Shop Like a Vegan Pro + Printable Vegan Grocery List

Shop Like a Vegan Pro

One of the scariest things about going vegan is trying to figure out where to start. Honestly, it can feel very overwhelming because there is so much information out there. It also doesn’t help that if you go to a grocery store, there are thousands of different products to choose from. What’s vegan? Can you be healthy while including convenience items? What should you buy? How can you combine it all to make a satisfying meal? Don’t worry. I have you covered! In fact, I even created a pdf guide that goes over every section of the store, goes over vegan products as well as tips so you can shop like a vegan pro. I included a list of all current products with detailed descriptions. You’ll also find a grocery list pdf that includes some balanced meals and snacks you can put together easily. So, let’s get started!

Vegan Grocery Shopping Notes

The thing I hear the most from people looking to go more plant based is that it is time consuming. I wanted to make this grocery guide to show you that there are a lot of options out there to make this lifestyle as convenient or complicated as you want. There are so many companies that offer vegan options now. And on top of that, we have so many convenient options we can use to still stay in balance and nourished. All of the products you see listed below are based off of a general grocery store chain. I left out specialty stores because not everyone has one in their area. On top of that, I wanted to highlight products that weren’t overly expensive. So while my store did carry some great specialty products that were vegan, if it was ridiculously priced, I left it out.

Special note! Grocery items are always changing. Keep an eye out on old and new products and always double check to confirm ingredients when purchasing items! Don’t always rely on the front of the package to determine if something is vegan or not. Also important to note that I can’t guarantee that all of these items will be in your local store.

Plant Based Convenience Items

Convenience items absolutely have a place in a healthy lifestyle. Not only can they save us time and encourage us to cook more, but they can also have a good amount of nutrients to them as well. Below, you will find a listing of some common grocery convenience items that happen to be vegan and can be mixed and matched into some yummy snack and meal ideas. A printable guide can be found here, and discussion about the items can be found in this post. Please note, I based this list off of items in a regular grocery store. You can definitely find more vegan items in different places, but I tried to make it as user friendly and inclusive as possible. Most items here are under $5. In the printable handout, I’ve included some meal and snack ideas using the grocery items listed below.

Shop Like a Vegan Pro Grocery List

Produce Section

  • Love Beets: Super convenient beets that are already peeled and cut for you. Super simple to add to salads, but did you know they can be a way to amp up nutrition for things like homemade hummus, smoothies, and even blended into dessert batters (chocolate beet truffles are insanely delicious, and the beets balance so well with the chocolate flavors).
  • Franklin Farms: Includes plant-based burgers, tofu bites, seitan, and falafel. Easy protein options that can be heated in a toaster oven and used for sandwiches and bowls. Typically find these in the produce section, typically separated from the rest of the fresh veggies. Please note, not all products from this brand are vegan, so confirm by checking ingredients.
  • Fermented Foods: Kimchi and fresh sauerkraut are perfect additions to bowls, sandwiches or wraps. These are the two most common I’ve found in multiple stores. Please note, not all fermented foods like kimchi are vegan. Be mindful to look at ingredients for other brands.
  • Fortune Noodles by JSL Foods: Note that this brand is not all vegan, but the below products are marked vegan right on the front of the package. Can’t emphasize how good these noodles taste. I love adding a lot of veggies to either the yakisoba while stir frying or using some spinach and broccoli to heat up in the udon broth.
    • Vegan Yakisoba (Spicy, Soy Ginger, Teriyaki)
    • Vegan Udon
  • Tofu: Includes regular and flavored tofu. I love to flavor my own tofu (you can find my recipe for easy tofu here), but there are days when you might not feel up to making your own tofu. So note that the following brands do have pre-flavored tofu. Easy to heat up as is or you can cube it for salads or stir fries as needed.
  • Bare Snacks: Provides both a great option for sweet and savory snacking. These are healthier fruit and veggie chips with very simple ingredients and great texture. I recommend these often, and I find that a lot of stores offer an equal alternative, which is nice if you’re looking for something different. They are real fruits and veggies, backed and never fried.
  • Harvest Snaps: Similar to Bare Snacks, but featuring snap peas in a fun crispy way. They do come in multiple flavors. Be aware that not all the flavors are vegan. Current vegan flavors include the original with sea salt, barbecue, tomato basil, mango chile lime, habanero, and black pepper. All their products are gluten-free!
  • Fresh Gourmet Crispy Veggies: A fun salad topper! They are little veggie strips, which can be a fun little crunchy replacement for croutons or crispy noodles on salads. Be careful with other products in this line because they can contain dairy, but a good majority of the crispy veggies are vegan.
  • Hummus: Includes Boar’s Head, Sabra, Tribe, etc. There are just so many brands of hummus. They all taste great and really it comes down to your own personal preference!
    • Regular: The easiest one to find is typically by Sabra. Reliable, clean ingredients and super accessible at most grocery stores nationwide. I don’t think I’ve ever stepped in a store and not seen Sabra in some refrigerated case.
    • Dessert Hummus: The best I’ve tried is the Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Dessert Hummus. It literally is a dessert dip. You can’t taste the chickpeas, and I find that it is a fun little change up from doing something like Nutella.
  • Nasoya: It’s a brand you can find in pretty much every grocery store. They have a lot of great products, and most recently they made their egg roll wrappers and wanton wrappers vegan! You can now find it labeled on the front of the package!

