Having been cooking plant-based for so long, sometimes it’s easy for me to forget the basics. To remind people of the simple staples and items they should stock in their kitchen when they’re first trying to transition into a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Granted, it all becomes second nature over time, but it’s nice to have a refresher course in starting to eat healthy.
So thank you, Modernize, for coming up with this fabulous little list of some vegan staples to keep in your kitchen!
10 Vegan Items to Stock Your Fridge with For A Healthy Week
By Jane Blanchard
I think it’s funny that most people assume that just because you’re vegan, you have a healthy diet. The fact is, there are plenty of unhealthy vegan options (hello Oreos!) and many vegans subsist on french fries and diet coke. If one of the reasons you follow a vegan diet is because you want to be healthier than you need to have some staple vegan items on hand that are good for your body and your conscious. Here are a few of my favorite items.
1. Hummus
Hummus is such a versatile food and is especially good for snacking. I like to make my own in big batches and freeze it. All you need is garbanzos, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Blend together a batch in your food processor and snack on it all week. I like to eat it on carrots and celery or if I’m really splurging I will eat it on some yummy vegan crackers.
2. Nut butters
Nut butters are such a great source of protein and are a great alternative to sugary desserts. Aside from using them on toast, I like to eat almond butter by the spoonful. One of my go-to desserts is a sliced banana, a scoop of peanut butter and a few vegan chocolate chips. Yum!
3. Ready to Eat Protein
Having protein ready to grab-and-go is so key for anyone but especially for vegans since it can be hard to find vegan protein options out and about. I keep baggies of baked and cubed tofu and sliced seitan stocked in my fridge each week. Another great option is edamame – cook up a big batch on Sunday and snack on it throughout the week. It’s actually more delicious cold anyways (in my opinion).
4. Healthy Drinks
It’s so easy to “drink your calories” if you aren’t careful so be sure to have healthy drink options available in your home to prevent splurges on Starbucks or Dr. Pepper. I drink tons of water but like to mix it up a bit with kombucha, coconut water or even a packet of Emergen-C in a glass of water for an extra burst of vitamins and electrolytes.
5. Chia Pudding
If you haven’t gotten on the chia pudding train, you are missing out! You can make it overnight in a sealed bowl. You will need 1 cup of coconut milk and three tablespoons of chia seeds. Chilling and letting it soak overnight allows the chia seeds to absorb the liquid around them forming a gel like texture. It ends up tasting a lot like tapioca pudding. I add fresh fruit (blueberries are my favorite) and shredded coconut to make it extra delicious.
6. Mason Jar Salads
These are a genius (and easy!) lunch for vegans. Just put your favorite vegan salad dressing at the bottom of the jar and pack in your leafy greens and other salad ingredients (think tomatoes, sliced avocado, carrot sticks, craisins). You can make an entire week’s worth and they will stay good because the dressing isn’t really touching any of the veggies. When you are ready to eat it, you dump the entire contents of the jar out into a salad bowl and the dressing ends up on top.
7. Lemons
Lemons are excellent source of Vitamin C and can really improve the taste of a lot of bland vegan foods. If I’m not adding it to recipes, then I’m adding it to my water or freshly brewed tea. I’ve recently started drinking warm lemon water each morning as an alternative to coffee and have felt an amazing energy burst in the mornings without the caffeine crash I used to suffer with coffee drinking.
8. Leafy Greens
If you are following a vegan diet then hopefully you are no stranger to leafy greens like spinach, kale, chard, escarole and mustard greens. I cook down lots of spinach and kale and add it to sauces or sauteed tofu dishes. If I am feeling low on leafy greens for the week then I sneak them into my smoothies and my latest favorite is baked kale chips. The options are endless so I always stock up on these for the week. One cup of leafy greens provides you with your daily recommended allowance of Vitamin K and calcium, which is great for cardiovascular health and bone density.
9. Tortillas
Such a simple item to add to your weekly shopping list with so many great uses, from making an entire meal of vegan enchiladas to whipping up a few quick veggie wraps. I love tortillas as an alternative to bread since a vegan diet can quickly get a little carb-heavy.
10. Fruit Salad
Chop up your favorite fruits and store them in a giant tupperware container so they last all week. Fruit salad is great as a last minute breakfast, snack or dessert. I love that fruit can quench my sweet tooth without feeling too guilty about splurging on sweets with lots of sugar.
For more tips and tricks, head to Modernize.com.
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