Tips And Tricks For Affordable Healthy Vegan Eating

What does shopping when vegan look like? Is being a vegetarian healthy? Is there such a thing as a protein diet vegan? We know that there are a lot of questions that come with the plant-based territory. But no other question gets asked as often as…

“Is it cheaper to be a vegan?”

And we’re here to focus on that. That’s because the answer really depends on the person on the lifestyle. Healthy vegan eating looks different for everyone. If you really want to know how to stretch a dollar or shop a little smarter, try out the tips we have here! 

Don’t Be Afraid To Try Other Brands

Name brands, given their popularity, are often more expensive. You can’t forget that name brands spend a lot more on marketing, and you’re sometimes paying for that whether you know it or not. Smaller, less popular brands can still be as good and healthy as the others - look around before you make the purchase.

Sure you might gravitate towards them since you hear a lot of people say good things, but there are loads of brands that could be offering the same things - only cheaper! Tinned peas are still tinned peas at the end of the day.

Also Read - Why Go Vegan? 11 Health Benefits Of Being Vegan

Stick to a List

Shopping for groceries can be difficult at times. You come in and have to buy just a couple of things but you can end up with a cart full of goodies! If you find this happening to you all too much, it may be helpful to write up a list before you go shopping.

This way, you’re focused on checking things off the list instead of looking around the store and making last-minute purchases. Think of this like shopping with your kids. They have so much time looking around the shop while you tend to more important matters that something always catches their eye. If you focus on the list, you won’t end up like them - picking up something that you weren't planning on buying. 

Dried Foods Are Your Friend

One of the benefits of being vegan is that we have a plethora of dried foods to choose from. Beans, seeds, and nuts (all good sources of protein vegan by the way)... There are so many possibilities! Flax seeds or hemp seeds make wonderful egg substitutes, beans make hearty meals, and you can make all kinds of milk from nuts. 

Dried foods can stay longer on the shelf. That means you won’t have to end up throwing away those fresh options that would have otherwise gone bad. Having shelf-stable staples so you so much money and time.

We Have Tinned and Frozen Options

We know, we know. Frozen foods don’t exactly scream healthy vegan eating. But hear us out! Vegan frozen and canned foods have come a long way, maybe even further than what conventional groceries have. You can find all-natural, non-GMO, and preservative-free options here on our side. Read a few labels and you’d be surprised!

And, again, it’s worth mentioning that keeping some frozen and tinned foods at home is more affordable than having to go out for groceries every couple of days. Don’t knock ‘em until you try ‘em!

When Possible, Buy In Bulk

If you’ve got a large family, consider buying in bulk. Chances are, you’ll open yourself to a lot more discounts compared to just buying a single thing at a time. If you’ve ever watched the show where they show folks shop with loads of coupons, you get the idea of how much actually people save when shopping in bulk. This is a surefire way to save a buck!

This circles us back to dried ingredients as well as pre-packed foods. There’s no harm in using them. Not everyone has the time or the cash to always spend on fresh ingredients. And that’s ok!

Make Your Own Meals

This goes for just about any diet, really. Instead of ordering out, dine in and cook your own meals. You won’t believe the effect this has on your appetite. Just thinking about having to cook and do all those dishes (especially after a long day’s work?? oof) makes us want to just grab some oatmeal and fruit… maybe even a salad. We naturally end up eating healthier instead of indulging ourselves with cheesy this or creamy that. 

Save yourself the vegan weight loss meal plans and just try cooking at home. If you’re a natural cook, it really is a no-brainer. Cook your own meals!

Check Out - 9 Healthy Vegan Snacks Ideas To Satisfy Your Craving

Try Out Your New and Healthy Vegan Eating Plan

You see, it really doesn’t look too hard! Our tips actually apply to vegan and other diets as well. Everyone’s looking to save some cash, especially during these trying times. There’s certainly never any shame in that.