Baking Aisle

  • Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips: There used to be some great chocolate chip options, but I find that a lot of brands recently have changed their ingredients to include things like milk. However, this line is pretty reliable because they very focused on keeping their products allergy friendly! They are gluten free, kosher, vegan, halal certified, fodmap friendly, dairy free, egg free, fish free, sesame free, soy free, peanut free and tree nut free for a good majority of their products.
  • Vegan Egg Replacer: Was surprised to see so many different options at my grocery store. Lot’s to choose from. Personally, I go for flaxseed, but if you are not a fan, the others work really well too.
    • Bob’s Red Mill
    • Neat Egg
    • Ener-G
    • Ground Flax Seed: The cheapest one is a ground milled version by the company Hodgson Mill, which is amazing. As an egg replacer, combine 1 tbsp ground flax with 3 tbsp of water to get the equivalent to one egg in a baking recipe

Crackers

  • Triscuits: Easy go to that you can find in just about every grocery store. I don’t think I’ve walked into a grocery store and not seen one. Please note, not all their crackers are vegan. Their original flavor is vegan, but some of the other flavors might contain dairy depending if it is a cheesy sounding flavor.
  • Back to Nature Plant Based Snacks: Just noticed these guys and love that the Back to Nature brand is offering plant based crackers now!
  • Wasa: I was first introduced to these by a co-worker when I wasn’t a dietitian. They are hearty crackers and their whole grain crackers in particular are very sturdy and wide, so they can actually fit quite a bit on their. Kind of like an upgrade to a rice cake. Most of their crackers are vegan, as always just check the ingredients list to confirm before purchasing.
  • Mary’s Gone Crackers: Probably my favorite cracker. It’s so funny, when you see them at first, you assume they are going to taste like bird seed, but they are super tasty! One of the only crackers I demoed while I was a grocery store dietitian that EVERYONE loved. In fact, people liked the crackers often times better than some of the other products I paired with it. These are gluten free and vegan.

Cereal/Granola

  • Barbara’s Puffins: Compared to other cereals, this brand I adore because it definitely includes more whole grains, less sugar and more fiber! It also includes a good fortification of calcium in it.
  • Envirokidz: Simple ingredients, kid friendly as well as gluten free. They do try to keep sugars low and still provide some great balance with whole grain ingredients.
  • Love Grown: Offer cereal and oatmeal cups that focus on plant based ingredients. All of their cereals are vegan and gluten free. Their cereals are made using a bean based blend, but you’d never know because they taste like awesome cereal.
    • Cereal
    • Oatmeal Cups
    • Granola
  • Kashi: A very plant forward company with great cereal options. While not all products are vegan (some contain honey), there is a good amount of vegan products from this brand.
    • Wheat Biscuits
    • Go! (watch out some of them have honey)
  • Bear Naked: Have loved the Bear Naked Fit line products V’Nilla Almond and Triple Berry are vegan and pretty great because their sugar content is low.
  • Quaker: While not all of their products are vegan, there are quite a few instant oat options that are vegan! They also have some great overnight oats options. Their plain, original offerings are typically vegan. Often times if I’m in a rush, I’ll use an instant packet and flavor it myself with cinnamon and other spices like ginger or cardamom.
  • Purely Elizabeth: Really tasty granola. Can be a little on the expensive side, but I often will purchase if on sale just as a way to change up textures. Good to add to plant based yogurts or I love to sprinkle it on top of cooked fruit to make a super easy fruit crumble, no baking required! Their products are certified vegan.
    • Granola
    • Oatmeal Cups
  • Bob’s Red Mill: Big fan of their muesli and oatmeal cups. They are also great with marking on their website if a product happens to be vegan. If you aren’t familiar with muesli it’s a breakfast cereal made with oats, whole grain wheat, nuts/seeds and dried fruit. Super yummy and can be eaten hot or cold.

