How to eat vegan on a budget?
There are many myths and fairytales revolving around the topic of veganism.
It is not healthy, it is not natural for us humans, it causes a lack of nutrients, etc.
One of those myths is that a vegan diet is automatically more expensive than other diets. However, this is such a general statement.
Any form of diet can be quite expensive, if you don’t know what to look out for.
Especially in the beginning of a vegan journey, it can be quite hard to know how to eat vegan on a budget.
That’s why the topic of today’s blogpost is: 4 easy-to-follow tips and tricks on how to eat vegan on a budget.
Let’s get started….
Learn how to cook: We go to restaurants out of convenience but sadly that can quickly add up if you go out all the time.
Grabbing a good vegan cookbook such as Thug Kitchen, Oh She Glows and learning how to cook will definitely save you money in the long run.
Here is the catch when being a new vegan. It can become overwhelming
when it comes to cooking for yourself. Go-to recipes might not be vegan friendly and you will have to look for substitutes or new recipes.
This is why I suggest getting a couple of really good vegan cookbooks.
Plan meals ahead of time: Planning meals ahead of time can save you a lot of money as well.
If you are following a weekly recipe plan guide this will save you from having to make additional trips to the store. Instead you are buying everything at once for your weekly meal plan.
Without proper planning of your meals you may end up with too much produce and/or other products that will go to waste.
When things go bad it’s like throwing money out the window and who wants that to happen?
By the way, have you ever thought about how relaxed you will be during the day, knowing that your meals are already pre cooked or planned out for the week?
Another great advantage of planning your meals ahead is you can buy more ingredients to cook a bigger amount so you can take another portion with you to lunch the next day or you will have another dinner ready for you at home after a long day.
This takes so much pressure away and keeps you wallet healthy as well. You will see!
Start making your own snacks: When you are out and about as a vegan, snacks can are sometimes needed. It’s not always easy to find a vegan snack nor a budget friendly snack on the go.
The same goes for when you are work or at your university.
When you suddenly need a little snack and there is nothing in reach you will end up buying an overpriced snack from the supermarket, vending machine or you will reach for the unhealthy version.
Start making your own snacks at home. Just think of fruit and veggie sticks, raw energy balls, muesli bars, hummus…here’s a great book on Amazon with snack recipes.
Your bank account will thank you.
Buying a small snack from the supermarket or vending machine every day can add up quickly by the end of every week.
Making homemade snacks will not only save you a lot of money, but also will help you to make sure that you get all the important nutrients, even while on the go, at work or at the university.
Be smart while grocery shopping: There are a few tips that will save you a lot of money at you next grocery trip. But the secret behind smart grocery shopping is not only writing a grocery list but also stocking up on your basics when they are on sale.
Most fresh products are cheaper when they are in season, so try to plan your meals with those products only. If you still want to use other ingredients that are not in season right now, buy the frozen version or freeze them yourself the next time they are available again.
Whole foods like vegetables, legumes, fruit, starches are the nutrition superstars. They hold all the nutrients that a healthy body needs and they are affordable as well.
Whenever possible make whole foods the main base of your meal.
Of course, remember to mix it up and not always use the same ones as the base. Also don’t forget to visit your local farmer’s market for local deals.
They offer super fresh and affordable products and if you pay them a visit
right before the close, you might get some really good deals on the remaining products that were not sold for the day.
Try to live without vegan substitutes: There is almost a vegan substitute for everything on the market right now, which is really convenient, yet expensive.
The downside of this is they are often made up of artificial ingredients and again are quite pricey.
If you buy them regularly, it can add up.
Try to limit those vegan substitutes to only a few times per month and find other alternatives or recipes. With a little research you will most of the time find a healthier and more natural substitute.
A good example is apple sauce. It is super healthy (be on the lookout for added sugars), easy to make (if you want to make that yourself) and it can be used as a substitute for eggs and artificial egg alternatives.
In general, keeping an eye on the nutritional value of those substitutes is
something you should always do.
As you can see, there are so many easy-to-follow guidelines for how to eat vegan on a budget. Anyone with any budget can follow them.
Money should never keep you from a healthy vegan diet.
The next time someone says they don’t see how to eat vegan on a budget is even possible and that’s it’s just too expensive, respond by asking if they are using these money saving tips.
Your body will thank you for all the nutrition dense and plant based foods. Oh, and of course the animals.
What are your tips on how to eat vegan on a budget? Feel free to let me know in the comments section below.
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