Grocery Items

Getting started on a raw food diet can be overwhelming and confusing at first. There are some grocery items that you need on hand all the time. I have compiled a list of items that I have found to be in many raw recipes, and they are my favorites to have on hand. It's always best to buy organic when possible. Don't forget that the soil used for organic foods is much richer in vitamins and minerals.

NUTS AND SEEDS
Almonds- Vitamin E, used for making almond milk
Cashews- Oleic acid (heart healthy), lower in fat than most nuts
Macadamia Nuts- Used in desserts or bases.
Pine Nuts- pinolenic acid, oleic acid, vitamin E
Sunflower Seeds- Vitamin E, B1, B5, folate, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium
Chia Seeds- Omega 3 and 6, complete protein
Flax Seeds- Omega 3
Hemp Seeds- Omega 3 and 6, complete protein

NUT BUTTERS
Sesame Tahini Butter
Almond Butter

GRAINS
Hulled Buckwheat- can be used in cereals
Oat Groats- Raw oatmeal

OILS
Coconut Oil- good in desserts
Olive Oil (cold pressed)
Sunflower Oil (cold pressed)


SWEETENERS
Dates
Raw Honey
Agave Nectar
Maple Syrup- Unpasteurized, good for some desserts

MISC
Miso- White usually works for most recipes. It lasts for a long time too!
Nutritional Yeast
Raw Cacao

Produce and Greens
Apples
Avocado
Bananas
Bell Peppers
Berries (blueberries, strawberries)
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Coconuts (young)
Cucumbers
Garlic
Ginger
Greens- any are fine for salads or juicing. Kale, Spinach, etc
Lemons and Limes
Mangoes
Pineapple
Onions (shallots, greens onions)
Oranges- I like fresh O.J.
Sprouts- Broccoli, Sunflower
Tomatoes
Zucchini- good for making pasta noodles.

SPICES AND HERBS
Basil
Cayenne
Chili Seasoning
Cilantro
Cumin
Parsley
Salt- Himalayan or Sea Salt
Thyme
Vanilla

There are of course plenty of other foods out there that are used on a raw diet, but these are just the ones that I have found to be most useful for the recipes I find.  I can make almost every recipe I find by keeping the majority of this on hand. The foods that spoil more quickly I buy sparingly and replenish often. The other items I keep on hand at all times!

Hope this helps to organize your grocery list and allows you to have the appropriate items on hand for raw food making:)