Load Up On Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
I truly believe that fruits and vegetables are the most important thing to eat, always. They have all of the nutrients that we need, and are the best foods for us to eat. There are times though that we may not be able to get to a grocery store, health food store, or farmer’s market. Maybe there’s a natural disaster that hit, maybe there’s an outbreak or some type of situation or circumstance that causes stores and markets to close. If this happens for any reason, there are foods more suitable and accessible to have on hand that will not go bad as fast.
Healthy Vegan Staples
Besides fresh fruits and vegetables, there are many other healthy options to have in case you’re not able to leave your home for a period of time, you have to suddenly relocate, or you’re on the go traveling a lot. Dry foods last a long time and are super easy to prepare. Brown rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, millet, oats, split green peas, black eyed peas, and buckwheat are all perfect for keeping on hand. You can make so many healthy and delcious meals and snacks with these. Nuts and seeds are some more options that are great to have on hand, and they can be kept in the freezer for a while.
Frozen fruits and vegetables are so awesome to have because they are always ripe and give you a huge variety to make meals and snacks with if you don’t have easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. I don’t prefer canned foods, but I do use pumpkin, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and coconut milk in cans sometimes. These are also available in cartons. Dried herbs and ground up spices are super important and so fun to pick ones you love while also trying many different ones. Healthy pastas (chickpea, quinoa, brown rice, black beans, edamame) are wonderful, too.
Other healthy frozen foods that will last a long time are veggie burgers, tortillas used for wraps and burritos, bread, acai packs, and tempeh. These can also be kept in the refrigerator, but last longer in the freezer until you want to use them.
Extra things that are nice to have are mustards, coconut nectar, monkfruit, stevia drops, vinegars, cacao, cacao nibs, golden berries, goji berries, raisins, mulberries, other dried fruits, nutritional yeast, sauces, dips, olives, pickles, liquid smoke, coconut aminos, tahini, sunflower butter, healthy flours (buckwheat, coconut, teff, almond, brown rice, chickpea) shredded coconut, coconut flakes, spirulina, and nut butters. All of these last a long time, and are good for adding to things you eat.
Healthy + Delicious Vegan Meals and Snacks
What can you make with healthy vegan staples? So much! There are tons of options, so find out what you like and want, and make some meals and snacks. There’s pasta dishes (spaghetti, alfredo, mac & cheese, bolognese, lasagna, etc.), soups, stews, stir frys, burritos, smoothies, trail mix, overnight oats, oatmeal, sandwiches, toast, wraps, hummus, granola, veggie bowls, casseroles, pancakes, waffles, nice cream, cookies, bars, sauces, guacamole, etc.
Ending Thoughts
Whatever situation or circumstance you’re in, you can still eat well by making sure you always have healthy vegan staples on hand. These are foods that don’t go bad as fast, including some foods you can keep in the freezer as well. There’s no need for you to worry because you have options. It’s great to be prepared and just go with it. Soups, for example, are always super easy to make that is something you can make healthy, delicious, and last you a while. Don’t stress out, be flexible, and use what you have. These healthy vegan staples will help you get through rough and unsettling times. You can do anything.
