Vegan Pantry Must-Haves

Going vegan can be hard at first, but if you have these pantry staples on hand, the transition will be much easier, tastier, and healthier.

• Beans & Legumes

Beans are an absolute must because they are filling, nutritious, and cheap. Some basics to have in your pantry are kidney beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans and black eyed peas. Examples of legumes are lentils, peanuts, and peas. They're generally protein-packed, keep you full for long, and are full of fibre. Keep red lentils, green lentils, tofu and/or tempeh on hand.

• Grains

As a vegan, you're going to be experimenting with a lot of different grains to keep you going. A good starting point is having rolled oats, brown rice, quinoa, and couscous. Bread is always a good option as well.

• Vitamins

Check out this article for the 411 on important vitamins for vegans.

• Fruit & Veggies

Nature's candy is always welcome. Keep whatever is seasonal in your pantry. The same applies for veggies- make sure that you've got some sturdier ones as well, like broccoli and cauliflower. Canned tomatoes are also useful to have because they can be turned into such a broad variety of sauces. Jackfruit makes a great meat substitute, and applesauce is an awesome substitution in baking for oils, butters or eggs. Popcorn kernels are super easy to turn into popcorn, and we recommend having them on hand if you ever need a filling snack.

• Oils

For cooking, we recommend using coconut or olive oil.

• Nuts, Dried Fruits, & Seeds

Almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, and all sorts of other nuts make great snacks. They're also needed to make nut milks, if you choose to do so at home. Additionally, cashew is a staple in most vegan creamy dishes. Dried fruits, such as medjool dates, and seeds, like pepitas, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds, are needed for a variety of recipes.

• Condiments

Miso, tahini, maple syrup, and soy sauce are all must-haves. They're used in so many fantastic recipes, and they add depth and flavour to your food.

• Other

Nutritional yeast is commonly used by vegans to add a cheesy flavour to food. Read our article about the differences between nutritional and active yeast here, and one for nutritional yeast based recipes here.

Vegetable stock is another staple. It thickens sauces and makes hearty meals.

White and apple cider vinegar are used commonly in vegan cooking as well.

Cacao nibs are a healthier, purer chocolate alternative which we recommend.

Coconut milk makes curries and sauces beautifully rich.

Lastly, spices! Keep whatever spices suit your tastebuds best to upgrade all of your meals.