Environmentalists have been urging us to eat less meat for years now, since it’s clear that cutting back on meat consumption is crucial to fighting climate change. And as the coronavirus pandemic brings about meat shortages, it seems like an especially wise time to be a vegetarian.

But many people are taking things one step further and making vegan recipes during the pandemic, cutting out all animal-based foods like eggs and milk, which have been tough to find in supermarket lately. As we try to make do with available ingredients and also boost our health at a time when self-care is paramount, adopting a vegan diet (or at the very least, eating a few vegan meals every week) is a reasonable option.

But if you’re not used to eating vegan, prepare for your shopping list to look a whole lot different. Forget staples like butter and eggs, because you’ll be replacing them with cashews, healthy oils and specialty vegan substitutes. 

Vegan recipes are like all the others ― there are lots of amazing ones, but lots of stinkers, too. We’ve rounded up some of our favourites to take the guesswork out of it. Just make sure you read the ingredients carefully before making your grocery list to ensure you have everything you need on hand. Many foods you think may be vegan actually aren’t, so it’s important to stick to the recipe.