Canned Foods

  • Beans: Plain beans are typically just that plus water and salt. Please note if the beans are in a sauce, you should check the ingredients to confirm the ingredients (especially true for baked beans). These are perfectly convenient because now you don’t have to cook them from scratch. Most canned items now offer a BPA free lining too, which is great. Regardless of the sodium content, please note that you can rinse beans under running water for a few minutes and significantly reduce the amount of sodium in them! Many companies are now creating no salt or lower salt options too, so keep a look out!
  • Heinz Vegetarian Beans: Even though these say vegetarian, the ingredients are vegan. Perfect saucy beans in case you need something quick and already prepared.
  • Canned Vegetables: Similar to the disclaimers I mentioned with beans. Often, people worry about the nutrition content of canned vegetables, but an important thing to remember is that often canned/frozen options can be more nutritious than fresh as they are prepared and packed within 48 hours of picking from the farm. Fresh fruits and veggies can sometimes sit refrigerated for weeks before making it to their store destination. Never mock or turn your nose up to anyone that has to rely on canned foods. They work really well!
  • Fruits in 100% Fruit Juice: Not everyone can afford or do fresh fruits. If you are opting for canned fruits, that is absolutely fine! One thing to note is to make sure that they are packed in 100% fruit juice to avoid added sugars.

Convenience Meals in the Aisles

  • Tasty Bite: One of my favorite quick meal options! Literally, just microwave and you have meal ready. They include some great Indian inspired bean options as well as rice to pair it with. Get some microwave frozen veggies and you are ready to eat without much effort! For your convenience, I have linked to their products that are vegan. You can also filter for gluten free options. They are good about labeling their products.
  • Annie Chun: Another favorite easy meal option, this time focusing on Asian inspired meals. They have some great noodle bowls and really convenient microwave and go rice. They’ve definitely been a life saver multiple times and super tasty!
  • Amy’s: One of the most reliable and most common vegan/vegetarian offering at most stores. I first found them thanks to their canned soups and chilies. As you will notice, they have a very extensive line of products. Really love their ingredients and they provide a nice balance of various nutrients in their meals.
  • Right Foods: A variety of cups that just make life super simple. There is a great number of different soups, quinoa salads, noodle cups, etc. And they are all vegan and pretty accessible at most grocery stores I’ve visited. You might find them in multiple spots in the store. For example, I often see them in both the soup aisle and natural/gluten free sections of the store. Please note, not all of their products are gluten free, but they have a nice selection.
  • Kitchen & Love: Another great option that is shelf stable. These fit in your desk and only involve combining the two cups together. No need to heat or add water. The cups are microwavable if desired, and they are BPA free. Really great flavor and can be paired with other protein options for a more filling meal.
  • Seeds of Change: Include great shelf stable rice packets that only need to be popped in the microwave. They have blends of rice and quinoa or beans together as well as flavored rice options as well.
  • Microwave Rice: The following brands are typically very easy to find at grocery stores. They include various options in terms of grains as well as various ways of preparing them (microwave, boil, etc.). Side note, please check ingredients for flavored rice options as sometimes they are not always vegan.

Pasta/Noodles

*Note: A good majority of pasta brands on the shelf are often vegan. Always check ingredients as some of them can have egg added to it. I highlighted the below options as they provide some good gluten free options and in some cases good protein sources as well.

  • Barilla: They offer regular pasta, whole wheat and bean based pastas (chickpea or lentil based).
  • Banza: They offer chickpea pasta that is very high protein. Great with a vegan pesto and extra veggies. Gluten free.
  • Explore Cuisine: Some more gluten free bean based pasta including black bean and edamame.
  • Lotus Foods: Offer great rice based ramen and pad Thai noodles. Very affordable and have great texture for a gluten free noodle.
  • Daiya Delux Cheezy Mac: Sometimes you just want mac and cheese without the cruelty. So this boxed mac and cheese is a life savor. Nice and creamy and uses vegan cheese instead of the potato or cashews you typically see in recipes.

