Eating healthy / vegan requires planning ahead and having good food easily available. That means buying the right food at the supermarket. Below is a look at my typical shopping list to help you navigate the grocery store.
In addition to buying the right food, eating healthy also means getting rid of bad food from the house. Avoid temptation by tossing out or donating all the food you have that doesn't align with your dietary goals. This makes life SO MUCH easier.
SHOPPING LIST - MUST-HAVE HEALTH / VEGAN FOODS
Before diving in, I'll quickly address the Organic v. Conventional topic. Organic foods are always best, particularly when the food item is among those listed in the "Dirty Dozen" or is a food known to be GMO (corn, soy, squash, zucchini). That said, organic can be expensive. Go with conventional if you can't swing organic. While organic is better, you're better off eating a non-organic fruit or vegetable than to not eat it at all. Just make sure to do a good rinse on the fruit or vegetable before cooking or eating.
- Fruit
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Dried fruit (dates, apricot; make sure it's just the fruit with no sugar added)
- Frozen fruit (pineapple, strawberries, raspberries)
- Vegetables
- Avocado
- Arugula
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherry tomatoes
- Curly kale (if you have a Vitamix or Ninja blender)
- Dinosaur kale
- Peas (frozen)
- Red onion
- Spinach
- Sprouts (arugula, kale, broccoli, etc.; all are awesome)
- Sweet potatoes
- Grains
- Quinoa
- Oatmeal (I like Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats)
- Soba noodles
- Legumes
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Hummus (Under 4g fat per 2oz serving; I like Engine 2 Traditional & Root's Original Oil-free)
- Nuts & Seeds
- Almonds (Raw)
- Almond butter (No oil added, just raw or dry roasted almonds)
- Chia seeds
- Coconut butter
- Coconut flakes
- Flaxseed (Ground / flax meal)
- Hemp seeds
- Peanuts (Raw)
- Pumpkin seeds (AKA pepitas; go with raw)
- Walnuts (Raw)
- Oils/Dressings/Seasonings
- Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
- Braggs Liquid Aminos
- Braggs Coconut Aminos
- Coconut oil
- Honey (Not technically vegan, but I eat it)
- Olive oil
- Pasta sauce (I'm a sucker for Rao's; love it)
- Sriracha (I prefer Ninja Squirrel from Whole Foods)
- Seasonings/Spices
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Pepper (Grinder)
- Sea Salt (Grinder)
NOT STAPLES, BUT I OFTEN BUY...
- Beets (Yellow or Red)
- Broccoli (or Broccolini)
- Cauliflower
- Delicata Squash
- Zucchini
- Yellow squash
HELPFUL PRE-MADE MEALS
- Amy's Low Sodium Lentil Soup
- Amy's Black Bean Vegetable Soup
- Engine 2 Firehouse Chili
- Made By Lukas Burgers (http://www.madebylukas.com/)
- These are freaking awesome. About as unprocessed as a veggie burger can be and taste fantastic. It's unlikely that you'll find in the supermarket unless you're in NYC. I order them online, typically 6-8 containers, and have them shipped to LA. I keep them in the freezer (last super long when frozen) and just put in the 'frig to thaw about 12-24 hours before I plan to cook.
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