Mindless Vegan Food

I was listening to a podcast while hiking the dog this morning. Lots of ideas come when in nature.  Here is one that stemmed from the podcast.  The guest said his mother announced she was making him a vegan meal – which was just something they’d had long before he was vegan (pasta and tomato sauce) but his brother (now a vegan) walked out of the house to grab some fast food burgers to make his own statement.  Made me think of how simple it really can be – even if you aren’t the one who is vegan but wanting to be accommodating (thank you much!).

There is much vegan food out there that most people don’t even know is vegan making for what I’d call “mindless vegan food” in that you don’t have to overthink it and you may already have it!  So if you have a vegan in your life or are just trying to eat fewer animals, check out this quick list of grocery store snacks and simple meals:

Spaghetti & Marinara or Pesto sauce

Oreos

Salad with fruit and/or veg and a simple oil and vinegar dressing – or just a balsamic reduction

Stir fry veggies and tofu with rice (rice from your pantry; keep some extra firm tofu in the fridge)

Life cereal

Sun Chips original and many flavours of Lays chips

Organic tortilla chips and salsa

Nature Valley crunchy granola bars

Baked beans (without the ‘pork’ or ‘bacon’)

Ritz and Triscuits crackers both in original

Popcorn with vegan butter or nutritional yeast (nooch)

Veggies and hummus

Fruit – cut it up!

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (nope – no butter)

McCormick bacon flavoured (as in not real bacon) bits

Frozen fries (do check the label but lots of options)

Frozen veggie burgers – keep a box in the freezer

Bagels (some are and some aren’t – just find the ones that are and buy a bunch to freeze, its mostly eggs you are looking for)

PBJ

Sushi – vegetable rolls, avocado rolls, kappa rolls, yam rolls, shitake mushroom rolls, gomae, veggie sunomono, edamame, agadashi tofu (spicy!), tempura veggies, seaweed salad, some miso soups (you need to ask), rice and veg.

Pizza – find out about crust then order tomato sauce, veggies and no cheese or find a vegan-friendly pizza place – like Panago – that offers vegan cheese.

Thai, Indian, Mexican and Chinese – all have vegan or vegan-able options.

The natural foods aisles in the grocery store usually have several vegan-packaged goods that are very similar to non-veg alternatives.  Soups, for example.

So you can have some of the ‘junk’ foods, take-out foods and typical go-to foods in your home for those days when recipe books, grocery shopping, surprise drop-ins, teenagers want food but don’t eat animals, seem to get to you.  This is far from an exhaustive list – just some examples.

PLEASE keep in mind that with the exception of the veggies and fruit, and a couple of the meal suggestions with pantry/fridge staples, these are vegan junk foods.  Processed.  Once-in-awhile foods.  But vegan things you may not have thought about that you can have in the house to bridge any gaps.