10 Tips for Eating Plant Based on a Budget

Worried that shifting to a plant-based diet will cost more money? Allay your fears with these 10 tips for eating plant-based on a budget plus budget friendly recipes.
Including more pulses, like dried beans, peas, and lentils, in the diet can provide an inexpensive protein source. Try this recipe for Mississippi Caviar to get started.
Plant-based diets have gone absolutely mainstream due to their slew of health benefits for both people and the planet. Eating a more plant-centric diet, whether you’re eating the Mediterranean diet, a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian lifestyle, or all the way to vegetarian or vegan, can help you reduce your risks of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and dementia, plus you can make a significant reduction in your environmental footprint. No wonder that a reported 9.7 million Americans are following a plant-based diet. However, this positive trend towards healthy, sustainable eating can come with concerns about affordability. I get questions all the time about how to afford eating plant-based. That’s easy to understand, when you compare the prices on supermarket items like meat alternatives, packaged dinners, and specialty fresh fruits. However, there is much, much more to a plant-based diet. In fact, research shows that eating plant-based can actually save you money!
There are many cultural, traditional plant-based foods that are inexpensive. Try this recipe for Tempeh Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing for inspiration.
Eating a plant-based diet does not have to be expensive–it can even save you money–meaning it can be accessible and affordable in all types of communities and cultures. So how can you make plant-based eating affordable? How to eat vegan cheaply? There are all sorts of handy tips and tricks for eating plant based on the cheap. Plus, you can find a variety of budget friendly recipes that feature plant-based ingredients.
10 Tips for Eating Plant Based on a Budget
1. Purchase Seasonal Produce
Eating produce when it’s in season is typically less expensive than purchasing fresh produce out of season that has had to travel great distances to get to the location where you live. Check out this website that includes a seasonal food guide, which will help you understand which foods are grown in various seasons in your community. 
I love to grow a good share of my own produce each season to save money. 
2. Grow Your Own Food
Just growing a little bit of food–one tomato or zucchini plant, some fresh herbs, kale–can seriously cut your food expenditures. And you can gain a multitude of other health and mental wellness benefits, too. Starting your own window still, vertical, or backyard garden is a great way to save money and eat delicious, nutrient-rich produce. If you are unsure how to start your own garden, download my free gardening kit here to help you get started.
Simple local salads featuring seasonal produce can be less costly. This recipe for Arugula Salad with Tomatoes is one of my favorite ways to showcase local foods.
3. Shop Local
Purchasing local food from farmers benefits your community by keeping a supply of healthy delicious food in your region–often produced without the addition of synthetic inputs. You can do so through farmers markets, stands, and CSAs. It can also be less costly to follow the seasons and purchase foods when they are less expensive.
Look for bulk bins to save money.
4. Purchase Staple Items in Bulk
Buying staple items, such as whole wheat flour, brown rice, oats, dried beans, and nuts, in bulk can significantly reduce costs, as well as unnecessary food packaging. These foods also have a longer shelf life.
Prepping economical meals in advance can save beaucoup dollars! Get the recipe for Mediterranean Vegan Meal Prep here.
5. Meal Prep Simple Dishes
Preparing meals for the week ahead with simple, budget friendly ingredients can help you avoid costly food purchases on the go, while providing a delicious, satisfying meal. Meal prepping basically involves creating a recipe and dividing it into individual portions in grab and go, reheatable containers for lunches and dinners during the week. Watch this video on my favorite meal prep here.
When fresh tomatoes are out of season, use canned tomatoes, such as in this recipe for Vegan Bolognese with Lentils and Walnuts.
6. Rely on Frozen or Canned Produce
When seasonal produce is not available, purchasing frozen or canned vegetables and fruits can be less costly than buying fresh produce that is out of season. Plus, frozen and canned produce contains similar levels of nutrients. Look for those that are made without added salt or sugar.
Making your own baked goods, such as breads, cookies, and bars, can save money. I love this recipe for Get Nutty Vegan Whole Wheat Banana Bread.
7. Bake Your Own
Freshly baked plant-based goods, such as breads, muffins, cookies, bars, cakes, and pies, can be very expensive. Try spending time in your kitchen to reconnect with food and bake your own yummy treats to help reduce the cost, trim added sugars and fats, and alleviate stress.
Plan out your menus, from breakfast to dessert. Start off your day with a healthy, budget friendly breakfast, this Spiced Apple Oatmeal with Quinoa and Almonds.
8. Plan a Week’s Worth of Meals
You don’t have to write a novel, but jotting down a few ideas for meals during the week helps you write a shopping list. This can reduce your expenditure of unnecessary food items, and avoid food waste, too.
Make a homemade soup once a week to use up all of your vegetables. Try this recipe for Curried Vegetable Leek Soup as a starting place for a delicious, budget-friendly soup. Just swap the vegetables with those that you have on hand.
9. Reduce Food Waste
Before you go shopping, inventory your refrigerator and make sure to use up your produce to avoid any food waste. Remember to use the oldest purchased produce first, freezing extra produce you can’t use, and store produce correctly to prolong the shelf life to reduce food waste. Learn more about trimming food waste here.
Look for markets that have lots of plant-based options, including a variety of heirloom beans to use in recipes like Vegan Heirloom Beans Cassoulet.
10. Know Where to Shop
Scope out your best local markets that have lower prices, bulk bin access, and many healthy, minimally processed plant-based food options to help keep your food costs within your budget.
Chipotle Spice Power Bowl with Rice
Try These Budget Friendly Recipes for Cheap Meals
Looking for cheap plant based recipes? You must try this collection of plant based recipes for affordable meals.

References:

Danziger, L. (2020). The Number of Americans Eating Plant Based Has Passed 9.7 Million.The Beet. 

For other blogs on affordable eating, check out the following:

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