A Vegetarian’s Guide to Poland’s Food Markets and Stores

So, you’re a vegetarian or vegan exploring Poland, and you’re not sure where to get your plant-based goodies? Let me say, you don’t need to worry. Although you won’t find supermarkets selling only vegan products, many popular Polish stores have a special section or shelf dedicated to nutritious vegan products.

I believe it’s become easier to shop for a plant-based diet, thanks to the increase in the supply of vegan meals and individual ingredients. If your local store doesn’t have a vegan food section, I can tell you that there are well-known brands where vegans can find hidden gems.

You may also want to read: Going Vegan in Zakopane: A Guide to the City’s Top Restaurants

For instance, crackers, cornflakes, and most dessert chocolates. You may not find 100% of the products you need to prepare a complete, delicious, healthy vegan meal, but you’ll definitely find tasty snacks! Plus, most supermarkets always have healthy vegan options like lentils, quinoa, bananas, avocados, and hummus if you’re not into sweets.

Here’s a list of 5 supermarkets that offer vegan-friendly products:

Biedronka

Biedronka is a go-to place for a wide selection of vegan products. From plant-based dairy drinks to hot buns, they’ve got options for every night and weekend. They even sell ready-made soups made entirely of vegetables.

In the frozen food section, you’ll find aromatic delicacies for vegans, such as fried vegetables with various additions, as well as dumplings with strawberries or plums.

Not only do they offer a wide range of healthy ready Go VEGE meals, but they also have some great lighter dinner options to choose from, like bulgur salad, chickpea lentils, and Natural Mix spiced groats, all low in fat. These are all great sources of fiber and vitamins.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

If you want to indulge in sweet treats, Biedronka’s vegan offerings won’t disappoint. Their Vitanella chocolates and fruit bars are very popular with vegans, as is their peanut butter. Biedronka also introduced the Natura Food Veggie brand line, which has a V-label certificate.

Lidl

Lidl has a wide selection of delicious sweets and a collection of vegan chocolates suitable for vegans and vegetarians. They also offer coconut-based yogurts and tasty vegetable spreads for lunch sandwiches. This is a lifsaver if you forgot your lunch box on the way to work!

Party Food and Tofu Galore

Lidl provides customers with a wide selection of party food that’s suitable for vegans. Interestingly, they also introduced a wide selection of tofu products to replace meat, as well as ready-made products that use other proteins and taste great.

To ensure accuracy and consistency, Lidl updates their relatively long list of vegan foods monthly. They also pride themselves on customer service and state on their website that a store associate can help you find out what’s available to you at a particular branch.

Carrefour

Carrefour offers customers a reasonable selection of vegan ingredients and dishes. Their branded products include vegan options like eco-friendly convenience foods and ice cream. In their frozen section, you’ll find meatless meatballs and burgers.

Finding Vegan Options Made Easy

If you’re unsure which products are vegan, use an internet search engine to find vegan products available at Carrefour. You’ll find a range of frozen items, as well as some household, beauty, and health products. Their selection of sweets is quite wide, including wafers, chocolate-covered fruit, chocolate bars, candies, and lollipops.

Tesco

Tesco offers a range of products suitable for a vegan diet, including cheeses, margarine, yogurts, and ice cream. Their frozen section has ground soybeans, kale, roast pumpkin, and falafel.

You might be wondering if Tesco has recipes dedicated to vegans. The answer is yes! While they may not be available in card form at every store, you can check out the Tesco website online for a selection of vegan recipes.

Moreover, Tesco has launched a new range of convenience foods called Plant Chef, which celebrates plant-based dishes. Tempting, tasty, and flavorful meals have been created for the vegan and vegetarian markets. This exciting development means that being vegan doesn’t have to mean eating boring foods like wholegrain rice, red lentils, quinoa salad, and kale chips!

Dinners on offer include Carrot Wrap with Pastrami, Sweet Potato Wrap, Rainbow Curry Salad, and a Moroccan-inspired dish. You’ll also find meals such as sourdough pizza, burritos, noodles, and Mushroom Pasta Bolognese.

