Vegan Grocery Staples During Quarantine - Realistic Plant-Based Mama

When you are limited to grocery shopping once every few weeks the items you purchase should be different than those that you buy when you have the luxury of shopping every few days.

After learning that we should be staying home and leaving as limited as possible, my kids and I did one final trip to the store for staples.

When we went into the store I had to keep myself in check.

We were there for our NORMAL groceries of produce and pantry/freezer staples.

We do NOT need to stock up on absurd amounts of foods in a panic.

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We don’t need loads of toilet paper or cleaning supplies (which was good because there was nothing anyway).

We went in with a budget and a list. And on our list, we WERE planning for extended days home or things that might last longer than typical produce.

I thought I’d share what vegan foods you can look for that will last if you’re in a situation like this where you might be home for longer than usual.

As always, be sure to check the labels on some of these packaged goods to ensure the one you are choosing is vegan.

VEGAN FRIDGE STAPLES

Items in your fridge are likely to be the ones that you eat through the fastest and often have the shortest life. When you don’t know if you’ll be able to go to the store again I suggest getting fruits to be stored in the fridge that are on sale BUT be prepared to put anything that is going bad into the freezer.

Tofu
Tempeh (We love the tempeh from Trader Joes because of the price – $1.99!)
Hummus
Vegan yogurt
Coffee creamer (let’s be real – us coffee drinking moms are gonna need this)
Vegan shredded cheese (vegan shredded cheese CAN go in the freezer but any other type; block, slices, etc, can not. They will crumble upon thawing)
Fruits on sale (that can go into the freezer as they over-ripen)

What vegan fridge staples do you and your family use?

VEGAN FREEZER STAPLES

Tater Tots
Vegetables
Pizza (We like the Daiya ones and they are a great price compared to delivery)
Veggie burgers/nuggets/meats etc.
Freezer meals like the cauliflower tempura from Trader Joe’s

What vegan freezer staples do you and your family love?

VEGAN PANTRY STAPLES

Canned or dried beans
Canned tomatoes
Rice
Quinoa (learn more about using quinoa including recipes here)
Oatmeal
Lentils
Sauces for tofu/tempeh/etc
Bagels (extra can be frozen)
Bread (extra can be frozen)
Granola bars
Cereal
Potatoes
Onions
Trail mix
Nuts (peanut, cashew, almond, macadamia, etc)
Seeds (chia, hemp seeds, hemp hearts, sunflower etc)
Protein bars
Protein powder – this brand is our current family favorite
Shelf-stable plant milk (Or make your own with the nuts you have when you need milk)
Peanut butter
Dried fruits
Pasta
Mac & Cheese
Canned soups

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list but hopefully, it helps you are if you are trying to figure out what to grab the next time you run to the store.

Of course this list is missing the Vegan Produce Staples section and that’s because I talked about it already on my blog! I would love for you to check it out.