10 Vegan Pantry Staples
I find my pantry can become a sort of tomb for old snacks and unhealthy habits. I will hold onto bags of tortilla chips with crumbs and old granola bars in fear of being wasteful. Well, I recently did a complete pantry tour and clean-up for my youtube channel and it was very liberating.
If you’re ever in the mood for some spring cleaning, I highly suggest taking a look at your pantry! In discussing cleaning out pantries, I realized there is some valuable information in there for new vegans and vegans wanting to spruce up their pantry. So below I have 10 vegan pantry staples for your meals and snacking enjoyment. Let me know in the comments below if you think I missed any!
1. Quinoa
Quinoa is such a staple in most of my meals. I find it a lot easier and quicker to cook than rice, so it’s great for those times you’re in a rush for a healthier meal. There are also a lot of health benefits to quinoa, mainly that it is a complete protein with all essential amino acids. With 8 grams of quality protein per cup (185 grams), quinoa is an excellent plant-based protein source for vegetarians and vegans.
2. Dates
Dates are such a great fruit because they never truly spoil. That’s why they are always in my pantry! Sweet, full of fiber, and healthy energy, you really can’t go wrong with having dates on hand at all times. Add a nut or nut butter and you have a delicious healthy snack in second! This also subs as a healthy alternative to dessert, I know, I know, it’s not vegan ice cream, but it’ll do when you have no other option to cure your sweet tooth!
3. Nuts/Nut Butter
Speaking of nuts and nut butter, don’t forget to have these in your vegan pantry! I enjoy brazil nuts, cashews, and walnuts. My favorite kind of nut butter is almond butter or cashew butter. A great source of fat and yumminessm you most certainly need some type of nut and nut butter in your pantry as a vegan.
4. Bean Pasta
This has been one of my most favorite ways to get a lot of protein lately. There are many versions on the market but now you can purchase pasta made out of lentils, black beans, edamame, or garbanzo beans! Pasta has always been a staple in my pantry, but now there’s so much less guilt around it when it’s made out of beans and can give you up to 24g of protein per serving.
5. Vegan Protein
Of course, another easy way to get a good amount of protein is to always have a vegan protein on hand. Some brands I enjoy are Tru Supplements and Vega.
6. Nutritional Yeast
I never knew what nutritional yeast AKA “Nooch” was until I went vegan. This powdery like substance that sort of resembles parmesan cheese, but way more yellow, is a great source of protein, iron, and B12. You can make a cheese sauce with it, sprinkle it on pasta, salads, or anything you want to have a cheesy like flavor, but only healthy!
7. Cacao Powder
This chocolatey powder is amazing to always have on hand. I admit I never really knew what this was either until I went vegan. It’s basically the healthy, low calorie, version of Cocoa powder. You can add it to smoothies to make them chocolatier, or even make an awesome and delicious chocolate mug cake with it. The possibilities are endless and it’s a great source of flavonoids to help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow.
8. Maca Powder
Another thing I didn’t know about until I went vegan, Maca Powder is great at balancing women’s hormones and increasing the libido in men. So gentlemen, before you hit up that small blue pill, try some this nutty flavored powder in a smoothie and do things the natural way.
9. Canned & Dry Beans
Of course, no vegan pantry is complete without a plethora of beans! It is the magical fruit after all and by incorporating more beans into your diet you’ll get a good amount of protein and fiber. Dry beans are great for adding to soups and keeping things more budget friendly.
10. Chia, Hemp, or Flax Seeds
Vegans can sometimes struggle getting their Omega-3s since we don’t eat fish, so the simplest way to ensure you get this nutrient is to keep either chia, hemp, or flax seeds in your pantry. It’s up to you which one you prefer, I generally stick with chia seeds as they are a little bit more versatile in the ways you can use them. It all depends on what you like, so I suggest trying them all out at different times to see which suits your preferences.
And there you have it! Ten vegan pantry staple items. Did I miss any of your favorite items?