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Need help finding vegan food at the supermarket? The secret is: It’s everywhere! Here’s exactly where to look for all your staples when you’re shopping plant-based.
If you’re keen to get acquainted with some of the plant-based offerings at Coles, Woolworths, and other major supermarkets, join us for a comprehensive tour of the aisles – complete with product recommendations and grocery list suggestions!
The fresh produce section
Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way. We’re lucky enough to have a vibrant, flavourful spectrum of nourishing fruits, veggies, salad greens, and herbs to choose from all year round.
It’s best to make this your first stop at the supermarket – after all, if you’re aiming to eat the rainbow and improve your health, filling your shopping cart up with colourful wholefoods is the best place to start.
The refrigerated vegetarian / vegan section
In this chilly treasure trove, you’ll find a huge assortment of products like dairy-free cheeses, plant-based sausages, seitan, and deli meats, ravioli, tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers, falafels, kimchi, puddings, and more.
The frozen vegetarian / vegan section
This dedicated section in the freezer aisle is packed with all sorts of plant-based convenience items, including meat-free chicken nuggets, lamb pieces, beef strips, and pastry-wrapped treats like sausage rolls and pies.
Mixed in with other products nearby, you’ll also find several vegan-friendly snack foods like dumplings and spring rolls – and of course, plenty of frozen fruits and veggies to stock up on!
The plant-based section of the meat aisle
It may not be the first place you’d think to look for vegan products, but the meat aisle is actually a great spot to have meat alternatives on display. Who knows how many people might swing by to grab some mince, burger patties, or sausages, only to end up trying a plant-based version out of curiosity instead!
The long-life milk section
From classics like oat milk, soy milk, and almond milk, to more specialty products like rice milk, macadamia milk, and pea milk – this section is a literal wall of plant-based options these days!
Some are super creamy and taste great in coffee, whereas others are lighter and more neutral, making them better for baking and cooking. Use our handy guide to choose which plant milk is right for your needs.
The chilled dairy section
You’d be forgiven for overlooking some of the vegan products in this zone – they blend right in, after all! Instead of being placed all together in a single ‘dairy-free’ section, the plant-based options here tend to be placed right alongside all the other options in their respective categories.
Coconut and soy yoghurts will be with the dairy yoghurts, plant-based chocolate milk will be next to the dairy-based flavoured milks, and in amongst all the butters, you’ll find healthier vegan alternatives like Nuttelex.
Other products to look out for here include plant-based versions of thickened cream and sour cream, by brands like Flora and Made With Plants.
The breakfast food section
There are several plant-based staples to be found here: Set yourself up for long-lasting energy in the mornings by grabbing some oats, porridge sachets, peanut butter, almond butter, dairy-free UP&GO, jam, and maple syrup.
The bread section is probably nearby – be sure to grab yourself a whole-grain loaf and some wraps for easy, filling lunches. Most crumpets and bagels are also vegan-friendly!
The health foods aisle
Consider this section your one-stop-spot for plant-based protein powders, wholefood balls, protein bars, crispy chickpeas, roasted fava beans, and other nutritious snacks for on-the-go moments.
You’ll also find a selection of nutritious ingredients like TVP, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax meal, and tahini, which are all great to have in your pantry for baking and cooking.
The canned veggies section
So many must-haves here! Load yourself up with cans of diced tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, butter beans, black beans, (all the beans?), and corn kernels.
Regularly stocking up your supply of shelf-stable legumes and veggies is a brilliant way of making sure you’ll always have the basics you need to cook a whole range of nourishing plant-based meals.
Think of this haul like your starter pack for all kinds of hearty soups, stews, salads, and pasta dishes.
Nestled in and around the canned veg section, you’ll usually also find packets of heat-and-eat soups and snack-sized bean mixes, as well as vegan-friendly gravy and cooking stock.
The pasta & rice section
Most pastas are vegan, and the same goes for rice (with the exception of certain brands and some pre-seasoned rice packets, so just check the label). But that’s not all the plant-based goodness you’ll find in this section!
There are also stacks of other wholesome grains to be found, like quinoa, farro, barley, and couscous, as well as vegan-friendly pasta sauce, tomato paste, pizza sauce, and dairy-free pesto.
