Shopping was a daunting task when I first went vegan around seven years ago. I spent excessive time standing in the aisles reading the ingredients lists, and even then, it wasn’t always clear whether something was vegan-friendly or not. Now that there’s been a significant increase in plant-based products, the selection is better, but being faced with so much choice can be even more daunting. Which vegan bacon is best for a fry up and which is best for a carbonara? Which plant milk is best for tea and which is best for cereal? There’s so much to consider, but don’t let it overwhelm you!

Veganuary exists to help people live the vegan lifestyle as easily as possible. So take on all of the advice you’re offered, seek out shopping guides like this one, read recipes, product reviews, watch videos, and do whatever else you can to make things easier. Veganuary can be a fun challenge that often even leads to going vegan full time! 

The following article is a how-to shopping guide for newbie vegans. I have included helpful tips that should make your shopping experience a little easier, as well as vegan staples and brands to look out for. So whether you prefer to browse your local health shop, supermarket, or online store, here’s some advice!

Vegan Shopping Tips 

Always make a list

Arriving at the shops armed with a well-thought-out list will make you feel more organised and confident. If you don’t love the idea of sticking to a list, you could create one that includes all of the essentials but intend to pick up new products once you’re there. 

Research beforehand

It’s much easier to research what you need beforehand than choosing while at the shops. Have a look at blogs, social media, news articles, and videos to work out which products you might like to buy. You could even ask the vegans in your life which products and brands they recommend.

Look at the labels

As you may already know, perusing labels comes with the vegan territory. Whenever something new catches my eye in the store, I look for a vegan logo, and if not, I check the ingredients to see if it’s accidentally vegan (this refers to a product that was not made with the intention of being vegan). Certain labels could be misleading; for example, ‘lactose-free’, ‘dairy-free’, and ‘egg-free’ don’t necessarily mean vegan. Also, ‘organic’ doesn’t necessarily mean vegan either.

Get the staples

There are staple foods and products that many vegans always have in their kitchen, for example, Nutritional Yeast and hummus. Check out the list below and add as many as you can to your shopping list–they’ll help you make your meals varied and full of nutrition. But, of course, don’t feel pressured to buy every single one, you can feel free to customise it to suit your taste.

Check online

Your local supermarket might not be exceptionally vegan friendly, but that’s the beauty of online shopping. You can shop all the latest and greatest vegan products, from snacks to burgers, and have them delivered to your front door within a few days. 

Vegan Staples

• Nutritional Yeast
• Canned legumes, e.g. chickpeas and red lentils 
• Nuts and seeds, e.g. cashews and flax seeds
• Fresh fruits, e.g. apples and avocados
• Fresh vegetables, e.g. lettuce and cucumber
• Frozen fruits, e.g. berries and bananas 
• Frozen vegetables, e.g. peas and spinach
• Condiments, e.g. mustard, ketchup
• Sauces, e.g. pesto, bolognese sauce 
• Dairy alternatives, e.g. milk and cheese
• Meat alternatives, e.g. mince and ‘chicken’ strips
• Herbs and spices, e.g. oregano and paprika 
• Grains, e.g. pasta, rice and bread
• Oils, e.g. olive oil and vegetable oil

Recommended Brands

Plant-based meat

Burgers: Beyond Meat, Future Farm, Vivera.

Steak: Wheaty, Sgaia.

Mince: The Meatless Farm, Future Farm.

‘Chicken’ strips or pieces: THIS, Heura.

Deli meats: Wheaty, Veganly Dely, Tofurky.

Nuggets: THIS, VFC. 

Bacon: Upton’s Naturals, THIS.

Hot dogs: Taifun, Moving Mountains.

Sausages: The Meatless Farm, Jack & Bry.

Roasts: Artisan Grains, Vbites. 

Plant-based dairy

Butter: Naturli, Vitalite, Flora. 

Yoghurt: Nush, Alpro, Koko.

Cream: Oatly, Elmlea.

Cheese: Violife, Follow Your Heart, Bute Island.

Plant-based eggs

Scrambled: Bonsan, Follow Your Heart. 

Liquid: CRACKD, OGGS.

Seafood

Salmon: Vbites.

Tuna: Loma Linda, Marigold.

Snacks

Chocolate: Love Raw, Vego, NOMO.

Crisps: Mackie’s, Eat Real.

Convenience foods

Pizzas: One Planet Pizza.

Ready meals: Love Plants, Amy’s Kitchen.

Protein

Bars: Trek, TRIBE.

Powder: Vivolife, Vega.