Carpe Vegan

The Cheap Vegan Pantry: What You Need and What Must Go

So you decided to start eating healthy and maybe even vegan but you’re worried about staying on track. One way to guarantee you won’t slip up is to clean out those temptation items and restock the pantry.

So first determine a goal

The Cheap Vegan Goal: The goal of this blog is to provide ways for people to eat healthy and vegan on a low budget. The posts I write tend to be focused on eating whole (non processed) foods affordably while getting the daily recommended nutrients. This pantry guide will reflect that.

What Can Stay

When you’re going through your pantry look at each item and ask yourself these questions:

Are all ingredients vegan? (list of non-vegan ingredients here)

Do I know what each of these ingredients are?

Could I find all of these ingredients in nature?

Are there less than 10g of sugar in a suggested serving of this food?

Is this an unprocessed whole food?

Is this caffeine free?

Can I cook normally without this food?*

If your answer to all these questions is “yes" then it’s 100% good to go.

If you had to answer “no" to 1 or more of these questions, you need to evaluate if that item is worth keeping. Being truly conscious of what your eating is the first step to eating healthier. Knowing that you don’t know the last 20 items in the oreo’s ingredients list might help you think twice before eating one again.

**If you answered “no" to 3/6 of the questions and you answered “yes" to number 7, chuck it. It’s not like you can never eat those foods again, but keeping them out of your house will help you cut down.

Also Note: Some items such as sugar for baking are a little different. You might want to get rid of white sugar and switch to raw sugar or agave, but you might not find it necessary to eliminate all sugar from your life.

That brings us to alterations. Taking our favorite staples and upgrading them.

White pasta -> Whole Wheat Pasta or Ezekiel  Pasta

White Flour -> Whole Wheat Flour or Buckwheat Flour

White Sugar -> Agave Nectar, Raw Sugar, Unsweetened Apple Sauce

White Rice/Cous Cous -> Brown Rice, Quinoa Seeds

Vegetable Oil -> Extra Virgin Olive Oil (salad) Virgin Olive Oil (sautee) Canola Oil (high heat)

Table Salt -> Sea Salt

I’m not going to mislead you, some of these ingredients are slightly more expensive than their less-healthy counterparts, but the extra $1 is worth your health. These are the basic building blocks of all of your meals, save money on the perishable stuff you have to buy weekly.

Now that you’ve tossed and exchanged, here are some cheap vegan basics:

Must Have Shopping List!

Nutritional Yeast - A great source of vitamin B12, a great unique flavor, great for satisfying those cheesy cravings.

Cashews and Walnuts - Nuts are a great source of protein and cashews are in a lot of vegan recipes, especially raw vegans. Walnuts are a vegan source of Omega 3s and are great in salads and stir fry. Having some nuts to throw in to a meal is always a good choice, not to mention a quick fix when you want a snack.

Brown Rice

Whole Wheat Pasta

Quinoa - Learn more about quinoa here.

Beans - Beans are a great source of protein, fiber, and iron. Stock up on a variety of beans/legumes so you can see what works for you and keep what you like. If you’re not a big fan of beans learn to like them by using some Cheap Vegan tricks found here.

Whole Wheat Flour

Herbs and Spices - Here are the basic must haves: Basil*, Cilantro*, Oregano*, Thyme*, Cumin, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper/Crushed Red Pepper, Chilli Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder (**spices are expensive, growing an herb garden with these plants will definitely save you money and add class your meals)

(Extra) Virgin Olive Oil - Oil is expensive. Buy a giant bottle of Olive Oil at BJs or Costco and then refill an olive oil drizzler to cut down on waste and save money.

Unsweetened Apple Sauce - Use as a sweetener or an egg replacer in baking.

Granola - Can be used as a snack, breakfast, or even dessert. Granola is a great staple to keeping you full and is a nice replacement for a sweet treat.

Vegetable Bouillon Cubes - Great flavor booster.

Ener-G Egg Replacer - Great for baking, pancakes, and an emergency thickener.

Corn Starch - A must have thickener for all types of sauces and soups.

B-12 Vegetarian Supplement - B12 is very important for vegans to keep track of since you can only find it in animal food sources. Many cereals and drinks are fortified with B-12 but it’s good to take a vegan daily vitamin to be sure you’re getting enough.

Onions and Garlic

Oat Meal - Use in baking or for breakfast.

Potatoes - Preferably small red, purple, or other colorful potatoes.

Sea Salt

Hot Sauce - If all else fails during your kitchen experiments, it’s always nice to have some Cholula on hand to spice up a meal.

