There are 3 main focal points or “ground rules” for this post. Each one is SUPER important and helpful when shopping vegan on a budget. Think of them as the three commandments to money-saving at the grocery store – vegan style.
Rumor has it vegan food is more expensive than non-vegan food? Do we agree? Big fat nope. Because it’s just simply not true. Think beans, greens, seeds, and legumes! All are cost-friendly foods! We’re going to show you how simple, cost-effective, and NON-expensive it is to be a vegan!
Shopping In-Season Produce
Each season there are certain fruits and veggies that are abundant – thus making them CHEAPER for us to buy. For example, right now we’re in the summer and berries are super affordable whereas buying a container of organic blueberries in January the price would be entirely different and most likely more expensive.
Shop your in-season produce and you’ll be sure to stick to the “vegan on a budget” focus! This also helps with organic prices vs non-organic prices. Fruits and veggies that are in season and grown locally will have great prices on non-GMO organic produce!
Be sure to check your local farm stands and neighbors growing organically as well!
Minimally Use Transition Foods
The key is to eat whole plant-based vegan foods as they are much more cost-effective than their processed counterparts also known as transition foods.
Buying veggie burgers, and the typical vegan transition foods can absolutely become expensive. Which is why we only buy them when we NEED them.
I always have a box of veggie burgers, or vegan chicken tenders and we choose designated nights of the week to use them.
For those of you who are new here my full-time job is a hairstylist and makeup artist so by Friday and Saturday, I’m as good as a piece of toast – so, those two nights are our typical transition food nights. We’ll have a burger or a chicken-less patty or something along those lines.
Many new vegans make the mistake of ONLY eating transition foods and when a box of burgers can be anywhere from $5-$10 you can imagine it adds up rather quickly.
So what should your grocery list look like? What ARE whole plant-based foods? Lucky for you guys we have an entire list of ALL the whole food plant-based options OUT there along with many other entirely free vegan resources! If you’re a vegan newbie – this is for you! Click here for FREE access to our vegan resource library!
Example of Our Vegan Grocery List
- Carrots $2.24
- Baby Spinach $3.46
- Onions $3.96
- Potatoes $2.94
- Peppers $1.48
- Blueberries $3.26
- Bananas $1.63
- Strawberries $2.57
- Almond Milk $2.57
- Coffee Creamer (girls gotta live) $3.20
- Brown Rice $2.98
- Bag of Lentils $0.98
- Black Beans $0.92
- Quick Oats $2.67
- PB $3.48
- Whole Wheat Organic Bread $2.98
Total = $41.32
This lasted me about a week and a half! When I add in transition foods the bill is much much higher. Typically closer to or over $100.
Become The Vegan On A Budget Meal Prepping MONSTA
Guys the simple act of THINKING, “what am I going to have for dinner this week?” will forever change your life. I have family who lives in FL and EVERY SINGLE NIGHT they go to the grocery store for ingredients to make dinner that night.
That’s GREAT for them and I’m so glad it works for them – but that’s not the vibe in my house. That would peak my anxiety and the control freak planner in me would explode internally. Can’t do it – must plan.
Depending on your schedule it’s easy to meal plan! It never has to be complicated. That’s the beauty of veganism. Less is more. When in doubt go for the bowls.
Buy greens fresh, locally, and in season and have them chopped ready to go in the fridge!
Bust out those rice cookers and throw in some rice or quinoa – those make for great bases for our bowls.
I always keep a bowl of rice or quinoa in our fridge for quick lunches.
Prep your veggies the day you buy them, slice or chop them up and leave them in the fridge. You’re more likely to eat them that way. Because let’s get real chopping up that pepper when your ass is HANGRY is totally unlikely – takes FAR too long.
BUT if it’s done ahead of time you can enjoy a healthy lunch/dinner with VERY little work regardless if you’re following a recipe or just whipping something up on the fly!
That’s A Wrap!
If you follow the 3 golden rules of shopping vegan on a budget – we promise you, you’ll never go wrong!
To recap our three golden rules
- Shop IN SEASON produce!
- Minimally use transition foods
- Plan & become a meal prepping monstaaaaa!
As always FEMPIRE, connect with us! Reach out to us for support along the way, or if you have any vegan questions at all! We love hearing from our subscribers!