Condiments

  • Annie’s: Is a popular brand I see frequently in the dressing aisle. They have a lot of great vegan products, but be careful not to assume that everything is vegan. This link has all their vegan products listed. Always look at ingredients.
  • Daiya Dressing: Basic, but flavorful. I’ve noticed stores recently expanding their dressing offerings. This is part of the line up. All vegan and they provide a dairy free alternative to all the classing dressings.
  • A1 Steak Sauce: A great sauce to pair with vegan meats, seitan, tofu or tempeh. Gives a unique tart, sweet and peppery flavor to it. This sauce does not include anchovies. If you use another brand, always double check ingredients as other brands may have a different ingredient list.
  • Stubb’s BBQ Sauce: This brand is great. Good flavor and good ingredients. I’ll carry a few of these at a time to change up flavor in meals or top meals with it for a boost in flavor.
  • Cholula: Their garlic hot sauce is the absolute best and I feel like it goes with everything. Not too powerful. Just a really good condiment to have.
  • Franks Red Hot: Their hot sauce and buffalo sauce are vegan. For the longest time I assumed the butter type flavor listed in the ingredients was animal derived, but it’s just a flavor that is not derived from animals according to reps at the company.
  • Veri Veri Teriyaki: I think pretty much every store carries this brand of teriyaki sauce. Super easy to use for marinating or sauteing different proteins like tofu, tempeh or chickpeas. Most often it is in the international section of your store near the soy sauce.
  • Soy Sauce/Tamari: If you’ve been concerned with lactic acid listed in soy sauce ingredients, don’t worry. It is a vegan ingredient and the commercial brands of soy sauce are safe for vegans. Here are brands I’ve seen advertised in store.
  • Chili Garlic Sauce/Sambal Oelek/Sriracha: If you always want a good way to flavor your food, I highly recommend having a bottle of these condiments in your fridge. They are so flavorful and add so much to dishes. They are also super easy to find in the international section of your store. It’s also super cheap too.
  • Chung Jung One: Gluten Free: A newer sauce I’ve seen in the international aisle. It might not be available everywhere, but I’ve seen it in a few places already. Also, pretty affordable for being a specialty sauce.  The great thing is that they label their vegan products on the front of the package.
    • Gochujang Korean Chili Sauce
    • Gochujang Spicy Miso Sauce
  • Maya Kaimal: A fantastic line of Indian sauces to compliment and make easy Indian flavored meals. Great ingredients and lots of vegan options.
  • Saffron Road: Another company that has some great Asian simmer sauces. Make sure to confirm ingredients to make sure they are vegan.
  • Veganaise: The original, and still one of my favorite vegan mayo products. Never lets me down and most stores carry it now either in the dairy department in their refrigerator section or in their natural section.

Soups

  • Amy’s: Absolutely love their soups. Lots of variety and lots of vegan options available here. All of their vegan soups can be found in the link.
  • Well Yes!: Surprisingly, this is a Campbell’s product, but this line has some really great ingredients and they have vegan options. They have a vegan sipping soup plus some additional hearty and flavorful soups as well that you can explore from the link.
  • Pacific Foods: This brand has some fantastic soups that are vegan. They have some hearty soups and classic creamy soups like tomato basil soup, butternut squash soup and others. You can see their offerings in the link using the vegan filter.
  • Imagine Foods: More creamy and hearty soups. Great ingredients and they have a vegan filter on their site in case you want to browse their selection. Just make sure to click vegan.
  • Right Foods: Really great and filling, high protein soup options. All vegan and oil free. They do include some gluten free options as well.

Breads/Wraps

  • Arnold’s: Has been a great and reliable brand. They are not all vegan, but a good majority of them are. They have their sandwich thins, pita pockets, and stuffing that all happen to be vegan. Always check ingredients just in case, especially with stuffing.
  • Dave’s Killer Bread: Absolutely adore this brand. It’s definitely worth the price. It’s super good quality and very satisfying. They have a lot of options to between regular bread, bagels, and now English muffins.
  • Tumaro’s: For those looking for a good wrap that doesn’t break apart, I really like these wraps. Normally you don’t see them in the bread aisle. I’ve always found them in various stores usually in a wrack near the deli section. So keep an eye out. Really nice and full of fiber.
  • Organic Mission Wraps: Before I would typically not recommend Mission, but they recently came out with some wraps that do not have trans fats in it. And I’m super glad. Definitely check them out.
  • Flat Outs: Love their wraps and shells. Another option you typically see in the deli section. These are nice and sturdy wraps. Love how they taste and they have a lot of fiber. Their wraps also make a good medium for making flatbreads or personal pizzas.
  • Thomas’: This company was a big go to when I first went vegan. I love their whole wheat bagel and their bagel thins (great for easy sandwiches). Not all of their products are vegan. So don’t assume as their English muffins do contain whey. I always double check ingredients to make sure they didn’t change the formula.

