For your grocery shopping trips, give this vegan shopping list a look. The point of this shopping list isn’t to include every conceivable vegan grocery item. In fact, the items here only cover the essentials, so you won’t get overwhelmed by all there is to eat. If you’re new to vegan eating, this list will acquaint you with the most important foods.
Not every item on this list is invariably vegan. For instance, you’ll need to check the ingredients when buying chocolate, frozen pizza, and veggie burgers.
For more ideas, visit our vegan grocery, which offers links to the best food deals on Amazon.com. Also, if you have an Indian, Asian, or Mexican grocery in your town, definitely go check it out—these places carry some delicious vegan foods you won’t find anyplace else.
Produce
The list below covers only the most popular items. Please see our vegetable and fruit guides for extensive coverage of these foods.
- Salad lettuce (mixed greens, romaine, spinach)
- Stir fry greens (kale, chard, cabbage)
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Bananas
- Apples
Pantry Staples
Essential items for everyday cooking:
- Olive oil
- Tomato sauce
- Nutritional yeast
- Maple syrup
- Tahini (for making salad dressing or hummus)
- Baking soda
- Baking powder (non-aluminum)
- Flours for bread or pancakes
Grain-Based Foods
From crackers to pasta to breakfast cereal, vegans have all sorts of possibilities. Buy whole grain products whenever possible for better nutrition.
- Bread (for sandwiches and toast)
- English muffins
- Bagels
- Pasta (spaghetti, macaroni, Italian noodles)
- Ramen
- Large whole-grain tortillas (for wraps)
- Breakfast cereal (boxed cereals, muesli, granola)
- Rice
- Quinoa
- Polenta
- Couscous
- Rice stick noodles (for Pad Thai)
- Steel-cut oats or hot cereal mix
- Crackers
Convenience Foods
When you’re too busy to make a real meal, these foods can come to the rescue.
- Tubbed hummus (Nearly all brands are vegan)
- Frozen burritos (Amy’s Kitchen)
- Frozen pizza
- Tater tots or hash browns
- Frozen or boxed vegan mac & cheese
- Frozen vegan chicken tenders or fish (Gardein and other brands)
- Shelf-stable chana masala and other microwavable Indian entrees (Tasty Bite and other brands)
- Canned vegan chili
Vegan Meats & Other Protein-Rich Foods
Most vegan meat products these days are purchased by non-vegetarians, which is a clear sign that this product has hit the mainstream. Thanks to the massive demand generated by vegans and non-vegetarians alike, you have access to a wide assortment of magnificent products.
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Seitan
- Veggie burgers (Impossible Foods, Field Roast, and many others)
- Veggie hot dogs or sausages (Field Roast, Tofurky, or Lightlife)
- Tofurky slices
- Vegan chicken (Gardein or Beyond Meat)
- Nuts and seeds
- Peanut butter or almond butter
- Canned or dried beans
Dairy
You’ve got an abundance of choices when it comes to going dairy-free. Any good natural food store sells all of these items in their refrigerated case.
- Vegan milk (almond, soy, or coconut)
- Vegan butter (Miyokos, Earth Balance)
- Yogurt (WholeSoy or Silk)
- Vegan cheese (Daiya or Follow Your Heart)
- Vegan cream cheese
- Sour Cream (Tofutti)
Eggs
Whether you want an egg substitute for baking or you want to make some classic scrambled eggs, these vegan products will give you exactly what you need.
- JUST Egg (for vegan scrambled eggs or omelets)
- Other egg substitutes
Snacks
These and other ready-to-eat items are nice to keep in hand when you’re short on time and suddenly hungry.
- Energy bars (Clif bars, ProBars, and Lara bars)
- Dried fruit
- Guacamole (boxed refrigerated pressure-packed is much better than tubbed)
- Salsa
- Popcorn (either microwavable, or loose kernels for a popcorn popper)
- Chips (tortilla chips or potato chips)
- Olives
Seasonings
There’s no reason to forgo bold flavors on a vegan diet. These items will add zing to whatever you’re cooking.
- Salt (always buy iodized, since to help avoid risk iodine deficiency)
- Tamari or soy sauce (always check labels. Some soy sauce has fish extracts)
- Sriracha sauce
- Barbecue sauce (Most brands are vegan. Excellent drizzled over fried tempeh!)
- Vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, or red wine)
- Jarred herb or spice mixes (available inexpensively in bulk at any good natural food store)
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Salad dressing (Annie’s Goddess Dressing or Italian vinaigrette)
- Pickles, jalapeños, or relish
- Canned chipotle peppers (chop and mix with vegan mayo for an amazing spread)
- Indian jarred pickle–start with lime or mango pickle and then branch out. (Patek’s and many other brands)
Sweets
Let’s be realistic: no vegan shopping list is complete without sweets and other indulgences!
- Cookies (Uncle Eddie’s)
- Dairy-free ice cream (Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy, Haagen Dazs Non-Dairy, So Delicious)
- Zen vegan pudding
- Vegan chocolate bars
- Annie’s vegan fruit gummies
Vitamins
Don’t come up short on key nutrients. For more information, check our vitamins guide and our introduction to vegan nutrition.
- Vitamin B12 (sublingual tablets)
- Other supplements
- Walnuts or chia seeds (for omega 3 fatty acids)
Household & Personal Care items
Here are some final household and personal care items you’ll want to pick up when you’re doing your grocery shopping.
- Vegan Toothpaste
- Hand and body soap (Mrs. Meyer’s, Trader Joe’s, or Dr. Bronner’s)
- Dish detergent (Mrs. Meyer’s)
- Laundry detergent (Mrs. Meyer’s or Method)
- Countertop spray and other cleaning products (Mrs. Meyer’s or Earth Friendly Products)
