5 plant-based staples to keep in your kitchen

This week, we're sharing five time-saving, plant-based staples we keep around our own kitchen. Stock up to make your plantful habit easier!

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1. Frozen onion, garlic, and ginger cubes (Target, Whole Foods). Instead of mincing, chopping, or otherwise bothering with raw ingredients, grab packs of flash frozen cubes you can add to whatever you're cooking.

2. Microwavable rice and/or lentil packets (Aldi, Target, Whole Foods). Microwave for 90 seconds, add a can of chickpeas, kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a vegan dressing. Now you have an easy, versatile lunch-time bowl packed with phytonutrients, fiber, and protein – all for under $5.

3. Pre-washed, precut veggies like broccoli and cauliflower (Walmart, Target, Whole Foods). A great addition to the bowl above, roasted, dipped in hummus, or as a side to a vegan pasta dish. No washing and no chopping means they even make an appearance in kids' lunch boxes.

4. Little Potato Company pre-washed herb potatoes (Walmart, Aldi). Heather is fond of saying (rightly so) that potatoes are the most satiating food. Plus, a large potato has more protein that a large egg. Plus, potatoes are grown world-wide which makes it easy to shop seasonally and locally. Plus... oh I don't know, they taste so good! These little potato packs make it so easy to chop, season, and air fry for a tasty side dipped in your favorite dressing or ketchup. Personally, we love dipping air fried potatoes in hummus; trust us, it's good!

5. Oil-free salad dressing (PlantYou). On a good week, we'll spend a few minutes preparing a batch of oil-free dressings, like the delicious ones from PlantYou, and use throughout the week on salads, rice bowls, and more. Or, buy a premade vegan dressing, like one from Gotham Greens available at many supermarkets, for a grab and go option!

The easier it is to access plant-based foods in your home, the likelier it is that you'll actually eat them. Having staples on hand like the ones above make grabbing a quick, healthy, and highly nutritious meal possible when you're short on time (or you just don't feel like cooking!). Certain options like frozen garlic, onions, and ginger cubes may seem a little pricey at the outset. But if that small item is the difference between you making a big pot of veggie soup and you ordering in from a local restaurant (did you know the average takeout meal has more than 1,200 calories on average?!), it's definitely worth the cost.

What other ideas do you have for adding plant-based foods to your pantry? Let us know and share the plant-based love!

Peace, love, and plants,

John & Heather