Butter

  • Earth Balance: The original and my personal favorite. They have both tubs and butter sticks.
  • Country Crock: Now offers a plant based option to their normal line. These plant butters vary in the type of oil they include in their oil mix. This includes option made from olive oil, avocado oil or almond oil blended in.
  • I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter: Another great vegan alternative spread. Simple ingredients and really good for people that need a lower sodium option!

Yogurt

  • Good Plants: A newer plant based yogurt I’ve tried. These are pretty great from a nutrition perspective. If you aren’t a fan of stevia these might have a weird taste. They are a good protein source, have really good amount of fiber to them and are priced well too. These are almond based, and I really like the vanilla and lemon ones.
  • Silk: If your store has their plain soy yogurt tubs, these are fantastic. They have 10 grams of plant protein per serving and are really great texture.  Their other soy yogurts are okay, but they do have added sugars to them. They offer good protein, some fiber, but the main reason to love them is that they are fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
  • Forager: This is a cashew based yogurt. Smoother and lighter in my opinion then some of the other yogurts. I tend to see the cups versus the bigger tubs.
  • Kite Hill: This is an almond based yogurt. Another tasty option and I feel of all the yogurts, the texture of this is great. Nice and thick especially. They also have Greek style almond yogurts that offer 11 grams of protein and have a good source of calcium and iron. Great as a snack with fruit added on top or can be made into a parfait for breakfast.
  • Lavva: Real ingredients and is naturally sweetened with plantains. No added sugars! Have loved this brand and love all their flavors. I added this one in because I’ve noticed that they started carrying this brand in regular markets.
  • Daiya: They have a great protein option. It is coconut based yogurt. Pretty thick in consistency. Outside of the coconut, it is very allergen friendly. They list all of their allergen disclaimers on their site. I see these quite often. In stores, I most often see their fruit based ones, but they do have a plain one if you happen to find it by you.
  • So Delicious: Has been around for a long time. This is coconut based, so it doesn’t have a lot of protein. Can make a great snack, but if you do want to make it a meal, makes sure to pair with some protein and fruit.
  • Chobani: Another coconut base. They recently just put out this non-dairy option and I hope they add more especially ones that are not coconut based.
  • Oui: For those that are or were fans of Oui by Yoplait, they actually now have a dairy free option for their rich yogurts. This one is coconut based. It isn’t fortified, so regard as a treat.

Milk

*Note: You can find milk in the refrigerated section, but also in the aisles usually in cartons or single serve containers. You can determine which milk is best depending on how much you need at a given time.

  • Good Karma: Nice creamy plant milk made with flax seeds, so it’s loaded with omega 3s.
  • Silk: Provide a lot of various plant based milks including almond, oat, coconut, and cashew. My honest favorite is the Silk Organic Soy Milk. Super creamy, loaded with protein, and provides an excellent amount of Vitamin B12. Try to opt for unsweetened when possible for less added sugar when appropriate.
  • Almond Breeze: Classic almond milk. Is fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Pretty much a majority of their products are vegan except for their containers with a hint of honey. Opt for unsweetened when appropriate.
  • Oatly: Originally I wasn’t going to include this brand because of it’s price point, but its become really popular and sometimes people are willing to buy things based on quality. This is good quality and makes for the perfect addition to lattes. This brand is also fortified with Vitamin D, B12, and calcium.
  • Ripple: Started noticing this brand more and more in store. Another fortified milk that is nice and creamy and also provides a great source of protein! These milks are also nut free and soy free in case of allergies!

Frozen Meals

  • Amy’s: Back to Amy’s again in the frozen aisle. They are one of my favorite frozen dinner lines for a long time. Do handle all the American classics really good. Their line includes frozen meals, frozen burritos, and burgers. While not everything in their line is vegan, a good majority of it is. You can find Amy’s just about everywhere.
  • Sweet Earth: I wasn’t anticipating that I would see these as frequently as I do, but they are pretty abundant in general stores. I think it might have to do with the marketing that originally went out for it. They did a good job with mingling it in with familiar foods and it just stuck. They have a range of different items with a lot of ethnically inspired food. Make sure to check packages as some products may contain eggs.
  • Kashi: They aren’t only known for breakfast! Happy to say that their frozen meal line is super delicious and had a bit of a revamp in the last few years. They have a lot of great plant based frozen options. I tend to notice, their frozen meals don’t get enough hype. They are usually put in awkward spots in the freezer section, so keep a look out for them. All vegan and really tasty!
  • Healthy Choice Power Bowls: This was a new addition to the Healthy Choice line and super tasty! They currently only have 2 vegan bowls, but this fantastic news considering that their company has been trying to promote more plant forward meals. Hoping they come out with more soon. The vegan one’s include the cauliflower curry and the falafel and tahini bowl. The ingredients list is great and these bowls have been an easy win over for some of my clients looking to do more convenient plant based meals.
  • Gardein: The vegan brand I can always rely on in store. Their brand has really expanded and now offers single meal trays and skillet meals, which are great if you are stuck on what to have for dinner! All vegan!
  • Green Giant Harvest Protein Bowls: These bowls are relatively new. A mix of grains, veggies and protein. Note that not all of their bowls are vegan. Their vegan options include the Southwest Style and the Asian Style bowls. Always confirm ingredients.
  • Tabatchnick: Have really loved their soups for a long time. Another brand that does healthy soups with simple ingredients. A great option for those that don’t want to do canned products and watch for sodium. Since these are frozen they don’t have to use as much salt as their canned counterparts. They have a few items in their line that are vegan, so make sure to look at the ingredients before purchasing. Their chili is really great!

