· Onion
· Carrot
· Beet
· Tofu
· Hummus
· Vegan cheese
· Coconut yogurt
Frozen food:
Berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.)
Legumes (chickpeas, black beans, adzuki, etc.)
Frozen vegetables (spinach, peas, corn, etc.)
Vegetarian sausages and burgers
· Miso paste
Dry and other products:
Canned beans
· Pasta and noodles
Whole grains (rice, quinoa, millet, etc.)
Herbs and spices (turmeric, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, etc.)
Sea salt and black pepper
· Garlic
Oils (olive, coconut, nut, etc.)
· Soy sauce
· Vinegar
Seeds and nuts (chia, hemp, flax, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
Dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, prunes, figs, etc.)
nutritional yeast
· Feel sick
Baking ingredients (baking soda, vanilla essence, etc.)
Sweeteners (maple syrup, coconut nectar, coconut sugar, agave)
Dark chocolate and cocoa
· Seaweed