You might know that vegans eat food with the vegan label on… but what does that include exactly?

Whenever you read guidance for going vegan, the focus always seems to be on the restrictions, the things you need to cut out. I find that quite negative! So if you’re thinking of going vegan, first have a look at what you can eat. Get a good idea of what will make up your daily food intake, what you can buy for a healthy treat, and experiment with flavours that work for you. Many people find that veganism opens them up to food they’d never even heard of before!

So What Will Vegans Eat?

• Vegan meats – burgers, hot dogs, sandwich slices, bacon,sausage, chicken style nuggets, sausage rolls, mince… These can be made from soy protein, seitan, tempeh, mushroom and more.
• Dairy replacements – cheese, milk, ice cream, yogurt, butter. Even things like parmesan and coffee creamer exist! Different types of plant milks include soya, almond, oat, rice, hemp, cashew, hazelnut, coconut, plus more.
• Vegan egg – you can buy vegan egg (play around with brands to see what tastes good to you), or use more natural products as replacements. Tofu can be made into scrambled egg, and bananas and apple sauce are great replacements for baking. There are also powders like this one that can be used in baking and meringues.
• Tofu – firm tofu (refrigerated) is quite bland, so can be fried, baked, grilled, scrambled, marinated – all for a variety of tastes and meals. Silken tofu is found on the shelf and is creamy, so perfect for desserts, dips, and soups.
• Sweet treats – easily found in supermarkets are cakes, doughnuts, pies, pastries, cream, yoghurt, cheesecake, chocolate and biscuits.
• Savoury treats – crisps, pretzels, popcorn, salted nuts,
• Falafel.
• Fruit.
• Vegetables.
• Beans and lentils.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Carbs such as pasta, rice, couscous, noodles and bread.
• Dips such as houmous, guacamole, and french dressing.
• Drinks – juices, smoothies, water, some fizzy drinks, tea or coffee with plant milk. More and more alcohol is now labelled up as vegan, but do check out ‘A Guide To Vegan Alcohol‘ for a quick run down.
• Herbs, spices and seasonings.

As you can probably see, vegans have plenty of choice when it comes to food!

To make life easier, here are a few things you can remember:

• Don’t forget to check food labels – you may be surprised at what has the ‘vegan’ logo! A great group to check out is Accidentally Vegan. They regularly post on social media with new vegan buys they have spotted in the UK.
• Everything listed above can be found in large UK supermarkets, Holland and Barrett, or both! Don’t forget to check out Ocado too if you like online food shopping, as they are particularly good for stocking vegan products.
• Of course, you may have allergies or personal preferences that adjusts this list. Those following a whole foods, no junk diet may overlook faux meat and snacks, for example. Find out what works for you. And remember, to be a healthy vegan have everything in moderation, just like with an omnivorous diet!

Feeling positive about all of the wonderful things you can enjoy as a vegan? NOW you should have a look at the things to avoid.

PS. Before you go, have you joined the community? We have a private Facebook group designed to help moms reach their health goals. It’s a positive, non-judgmental safe space where all questions are welcome. We have plenty of meal ideas and brainstorming, too!

You should also grab my FREE Action Plan: ‘From Junk Food Mom To Nourished Vegan!’ It includes 5 steps I took to ditch the junk food from my diet, lose 28lb and gain energy.

(**This page may contain affiliate links. I provide links to products we like and receive a commission, at no extra cost to the reader. The small income helps us to keep the site running, and information free for new vegans. The links are also useful resources themselves. You can see my full affiliate policy here.)