Frozen Products

  • Dole Dippers: One of my favorite frozen items. I recommend them probably on a daily basis with clients. Literally frozen fruit with dark chocolate coating. They taste like little ice cream bar bites. The dark chocolate banana one is my favorite. I’m also a fan of the pineapple one as well.
  • Vann’s Waffles: When I first went vegan, these waffles were a God send. I really loved the taste of these and was very happy with the ingredients. Sometimes you just need waffles! As a breakfast option, I love toasting these up and spreading some peanut butter on top and mashing some raspberries on top (kind of like a toast option except much better). Some of their whole grain waffles have honey and the chocolate chip waffles have dairy in them, so be careful. All the other waffles include no eggs, dairy or honey.
  • Green Giant: People always complain to me that their veggies have gone bad in their fridge. If you find yourself in that camp, I can’t recommend using frozen veggies enough. While I love having any frozen brand, I have really loved how innovative Green Giant has been with their veggie selections. They go beyond the regular steam in the bag options and have just about everything you can think of. They have riced veggies, veggie spirals, veggie tots, cauliflower pizza crust, roasted frozen veggies (blew my mind) and now offer some grilled options too. Stock up on these so you can get some varieties in your sides especially if you are the type of person that gets bored or frustrated with veggies. Be mindful of ingredients for certain.
  • Bird’s Eye Frozen Rice: Outside of frozen veggies, I always try to keep frozen rice in the freezer. Whether I am making it or relying on Bird’s Eye to give me a quick option that is just rice and no other added ingredients. Cooks up perfect every time and less mess in the kitchen for me to clean when I’m feeling lazy. You can also save additional money by using store brand frozen rice.
  • Frozen Edamame Seapoint Farms: I adore this brand and their edamame. Probably the one brand that when I warm up their edamame, it’s beautifully green and high quality. Super cheap and an easy way to throw protein into the mix. I love adding these to salads or sushi bowls for the extra protein. I also love getting them in the pods and thawing them out to use as snacks in the afternoon if I find myself boredom eating.

Vegan Meats/Cheese

*Notes: When feeling bored of beans, tofu or tempeh, it is totally okay to fall back on some tasty pre-made vegan meats. They definitely come in handy and provide a nice chew, texture.

  • Upton’s Naturals: One of my favorite products and they are all vegan. Some tasty options in the vegan meats category. Usually found in the refrigerated aisles in produce or in their own separate vegetarian/naturals case in store.
    • Crumbles
    • Bacon
  • Field Roast: My favorite sausage company. Very flavorful and has the best texture. Feels and tastes very indulgent, so it’s nice to change things up and either use their sausages for a sheet pan or a fun addition to pasta. I also love their cold cuts that have simple ingredients and are perfect for a quick sandwich.
    • Sausage
    • Cold Cuts
    • Chao Cheese
  • Tofurkey: A classic, affordable and reliable brand. Always vegan and they have a lot that is not just their holiday roast that are worth checking out.
    • Sausage
    • Cold Cuts
  • Light Life: I feel these have always been pretty easy to find in store. They have a lot of options that are vegan, but note to always check the package/ingredients to make sure they are vegan. Not everything in their line is vegan.
    • Hot Dogs
    • Chicken Strips
    • Burgers
  • Boca: These are a cheap, and great protein source when you need it. They offer a lot of plant based options that are vegan. They are good at indicating whether a product is vegan or not on the front of their box.
    • Turkey Burger
    • Regular Burger
    • Chicken Patties
  • Gardein: They have a lot of great options and variety of plant based meats. They have just about everything, and I feel that for what it is, it gets the job done and is very satisfying when you need something.
    • Meatless Meatballs
    • Chipotle Black Bean Burger
  • Sweet Earth: One I recently tried and liked a lot. Nice textured meat and their strips are easy to throw into a stir fry with frozen mixed Asian veggies, soy sauce and some garlic chili sauce.
    • Seitan Strips
  • Daiya Cheese: I typically only see the shreds for this cheese. Personally not my favorite, but it melts and does the job.
  • Follow Your Heart: More vegan cheese. I feel that this cheese I like more flavor wise and it also tends to be most affordable. I’ve seen both block cheeses and shreds available.