The international section
Exploring plant-based ingredients from cuisines around the world can be a great way to discover interesting new recipes and flavours.
Our go-tos from the international section include udon noodles, ramen noodles, sushi essentials like dried seaweed and pickled ginger, coconut milk, curry pastes (just watch out for shrimp in the ingredients), tortilla chips, and salsa – among many other things!
You can even find handy little products like taco mince seasoning packets, which work just as well on plant-based mince or TVP.
The deli & dips section
You can’t go past the deli section’s line-up of mixed olives, sundried tomatoes, marinated capsicum, and dolmades.
Add some hummus, guacamole, or another plant-based dip into the mix, and you’ve got yourself the makings of an incredible antipasto platter!
Vegan-friendly garlic bread may be hiding in one of the fridges around here too.
The sauce & condiments section
Sauces and condiments reign supreme when it comes to packing your meals with flavour.
Aside from the more obviously vegan products in this section like cooking oils, vinegars, hot sauce, and soy sauce, you’ve also egg-free mayo, teriyaki sauce, plant-based ‘fish’ and ‘oyster’ sauce, and an array of vegan-friendly dressings.
The baking section
We probably don’t need to tell you that many of the basics like flour, cocoa powder, sugar, seeds, nuts, and dried fruit are naturally plant-based – but not many people know that there are several brands of vegan condensed milk, choc chips, frosting, and cake mixes too!
You can also find powdered egg replacers by Orgran and McKenzie’s, which help act as a binding agent in vegan baking.
The snacks & biscuits aisle
There are countless snacks to choose from here (both sweet and savoury) that are either proudly marked ‘vegan’ or just so happen to be vegan-friendly.
Easy-to-find go-tos include popcorn, tortilla chips, certain flavours of rice crackers, Oreos, Biscoff biscuits, Burger Rings, Arnott’s BBQ Shapes, and Arnott’s Lemon Crisp.
But that’s only the tip of the iceberg! Check out this full list of options you can find in Aussie stores – or our plant-based lunchbox guide for even more snack recommendations.
The confectionery aisle
Some chocolatey crowd favourites here include Lindt’s vegan smooth and salted caramel blocks, Tony’s Chocolonely dark almond seasalt bar, and the Pico chocolate range.
Lindt’s 70% cocoa dark chocolate is dairy-free too, and great for baking.
In terms of sweets and lollies, we’ve got all kinds of nostalgic classics like Wizz Fizz and Sour Patch Kids, as well as vegan fruit jellies by The Natural Confectionery Co.
The ice cream section
Supermarkets stock so many dairy-free ice creams these days that the choice is almost overwhelming!
There’s something to suit every craving, from a classic vanilla bean tub by Nature’s Kitchen or So Good, all the way up to Ben and Jerry’s ridiculously indulgent choc chip cookie dough and Pana Organic’s salted caramel ice cream – even vegan Magnums and Drumsticks.
Check out our shopping guide to drool over even more vegan ice creams you can find in stores.
The drinks aisle
A lot of soft drinks are vegan-friendly, and so are some more wholesome options like fruit juice, smoothies, coconut water, kombucha, and natural sodas.
Mixed in with everything else 😉
Let’s be real – there are so many plant-based foods in major supermarkets these days that it’d be impossible to cover them all! No doubt you’ll find plenty more vegan-friendly and “accidentally vegan” products as you browse and get to know your local store’s range.
Need help reading labels?
This does take a bit of practice, but it very quickly becomes second nature. For some extra time-saving assistance, try using this free vegan ingredient checker or a barcode-scanning app like Fussy Vegan.
You’re ready to shop!
Thus concludes our plant-based beginner’s tour of the supermarket! We hope this guide helps you fill your trolley … and your belly.
If you’re still hungry for more options, check out all these other places you can find vegan food these days, too. It’s all around you! 
Meet Liv!
Having grown up in a “meat and 3 veg” kind of household, Liv’s embarrassed to admit that she was a bit of a one-note chef until she began exploring the world of plant-based food. Vegan cooking has given her a whole new appreciation for the symphonies of flavours that simple, nourishing wholefood ingredients can create. (Even eggplant, once her greatest nemesis, is now — in a delicious, miso-glazed redemption arc — her all-time favourite veg.)