Make a Grocery List and Save Time. Print it Out Over and Over.
Above is a copy of my Google docs shopping list. I change it periodically as I find new foods that I enjoy. It makes shopping any store much easier. If you want to create your own, join Google Drive. Select new doc — give it a title — then under insert, choose table and choose the number of rows and columns you wish.
From Plant-Based Grocery Shopping List: Whole Foods and Supplements:
- Legumes: 3 serves per day (this can be beans, lentils, chickpeas, unprocessed dips like bean dip/hummus or lightly processed legume products like tofu & tempeh)
- Whole Grains: 3+ serves per day (brown rice, oats, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, wild rice, buckwheat are my standards)
- Dark Leafy Greens: 2–3 servings per day
- Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, broccolini, cauliflower, etc): 1 serve per day
- Other Vegetables: 3+ serves per day (sweet potato and carrots are two of my favourites)
- Berries: 2–3 serves per day. (Berries are low calorie and so high in anti-cancer and cardiovascular protective phytonutrients/antioxidants that I think it’s imperative you get 2–3 serves in a day)
- Other Fruits: 3 serves per day (e.g banana, kiwi fruit & pears)
- Omega 3 Seeds: 1–2 serves per day (hemp seeds, flax meal, chia seeds)
- Fermented Foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, miso Soup, kefir.
- Spices: 1 serve per day (turmeric and ground ginger a day are my favorites). Add to smoothies, tea, plant milk latte, curry, or other savory meal.
- Fresh Herbs: 1 serve per day
From Plant-Based Shopping List: What to Buy When You Follow a Plant-Based Diet:
“The staples of a whole food, plant-based diet include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds in their whole or minimally processed forms. When buying minimally processed foods (think salsa, hummus, applesauce, and other things you buy already prepared) always read the ingredient list. Food companies are notorious for sticking unhealthy ingredients in otherwise healthy food, so make sure you know what really went into that salsa before you buy it.
Specifically, you want to avoid and/or minimize
- High fructose corn syrup
- Refined ingredients such as bleached and unbleached white flour
- Added sugars (turbinado sugar, invert sugar, dextrose, cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, fructose, corn syrup solids, evaporated cane juice, malt syrup, sucrose, etc.)
- Ingredients you can’t pronounce
- Excess salt (look for low sodium versions if possible)
- Animal ingredients (milk, butter, yogurt, heavy cream, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, eggs, lard, beef, poultry, pork, seafood, etc.)
- Unhealthy oils (canola, vegetable, peanut, corn, safflower, soybean, cottonseed, shortening)
There is some degree of variation within the plant-based community concerning oil. Some plant-based eaters avoid all oils because oils are highly processed. Others consume oils in small quantities. I still use a small amount of oil on occasion, so I’ll share with you the ones that I believe are the healthiest.”
From The WFPB Diet — Full Whole Food Plant-Based Guide:
Quick Whole Food Plant-Based Shopping List —
- Fruits: berries, bananas, stonefruit, citrus, dates; (fresh, dried or frozen)
- Vegetables: green leafy veg, cruciferous veg, carrots, potatoes, bell peppers; (fresh or frozen)
- Whole Grains: brown rice, millet, rolled oats, quinoa, whole grain bread and pasta
- Legumes: chickpeas, lentils, black beans, peas, tofu, tempeh (yes, soy is great!)
- Nuts and seeds: cashews, macadamia, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, tahini, almond butter
- Dairy alternatives: unsweetened soy or almond milk, coconut milk, cashew cheese
- Condiments: soy sauce, mustard, nutritional yeast, vinegar, herbs, salsa