Next Step: Buying Food to Match Your New Basics

While you’re at the grocery store keep the same questions in mind. If you would have thrown it out when you renovated your pantry, don’t buy it now! Eventually you’ll learn what works for you. And always…

Buy store brands to save money.

Try to buy unprocessed whole foods. You’ll find that cooking with only whole foods is surprisingly cheaper than buying processed or pre-made food.

If you’re budget is truly tight, don’t waste money on fake meats and other processed vegan foods. They’re usually more expensive. Try making your own home made.

AND ARE VEGAN BECAUSE OF THE ANIMALS.

NOT HEALTH, OR WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT, OR VEGETARIAN BUT YOU STILL EAT A LITTLE FISH EVERY NOW AND AGAIN.

And I may follow you.

Mini PB&F: One fig Newton with 1 teaspoon peanut butter.

Chocolate Banana: Half a frozen banana [this size] dipped in two squares of melted dark chocolate.

Frozen grapes (any color): 1 cup (about 28 grapes), stuck in the freezer for 2+ hours.

Honeyed Yogurt: ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey.

Spiced Orange: One orange— about the size of a tennis ball— sprinkled with cinnamon.

Grilled Pineapple: 2 ¼-inch thick pineapple rounds (about 1 cup), grilled (or sautéed) for two minutes or until golden.

Berries n’ Cream: 1 cup blueberries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping.

Stuffed Figs: Two small dried figs with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat ricotta stuffed inside. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Oats n’ Berries:  ⅓ cup rolled oats (cooked with water), topped with cinnamon and ¼ cup freshberries.

Dark Chocolate: One block, or three squares.

Nut-Stuffed Date: One Medjool Date filled with one teaspoon natural unsalted almond butter.

Chocolate Milk: 6 ounces skim milk mixed with 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup.

Cinnamon Applesauce: 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (like Motts). Or, try this homemade version!

Citrus-Berry Salad: 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Maple-Pumpkin Yogurt: ½ cup non-fat regular yogurt (go Greek for extra protein!) with 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon maple syrup… like this!

Chocolate Pudding: One 4oz package. Try a fat/sugar free version or a homemade one!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Five strawberries dipped in two squares melted dark chocolate.

Tropical Juice Smoothie: ¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice.

Vanilla and Banana Smoothie: ½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth.

MYO Banana Chips: One sliced banana dipped in lemon juice and baked.

Baked Apple: One tennis ball-sized apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and cinnamon, and baked until tender.

Fruity Waffles: One 7-grain frozen waffle toasted and topped with ¼ cup fresh mixed berries.

Skinny S’more: Two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate.

Cinnamon Graham Crackers & Peanut butter: Two graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Cereal and Milk: ½ cup rice krispies with ½ cup skim milk.

Milk n’ Cookies: Five animal crackers with ½ cup skim milk.

Warm Spiced Cider: 6 ounces apple cider with sprinkles of cinnamon and nutmeg, warmed.

Citrus Sherbet: ½ cup lime sherbet (about one standard-sized ice-cream scoop) with ½ sliced kiwi.

Café Latte: 8 ounces steamed skim milk with 1 shot espresso.

Jelly Beans: 25 of ‘em! Although we don’t recommend these.

Marshmallow Pear: ½ pear diced and topped with 1 tablespoon marshmallow fluff.

Protein Shake: One scoop protein powder with 8 ounces water (choose from tasty powder flavors like cookies n’ cream and chocolate peanut butter!). 

M.Y.O. Popsicle: 8 ounces lemonade frozen in an ice pop mold, or use a small paper cup as a mold.

Apple Chips: Munch on ¾ cup of kinds like these, or use this recipe

Carrots n’ Hummus: About 10 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons hummus.

Pistachios: A couple handfuls— about 25 nuts (Crackin’ them open will take more time and avoid grabbing 25 more).

Cheese n’ Crackers: Five Kashi 7-grain crackers with 1 stick reduced-fat string cheese.

Dippy Egg: Oneover easy egg with ½ slice whole-wheat toast, sliced (to dip in yolk!).

Cheesy Breaded Tomatoes: Two roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Curried Sweet Potato: One medium sweet potato (about 5 inches long) cooked for six minutes in the microwave and mashed with 1 teaspoon curry, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

“Cheesy” Popcorn: 2 cups air-popped popcorn with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast— it’ll taste like real cheese!

 Guacamole stuffed Egg Whites: Halve a hardboiled egg, remove yolk, and stuff the empty space with 2 tablespoons guacamole (avocado, lime, cilantro and salt).

