With this ultimate guide to eating vegan on a budget, you will discover everyday money-saving tips, affordable food lists, and easy plant-based recipes to keep your grocery bills low.
Eating vegan food—contrary to popular belief—does not have to be expensive. People usually get this impression when walking through the specialty vegan aisle at supermarkets, where dairy-free cheese and meat alternatives are usually sold for three times the price of animal products, but this isn’t the reality of eating vegan on a budget.
We’ve compiled a list of affordable pantry staples to keep on hand to help you whip up cheap and delicious vegan meals everyday with minimal cost and effort.
As it turns out, most of the world’s most affordable and accessible foods are already naturally plant-based. Because transitioning to a vegan diet relies heavily on grains, legumes, and produce, it’s available to everyone and every budget. The reality is that raising animals for food actually costs us more money.
As you read on, we will list all the inexpensive pantry staples every vegan should know. Creating a master list of budget-friendly pantry staples to keep on hand is the secret to mastering eating vegan on a budget.
With that in mind, we will discuss the best ways to prepare these cheap vegan ingredients to maximize flavor and get the absolute most out of your grocery haul.
Meal prepping and freezing meals are another highly effective way to master eating vegan on a budget. We will also talk about the best ways to add freshness to your dishes without overspending.
By using these strategies, you won’t have to spend every night in the kitchen cooking, leaving you more time to focus on the things and people you love.
Budget-Friendly Vegan Staples To Have On Hand
1. Oats (A Cheap Vegan Breakfast)
Popular uses: Overnight oats and classic oatmeal.
Paired with flax seeds, chia seeds, nut butter, and hemp hearts, overnight oats are a cheap vegan staple that can easily be made ahead of time. They pack lots of fiber, protein, and the essential nutrients you need to power through your day.
Something new: Savory oats! Oats don’t need to be limited to sweet breakfast bowls. Savory oats can make a delicious, rib-sticking meal that will leave you satisfied, energized, and full of fiber for pennies a serving, which is perfect when you are eating vegan on a budget.
Savory oats can be cooked with vegetable broth to add the perfect dimension that compliments accompaniments like broccolini, zucchini, or corn. Or, cook your oats with something new like the African spice blend Berberé for a flavorful dinner with a little heat. Experiment with your favorite spices and blends to find your perfect combination.
2. Lentils (Affordable Plant-Based Protein)
Lentils are incredibly popular in many different cultural cuisines for a reason. They are easy to prepare, highly nutrient-dense, and truly delicious—especially when paired with the right spices and accompaniments.
Eating lentils never gets boring because they make a fantastic, cost-effective meat substitute in plant-based dishes like chili, spaghetti bolognese, or even vegan cabbage rolls.
3. Potatoes (The Ultimate Budget Carb)
Antoine-Augustin Parmentier was a war prisoner credited with popularizing the consumption of potatoes in France. This is because during his time imprisoned, he survived by eating almost entirely potatoes.
He then went on to build a legacy preaching on the health benefits of the potato. They are nutrient-dense, highly satiating, and one of the most affordable vegan pantry staples you can buy.
Something New: What’s more, when it comes to eating vegan on a budget, there is nothing better than growing your own free food.
If your potatoes start to sprout in your cupboard, you can easily plant the eyes in a garden, raised bed, or container, and never pay for potatoes again!
They are a very hardy vegetable and can be grown in a wide variety of environments.
4. Beans (Canned or Dried)
Beans come canned and dried, and both are wonderful for plant-based diets. There is no denying that. However, if your main focus is keeping costs low, then learning to cook dried beans from scratch is exactly what you want to do to save the most money while eating vegan on a budget.
Something new: Black beans – To add another dimension of flavor to your beans, experiment with adding different fresh herbs and spices to the water while you cook them.
The best black beans you will ever eat: Do a rapid soak on your dried beans where you bring the pot to a boil with bay leaves, carrots, onions, garlic, and celery.
Let them soak for an hour and then simmer until tender. It is best to give them a few hours to really let the flavors marry in the pot. After your beans are tender, they are ready to eat!
Eating Vegan on a Budget Through Meal Prepping
Meal prepping is perhaps the single most important habit for a vegan on a budget. Having cheap vegan meals already prepared in your freezer is amazing for busy weeknights or nights where you just need to unwind without ordering expensive takeout.
There are a lot of great vegan foods that store very well in the freezer for up to 6 to 12 months!
Freezer Burritos – Rice, beans, and spices are the holy trinity ingredients for the perfect budget-friendly freezer burritos. Some great additions include cactus, seasoned roasted potatoes, and even cheap blocks of tofu.
Stuffed Peppers – The base for vegan stuffed peppers is similar to freezer burritos, and prepping them both at the same time is a great way to maximize your time and grocery haul.
Soups – Nothing is better than a steaming bowl of soup to warm you from the inside out. Vegan, vegetable stock-based soups also freeze incredibly well. You can make free vegetable stock from all of your leftover vegetable scraps such as: carrot tops, celery ribs, onion tops, and more.
Bring the scraps to a boil with a bay leaf and let the magic happen. Once you have your cheap soup base, add your favorite bulk ingredients: orzo pasta, barley, root vegetables, or noodles.
Growing Fresh Herbs to Save Money
Fresh herbs are the sprinkles on the cake when it comes to vegan eating. However, buying fresh herbs in plastic clamshells from the grocery store is expensive and sometimes low quality.
Growing herbs like mint is incredibly easy, as they grow rapidly like weeds.
Other herbs like rosemary and basil are easy to grow on a windowsill and smell great. You may also try your hand at growing thyme or oregano. Try growing them from cheap seed packets for the absolute best value!
What to Avoid When Eating Cheap Vegan Food
Expensive Meal Substitutes: Avoid relying heavily on highly processed vegan junk food from the freezer section of your grocery store (like fake meats and vegan frozen pizzas). Relying on these processed foods is a quick way to drain your wallet and ruin your goals of eating vegan on a budget.
Food Waste: We have all been there; it is hard to avoid despite our best efforts. We all know sometimes your fresh spinach will go bad just because you looked at it funny.
There are steps you can take to limit food waste to protect your budget. Smoothies are a great way to utilize wilting ingredients and make the perfect breakfast or snack. If you are worried about missing out on vital nutrients while keeping costs low, be sure to check out our guide on the best vegan supplements to take for overall health.
Eating Vegan on a Budget – Final Words
If you spend most of your time picking out whole ingredients in the produce aisle and avoid the expensive processed vegan section of the grocery store, you can easily reach your health goals—and avoid the hidden traps that can hurt your weight loss goals—while saving money at the same time.
Now that you’re armed with some useful tips for mastering eating vegan on a budget, it’s time for the best part… Cooking!
There are zero rules when it comes to cooking plant-based food, as long as you’re using fresh, affordable ingredients for you and everyone to enjoy.
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Check out our post A Complete Vegan Guide for Beginners for more helpful tips on starting your plant-based journey!