If you didn’t know, I live just outside Portland, Oregon. We just got word that due to the virus circulating in the community, gatherings of 250+ people are to be canceled. We aren’t sure if the schools are going to be closed soon as well, or really what is coming in the next several weeks or months.
A few weeks ago after the first case was confirmed in my town, I decided to start an emergency food supply. Just in case we are asked to stay home for a few weeks, or one of us gets sick. I felt overwhelmed and frustrated by the lack of information that I could find doing a google search for vegan emergency food, and that is why I have decided to write this post today.
I will share my vegan food supply list, and I have even included a free printable that is clean and clear. I hope you find it helpful, if this sort of thing is on your mind right now like it is my own.
If you have any food items to add to my list, please help by sharing it in the comments below for everyone to read! And if you think it would be helpful for me to come up with some super simple, budget friendly meals using these ingredients, please let me know in the comments as well.
I have focused on food alone, and am certainly not an expert on Disaster/Emergency Preparedness. Other things I personally have stocked up on are Tylenol and Ibuprofen, as well as the normal toilet paper and other essential items. But please seek out a different source on what else to have on hand, I am only an expert on the food side of things. 🙂
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
Click here for the free printable list.
Vegan Foods to stock up on
GRAINS
- Oats: quick or rolled, flavored packets work too
- Grits or Malt O Meal
- Brown or white rice
- Quinoa
- Farro
- Bulgur
- Millet
- Cornmeal
- Pasta
- Ramen noodles
- Rice noodles
- Granola
- Cereal/Muesli
- Couscous
- Flour, all kinds
- Vital wheat gluten
- Bread with long shelf life
- Crunchy taco shells
BEANS/LEGUMES
- Canned beans: black, pinto, chickpea
- Canned refried beans
- Dried beans of all kinds
- Split peas
- Red/brown lentils
- Canned green peas
- Shelf stable tofu (Mori Nu brand)
- Soybeans
- TVP (textured vegetable protein)
- Soy curls
VEGETABLES
- Canned corn
- Canned green beans
- Canned carrots
- Canned olives
- Pickles
- Sauerkraut
- Artichokes
- Canned tomatoes- diced, tomato sauce and paste
- Potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes)
- Potatoes/sweet potatoes and yams- will last for quite some time if stored in a dark cool place
- Freeze dried veggies: kale, broccoli, and more
- Canned greens like spinach, collard greens
FRUIT
- Canned fruit: peaches, pears, oranges, pineapple
- Applesauces
- Dried fruits: raisins, dates, apricots and more
- Freeze dried fruit: blueberries, strawberries, mango, apples and more
- Stock up on apples and green bananas that will last for several weeks
NUTS & SEEDS
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Sunflower seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Flax seeds and ground flaxseeds
- Peanut butter
- Almond butter
- Shelf stable nut milks
OTHER
- Olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil
- Lemon juice
- Canned soups/chili
- Prepared food pouches: curries, rice, whole grains (Trader Joe’s has some options, as well as Target and other stores)
- Better than Bouillon
- Nutritional yeast
- Spices you like: curry, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and more
- Salt
- Vegan protein powder
- Sweeteners: sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup
- BBQ sauce, ketchup, hot sauce
- Marinara sauce
- Soy sauce
- Coffee, if you drink it
SNACKS
- Popcorn
- Crackers
- Vegan chips: tortilla, other chips
- Salsa
- Pretzels
- Granola bars
- Energy bars: Clif, Luna, Larabar
- Oreos and other vegan treats!
- Jam or jelly
- Dark chocolate
- Vegan chocolate chips
- Chocolatey-chip teddy grahams
- Trail mix
- Vegan Seitan Jerky
DON’T FORGET YOUR PETS!
- Pet food
- Pet treats
- Cat litter
- Anything else your pet might need
+ stock up on whatever vitamins you usually take, especially Vitamin B12.
COLD ITEMS
Since the coronavirus is not a typical disaster where the power should go out, a chest freezer is helpful. My refrigerator and normal freezer are pretty packed with my family of 5, but I may go buy a chest freezer and fill it with extra food. If you have space in your refrigerator, freezer or have a chest freezer, here are some food items to think about stocking up on.
- Vegan “meats”. I like Gardein brand, as well as Trader Joe’s frozen meals and “meats”. My kids are addicted to chickenless nuggets, so I will stock up on several boxes of these! Don’t forget sandwich “meats” as well.
- Vegan cheese, sliced and shredded to add to meals
- Vegan mayo, vegan butter like earth balance, coffee creamer
- Breads: Most breads/buns/tortillas won’t last too long, but freeze them and you’re good to go.
