We found the best whole food plant based shopping list.

Do you desire a whole food plant based diet but are unsure what to buy in your weekly shop? Well, you’re in luck because that is what we are going to do in this post and below, you will find the exact formula that I use when shopping for my healthy whole food plant based diet. It will guarantee you won’t spend money on things you don’t need whilst also gaining all of the essential benefits of an entirely whole food plant based diet.

How do you start?

So, how do you create a whole food plant based shopping list? The first thing you need to know is structuring, if you can get the structure right for the week ahead, it will keep you organised and prepared for the week and no more wondering what you’re going to have for dinner tonight. 

Its as simple as this, so take note:

Make sure all of the ingredients are whole food and plant based. Also, a good tip is if you know you will be home late for dinner, prepare the dinner the night before; this will help you from ordering takeaways and breaking your diet. You can do a plant-based shopping list aldi or any of your chosen supermarket.

whole food plant based shopping list plan

I recommend drafting a week’s food plan to fill out the above structure. If you’re new to being a whole-food herbivore, I recommend writing down all your usual and favourite meals on a normal day and then converting them to the whole food plant based diet plan. If you enjoy spaghetti on a Friday then convert all the ingredients you usually use for spaghetti into organic vegan ingredients. For example, spaghetti noodles will be converted to organic gluten-free rice noodles. 

For further help on how to begin a whole food plant based diet, here’s a video which will encourage you to get started:  

Can you give me a list of plant-based foods?

As mentioned in the video above you can shop for plant based foods such as:

• Legumes: chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans, lentils etc.
• Fruits: Apples, Pears, bananas, kiwi
• Vegetables: sweetcorn, peas, kale
• Whole grains: oats, quinoa, rice

Anything that isn’t processed and is in a packet with a list of ingredients.

How do I start a whole-food plant based diet?

When I began my vegan journey I started cooking simple recipes that I have never done before. This is also a good way to change up your meal plan cause you will get bored of the same meals everyweek. I was inspired by watching Niaomi Smarts vlogs when ever she did a vlog demonstarting how she prepares her meals and just made it look so simple to me. Watching vegan vloggers is a great way to find meal inspiration for your shopping list.

Why have a whole food plant based shopping list?

Following the structure sections above about creating a whole food plant based shopping list, you can now fill them out with your own shopping list for the week. If you leave any sections out and miss the required details, your whole food plant based shopping list for the week won’t be easy to sustain. 

Achieving a whole food plant based shopping list regime is a fantastic way to keep yourself organised for meals in the week ahead but also be kind to your wallet as you won’t feel the need to waste your money on unnecessary things that aren’t on your shopping list. 

But don’t take my word for it, did you know that:

• “Notably, however, one-third indicated they use a shopping list to “stay on budget” (33%) and “make a note of sales/coupons” (31%)”. (Field Agent, 2018).

• “In our survey of 2,500 shoppers, 21% indicated they “always” rely on a shopping list, and 35% “usually,” when purchasing groceries and/or household consumables” (Field Agent, 2018).

These percentages should be higher to avoid overspending and keeping a healthy diet which also leads to a happier life—more money for you and a healthier body. 

How do you buy whole foods plant based?

Personally, I prefer to do my food shop online. Mainly because it’s less stressful for me as I can take my time browsing without getiing in anyone’s way or them getting in my way. However, if you prefer travelling to the supermarket to shop for your organic food then I personally recommend asda for a high street supermarket suggestion as they have a small but great orgainic line for whole fruit and veg. Although, if your area has a local food market or a small business that sells loose fruit and veg then please go and support them especially during these hard times.

Whole food plant-based shopping list my recommendations.

I have been on a whole food plant based diet since August 2020, and I have never thought of going back once. So I have a lot of experience shopping for real plant-based food, so here is a list of my recommendations:

• Always go for organic vegetables. Non-organic veg are grown in insect-repellent chemicals which you to will ingest, and over time, this is harmful to the body,  

“eating organic is an advantage since we know pesticides can lead to neurodevelopment issues and are strongly associated with cancer.” (UC Davis, 2019)

• Use organic brands such as Biona. Organic brands will guarantee the ingredients they use are whole and organic. I love to buy Biona’s ketchup and tinned vegetables. 

• Buy alternatives online. HonestlyFrom my experience, I have struggled to find gluten-free, organic vegan options in high street supermarkets such as organic vegan cheese and organic plant milk. I recommend buying these online from organic shops such as Plenish and Planet Organic.

My Tips

From my experience, to ensure my whole food plant based shopping list is a successful and efficient trip, I need to:

• Make sure I don’t shop when I am hungry. Shopping whilst hungry will encourage buying things that aren’t on the list.

• Only buy the needed ingredients for your recipes on your whole food plant based shopping list Avoid buying items that are organic just because they are organic. 

• Write your vegan shopping list a few days before the end of the week. Writing the whole food plant based shopping list at the end of the week will keep you organised and ready for the following week.

• Add and tweak your list throughout the week so it’s flexible with your routine and when you want to change up your organic herbivore meals with your mood.

Conclusion

Now, you have the formula for a whole food plant based shopping list structured for a week. You can now make your plant-based grocery list on a budget, as long as you stick to the ingredients on your list. I hope you enjoy the whole food diet shopping list as much as I do.

My next post will be about the advantages of being vegan. The post will discuss topics such as a plant-based food list for weight loss with a link to a whole food plant-based diet pdf check out that post here.

If you want a template of the week structure for your whole food plant based shopping list, send me an email here and ill email you the template : 

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Bibliography

Field Agent (2018)The Science of Shopping Lists: 10 Insights from a Survey of 2,500, Available at: URL(Accessed: 14/2/23) 

UC Davis (2019) Are organic foods really healthier? Two paediatricians break it down. Available at: URL (Accessed: 15/2/23)