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“Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.”
~Sitting Bull, Chief of the Lakota Sioux

Veggie Cupboard

So many questions that I receive about vegetarianism revolve around what to actually eat. This does not surprise me. As humans we are creatures of habit, especially when it comes to eating. Having lived on a diet of meat and veg, or a diet of rice and beans or whatever we are accustomed to, we fail to realize that there are other (equally viable) ways of cooking and eating.

I get so many folks asking me, “what the heck do vegetarians eat?” And also, “what things should I have in my kitchen if I want to cook more vegetarian foods?” In response to those, sometimes cheeky and sometimes quite earnest, questions I thought I’d offer up a short series on Stocking the Vegetarian Kitchen.

For the first post, a quick glimpse into some, but by no means all, of the things that one might want to have in their vegetarian cupboard of dry goods.

You don’t need to run out and buy ALL of these ingredients the day that you decide to become vegetarian. Juts get them as you need them, for experimenting with new recipes. As you add to your cooking repertoire, you will come to know which items you should keep in stock.

    The Vegetarian Dry Cupboard

    Grains:

    Barley
    Brown Rice
    Red Rice
    Buckwheat
    Quinoa
    Amaranth
    Rolled Oats
    Whole Oats

    Pastas:

    Couscous
    Semolina
    Rice Noodles
    Buckwheat Noodles
    Penne (whole wheat)
    Elbow Pasta (Whole wheat or corn)
    Capellini Spaghetti

    Beans (Legumes):

    Red Kidney Beans
    Green Peas
    Black Beans
    Lime Beans
    Red Lentils
    Black or Brown Lentils
    Chickpeas

    Nuts & Seeds:

    Slivered Almonds
    Whole Almonds
    Flax Seeds
    Crushed Walnuts
    Peanuts (organic)
    Hemp Seeds
    Sesame Seeds
    Sunflowers Seeds
    Pecans
    Poppy Seeds
    Pine Nuts
    Cashews

    Dried Fruits & Veg:

    Dried red chilis
    Cranberries
    Raisins or Sultanas
    Golden Raisins
    Dried Apricot
    Blueberries
    Dried onion

    Canned Goods:

    Corn
    Peas
    Spaghetti Sauce
    Beans
    Pickles
    Apple Sauce
    Pineapple Chunks
    Coconut Milk
    Bamboo Slices
    Chopped Garlic

    Flours, Etc:

    Spelt Flour
    Rice Flour
    Whole Wheat Flour
    Corn Meal
    Corn Starch
    Baking Powder
    Baling Soda

    Other Ingredients:

    Regular TVP
    Beef Flavoured TVP
    Chicken Flavoured TVP

That should be enough to get you thinking about what lovely, healthy foods you can add to your collection that will shake up the dinner table a bit.

Next up…Stocking up: Spices, Flavours & Sauces for the Veggie Cook

  • This is a lovely list. How often do you go through all of your ingredients. How often do you have spoilage?

  • Hi Red.

    I generally keep a running tally in my head of what I have in stock and how low it is.

    If it gets below 1/3 of its container (I generally use recycled glass jars) then I add it to the grocery list.

    I tend to rearrange and tidy up the cabinet every three months or so, which reminds me about any ingredients that I had forgotten about.

    Spoilage is rare, as I keep things in constant circulation, but is most commonly just staleness in the nuts and dried fruits.

    -Housewife

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  • What a great idea for a post, and a fantastic list! The only two things I would add are oats and canned tomatoes (both of which I throw into everything…)

    I keep my nuts and grains in the freezer, to prevent spoilage. It’s sort of silly because I go through both things quickly…

  • Thanks Beatrice.

    I can’t believe that I missed oats!

    Duly added.

    Bless.

    -Housewife

  • Miss

    This looks like the best list I have seen yet, only it’s missing millet (my favorite). You are doing a really really good job on this blog!