Vegan Grocery List: Dorm Room Style
Going vegan in college can be extremely tough, especially when you’re on a meal plan that only offers a limited number of choices that are, unfortunately, only available to non-vegans. Granted, my college, Boston University, does an amazing job accommodating to the vegan lifestyle (we even have our own vegan cooking station in the dining hall). However, some days it’s really tough to squeeze in some quality meal time due to a constantly hectic schedule filled with homework, studying, extracurriculars, and so on. So, times like these call for a backup plan that combines some good vegan food and, if you’re on the go, an investment in Tupperware.
What’s great about stocking up on vegan food is that for the most part, all of the food lasts for weeks at a time, which in the long-run saves you an immense amount of money and time. As vegans, we all know that we don’t always have the time to check the nutrition labels and ask the dining hall cooks, “What’s in this, exactly?” everywhere we go. So, it’s definitely a bonus knowing you have healthy, quick, and simple foods conveniently sitting in the comfort your own room waiting for you to grab them at any moment. Whether it be a busy day running from event to event or a day packed with studying in the library, these snacks will always be there to power you through each day of the semester!
Without further ado, here is just a small, small number of vegan grocery items that you can find at your local grocery store and keep in your dorm room (I typically like to stick with stores like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods because I like the quality of their foods. But there are still plenty of others that carry a large number of these items)!
LOTS OF FRUIT
These can be frozen and fresh. Bananas, apples, blueberries, grapes, papaya, blackberries, raspberries, and basically any fruit you can easily steal from your dining hall, I would take.
Bags and bags of raw nuts and seeds
All natural almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Dried fruit
Tip: When buying these, don’t forget to check the ingredients and make sure that there aren’t any additives. The only ingredient that should be listed is the fruit you intend to eat; for example: mangos, raisins, apples, etc.
A lot of cereal
I enjoy a variety of brands, including Nature’s Path, Love Grown, Barbara’s Puffins, Weetabix, and Cascadian Farm.
Non-dairy milks
This kind of milk comes in all sorts of flavors — Almond, Soy, Oat, Hemp, Coconut, etc.
Dark Chocolate
I typically go for brands with as few ingredients as possible, like Endangered Species and Loving Hut.
Bread/Tortillas
I like brands like David’s Killer Bread, Food for Life/Ezekiel, Engine 2, and Trader Joe’s Corn Tortillas. Make sure to double-check the ingredients and watch out for hidden non-vegan items like honey and milk powder.
Granola
This can be a difficult find, so I recommend making your own at home. But brands like KIND Banana Nut Clusters are vegan.
Vegetables
You can get carrots, celery, cauliflower, spinach, avocado, baby bell peppers, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, edamame, peas, corn, cucumbers, etc.
Hummus
Opt for oil-free brands if you can, like Oil-Free Original Roots Hummus.
Natural Nut Butters/PB 2 Powders/Jelly
Make sure there aren’t any added oils; I typically opt for brands that simply have one ingredient. For example, if I’m purchasing peanut butter, the only ingredient should be peanuts and occasionally flaxseed and/or salt.
Oats
I typically avoid pre-made oatmeal because I enjoy making my own and adding toppings like fruit, nuts, maple syrup, coconut sugar, dates, etc.
Medjool Dates
Pro-tip: Dip the dates into peanut butter, it tastes like a soft peanut butter cookie.
Bags and bags of rice, quinoa, and pasta
Again, I only buy uncooked rice that solely has one ingredient listed like Basmati Rice, Brown Rice, White Rice, Jasmine Rice, etc.
Condiments
Condiments like Ketchup, Mustard, Sriracha, Tamari, etc. are great to have in your dorm, just double-check the ingredients for unnecessary additives and non-vegan ingredients.
Spices
I like to keep black pepper, red pepper flakes, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and plenty of similar herbs to put onto my rice, oatmeal, cereal and so forth.
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes are great to heat up in the microwave.
Fruit squeezes/Applesauce
These are great for a sweet treat.
Crackers
Brown/White salt-free rice cakes, whole-wheat matzos, Bearitos organic no salt/no oil popcorn, etc.
Yogurt
Soy, Almond, Coconut Vegan yogurts are all great options.
Vegan Ice Cream
So Delicious, Nadamoo, some brands of Talenti, Halo Top, etc.)
Granola Bars
Again, I like to keep my ingredients fairly simple, so brands like LaraBar, That’s It, and some CLIF Bars are fantastic to keep in your snack drawer.
Just a quick trip to your local Trader Joe’s can make your entire week easier, so what are you waiting for?
All Pictures Came From @bonnyrebecca’s public Instagram