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Grocery Shopping Tips For New Vegans


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The decision to go vegan is a step in the right direction for better health. There are several benefits of going on a vegan diet, so if you have taken this bold decision to do so, kudos to you! With about 9.6 million Americans living on a plant-based vegan diet in the last 15 years, this lifestyle is not new. Despite this, shopping for your vegan grocery products can be challenging, especially for the newbies. Check out these four tips to ease your vegan grocery shopping confusion.


  1. Make a grocery shopping list


Before you go grocery shopping, it is quite a given to make a shopping list. Like other dietary options, a shopping list ensures that you do not get carried away with impulse buying or forget to buy an essential product while shopping. Your shopping list helps you stay on budget, get all your necessary items, and prevent your family from throwing out food or wasting it. This list should include fruits (fresh or frozen), vegetables, dairy alternatives, whole grains, and a few lightly processed foods.


  1. Create a meal plan


Like your shopping list, a meal plan helps you stick to a schedule. The difference is your grocery list helps you buy the food items you need, while a meal plan gives you the specific ingredients you would need to buy in the week for the meals you plan to prepare. For example, if you plan to prepare karahi paneer at home, you need to ensure you get the right ingredients such as the paneer, tamarind, coconut, and fenugreek seeds. 


  1. Look out for the vegan logo


Before you add a product to your shopping cart, be sure that you have selected one suitable for a vegan diet. This would usually be the case for products that may contain elements that are not suitable for vegans. Once you have seen the product is vegan-friendly, you can read other relevant information, such as the ingredients list, to see if there is nothing you are allergic to or the calorie count.


  1. Buy items in bulk


Buying in bulk is a smart way to save. Quite often, products are sold at a cheaper rate when you purchase them in bulk than when sold individually, and so you save money. When shopping, purchase items such as nuts and seeds, spices, herbs, flour, dried fruit, and grains in bulk as these are products you would usually use in your cooking. These food items also typically have a longer shelf life, and so you don't have to worry about that. Purchasing in bulk also gives you the chance to save time. Instead of rushing in and out of the grocery store several times a week, you can save time doing things you enjoy or taking the time to complete unfinished tasks. Also, your bulk buying would be saving the earth! By buying in bulk, you cut down on waste as you would be reducing the waste produced by throwing out several individual packaging.


With these four tips, vegan shopping would not be such a confusing activity!



Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels




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