How to Stock Your Kitchen for Plant-Based Cooking
If you’ve decided that you want to start eating a plant-based diet, then you are probably wondering what you really need in your kitchen to help you succeed. Of course, you can and should plan your meals ahead of time so that you know what to put on your shopping list, but life happens. Sometimes you must change the plan and sometimes life gets crazy and the plan goes out the window. No matter what is going on in your life, you can make sure that your kitchen is stocked in a way that makes eating a plant-based diet simpler.
What is Plant-Based Cooking?
If you’ve made it to our plant based focused blog, you probably already know what plant-based cooking is, but a little review never hurts! A plant based diet is a diet that is primarily composed of (you guessed it!) plants. That includes fruits and vegetables, but it also includes grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and beans. While most Standard American Diet eaters initially see plant based food as limited at first, there are twenty thousand varieties of edible plants on our planet, and you can find a plethora of plant based recopies in every corner of the internet today!
Unlike strictly vegan and vegetarian diets, some folks who call themselves plant-based may still eat some non-plant products, but they generally eat very little of these foods. Instead they look for ways to fill their bellies with delicious plants cooked in a variety of ways. Most people make the choice to eat more plant foods because this healthier diet can help with overall health.
What to Buy for Your Plant Based Pantry and Fridge
Basic Plant Based Fresh Vegetables and Fruits
A great plant based kitchen is typically always stocked with a few basic fruits and veggies. You should make sure that you have a supply of these staple veggies for easy bases to recipes or as quick snacks.
Potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Tomatoes
Spinach
Garlic
Apples
Use this link for $10 off a box of Imperfect Produce, which delivers fresh produce to your door!
Unique Plant Based Fresh Vegetables and Fruits
Now that you are plant curious, it is a fun time to explore fruits and veggies that may be new to you. Take a leisurely stroll through the produce section at your grocery store and buy any produce that looks good. Start with new varieties of plants you already eat, like kale in addition to spinach, or pears in addition to your usual apples. Each time you go, reach for a new variety of fruit or vegetable, then google how to prepare or eat it.
Even better, drive to a new grocery store like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts, or a local Health Foods store and check out their unique offerings. Make sure that you’ve always got a few new fruits and in-season berries, and some leafy greens. If you are feeling adventurous, buy some dried beans and sprout them into fresh produce at home! You might find that picking one new type of produce to try each week helps you to explore and find new recipes. If you want to eat more plants, then you need to have them available for eating, so don’t be shy about filling your cart in the produce section!
Pasta
Pasta is a great pantry staple for plant-based cooking. It is a grain, and you can even choose to buy whole grain pasta, or pasta made from chickpeas! Pasta has tons of variety, so you can try endless variations. You can get straight noodles like spaghetti, linguini, and fettucine. If you want your pasta to trap the sauce inside you can try a tube-shaped noodle like penne, ziti, or rigatoni. Rotini, radiatore, farfalle, and shells all have fun textures too. After you’ve chosen from the vast amount pasta types, you have additional options in how you choose to use them. You can put orzo in tons of soups, and you can top any noodle of choice in marinara, pesto, or alfredo style sauce. Plus, pasta pairs really well with vegetables, roast and add them as a side or mix something like broccoli straight in with the noodles. You can even use many pastas in Asian inspired dishes!
Here are some of our favorite pastas that pack a punch!
Better Than Noodles Konjac Noodles
Other Grains
Most plant based eaters keep many other grains on hand. You can find plenty of variety with different kinds of rice, quinoa, and oats. We eat quinoa nearly three times a week, and also love farro and bulger. With these on hand you are ready for stir-fry, oatmeal, quinoa Greek salads, and plenty of other delicious meals. Grains are a great way to make a meal feel hearty.
Beans & Legumes
Beans are another great staple in your plant based diet. They pack in protein and fiber and can be made in plenty of different ways. You might use them on a salad, as filling for a burrito, or to make a delicious, spicy chili. Don’t just get one type of bean though, there are so many varieties out there and each one is better suited to certain dishes. So, grab some black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, chickpeas, and butter beans the next time you go shopping. You can get them dry for long term storage or canned for easy and quick uses. You might even find that having some canned and some dry works best for you. And if you have an Instant Pot, you can make beans in a matter of minutes!
Don’t forget lentils - they are a staple in many diets worldwide and are packed with nutrients and take less time to make than many other types of dried legumes. We make dal several times a week following a recipe close to this one!
Canned Tomatoes
Yes, you definitely want some fresh tomatoes too, but don’t overlook how versatile canned tomatoes can be. You’ll be able to throw diced tomatoes into soups and pastas and use tomato sauce to flavor all manner of sauces and broths. You can keep some fire-roasted tomatoes on hand if you like spicy foods, and some tomato paste for when you need to thicken a dish with some tomato goodness. You can also whip up an easy vegetarian chili in a crock pot with canned tomatoes, any veggies and beans you have, and some spices.
Fruits for Snacking and Dessert
Keep some fruit on hand in your fridge. The kind of fruit doesn’t matter so much, just be sure to get fruits that you like and will eat. A pro-tip for fruit is to keep some sliced and prepared in the fridge so that it’s easy to grab when you start craving something sweet. Perhaps start with berries, apples, and oranges, but don’t be afraid to branch out to kiwis, starfruit, dragon fruit, mangoes, and pineapples.
Non-Dairy Milk
If you reduce your dairy intake, you will enjoy having a plant-based milk in your fridge. You can try almond, cashew, soy, oat and coconut milk. You might use it for a beverage or on your whole grain cereal, but it is also used in a lot of recipes. So, find out which plant based milk you like best, and use it just like you would dairy milk! If you are a coffee or tea drinker, there are a variety of amazing plant based creamers as well! Find some of our favorite plant based milks here.
Tofu & Mushrooms
Tofu and mushrooms are great substitutes for meats. Mushrooms have an umami flavor and chewy texture that reminds you of meat, and tofu packs the protein that you’d expect from meat and can be cooked and seasoned to resemble all sorts of meats.
Flavor
Of course, you want your food to have a great flavor! To make sure that your food tastes amazing you need to keep spices and condiments on hand. You can find vegan options for plenty of condiments, and nearly all spices are just ground bits of one plant or another. Spices will play a crucial role in your plant-based recipes, so be sure to keep them on hand. For extra flavor, head to your local Indian store for a great variety of ready mixed spices. Also, add nutritional yeast to dishes for a cheesy flavor (and tons of nutrients) and black (kala) salt for a smoky taste.
If you want to really dive in, try this Indian spice box!
Now You’re Ready to Cook Plant Based Food!
If you keep your kitchen stocked with all of your favorite fruits and vegetables, these versatile ingredients, and plenty of spices and condiments for flavor, you will be ready whenever hunger strikes. You’ll be ready for snacks and large family meals. You can even prepare things ahead of time to take for a lunch at work. So, grab some things from this list the next time you’re at the store and start filling your kitchen with ingredients that will help you reach your plant-based cooking goals. Have a favorite plant based ingredient that wasn’t mentioned here? Comment below!