How to Live a Vegan Lifestyle on a Budget
Eat plenty of in-season fruits., Try to choose whole fruits instead of already sliced or prepared ones., Buy the locally grown and cost-efficient vegetables rather than those that are exotic, just as suggested for the fruits., Avoid purchasing...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Eat plenty of in-season fruits.
As a vegan, to stay healthy you'll have to regularly eat fruits and vegetables, and lots of them! Fruits can be some of the cheapest snacks when in season, but beware fruits out of season, as they can be really overpriced.
Try to stock your fridge with fruits that are grown locally or nearby and that are in season, as these will normally be the cheapest and will also be of the best quality.
Plus, you'll be helping local farmers, which is something many vegans consider important.
In Canada, the cheapest fruits are apples, oranges and bananas, for example.
Relying on exotic fruits for all your snacks can be really expensive, whereas a banana can be as cheap as 30 cents. -
Step 2: Try to choose whole fruits instead of already sliced or prepared ones.
You pay more for the service of having someone else cut up the fruit, so forgo this and do it yourself.
An entire watermelon will give you a ton of fruit to last a long time, for a lot less than if you bought the same amount already cut up.
Instead of buying a fruit tray or a pre-prepared fruit salad, try buying the fruits and making the salad yourself.
The cost of preparation and packaging can be cut from your budget easily. , Any vegetables that are out-of-season or pre-cut or pre-prepared as salads will always going to cost more.
Make your own salads! Buying pre-made salad costs a lot more because of preparation and packaging costs. , Often times, gluten-free and vegan products can overlap.
However, gluten-free items can be extremely pricey.
Just because the gluten-free spaghetti doesn't have egg, there are probably other regular products that don't either––they'll probably be cheaper too and they may even be more flavorsome. , With milk as the exception, as the price of almond and soy milks is usually the same as regular milk, avoid foods claiming to be vegan substitutes.
This includes soy cheese, meatless chicken, meat analogs, etc.
Meat and dairy products are derives from an expensive industry anyway. (Look at the price of a steak.) The meatless substitutes are also usually expensive, and most of the time, they aren't as healthy as whole foods.
Much like meat and dairy products, they are usually highly processed and do not add a great deal to your diet.
Egg substitute is the exception, as you can buy 100 "eggs" for baking for the price of 12 real eggs. , Try out that homemade veggie burger recipe for example, instead of buying a pack of pre-made ones.
It's healthier and more cost efficient.
You can freeze excess for several more meals to come.
Make your own soup.
Homemade soup is one of the best foods for a budget, and can be frozen and eaten later! Just chop up lots of vegetables, boil some water and cook it up! You can have meals for weeks on less than a dollar per meal. , Beans and lentils are a great way to get protein and iron! Buy large bags of beans and lentils; they store wall and they don't go bad for a long time.
They're super cheap and can be incorporated into almost any dish. , Doing this can save you a lot of money over time.
If you are able to eat all the food in the larger package before it expires, or if it has a long expiration date, opt for the larger pack.
Always be sure you can eat the food in time though, otherwise this isn't a good savings. , If you have a friend who likes the same foods or is also vegan, consider splitting bulk products with them.
Have a day every week where you both go grocery shopping together. , If foods can be frozen, buy in bulk and freeze half for later if you're afraid it will go bad.
This works well for bread and can also be applied to vegetables and fruit that have been prepared properly for freezing. , You're going to be eating tons of fruit, so buying an entire box of clementines or kiwifruits to save money won't go to waste.
Again, if you can split the box with a neighbor or fellow vegan close by, you'll save a lot more. , Grocery stores are always promoting great deals, try to keep an eye out for them! Often you can score some great savings just by shopping at the right place at the right time. , Couponing has become such a popular part of North American culture, and it's easy to do.
Try subscribing online for monthly or even weekly coupons at your favorite grocery stores, or look through flyers or the backs of cereal boxes. There is no shame in saving money! , If you want specialty vegan products that aren't in your local area, use online shopping.
There are many websites now that are tailored specifically for vegans, offering products that mimic non-vegan ones.
Here you can buy vegan cheese, meat substitutes, marshmallows, sauces and much more.
However, be alert to the fact that as tempting as this can be, it can be really expensive, especially when you include the shipping.
If you decide to order products online that you can't find locally, try splitting the order with a friend and sharing the shipping cost.
Ask to be placed on the store's mailing lists.
That way, when sales come up, you can bulk buy those products that normally cost a lot more.
Look for free or low shipping options; some stores will offer these. , By far, in most places, the cheapest liquid you can drink is water.
It comes out of your taps for free, and you can add a water filter that can make almost the tap water drinkable if needed.
Even if you insist on buying water in stores, it is usually the cheapest drink you can buy (although, reducing your ecological footprint does mean thinking carefully about the use of water in plastic bottles when you have decent tap water available). , It is far better to eat the fruit itself than to rely on juice for your serving of fruits and vegetables.
It's cheaper to drink water than juice, and it even quenches your thirst better.
With eating the fruit, you'll get the roughage and vitamins needed, while with juice, you risk over-dosing on too much fructose. -
Step 3: Buy the locally grown and cost-efficient vegetables rather than those that are exotic
-
Step 4: just as suggested for the fruits.
-
Step 5: Avoid purchasing gluten-free food if you do not follow a gluten-free diet.