Kaufland

Kaufland is another large store that offers a fairly wide range when it comes to vegan and vegetarian diets. Their own-brand vegan products, K-Take it veggie, can be found on the store’s website.

Besides basic ingredients, their selection includes ready meals like pizzas and pasta, as well as vegetable equivalents of animal products, including dairy, cold meats, and even gelatin-free jelly beans!

Hidden Gems at Netto, Aldi, and Auchan

Though not in the top five, Netto, Aldi, and Auchan offer great vegan food options. Not every product suitable for a vegan diet will be marked with the V-label brand, but you can still find something for yourself at your neighborhood shop.

Sure, it’s easier to go to the store’s website and look for vegn products, but where’s the fun in that?! Be prepared to spend some time browsing and analyzing labels, but it’s worth it because you can find hidden gems that many vegans have no idea about. Like vegetarian products, most vegan foods will have a vegan label on their packaging.

Popular Vegetarian Food in Poland

Many people worry about the cost of a vegetarian or vegan diet and wonder what to eat when eliminating all animal products such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, yogurt, and other dairy products. But let me tell you, there’s no need to worry – we don’t only eat animal products! Poland has a wide variety of vegetarian-friendly foods to choose from, including:

• Groats: Buckwheat, millet, pearl, and pearl barley are very rich in nutritional values.
• Rice: Long-grain, short-grain, white, black, and brown rice offer plenty of choices.
• Pasta: Made from various flours, including wheat, wholegrain, buckwheat, corn, rice, lentil, or chickpea flour.
• Legumes: White, black, red beans, peas, chickpeas, and broad beans are all great sources of protein, each with different flavors and types.
• Vegetables and fruits: It’s impossible to list them all, but you can eat them without restrictions.
• Seeds and nuts: Sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, and cashew nuts are rich in healthy fatty acids.

Most of the products listed above are quite affordable. Nuts might be a bit pricier, but you don’t need to buy a lot of them. Just eating a few a day can provide you with essential nutrients, like selenium found in one Brazil nut.

Reducing the Costs of a Vegetarian and Vegan Diet in Poland

How much money we spend on food is up to us. As I already said – it’s common to believe that a traditional diet is cheaper, but it’s hard to determine the cost of plant-based meals per week if we haven’t tried it before. So, how can you reduce the costs of a vegetarian and vegan diet in Poland?

Here are some tips:

Budgeting and Shopping Tips

1. Set a budget: Determine the amount you can spend on food in a given week and month.
2. Choose eco and organic products wisely: These products are often more expensive, but they aren’t always necessary. If you can’t afford eco, buy generally available products.
3. Limit soy substitutes: Soy sausages, vegan cheeses, and dairy-free yogurts can be expensive and highly processed. Use them sparingly.
4. Control portion sizes: Vegetarian and vegan diets can require more food to feel full, but don’t overeat or undereat. Listen to your body.
5. Shop smart: Choose stores that offer good quality products at lower prices, like Biedronka, Lidl, or Aldi, instead of more expensive ones like Tesco, Carrefour, or Piotr i Paweł.
6. Eat seasonal products: Polish apples, pears, and potatoes are great examples. Seasonal products tend to be cheaper.
7. Opt for local alternatives to superfoods: Choose Polish flaxseed or millet over more expensive superfoods like chia seeds or maca root powder.
8. Buy supplements only if necessary: With the exception of vitamin D and B12, most nutrients can be obtained from food. Take supplements only when you have deficiencies.
9. Cook at home and plan meals: Eating out can be expensive. To save money, cook at home and take prepared snacks with you.

By following these tips, you can make your vegetarian or vegan diet in Poland more affordable without sacrificing the quality of your meals. Be flexible, budget-conscios, and prioritize a balanced diet to enjoy a healthy and budget-friendly lifestyle.

References:

• https://dziecisawazne.pl/ile-kosztuje-weganizm/
• https://www.horecanet.pl/polacy-coraz-bardziej-przekonuja-sie-do-kuchni-roslinnej/