10 Items for Transitioning to Vegan Lifestyle for Beginners

You are ready to take the plunge into plant-based eating but you’re not sure which items you should buy. Here are 10 products that help with switching to a vegan lifestyle for beginners.

Choosing to go vegan is growing in popularity. It is not a trendy diet, but a personal choice.

Once you cut out all animal products from your diet you are exposed to different nutrient deficiencies. But, with good planning, you can meet your needs through plant-based food sources.

Keeping these 10 items on hand will help you transition to veganism and stay on top of your dietary requirements.

10 Products for Going Vegan for Beginners

Becoming vegan is a challenging process from the decision stage to the implementation. First and foremost, you need to rearrange your eating habits. The smartest tip in this process is to switch to veganism gradually. Here are 10 products to help you through the transition:

• Canned beans
• Dried beans
• Plant-based oils
• Nutritional yeast
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegan mayonnaise
• Seasonings and spices
• Tofu
• Frozen vegetables
• Vegan chocolate

Let’s deep dive into vegan items.

💡 Good to Know: Vegan Fast Food Choices

1. Different types of canned beans

Beans (also known as pulses or legumes) are one the primary sources of protein for people following the vegan diet. It is important to choose a variety of beans because they each have different nutritional strengths.

For example, kidney beans tend to be slightly higher in iron, and white beans contain more calcium. Therefore, the vegan lifestyle will be always missing without beans.

 

2. Dried beans

Dried beans are the most economical option for buying beans, but they do take a bit of prep work. You have to soak the beans overnight to rehydrate them and cook them the next day anywhere from forty-five minutes up to two hours.

This route is an excellent option if you want to batch prep beans for the entire week, and then add them to your vegan recipes as you go.

 

3. Different types of plant-based oils

Olive oil is heart-healthy and mild in flavor, so it goes with everything. To keep your meals interesting you may want to invest in a few different flavored oils. Sesame works great for stir-fries, and avocado oil has a slightly nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with fresh salads.

 

4. Nutritional Yeast

Nutrition yeast is a flakey dehydrated yeast. It is golden in color and is sprinkled onto soups, salads, smoothies, and anywhere. The taste can be slightly nutty but you only need a tablespoon at your meals, it should blend into your food.

Vegans rely on nutritional yeast because it is fortified with b12, an essential vitamin that is only available in animal products.

 

5. Nuts and seeds

Similar to beans, nuts and seeds are a vital part of the vegan diet. They provide healthy fats that help you feel satiated after eating, and healthy fats also have been linked to improved cardiovascular health. Choose a variety of unsalted nuts and seeds because they all offer different nutritional benefits.

 

6. Vegan Mayo (and other plant-based condiments)

For most people, mayonnaise is a staple and fortunately, there are plenty of vegan options on the market. Other items you may want to stock up on include soy sauce (already plant-based), but also salad dressings, and marinades.

Double check the ingredients to make sure no egg or animal-based broth ingredients have snuck into your items.

 

7. Seasonings and spices

To keep your food exciting and different it needs to be well seasoned! Reaching for the salt shaker is the easiest route, but not always the most healthy.

Instead, try to include herbs and spices from different parts of the world. Challenge yourself to try a new herb or spice from a different country every month.

 

8. Tofu

Tofu is a soy-based product that is high in protein and other essential vitamins. Although soy products have been under speculation in the past all the current research disproves any negative health risk of eating soy products. You can fry tofu, bake it, or buy soft tofu and blend it into smoothies.

 

9. Canned or frozen vegetables

Some nights you may not have the energy to cut up vegetables and prepare a full meal for yourself. In these moments, canned or frozen vegetables can be a lifesaver. Both options are nutritional on par with each other but frozen vegetables will have a different texture.

 

10. Vegan chocolate

It’s not bad to crave a piece of chocolate now and then. Keeping a vegan chocolate bar on hand is great to satisfy cravings and can be added to your baking or cooking. You can also keep dried fruit in your pantry which will also satisfy a sweet craving.

Final Thoughts on Vegan Lifestyle Items

Do not let yourself become overwhelmed when adopting a vegan lifestyle. If you follow the learning curve, you will easily cope with transitioning to veganism. In this article, we compiled 10 products to make this process easy.

Bear in mind that, there are numerous plant-based products to explore. This guide will trigger you to discover those items.