With everything going up in price these days, people are having a really tough time affording expenses including food. A common misconception about eating plant-based on a budget is that it’s hard to do.
Being plant-based since 2013, I can honestly say it’s really not that much more expensive than when we were eating animal products. Some healthy foods (such as organic fruits and vegetables) may be more expensive, but not always.
Additionally, we’ve found that the health benefits of organic plant-based foods outweigh any high costs. Eating healthier also equals fewer trips to the doctor, which saves us in the long run.
In this article, we share 8 tips for eating plant-based on a budget. You can listen below or read on for a recap of everything we discussed.
8 Tips for Eating a Plant-Based Budget
The 8 tips we’re sharing here aren’t exclusive to plant-based meal plans. That is, if you still eat some animal-derived food products (or have family members who do), these tips will still work for you. But if you still eat some meat, the high prices of those products may motivate you to kick your meat habit!
1. Make a grocery list
There is a huge difference in both the price and quality of the food in our shopping basket when we take the time to make a list versus when we decide to “wing it”.
Not only are unplanned grocery trips more expensive (since we tend to pick more processed convenience foods) but we also tend to buy more junk food.
We’ve mentioned before that it’s our favorite tool for planning meals and grocery lists
2. Buy in bulk
Buying food in bulk is another great way to eat plant-based on a budget. You can find many products in abundance these days, including:
- rice
- Nut butter (almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter)
- spices
- Dry beans
- granola
- And much more!
In addition to buying from the “bulk bin” there are other items you can buy in bulk to save money. For example, we started buying bagged apples and bagged potatoes instead of buying them individually. Of course, don’t buy a lot if you don’t want to eat it. I found that buying in bulk actually encouraged me to eat more because I didn’t want the food to go to waste. I eat more apples now than ever because I buy them in bags containing 8 apples rather than single apples.
3. Batch-cook to stretch your meals
Our community is big on batch-cooking! Batch-cooking meals is a great way to save money and time. Eating home-prepared meals can help you resist the temptation to eat fast food.
4. Don’t buy everything organic
In episode 21 of our podcast we first introduced the concept of the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists published by the Environmental Work Group (EWG). These lists will help you understand which fruits and vegetables are most likely to retain pesticide residues, even after you wash them.
The Dirty Dozen are the ones you should consider buying organic. “Clean 15” are those that have little or no risk of contamination from pesticides, so it’s generally safer to buy conventional (non-organic) versions of these products.
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5. Substitute store brands if possible
Store brands can sometimes get a bad name. When I was a kid, a lot of them still had black and white “generic” labels and they were as bland as the labels looked.
These days, stores are competing with many name brands, so if you’ve shied away from store brands in the past, you might want to give them another try to save some money. For example, Costco’s store brand, Kirkland, has some really amazing products that we love!
6. Buy frozen vegetables and frozen fruits when the fresh season is over
Not only do fruits and vegetables taste a little “off” when they’re out of season, but they can also become more expensive. When fruits and vegetables are out of season, consider substituting frozen versions of your favorites, such as blueberries and strawberries. They will last longer, which will help you reduce your food waste.
7. Plan your meals (including leftovers) to reduce food waste.
Tonight’s dinner can also be your lunch tomorrow. Larissa and I often have leftovers for lunch, which not only saves us money but also the frustration of trying to decide what to eat.
8. Shop local
We love going to farmers markets. We get fresh, locally grown produce and our dogs get an extra outing.
Fortunately, since we live in a big city, we can find a farmer’s market several days a week with a good selection of greens, cruciferous vegetables, and more.
We prefer to shop for local vegetables versus big-box grocery stores. Not only will you find some great deals there but you’re also supporting local farmers, which is a win-win.
Where to find recipes if you’re eating plant-based on a budget
Finding plant-based recipes for delicious meals is pretty easy these days. While there are some great vegetarian and vegan books out there, there are also plenty of plant-based recipes online.
Here are some of our favorite sites with affordable and easy-to-make recipes
There are a few books we really love for easy, cheap, delicious recipes. Those books are:
Conclusion
We hope these 8 tips for eating plant-based on a tight budget will help you save money while sticking to your plant-based meal plan. As you can see, eating plant-based on a budget is totally possible and healthy foods don’t have to break the bank. It really just comes down to smart grocery shopping
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