Shopping List

I wanted to make a list of everything that's usually in my house, not all at one time, but things I always buy!

Fruit

• BANANAS! My favorite fruit, and a great source of energy. I love making a Violet, You're Turning Violet smoothie after a work out (recipe soon). I also love slicing bananas and making little almond butter sandwiches with them. I also love eating them plain!
• Organic Pink Lady Apples: Always get organic apples, because normal apples carry a lot of pesticides, believe me it's worth the extra money. Plus, organic tastes better, and pink lady apples are my favorite. They're a softer apple, which I like, and sweet
• Blueberries: I normally buy non organic, just because I can't afford to buy everything organic. I love putting these in my Violet, You're Turning Violet! smoothie and just snacking on them as they are
• Pears: I love pears. I think they're a fruit that doesn't get a lot of buzz, but I think they're so good!
• Grapes: I. Love. Grapes. I love green grapes the most, but any grapes are fine. I love them! Love popsicles? Put a bunch of grapes in the freezer! It's so good!
• Strawberries: Who doesn't love juicy, red strawberries? I know I do! I love slicing them and putting them in greek yogurt (yes, I still eat yogurt :/ not a full vegan yet) or just eating them plain! Or, for a sweeter treat, top with some truvia ;)
• Pineapple: I love the organic one from whole foods, I think it's so sweet, but it doesn't come with a lot, and is quite expensive. I usually make a trip to the farmer's market and they'll core and take the skin off for me, so all I have to do is slice it. You get a whole pineapple for really cheap, and it's really good. I love pineapple! 
• Blackberries/Raspberries: These are probably the fruit I get the least, not for any particular reason, but I love them! I like raspberries better, but both are good
• Tomato: I am going to start making my own salsa, so I'll be buying a lot of tomatoes. I also love dicing it for Mexican dishes and other dinners! 
• Lemons and Limes: Fresh lemon and lime juice are great ways to flavor your foods! It's essential in homemade hummus, great on bean salads, and in kale salads (and other salads).

Vegtables/Herbs/Other

• Organic Kale: I love kale! It's a poster child of healthy eating and for a good reason, it's so good for you! I like putting it into green smoothies and making salads out of it. 
• Organic Leafy Greens: If I don't get Kale, I'll get Organic Girl or Earthbound Farms brand leafy greens for salads and wraps. I love baby spinach, baby kale, super greens, spring mix! I'm always eager to try a new lettuce type
• Fresh Herbs: i'm just starting to buy these, I'll be buying fresh cilantro for salsa soon, but fresh herbs can flavor any dish!
• Onion: Once again, this is for the salsa. I don't like onion in general, but in side dishes and dishes it's okay!
• Organic Baby Carrots: One of the few raw veggies for a snack that I actually like, I always buy carrots. I love them in hummus! I think the organic taste better, so it's worth the money for me
• Sugar Snap Peas: I like eating these plain or with hummus, but they're also good in asian inspired dishes like stir fry!

Bulk

• Long Grain Brown Rice: I love brown rice! My parents cook it in the microwave, but I like it stovetop for many reasons. One being I think it tastes better, another being the microwave kind is overly processed
• Quinoa: This ancient seed is SO healthy for you, and has so many nutritional benefits! It's the only grain that's a complete protein, and it has so many good things in it! It has a nutty flavor, and is a great side dish or a good base for a main dish (quinoa tempeh collard green wraps, anyone?)
• Israeli Couscous: I love Israeli Couscous so much, it's kind of insane. It is in the pasta family, and is so good! It's one of my favorite grains for sure!
• Almonds: I'll be honest, I don't eat almonds a lot as a snack. Not for any particular reason, but I do have fresh ground almond butter, which is just almonds. I do occasionally, though, and my parents do a lot. 
• Pistachios: I love pistachios! They're called 'the skinny nut' because you can have a lot more bang for your buck- as in more nuts for the nutritional density. Also, I love how they're shelled, because I start getting full as I crack open the shells, so the hunger gets to me faster
• Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds are an amazing source of protein, just two tablespoons is around 9 grams! It's a great protein filled snack, and I think they taste great
• Nutritional Yeast: This should be a part of every vegetarian or vegan's diet. 2 tablespoons provides 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 45 calories. So what do you put it on? My two favorite things are in a tofu scramble (with Daiya cheese...we'll get to that) and on top of air popped popcorn. Yum! It can be incorporated into many dishes though- like Daiya Mac and Cheese or Daiya Grilled Cheese
• Almond Butter: This obviously isn't a bulk bin, but it's right next to the bulk bins, along with two other nut butter options (usually peanut or cashew, and chocolate peanut butter- that's the junky one, don't get that one). It's just almonds, and you can do it yourself or there are already made packages. I make my own just because it's fun :{)
• Popcorn Kernels: I have an air popper, so I buy the kernels. I love buying anything in bulk for the reason that it's less processed and it can be a lot cheaper. I highly reccomend buying an air popper, they're around $20 and so much healthier than the pre-packaged microwave popcorn
• Oatmeal: It was on sale today ($1.29/lb) but it's normally only $1.49/lb, which is a lot cheaper than buying it in the box. I buy the old fashioned oats, NOT the quick oats, they're a lot more processed. 

