Going to the grocery store as a newbie vegan

Go AROUND!!!!! Imagine you’re sitting on the 405 during rush hour and your car stalls. The traffic starts to move forward and you just sit there. People start to honk. They pass you with glaring looks. You’re so close you can hear some of them murmur things under their breath or possibly intentionally loud enough for you to hear. You are like a large tree limb blocking the flow of water. After a few minutes of you desperately trying to get your car started so you can move forward you become frantic, anxious and frazzled. One more person honks, one more intelligible comment at you and you snap. “GOOOO ARRRROUND!” Half your body leans out the car window and your arm moves in a circular motion you yell, “GOOOOO ARRROUND!” This is me. At the grocery store. Imagine it: New York, Whole Foods, Saturday afternoon, narrow aisles and people crammed into that urban food oasis like sardines. You’re a vegan and you don’t know what they hell you’re buying. You have to look at every food item differently now and with question. You have to pick up every item you used to buy and read the ingredients. You have to look for alternatives. You have to check your cart to see if you have protein. What about calcium, am I getting any of that?  Can I make a meal out of any of this? What will I eat for lunch? What about snacks? It’s all unknown and you’re standing right in the middle of the interstate blocking traffic as you stop every two feet and read every ingredient.

Fear not, with each passing visit you will figure out what foods work and remember them. You’ll whiz through that store like a professional roller blader in the 80s. You'll become skilled in breaking through the clutter and honing in on items you can eat. After many a trips below are some the things I look for every time:

Fruits & Veggies – So many wonderful things that are your friend

• Spinach – I eat it out of the bag with hummus. Stack several pieces and roll.
• Avocados – Proof that Jesus loves you. Best. Food. Ever.
• Red/Yellow/Green peppers – make great snacks due to their dippable power when sliced
• Sweet potatoes – These babies take an hour to bake but reheat easily so pop a few in the oven and bam, yummy potatoes for a week
• Apples - great snack, slice em up and take em to go
• Berries - for some added oatmeal goodness

Chips

• Tortilla chips – pair with salsa or guac. You know what to do here.
• Food Should Taste Good brand – they have blue corn tortilla, sweet potato, olive, and lime chips to name a few. The label on the back will say if it’s vegan.
• Sesame sticks – a.k.a addictive crack sticks
• Pretzels – Read the labels though as some brands have a lot of added ingredients. Organic seems to be the way to go here.
• Plantain chips – Salty deliciousness

Frozen

• Amy’s Organic Indian, pizza, burgers, Mexican, stir fry, tofu scramble - On the back where it says Ingredients right after it will say (vegan) if it is. You don’t have to read through the whole list.
• Soy Ice Cream – those three words just don’t seem to go together but I swear when they’re in sandwich form they’re amazing. Give it a try.
• Sweet potato fries

Deli area

• Tofu – you can get it plain or in flavors. I love the savory and oriental flavors. If you go with plain to bake it yourself at home then start out by choosing extra firm and go from there.
• Tempeh – you can buy this stuff in strips and fry em up on the stove. Go nicely in sandwiches or tacos.
• Vegan cheese, yogurt, cream cheese – I honestly have never tried any of the vegan cheeses as I’ve heard the flavors are so great but they’re there if you need em.

Inner aisles

• Amy’s organic soups
• Pasta & pasta sauce
• Soy milk, almond milk – again I haven’t tried either of these as I wasn’t a big milk person before but they’re popular items among the diary free. 
• Beans
• Oatmeal
• Pine nuts – make your pasta dishes magical

If you have any more please share in the comments section. Momma* always needs some new ideas!

*disclaimer – I am not a mom

My awesome lunch today

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