Start going to the local farmer’s market
The best place to go shopping regardless of your diet is a farmer’s market. Especially when you are eliminating meat, a food that offers a lot of easily bioavailable nutrients, you need to make sure the rest of your diet is really nutritious to compensate. Fresh, local, and seasonal produce from the farmer’s market is the best way to achieve that. And there’s usually way less junk food tempting you over there too.
Your shopping list
If you buy everything on this list you should have enough food for about a week of meatless eating. No single food is mandatory, you can make adjustments based on your preferences. Just make sure to stick to wholesome foods and always have enough from in each category so that you keep things balanced.
- Eggs and dairy
- 14 eggs
- 500 g Greek yogurt
- 400 g cottage cheese
- 200 g mozzarella cheese
- 200 g parmesan cheese
- Starches, legumes, and grains
- 1kg white potatoes (or sweet potatoes or plantains)
- 500 g rice
- 200 g beans
- 200 g chickpeas
- 200 g quinoa
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 sourdough wholegrain bread
- Fats and oils
- 500 ml extra virgin olive oil (alternatives: avocado or macadamia oil)
- 250 g butter (alternatives: ghee)
- Vegetables
- 2 heads romaine lettuce
- 500 g mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, watercress, etc.)
- 1/2 head bok choy
- 1 large head of cabbage
- 6 onions (mix of white, red, shallots)
- 1 large head broccoli
- 200 g Brussels sprouts
- 1 bunch of celery ribs
- 300 g tomatoes and bell peppers each
- 300 g carrots, celeriac, and parsnips each
- 200 g mushrooms
- 50 g fresh ginger
- 2 heads garlic
- Various fresh herbs
- Fruits
- 2 avocados
- 3 bananas
- 2 lemons or limes
- 2 grapefruits
- 1 pineapple
- 500g mix of berries (fresh or frozen)
- Dry goods
- 200 g nuts (pecans, walnuts, macadamia, almonds)
- 100 g seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy)
- 100 g tahini
- 500 ml unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- 200 g olives
- Dijon mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- Various dried herbs and spices