Bars

  • Larabar: Have become popular enough that they are pretty much carried everywhere. They do have a variety of flavors, but depending on store you might not get them all. They have their normal line of fruit and nut bars, plus they now have a protein variety in stores as well that offers 11 grams of plant based protein while keeping their ingredients clean.
  • Think Thin: I really hate this company’s name and really do not like how they advertise their products, but they have plant based bars that are affordable and are pretty decent in flavor. They also offer 13 grams of protein. I would not use this as a full meal replacement as they suggest as this is no where close to a meal. But if you are on the go and need a quick item to hold you over to your next meal then these can be helpful.
  • Made Good: I really like the taste of these bars and considering they are very simple bars, they make good for a lighter snack when needed. These also happen to nut free and gluten free, which can be really good for snacks to pack for school.
  • NuGo: I really love their dark chocolate bars. Now mind you, not every product in their line is vegan, but they have a lot of vegan options and they happen to also label clearly. Again, annoyed that they have bars called slim bars. But their normal bars are delish, so I try to just roll my eyes and move on.

Plant Based Protein Powders

*Note: Everyone has an opinion about protein powders. Personally, it’s always going to be based on preference. Instead of providing my opinions, I will link below the options I have found pretty easily in my local markets. If you are worried about making the invest towards a protein powder, you can find single serve pouches of some protein powders either at Target or GNC. Good for testing out what you might prefer and then it won’t feel like you invested a lot for something you don’t like.

  • Orgain: Not all are vegan, so make sure it says plant based on it. Pea protein based.
  • Nutiva: This is a hemp seed protein. Very clean ingredients.
  • Vegan Smart: This is the most common one I see in grocery stores. Simple, good ingredients. Gets the job done for protein powder. Also, probably one of the more affordable ones.
  • Olly: The protein in this brand comes from pea protein and flax seed. Make sure that your container says plant powered on it as it is not a fully vegan company.
  • Pure Protein (Plant Based): Protein blend of pea protein, brown rice and hemp seed protein. This product is relatively new, has low sugar, high fiber and 20 grams of plant protein. Make sure it is the plant based one as they are not a fully vegan company.
  • Owyn: Protein blend of pea protein, pumpkin protein and chia. Provides 20 grams of plant protein.

Snacks

  • Biena: These are roasted chickpeas. Really nice and crunchy, high protein and high fiber. Comes in different flavors, but not all are vegan. The new bags are nicely labeled, so you can tell what is vegan versus vegetarian. Outside of snacking, you can use these as a replacement for croutons.
  • Somersaults: Are a great nut-free snack that is also vegan. They almost remind me of little mini cookies (though there is a savory flavor amongst the list). They also surprisingly have a good amount of protein. I always have an easy time finding them in the snack aisle and they also happen to be pretty cheap as well.
  • The Good Bean: Another brand that offers roasted chickpea snacks.
  • Prana Organic: A company offering lots of different snack options. Always check ingredients to confirm if it is vegan, but they have a lot of dried fruit and trail mix related snacks that are super tasty.
  • Barnana: A company focusing on banana based snacks. Always simple ingredients and super yummy. Surprisingly pretty easy to find in stores.
  • Gimme Organics: Sea weed snacks! I know, these don’t automatically sound appealing, but they are super good. Nice salty flavor and crispy. You eat one and then keep going. Easy to pack as a snack, or you can make some deconstructed sushi bowls by packing a microwave rice bowl, some diced veggies, frozen edamame for protein, these sea weed snacks and some soy sauce.
  • Roasted Edamame: Nice and crunchy, easy to store at your desk, and full of protein.
  • Primal Jerky: I never thought I’d like jerky until I had this brand, and surprisingly super cheap at my local market for some reason. Very good texture, flavor and spice to it. Also good source of plant protein.
  • Brami: I’ve been finding it easier and easier to find these beans. They might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they are excellent sources of nutrients if you are willing to try. They are not dry snacks, they are soft. Really high fiber and good source of plant based protein. Really great as a snack but can absolutely be used a protein option at main meals too.
  • SuperSeedz: Flavored roasted pepitas/pumpkin seeds. They include both savory and sweet options. Ingredients are simple and this can be topped over oats or salads depending on the flavors you choose. All of them are delicious and this line happens to be vegan!

