This page is dedicated to my Dad and Stepmom who lived in Pittsburgh and have just recently watched Earthlings.

The New Vegan's Shopping List

Changing how you eat can be intimidating.  When I went vegan in 2004, I had no support system, no close vegan friends or family, and no real knowledge or exposure to the plethora of products in the Vegan niche market.

This list aims to be a useful listing of all the great items out there for vegans.  Please feel free to email me if you know of a great product out there that I've missed.

Foods To Stock Up On:

Fruits & Veggies

• Plenty of fresh (and hopefully organic) fruits and vegetables.  Try:
  • Fresh-frozen artichoke hearts.  The canned ones are hard to get the can-taste out, the fresh ones are not economical at all.  Trader Joes has a 12oz bag for about $2.5
  • Fresh or fresh-Frozen asparagus.  Cascadian Farms Organic, available at Whole Foods and East End Co-op have been the best for me when fresh orgainics aren't available.
  • Fresh organic crimini & portabello mushrooms from East End add heartiness and savory taste to vegetarian dishes.
  • Fresh organic carrots are about the same price as conventional carrots, and keep very well.
  • Fresh organic apples are generally available year round and make a good winter staple snack.
  • Fresh zucchini goes with everything, stock up.
  • Fresh organic grapes and strawberries aren't generally available at Whole Foods & Trader Joes, especially out of season; East End Co-Op should be your destination for most produce.

Cooking Staples

• Soy milk for cooking. After many years of experimentation, I always use Silk brand organic unsweetened.  This absolutely does not 'color' the flavor of what you're cooking, at all.
• Vegan Margarine. We like Smart Balance Light, and Earth Balance.  Both are available at East End Co-op and Whole foods.  Some Giant Eagle grocery stores have Smart Balance Light.  Regular Smart balance is not vegan.
• Egg Replacer. Ener-G brand egg replacer is the standard for baking and is available at the East-End Co-op and Whole Foods.  Product Link
• Tofu.  Even if you don't like tofu-based Asian food dishes, you'll need it for tofu scramble.  If you've never liked the taste of tofu in Chinese food, it may be that you had steamed tofu, which many people don't like the taste of.  Pan frying the tofu in coconut or other vegetable oil with garlic and spices will yield a flavor and consistency that's much more widely liked.

Box Entree kits

• Fantastic Foods brand box meal starters:
  
  • Nature's Burger:  (Nothing at all like a soy burger)  Grainy, hearty, and really easy to cook.  Low sodium, low fat, and tastes amazing!  Product Link
  • Tofu Scrambler:  This is the one and only tofu scrambler to buy.  This stuff tastes amazing, and makes a great base for mixed pan breakfasts, omlettes, etc.  Product Link
  • Taco Filling:  Kid approved, and arguably near-identical to traditional omnivore tacos.  Moderate sodium, but not excessive.  Product Link
  • Vegetarian Chili:  Decadent vegan take on omnivore-chili, near identical.  Lots of sodium, from sea salt (35%).  Tasty, but should be enjoyed in moderation.  Product Link
  • Falafel:  Tastes great, but not the easiest thing to cook since you'll need 2/3" of oil and some patience.  Product Link
• Road's End Mac 'n Chreese:

It's about a 50/50 chance you'll like these at first.  I really like them, but my fiance doesn't.  Try the red and orange boxes, and avoid the blue & green ones at first.

• Red Box:  Organic Cheddar Shells & Chreese.  A rich white-cheddar-ish taste that's best with 1TB veg-margarine, 1/3-1/2C soymilk, a sprinkle of garlic powder, salt, pepper, and italian herbs to taste.
• Orange Box: Organic Cheddar 123'z & Chreese.  Vibrant orange color & sharp cheddar-ish taste that's best with 1.5TB veg-margarine and 1/3C soymilk or less, and a dash of salt.

• Near East Rice Pilafs: Product Link
  
  • Garlic & Herb
  • Toasted Almond
  • Wild Mushroom & Herb
  • Spanish Rice
  • Lentil
  • Curry
  • Long Grain & Wild Rice - Original
  • Long Grain & Wild Rice - Garlic & Herb
  • Sesame Ginger
  • Brown Rice Pilaf
  • Wheat Pilaf
• Thai Kitchen Asian Dinners: Product Link
  
  • Thai Peanut
  • Toasted Sesame
  • Lemongrass & Chili