Cupboard Essentials
I thought a list of ingredients that I use in meals every week and common in vegan recipes would be useful for newbie vegans but also for more experienced vegans looking for an easy shopping list they can follow each week. So in this list you’ll find many familiar ingredients but also some swaps too that you might have never thought to use before! Happy shopping!
Carbs and base ingredients
bread/bagels
pasta/noodles
couscous
lentils
chickpeas
oats/cereal
potato/sweet potato
mixed beans
jackfruit
rice
flour
Fruits and veg
peas
sweetcorn
peppers
cucumber
broccoli
lettuce
mushrooms
onions
courgette
spinach
carrots
tinned tomatoes
apples
oranges
grapes
bananas
berries
In the fridge-freezer
plant milk
vegan spread
tofu
hummus
vegan yoghurt
your favourite meat/cheese substitutes
vegan sauces
Other
coconut milk
chili oil
soy sauce
stock cubes
cereal bars/rice cakes
nut butters
nutritional yeast
biscuits
vegan chocolate
kala namak salt
balsamic vinegar
apple cider vinegar
Spices
cajun
chilli flakes
chilli powder
cinnamon powder
cumin
curry powder
harissa powder
mixed herbs
paprika
turmeric
Obviously you won’t need to buy all of this every week! This is just the things I use in recipes every week so there will be extras for certain recipes (eg. celery for spag bol) and different quantities depending on what we’re having that week.
When I first turned vegan I really enjoyed finding new ingredients and newly released products… I rarely go to a supermarket without checking out the free from shelves and plant ranges in the fridges/freezers just to see if there are any new items I haven’t tried yet. I hope you’ll find this list useful, even if its just a checklist you use in the supermarket and I hope you enjoy finding and cooking new ingredient combinations!