So you're thinking of going veggo, or you're wanting to increase your number of meat-free meals, but you're not sure what to eat/cook? On this page we outline some quick meal ideas and list some staple veggo foods that are great to have on hand in the pantry and the fridge.

If you have any suggestions please email us at webmaster@vnv.org.au.

Index to this page:
   - Pantry Staples
   - Fridge Staples
   - Freezer Staples
   - Tips & Quick Meal Ideas

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Pantry Staples:
- breakfast cereal (e.g. Weet Bix, muesli)
- LSA (Linseed Sunflower Almond meal) (great for sprinkling on breakfast cereal)
- tahini
- Vegemite/Marmite
- peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- fruit spreads/jams (preferably sugar-free)
- rice syrup (great honey alternative)
- rice cakes/dried biscuits/rice crackers
- sweet biscuits
- nuts (it's good to have a variety - almonds, mixed raw nuts, brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews) 
- pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- sunflower seeds
- dates
- cous cous (preferably wholemeal)
- pasta/noodles (rice-based or wheat-based, preferably wholemeal)
- rice (preferably brown)
- dried beans or tinned beans (it's good to have a variety - chick peas, kidney beans, garbanzo
  beans, kidney beans, lentils, four bean mix etc.)
- baked beans
- canned re-fried beans
- quinoa (a delicious high-protein grain great in curries, casseroles etc.)
- falafel mix
- TVP (textured vegetable protein)
- pasta sauce
- tinned tomatoes
- instant soup mixes (e.g. miso)
- tamari (authentic traditional soy sauce)
- tomato sauce
- stock cubes
- gravy mix
- herbs and spices for stir fries, curries, casseroles etc.
- olive oil (for frying)
- coconut milk
- Engevita savoury yeast flakes (nutritional yeast) (great for making nutritious 'cheesy' sauces)
- wakame/kombu/nori (seaweeds)
- vegetarian jelly mixes and desserts
- wholemeal flour, raw sugar, oats, dates, nuts etc. (for home-made baked cookies and cakes)
- corn chips
- last but not least we recommend always keeping on hand a small stash of chips, chocolate,
  lollies, confectionery etc. (They may not be good for your nutritional health but eating a little 'junk' food
  occasionally can be good for your mental health! You don't want to be too restrictive with what
  you eat, and a little bit of 'junk' doesn't hurt providing your diet is otherwise healthy and well
  balanced.)

Fridge Staples:
- crispers full of fresh seasonal vegies!
- a good range of seasonal fruit!
- soy sausages or other meat alternatives
- flaxseed oil (excellent vegetarian source of omega 3 essential fatty acids)
- soymilk/ricemilk
- rennet-free cheese or non-dairy cheese alternatives (great for toasted sandwiches and cheesy
  sauces)
- Nuttelex margarine (dairy-free)
- bread (preferably wholemeal/sour dough/rye/spelt, but whatever you prefer)
- pita bread (Lebanese bread)
- dip
- curry paste (watch out for fish/seafood extracts - read the ingredients label carefully)
- crushed/minced garlic
- crushed/minced/ginger
- mustard
- pâté (e.g. sun dried tomato pâté can make a really yummy pasta sauce)
- pesto
- dill pickles
- olives
- tepenade
- sundried tomatoes
- mayonnaise
- sweet chilli sauce
- salsa
- wheat germ (for sprinkling on breakfast cereal)
- maple syrup
- Australian Fresh fruit juice (in our opinion this brand is the best!)

Freezer Staples:
- meat alternatives
- frozen spinach / spinach portions
- peas
- corn
- ice cream!
- puff pastry

Tips & Quick Meal Ideas:
- weekend breakfasts:
     - mushrooms and tomato on toast with soy sausage, and avocado on toast
     - buckwheat pancakes with banana, maple syrup and lemon & sugar or ice cream
     - savoury pancakes with mushroom
- crisp fresh summer salads with beans, celery, gourmet lettuce, tomatoes and dressing, with
  home-made dips with mushrooms, garlic, onions, chilli and hommus
- corn chips with baked beans/re-fried beans, salsa and tabasco sauce, with salad
- pita bread with hommus, falafel, tahini and salad
- veggo burger with wholemeal roll, tomato sauce and salad
- baked beans on wholemeal toast with salad
- instant miso soup with a bowl of rice and steamed asian greens and tamari
- wholemeal spaghetti with pasta sauce and salad (sometimes mix in beans)
- baked potatoes with salsa, corn and kidney beans and salad
- sandwiches with Veggie Delights luncheon 'meat', lettuce, tomato and hommus