Vegetarian Grocery List – a healthy shopping list of food for beginners to a vegetarian diet – great for meal planning and recipe ideas.
Vegetarian Grocery List
It’s been a little over a month since I transitioned to a vegetarian diet. So, if you’re a beginner like me and wondering what to pop on your vegetarian grocery list, then you’ll find plenty of ideas in this blog post.
It’s taken me the better part of the past month to slowly build up my vegetarian pantry and knowledge about foods to make up a balanced vegetarian diet.
This list is also helpful if you’re trying to enjoy more meat free meals and want a little inspiration for what to eat more of.
Fruit & Vegetables
You can include fresh, frozen, dried and even tinned fruit and vegetables on your grocery list. You’ll find that whatever fruit and vegetables are in season will be cheaper, so you may find that you eat with the seasons and enjoy year round fresh produce.
Here are some of my favourites, but of course you can enjoy any fruit and vegetables you like, in abundance:
- Avocado
- Mushrooms
- Onion & Garlic
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Kale
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Brussels Sprouts
- Courgette/Zucchini
- Cabbage
- Cucumber
- Peppers
- Beetroot
- Peas
- Corn
- Carrots
- Pumpkin
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Fresh herbs – mint, thyme, rosemary, sage, coriander
- Lemon & Lime
- Strawberries/Raspberries/Blueberries
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Dates
- Apples
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Melon
- Mangoes
- Cherries
- Watermelon
Eggs
As a vegetarian, eggs, like the above green shakshuka, are still on the menu. If you’re following a vegan diet then avoid eggs instead.
I enjoy eggs for breakfast every other day or so, in all kinds of ways. So, I always include free range eggs on my grocery list.
Dairy
As with eggs, if you’re vegetarian then you’re likely to include dairy in your diet, if you’re following a vegan diet then go for dairy free alternatives.
Here are some ideas for dairy to include on your shopping list, just be sure to read the packaging carefully as not all cheese options are vegetarian friendly as they can contain animal rennet.
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Cream
- Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Ricotta
- Mascarpone
- Halloumi
- Yoghurt
- Cheese
- Feta
- Brie
- Pecorino
Peas & Beans
I keep frozen peas and corn in my freezer as well as tins of lentils, chickpeas and baked beans in my pantry. You don’t need to keep all of these to hand.
I like to try a different variety every week or so and figure out which I like best and how to enjoy them. Here’s a list to look out for:
- Peas & Corn
- Split Peas
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Baked Beans
- Black Beans
- Black Eyed Peas
- Cannelini Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Edamame
Nuts & Seeds
Keeping a selection of nuts and seeds on hand means you’ll have a variety of options to include in meals. Here are some of my favourites:
- Chia Seeds
- Nuts – macadamias, cashews, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecan nuts, brazil nuts
- Seeds – pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds
- Ground flaxseed
- Almond Flour
- Butter – peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter
Pasta, Rice and Oats
Nowadays you can get all kinds of nutritious varieties of pasta, rice and oats.
I like to head to the gluten free section of the supermarket for interesting pasta alternatives that are nutritious and flavourful. And some, like the above pictured chickpea pasta, include a generous source of protein too.
There are also lots of options when it comes to choosing rice. Try a few different varieties to find which you enjoy most.
Oats are great in oatmeal or overnight oats. I like to keep a couple of different varieties to hand, to enjoy in oaty recipes.
Tofu & Soy Products
Do your research and decide what tofu/soy products to include in your diet. Check out your local supermarket and health food store for options you can get locally and then head to pinterest for ideas for how to enjoy the ingredients you find.
Coconut Everything
You can enjoy coconut milk, oil, yoghurt, cream, flour and in shredded form. The nutritious ingredient is versatile and can be enjoyed in all sorts of sweet and savoury dishes.
Meat Alternatives
Check out your local supermarket for meat alternatives. I’ve found vegetarian friendly burgers, sausages, shredded meat and pies. I’ve found options in the fridge and freezer section and the options vary from store to store.
Some options have been super tasty and others I’ll be skipping, just takes time to try and see what you like.
As with other foods, read the ingredients carefully to be sure you’re happy with what each product contains and that it fits with your dietary requirements.
Other Ingredients
Here are more ingredients to pop onto your vegetarian grocery list:
- Nutritional Yeast – packed full of B vitamins and great sprinkled on salads and cooked vegetables.
- Seasoning – salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, turmeric, curry and your seasonings of choice
- Pesto – read carefully to ensure vegetarian or vegan friendly
- Vinegars – red wine, apple cider, balsamic
- Vegetable stock – for instant soup making
- Sauce – tomato, barbeque, mayo, Worcestershire, soy, tamari
- Chocolate & Cocoa Powder – chocolate is still on the menu, just check that there aren’t any gelatins or hidden animal ingredients.
- Protein Powder – it is possible to get enough protein without supplementing, but it’s also worth having a quality protein powder to hand to incorporate into your diet when needed.
- Quinoa – whole or flour to include in meals.
- Butter and Oils – dairy or dairy free butter, coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil or another alternative for cooking
- Sweetener – stevia, maple syrup, golden syrup or your sugar or sweetener of choice
This vegetarian grocery list is a work in progress, as I’ll be adding to it as my time as a vegetarian grows and I learn about more must have, essential items.
So, make sure you pin, bookmark and save this page to come back to for future inspiration.
More Vegetarian Inspiration:
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