One of the most common questions/comments/topics we get asked about is what’s in your cupboard? Probably the most used ingredient we have is essence of 1000 year old truffle. Ha, just kidding…
When moving to a more plant based diet, people are often concerned that ingredients will be hard to find, exotic and expensive. In the 20+ years that our family has eaten plant-based there have been very few times that I couldn’t get my hands on a particular ingredient.
Unless you’re baking, recipes are mostly just suggestions. If you can’t find a specific ingredient, substitute it with another or leave it out all together. With time you’ll learn what works well and end up changing recipes to your liking, so don’t get too worked up if you don’t have Nigella Seeds… we do and I can’t remember why.
Since we’re in a pandemic and there isn’t much else to do I went through the kitchen to take stock of what was there. Below is a list of what we typically have on hand for a family of four. Other things come and go but this is a pretty representative list. Most of these items are probably already in your kitchen or at at your local grocery store.
This list gives you a good sense of what to keep in your kitchen when going veg and helps get you ready for your plant-based journey.
Lastly don’t feel obliged to run out and buy all of these things. Pick them up if and when a recipe calls for them and over time you’ll end up with what you need.
Spices
- Basil
- Bay Leaves
- Cardamom
- Cayenne
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Curry Powder
- Dill
- Garam Masala
- Garlic Powder
- Ginger Powder
- Mustard Seed
- Onion Flakes
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Pepper
- Poppy Seeds
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Sage
- Salt
- Savory
- Sesame Seeds
- Turmeric
Less Often Used But Still There
- Caraway Seeds
- Curry Leaves
- Fenugreek
- Mango Powder
- Nigella Seeds
- Saffron
- Sumac
Condiments
- Dijon Mustard
- Ketchup
- Miso
- Soy Sauce
- Sriracha
- Tahini (for humous and sauces)
- Tamarind (for Thai and Indian)
- Tomato Paste
- Vegan Mayonnaise
Other
- Almonds
- Almond Butter
- Almond Flour (gluten free)
- Brown Sugar
- Bouillon
- Buckwheat Flour (gluten free)
- Canned Tomatoes
- Chocolate Chips (Camino vegan)
- Cocoa (Camino vegan)
- Coconut Milk
- Coconut Sugar
- Corn Starch
- Gram Flour (chickpea flour)
- Maple Syrup
- Molasses
- Nutritional Yeast (good in so many things)
- Oats
- Oat Milk
- Peanuts
- Peanut Butter
- Pea Protein (great for smoothies)
- Pecans
- Psyllium Fibre (great as an egg substitute)
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Raisins
- Raw Cashews
- Salsa
- Sunflower Seeds
- Tempeh (fermented soy)
- Tofu
- Vanilla
- Walnuts
- White Flour
- White Sugar
- Yeast (say no to plastic bags, make bread)
Legumes
- Chickpeas
- Black Beans
- Green Lentils
- Red Lentils
- Yellow Split Peas
Sometimes
- Kidney Beans
- Mung Beans
- Various lentils (brown or du puy)
- White Beans (great for baked beans)
Herbs
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Ginger
Grains
- Brown Rice
- Chia
- Hemp Hearts
- Pasta
- Quinoa (more protein than rice)
Fruits
- Apples
- Avocadoes
- Bananas
- Frozen Fruit like Blueberries or Pineapple (think smoothies)
- Lemons
- Limes
- From time to time we’ll buy oranges, grapes, grapefruit, papaya, mango
Vegetables
- Arugula (spinach’s fun cousin)
- Bell Peppers (mostly red)
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Frozen Peas
- Green Onions
- Jalapeno (or other hot pepper)
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Spinach
- Squash (typically butternut)
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatoes
Processed Foods
- Fig Bars (Costco vegan)
- Granola (usually home made)
- Mary’s Crackers (Gluten Free)
- Soda Crackers
- Vegan Cheese
- Veggie Burgers
- Veggie Slices (Yves or Tofurky)
- Wraps/Tortillas
Oils and Vinegars
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Rice Vinegar
- Sesame Oil
- White Vinegar