Build a Healthy Pantry

Stocking Up for Your Plant-Based Meals

WRITTEN BY DEB CZECH, PLANTEDPLATTER.COM

People often choose a plant-based meal program for health benefits including weight loss, a reduction in heart disease, management of diabetes, lowering inflammation, and many more positive outcomes.

Building on the four major plant-based food groups—grains, legumes/beans, vegetables, and fruits—and supplementing them with a well-stocked pantry, you can easily make many well-balanced, healthy meals. Here are five pantry staples to prioritize, with many more options in the grocery list in the adjacent column. Buying them all at once can be expensive, but if you add one or two to your shopping list each week, you’ll soon have a wide and flexible collection.

TAMARI

If you are a fan of soy sauce, step up to tamari, a more flavorful condiment from Japan that is less salty and somewhat thicker. Buy low-sodium tamari if you can. Another popular soy-based seasoning is Bragg Liquid Aminos. If you are allergic to soy, try a bottle of coconut aminos instead.

VINEGAR

A range of vinegars, from mild rice vinegar to stronger varieties, will help to season cooked leafy greens and other vegetables, salads, and add balance to a variety of dishes.

NUTRITIONAL YEAST

Nutritional yeast (sometimes called nooch) adds a somewhat cheesy, savory flavor to foods.

TAHINI

Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds. With a consistency somewhat like peanut butter, it is used in hummus and lends a robust flavor to a variety of plant-based dressings and sauces.

PLANT MILK

There are so many plant-based substitutes for dairy milk on the market now. Look for varieties labeled unsweetened as many seemingly plain versions have actually snuck in a sweetener. For an expanded version of this article, including profiles of more ingredients and food storage suggestions, see plantedplatter.com/flavorful-ingredients. SF

Grocery List for Plant-Based Cooking

This list includes many key flavorbuilders for a plant-based kitchen. With them, you can take simple, whole foods such as a grain + a bean + a green and elevate them to a delicious meal.

Pantry Checklist

• Cashews (not roasted) • Chipotle peppers in adobo • Garlic • Ginger root • Herbs & spices (salt-free) • Hot sauce • Liquid smoke • Mustard (prepared) • Nuts & seeds (wide variety) • Nutritional yeast • Onions • Plant-based milk • Salsa • Smoked paprika • Tahini • Tamari • Tomatoes (canned, jarred) • Vegetable broth • Vinegar (several varieties)