Treats

  • Nothing but!: They have vegan cookies. Their Cherry, cranberry and almond flavor is vegan as well as their chocolate, coconut and almond flavor. There are other flavors that unfortunately aren’t vegan, so just be careful not to confuse them.
  • Home Free: A vegan line of allergy friendly cookies. They are dairy free, egg free, nut free, peanut free, gluten free, and loaded with whole grains.
  • Enjoy Life: They have so many vegan friendly products. I have linked to their vegan filter to help you make decisions. Honestly, their chocolate chips and their soft baked cookies are everything to me.
  • Smart Sweets: Fantastic gummies without the loads of sugar. Have been seeing these more and more in stores and I adore them.
  • Nature’s Bakery: I have loved this company since the first time I stumbled upon them. They have really great ingredients and they have both vegan fig bars and brownies! I adore the brownies a lot. They also have some great gluten free options.
    • Fig Bars
    • Brownie’s
  • Belvita: These are great in a pinch as a grab and go option. They have some vegan options within their line. As always, check ingredients. Nice amount of fiber per serving, and sugars for the most part are controlled depending on the flavor. One thing I would note with this product that even though some of them are vegan, I would still browse the ingredients to avoid hydrogenated oils when possible. Some safe ones within their line include:
    • Mixed Berry Soft Bake
    • Banana Bread Soft Bake
    • Cranberry Orange Crispy
    • Golden Oat Crunchy
    • Blueberry Crunchy
    • Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunchy
    • Chocolate Crunchy
  • Theo: Love that their chocolate bars are so accessible in stores now. And they have a great vegan selection. Feel free to click through their site filter to see their offerings.
  • Evolved: Started seeing these pop up in stores so it’s worth a mention since their ingredients are simple. As far as I know, all of their products looked vegan even though they promote themselves as a keto product. So definitely check them out. Their bars are really yummy.
  • Gin Gins: I really like snacking on these. Sweet and spicy from the ginger, which is awesome. Vegan and in general this company has a lot of great ginger products outside of the gin gins.

If you got this far down the list, I do want to thank you for taking the time to read this! Hoping this list can help to make you feel more confident in the grocery store. I will be periodically coming back to update this list as time goes by.

Now’s Your Turn!

What are your favorite grocery store convenience items that help make meal and snack prep easy? Make sure to share your tips in the comments or by tagging me on Instagram with the hashtag #plantbasedrdeats

★ Catherine

Make your next vegan grocery trip easy and practical with this updated ultimate vegan grocery list. This list will have you shopping like a vegan pro in no time. Tips for navigating the store and brands + a pdf with a grocery list and meal/snack ideas. | plantbasedrdblog.com

Make your next vegan grocery trip easy and practical with this updated ultimate vegan grocery list. This list will have you shopping like a vegan pro in no time. Tips for navigating the store and brands + a pdf with a grocery list and meal/snack ideas. | plantbasedrdblog.com

 

15 Comments

    1. Thank you Thank you Thank you….I literally didn’t have a clue…Reading this has HELPED tremendously I can’t even explain how you’ve helped me help myself and family everything broken down with pictures and link’s ..GODSENT type2 diabetes, Ibs, sickle cell , hypertension ,allergies, chronic pain, swelling, inflammation are all reason my family need this change…….THANK YOU

      1. So sorry with how late this reply is, but I am so so happy this was helpful. That was my main goal with this guide. Thank you so much for taking time to share feedback!

  1. I recently found you on Instagram which led me to your blog. I can’t decide which recipe to make first! This is a wonderful grocery list too. It can feel like such work reading label after label while shopping, and you’ve done it for us! Now that we’re experiencing this pandemic, it’s best to get in and out of the stores as quickly as possible. The list is much appreciated:-)

  2. Thank you so much! Newly vegan as of January so I’m still realizing there are so many things that I don’t have to sacrifice. And so many choices that I haven’t really considered. This list is everything:-)

    1. That makes me the happiest to hear! Also, super glad that this resource has been helpful. So much abundance out there, and hope that your journey continues to show you that. 🙂

  3. What a great list! You should try Howl’s cashew-based mac and cheese. Our Spicy Chipotle is a game changer! We’re a chef driven company so we’re not using the chemicals and fillers (and never Palm Oil!) found in a lot of other products. Would love to hear what you think if you try it out 🙂

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