How To Eat A Delicious Vegan Diet On A Budget
By: Alia Savage
Eating a vegan diet might be great for our health (and the difference between life and death for our furry friends), but if you aren't careful, it can also incredibly expensive. Consistently eating fresh fruits, veggies, and meat substitutes, especially, can mean shelling out a ton of money on food every month. Don’t let that deter you, though. There are several ways to eat yummy vegan food on a budget. Here’s how.
Cook at Home
Cooking at home is the first way to cut down on the amount you spend on meals. That same is true for omnivores, too. The reason is that many stores and restaurants charge for the convenience of a pre-cooked meal. Think of this way. You’re not just paying for the ingredients used to cook the meal, you’re paying for the time you won’t have to spend cooking it. (Time is money, after all.) By buying the raw items yourself, you’re not being penalized for that convenience.
Buy In-Season Produce
If you’ve ever tried to buy watermelon in the winter, you know that it’s ridiculously expensive. This is because watermelons are summer fruits, which means that any you see in the winter were shipped from warm climates from hundreds or thousands of miles of way, which drives up the price. There's no reason for you to pay that ridiculous price when there are so many delicious in-season options out there. Plus, out-of-season produce just doesn’t taste as good as it would if it was grown and picked locally. Buying in-season just makes sense.
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk is another great way to save money. The reason for this is that the packaging that holds the food usually accounts for a significant portion of the price. By buying in bulk, you’re eliminating the need to buy several smaller packages which brings down the cost. Unfortunately, there is a catch. Unless you have a large family, you may want to save the bulk buys for things like grains, seeds, nuts, and canned or frozen fruits and veggies (because the fresh ones might go bad before you can eat them).
Buy Store Brands
Store brands aren’t just huge money-savers, they’re also usually comparable in taste and quality to name brands. Sure, there are exceptions for things like natural oils and the like, but most name things that you buy can be found cheaper, just by choosing the store brand! For vegans, Aldi is a great place to start. It doesn’t even sell many name brand items to begin with (and is also a haven for delicious vegans snacks and ingredients). But there are endless small vegan brands dedicated to providing you with animal-friendly food. This is a great year to try them out!
These are just a few ways I’ve figured out save me money. Do you have anything to add? Leave us a comment below!