- Apples, pears, avocados, carrots and other produce that will last a while in the refrigerator
- Fresh bags of kale or spinach can be sent straight to the freezer and used later for adding to recipes or steaming. Or use for smoothies.
- Frozen fruit and vegetables, stock up!
Thank you!!! You are so kind! Some super simple, budget friendly meals using these ingredients would be AMAZING!
Thank you for this! I’m linking you in my blog post about COVID-19!
This is awesome-thank you! I went to the store last night and they were out of Tofu!!! I am in the thick of it in Washington state. I have a lot of other supplies and now more ideas because of your list!
Vegetable stock and boxed non dairy milk!
I would love meal plans as well! This is a great list. Can you freeze vegan mayo and coffee creamer??? I never knew this, but they are in the freezer section of the list on this blog post. If so, that’s awesome. Thanks again!
I believe they both can be frozen, yes. I’m also assuming both of those items will last in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks, so as long as you have a refrigerator they would last a short while. Thank you!
Thank you, Nora. We are very fortunate to have you on this journey! Stay safe and well.
Thanks so much for this! It was really fun to see a vegan emergency food list! I am vegan and am an expat living in Italy and had been slowly stocking up these past weeks. Fortunately, grocery stores are still open here and I was wondering if there was anything I had missed so it was useful and great fun to read this post! Do feel it’s also an advantage to be vegan in this kind of situation-was already well stocked in beans and grains. Best to you and your family 🙂
Hi Nora, thank you for sharing this post. We live in the SF Bay Area, so this is certainly on our minds too. In addition to shopping for emergency staples for our family, we’re also checking in with friends and family members who are immune compromised and making sure they have the staples they need too. These are pretty uncertain and scary times, but it’s heartening to see people supporting each other. Wishing you, your family, and community health.
I would be so interested in some easy meals with these ingredients. I find I already keep most of these ingredients but would love a fresh eye on how to use them. Thanks for this list!
YES! I was hoping for the same thing! A follow up post with recipes for all of these things for a week or two worth
Me too! Great suggestion!
Wow!!! Thank you so much!
Darlene
Thank you Nora! Your preparedness list is a gift you give to us making it much easier to make sure we have on hand what we need to continue to make delicious vegan meals during this uncertain time. God Bless you and your family.
Meegan
Meal ideas using these ingredients would be greatly appreciated
Do you have non bake cookies or brownies or cake recipes mam?
I don’t think I have any no bake cookies or other desserts at this point, though no bake cookies are definitely on my list of recipes to create!
Thank you so much Nora, this list is awesome.
First, Nora, Thank You for putting this together and sharing! Yes, yes, yes please show some recipes that you might make with this list… I may add charcoal so that if the power does go out we can cook on the grill.
I would really love if someone could share the beat way to store some of these bulk items also since I’m newly transitioned and am eating food I never have in my life, so I have no idea best way to store them effectively for long periods… TIA
I need onions and garlic, fresh as well as freeze dried.
Also, dried foods from Harmony House are in our emergency stash. It’s not the tastiest, but it sticks to the ribs. You can find them on Amazon, or their homepage https://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/
Backpackers meals from a company like Mountain Home are also pretty good.
Ah! and here’s a link to homemade hand sanitizer: https://www.popsci.com/story/diy/diy-hand-sanitizer/ (WHO recipe)
Thanks for the list! I’m going tomorrow to stock up.
I am also making up some soups and meals to put in the freezer in case I get sick and don’t feel like cooking.
Good idea!
What a thoughtful post to share. Thank you!
So helpful! Thanks for posting! We are in TN, and all stores are out of everything 🙁 I stocked up on vegan ice cream and dark choc morsels, lots of pastas, and veggie broths and soups.
Thank you for this!! I’ve been getting worried about the coronavirus and was trying to figure out what vegan foods I can safely store for long periods of time.
And yes please to the cheap recipes!! I need to have a better idea of what sort of meal plan I can get started on for my emergency food supply. ?
Thank you for this! You mentioned coffee, but as a tea drinker I feel you must add tea to your list ? And as much as I avoid bottled water, I have purchased several of the 2.5 gallon jugs. Stay safe, and let’s hope this passes sooner rather than later ?
Thank you SO SO SO very much for this! Recipes would be amazing to have with this list AND when you are thinking about publishing your book you should definitely include this in a chapter cause it is SO hard to find something like this when your not thinking straight and are worried! Also for supplements and vitamins get your stash with MaryRuth’s Organics – all vegan and the best you can find along with Vimergy. Thank you and best wishes to everyone. Healing positive vibes all around.
I would love if you had time to do a meal plan or a few recipes. That would be extremely helpful!! Ypu have been very helpful in my transition from vegetarian to vegan. Thank you for all you are doing. It is appreciated.
I would love to have recipes for easy meals with these!! Thank you!!