-
Step 6: Avoid using substitute foods.
-
Step 7: Make your own foods.
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Step 8: Enjoy plenty of beans and lentils.
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Step 9: Buy as much of your quickly eaten food in bulk as possible.
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Step 10: Join forces with a friend.
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Step 11: Freeze bulk items into portions.
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Step 12: Buy fruit in bulk.
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Step 13: Check the flyers weekly.
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Step 14: Use coupons.
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Step 15: Utilize online shopping.
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Step 16: Drink water most of the time.
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Step 17: Ditch the juice.
Detailed Guide
As a vegan, to stay healthy you'll have to regularly eat fruits and vegetables, and lots of them! Fruits can be some of the cheapest snacks when in season, but beware fruits out of season, as they can be really overpriced.
Try to stock your fridge with fruits that are grown locally or nearby and that are in season, as these will normally be the cheapest and will also be of the best quality.
Plus, you'll be helping local farmers, which is something many vegans consider important.
In Canada, the cheapest fruits are apples, oranges and bananas, for example.
Relying on exotic fruits for all your snacks can be really expensive, whereas a banana can be as cheap as 30 cents.
You pay more for the service of having someone else cut up the fruit, so forgo this and do it yourself.
An entire watermelon will give you a ton of fruit to last a long time, for a lot less than if you bought the same amount already cut up.
Instead of buying a fruit tray or a pre-prepared fruit salad, try buying the fruits and making the salad yourself.
The cost of preparation and packaging can be cut from your budget easily. , Any vegetables that are out-of-season or pre-cut or pre-prepared as salads will always going to cost more.
Make your own salads! Buying pre-made salad costs a lot more because of preparation and packaging costs. , Often times, gluten-free and vegan products can overlap.
However, gluten-free items can be extremely pricey.
Just because the gluten-free spaghetti doesn't have egg, there are probably other regular products that don't either––they'll probably be cheaper too and they may even be more flavorsome. , With milk as the exception, as the price of almond and soy milks is usually the same as regular milk, avoid foods claiming to be vegan substitutes.
This includes soy cheese, meatless chicken, meat analogs, etc.
Meat and dairy products are derives from an expensive industry anyway. (Look at the price of a steak.) The meatless substitutes are also usually expensive, and most of the time, they aren't as healthy as whole foods.
Much like meat and dairy products, they are usually highly processed and do not add a great deal to your diet.
Egg substitute is the exception, as you can buy 100 "eggs" for baking for the price of 12 real eggs. , Try out that homemade veggie burger recipe for example, instead of buying a pack of pre-made ones.
It's healthier and more cost efficient.
You can freeze excess for several more meals to come.
Make your own soup.
Homemade soup is one of the best foods for a budget, and can be frozen and eaten later! Just chop up lots of vegetables, boil some water and cook it up! You can have meals for weeks on less than a dollar per meal. , Beans and lentils are a great way to get protein and iron! Buy large bags of beans and lentils; they store wall and they don't go bad for a long time.
They're super cheap and can be incorporated into almost any dish. , Doing this can save you a lot of money over time.
If you are able to eat all the food in the larger package before it expires, or if it has a long expiration date, opt for the larger pack.
Always be sure you can eat the food in time though, otherwise this isn't a good savings. , If you have a friend who likes the same foods or is also vegan, consider splitting bulk products with them.
Have a day every week where you both go grocery shopping together. , If foods can be frozen, buy in bulk and freeze half for later if you're afraid it will go bad.
This works well for bread and can also be applied to vegetables and fruit that have been prepared properly for freezing. , You're going to be eating tons of fruit, so buying an entire box of clementines or kiwifruits to save money won't go to waste.
Again, if you can split the box with a neighbor or fellow vegan close by, you'll save a lot more. , Grocery stores are always promoting great deals, try to keep an eye out for them! Often you can score some great savings just by shopping at the right place at the right time. , Couponing has become such a popular part of North American culture, and it's easy to do.
Try subscribing online for monthly or even weekly coupons at your favorite grocery stores, or look through flyers or the backs of cereal boxes. There is no shame in saving money! , If you want specialty vegan products that aren't in your local area, use online shopping.
There are many websites now that are tailored specifically for vegans, offering products that mimic non-vegan ones.
Here you can buy vegan cheese, meat substitutes, marshmallows, sauces and much more.
However, be alert to the fact that as tempting as this can be, it can be really expensive, especially when you include the shipping.
If you decide to order products online that you can't find locally, try splitting the order with a friend and sharing the shipping cost.
Ask to be placed on the store's mailing lists.
That way, when sales come up, you can bulk buy those products that normally cost a lot more.
Look for free or low shipping options; some stores will offer these. , By far, in most places, the cheapest liquid you can drink is water.
It comes out of your taps for free, and you can add a water filter that can make almost the tap water drinkable if needed.
Even if you insist on buying water in stores, it is usually the cheapest drink you can buy (although, reducing your ecological footprint does mean thinking carefully about the use of water in plastic bottles when you have decent tap water available). , It is far better to eat the fruit itself than to rely on juice for your serving of fruits and vegetables.
It's cheaper to drink water than juice, and it even quenches your thirst better.
With eating the fruit, you'll get the roughage and vitamins needed, while with juice, you risk over-dosing on too much fructose.
About the Author
Janice Green
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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