Grilled Spinach and Feta Polenta: 3 oz polenta (about the size of a deck of cards) cooked with 1 ½ cups water and topped with 1 teaspoon feta cheese and a handful spinach.

Soy Edamame: ¼ cup boiled Edamame with 1 teaspoon soy sauce.

Dijon Pretzels: Two pretzel rods with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.

Crunchy Curried Tuna Salad: ½ cup canned tuna with 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, and two ribs celery (chopped).

Greek Tomatoes: One tomato (about the size of a tennis ball) chopped and mixed with 1 tablespoon feta and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Shrimp Cocktail: Eight medium sized shrimp boiled and served with 2 tablespoons classic cocktail sauce.

Smoked Beef Jerky: About 1 ounce— look for low sodium versions!

Cheddar and Tomato Soup: ½ cup tomato soup with 1 tablespoon shredded low-fat cheddar cheese.

Kale Chips: ½ cup raw kale— stems removed— baked with 1 teaspoon olive oil at 400° until crisp.

Sweet Potato Fries: One light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes.

 Cucumber Sandwich: ½ English muffin with 2 tablespoons cottage cheese and three slices of cucumber.

Turkey Roll-Ups: Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard.

Mixed Olives: About 8 olives.

Antipasto Plate: One Pepperocini, a ½ inch cube of cheddar cheese, one slice pepperoni, and one olive.

 Pumpkin Seeds: 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil (just a spritz!) and baked at for 400° for 15 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Choco-Soy Nuts: 3 tablespoons soy nuts with 1 teaspoon cocoa nibs.

Wasabi Peas: About  ⅓ cup of these green treats.

Balsamic Veggies: 3 cups raw peppers (any color!) dipped in 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction.

Cheesy Roasted Asparagus: Four spears (spritzed with olive-oil spray) and topped with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, baked for 10 minutes at 400°.

Cucumber salad: One large cucumber (sliced) with 2 tablespoons chopped red onion and 2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar.

Spinach and Feta Egg-White Scramble: Three egg whites scrambled and mixed with ½ cup raw spinach and 1 tbsp feta cheese. Cook in frying pan or zap in microwave until egg whites are no longer runny (about 1-2 minutes).

Crunchy Kale Salad: 1 cup kale leaves chopped with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

Chick Pea Salad: ¼ chickpeas with 1 tablespoon sliced scallions, a squeeze of lemon juice, and ¼ cup diced tomatoes.

Grilled Garlic Corn on the Cob: One small-sized ear brushed with 1 teaspoon sautéed minced garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil, grilled until tender.

Pretzels & Cream Cheese: 15mini pretzel sticks with 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese.

 Bacon Brussels Salad: Seven brussel spouts thinly sliced and mixed with one piece lean bacon, chopped.

Rosemary Potatoes:  ⅓ cup thinly sliced potato tossed with 1 teaspoons olive oil and a teaspoon of chopped rosemary.

Spicy Black Beans: ¼ cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon non-fat Greek yogurt.

Caprese Salad: 1 ounce (hockey puck sized) of fresh mozzarella with ½ cup cherry tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar.

Goldfish: About 40 fishies…try the cheddar kind!

Chips n’ Salsa: 10 baked tortilla chips with ¼ cup salsa.

Mini Ham Sandwich: Two slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard rolled in a lettuce leaf.

Lox Bagel: ½ whole-wheat mini bagel with two thin slices of lox.

Chocolate Trail Mix: Eight almonds, four chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon raisins.

Apples and Cheese: 1 non-fat mozzarella cheese stick with half of a baseball-sized apple (any variety), sliced.

PB & Celery: 1 medium celery stalk with 1 tablespoon peanut butter.

Cottage Cheese Melon Boat: 1 cup melon balls with ½ cup non-fat cottage cheese.

Carrot and Raisin Salad: 1 cup shaved carrots with 2 tablespoons raisins and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

Tropical Cottage Cheese: ½ cup non-fat cottage cheese with ½ cup fresh mango and pineapple, chopped.

Blue-Cheese Stuffed Apricots: Three dried apricots with 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese.

Rice Cake and Almond Butter: One rice cake (try brown rice!) with 2 teaspoons almond butter.

Sweet n’ Spicy Pecans: Five pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Apples n’ Peanut Butter: ½ an apple, sliced and dipped in 1 teaspoon natural peanut butter.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crackers: Four wheat thins dipped in 1 teaspoon Nutella (or other hazelnut spread).

Strawberry Salad: 1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic.

Cacao-Roasted Almonds: Pop in eight almonds like these

[Source]

[More health Infographics Here]

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