Buying in bulk is cheaper, and I think it's kind of fun! I'm a grocery nerd though, so my fun may not be your fun. Still a better value!

Bread

• Ezekiel Pocket Bread: At only 100 calories, with 7 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber, plus all natural sprouted grains, this is an awesome option. These are so versatile! I love spreading hummus and white beans, hummus and spinach, and so many more 'sandwich' options. I also love cutting the pita into eights and dipping it in hummus. I also love making homemade, healthy pita chips! My favorite thing to do with these is use it as a crust for a personal Daiya pizza!
• Ezekiel Tortillas, small: These are so healthy and versatile, too! I love making hummus and spinach/kale wraps, but what I love most is a sweeter lunch, even a dessert: homemade vegan nutella (Chocolate Covered Katie's recipe) or freshly ground almond butter, with a sliced banana in the middle, and the sides folded over, so it's a banana wrap. It doesn't end there though! I love making Daiya quesadillas with these, or vegan tacos
• Rudi's Organic 100% Whole Wheat Bread: It's sad how when I was in a regular grocery store looking for a vegan bread, I couldn't find one. Not one loaf. But Rudi's brand has so many different kinds and is absolutely fantastic. I never use it for sandwiches (not because sandwiches are bad, I just don't like them) but I do keep it in the freezer for when I want to make vegan french toast
• Whole Wheat Pasta: I try to buy the kind that is only whole wheat flour as ingredients, and I usually stock up so I don't have to buy it all the time

'Dairy' (non-dairy products)

• Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk: I use this in place of milk all the time, I think it tastes so much better, and of course it's all natural, vegan, and cruelty free. A plus is that one eight ounce glass provides 45% of your daily calcium, so two glasses and you're already almost completely covered for the day. I use it in my oatmeal, smoothies, protein shakes, cold cereal, by the glass, just about anything. It's only 40 calories per glass, a fraction of that of skim milk. 
• Daiya Cheese: Now if you've never seen or heard of Daiya, you will on my blog. It's vegan and free of soy. Yes, I do try to eat unprocessed foods, and yes this is processed, but I feel you also have to have balance. If you don't include some 'junk', then I believe you'll go overboard and you'll binge. I use this all the time, it stretches and melts just like real shredded cheese. I use it for personal pizzas, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, tofu scramble, tacos, and so much more! 

Baking

• Stevia in the Raw Bakers Bag: I use this in recipes that call for sugar, but I usually include some agave nectar as well, as stevia has a slightly bitter taste. 
• Agave Nectar: I use this as a liquid sweetener as well as a replacement for maple syrup on vegan french toast and pancakes, as well as Van's waffles
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Vegan Chocolate Chunks: I use these in my CCK Chocolate Chip Cookies, and in my Yonanas as a yummy topping ;)
• Unsweetened Coconut Shreds: I am going to start making raw date cookies, so these will be a main ingredient
• Brown Rice Crisped Cereal: I use these to make CCK's Rice Krispy Treats
• Unsweetened Baking Cocoa: While it's main purpose is for my Chocolate Delight Oatmeal, I do use it in a bunch of recipe's
• Canola Oil: I try not to use oil a lot, but sometimes it's worth using a little bit to me
• Whole Wheat Flour
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

Freezer

• Van's Waffles: These are basically all natural, some are organic, eggos. These are considered a treat breakfast, even though my oatmeal's literally taste like a treat. I love the minis and the organic
• Amy's Veggie Burgers: I've tried a few, and these are some of my favorites. I always keep a box of these in the freezer, just in case we don't have a lot of food or I don't feel like making something
• Frozen Organic Fruit: Strawberries, Mango, Raspberries, all for my yonanas machine
• I also freeze my own bananas and grapes

Canned/Jars

• Canned Beans: Cannellini Beans, Black Beans, Kidney  Beans, Garbanzo Beans are all favorites of mine
• Bertolli Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce: I love this sauce because it's made up of all natural ingredients, and it's delicious
• Muir Glen Organic Soups: There are a lot of vegan options, and these are healthy and made of delicious whole foods, but the classic vegetable is a favorite of mine
• Amy's Organic Soups: I love how this brand has 'vegan' right next to the ingredients. I just got my wisdom teeth pulled out, and I literally lived on this stuff. I love the Lentil and Vegetable

I hope this helped some people! What's in your kitchen on a day to day basis?