How does anyone afford it??? plant-based eating

[mlbuchina]

I want to do this. I want to eat more fruits and vegetables. Can anyone say sticker shock????

 

Is it just really expensive to get started? Please tell me that I am not going to be buying nutritional yeast, ground flaxseed, and all that other stuff every week.

 

:svengo:

[Wolfmeis]

I want to do this. I want to eat more fruits and vegetables. Can anyone say sticker shock????

 

Is it just really expensive to get started? Please tell me that I am not going to be buying nutritional yeast, ground flaxseed, and all that other stuff every week.

 

:svengo:

 

We're plant-based and I had to adjust my patterns, but it really is cheaper.

 

1. www.azurestandard.com is a great resource for your bulk stuff like flaxseed, oatmeal, nutritional yeast, tempeh and tofu.

 

2. Trader Joe's is no lightweight in this wonderful department, and costco, believe it or not is good as well on some bulk items. We actually buy the flaxseed there.

 

3. Avoid regular grocery stores like the PLAGUE. See above and below for sourcing.

 

4. Do you have CSAs in your area?

 

I found that cutting dairy alone was a huge relief, and taking away meats really helped too. You can do it, but the transition (financially) sucks, it really does.

[Susan in KY]

I have no answers for you as I just watched Forks over Knives for the first time today. I thought the two doctors and their research were fairly compelling, but not sure about some of the rest of it. And, I am not sure you have to go vegan to reap the same benefits. What one of the Chinese interviewees said made me think one could use meat for flavoring, as much of the world does, and still get all the benefits of eating a largely-plant-based diet. The More-With-Less cookbook has advocated this for thirty years or more, and shows you how to do it cheaply to boot.

[mlbuchina]

We're plant-based and I had to adjust my patterns, but it really is cheaper.

 

1. www.azurestandard.com is a great resource for your bulk stuff like flaxseed, oatmeal, nutritional yeast, tempeh and tofu.

 

2. Trader Joe's is no lightweight in this wonderful department, and costco, believe it or not is good as well on some bulk items. We actually buy the flaxseed there.

 

3. Avoid regular grocery stores like the PLAGUE. See above and below for sourcing.

 

4. Do you have CSAs in your area?

 

I found that cutting dairy alone was a huge relief, and taking away meats really helped too. You can do it, but the transition (financially) sucks, it really does.

 

Thank you for those resources. I don't know what CSA stands for, so I don't know if I have one or not. LOL

 

The grocery stores I have close to me are Walmart, Publix, Aldi, and a little farther out is a Whole Foods. We do have a Costco, but I have never been in it. Are there restrictions on membership?

 

Thankk you so much for responding. I keep telling myself that the flour, sugar, and old fashioned oats are not going to be weekly purchases. :lol:

[justasque]

Is it just really expensive to get started? Please tell me that I am not going to be buying nutritional yeast, ground flaxseed, and all that other stuff every week.

 

We are very plant-based and I never buy those things. Beans, lentils, and ordinary fruit and veg are just fine.

 

I ditto the suggestions for Trader Joe's, The More-With-Less cookbook, and finding a local CSA. A CSA is a farm where you pay up-front to help the farmer buy seeds, and in return get a share of the harvest every week. There's a learning curve but you'll change your eating habits and become a much better cook. It will of course spoil you as you'll get used to fresh, local veggies being the core of your food.

[mlbuchina]

We are very plant-based and I never buy those things. Beans, lentils, and ordinary fruit and veg are just fine.

 

I ditto the suggestions for Trader Joe's, The More-With-Less cookbook, and finding a local CSA. A CSA is a farm where you pay up-front to help the farmer buy seeds, and in return get a share of the harvest every week. There's a learning curve but you'll change your eating habits and become a much better cook. It will of course spoil you as you'll get used to fresh, local veggies being the core of your food.

 

How do you find a CSA? I also plan on growing some of my own veggies in some raised beds.

 

Thank you, everyone for your thoughts and advice!

[redsquirrel]

We are vegetarian (not vegan) and I spend less on groceries than anyone I know. But, I don't buy ground flaxseeds, lol.

 

I love Forks over Knives, but that really is jumping in the deep end first.

 

Just try changing one meal at at time. Get your breakfast in order and get about 4 breakfasts you like (and can afford) plus one 'fancy' for company. Then move on to lunches and then dinners. Slow steps that feel manageable and realistic are more likely to stick.

 

Brown rice and dry beans are cheap. So are oatmeal, cheerios and raisin bran. Apples, bananas and pears are not pricey. Cabbage and broccoli and potatoes and some frozen spinach don't cost much. Whole wheat pasta does cost a bit more than white flour pasta but it fills you up. If you can deal with tofu, that is also cheap. I only buy it a couple times a month.

 

And remember, Esselstyn is dealing with heart patients. His son (who also has a movie up on Netflix) doesn't suggest such a strict diet. He uses avocados and nuts in reasonable quantities. That gives a lot more flexibility than the diet prescribed by his dad. If you aren't facing bypass surgery then you don't need to be quite so spartan.

[justasque]

How do you find a CSA?

 

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

[WeeBeaks]

I second or third the Costco recommendation, especially if you have a business Costco in your area. Disclaimer - I'm not veggie/vegan. We do eat most meals meatless though. I find the absolute best prices at the business costco on garbanzo beans, rice, lentils, oats, all types of beans (business costco has more than double the varieties regular Costco does here) and organic veggies (regular too but especially organic). They also have whole aisles of frozen fruit for my green smoothies to go with the greens. :D

 

They are not cheapest on everything though so you still need to keep a price book to know your best prices in your area.

[HappyLady]

We're a family of 4 vegans and I do spend a lot of groceries, but like I always say, "Pay now or pay later." I don't want to be on tons of different medications when I'm older, nor seeing the doctor every week for a new ailment so I don't mind paying more now to feed my body the foods it needs to keep it healthy. :)

 

As far as items like nutritional yeast or flax seeds, those last forever so once you invest in some you won't have to worry about them for awhile. I've found that Amazon has some good deals on foods I like to buy. Or, if I want to save some money on milks, for instance, I just make my own. I don't know if you have a Vitamix or not (not sure if you can do it with a regular blender), but you could save money that way as well.

 

As others have mentioned, look for specialty stores. I'm lucky enough to have a few by me where I can get some good deals. A CSA is a great idea as well. Or try growing a garden to help to save on veggies and herbs.

 

Keep in mind that if you're going vegan you're most likely not going to be buying processed foods so that will save you money right there.

 

Once you start living this way it really won't phase you what you spend on your food because you'll feel so much better and won't want to go back to your old ways of eating and investing in your food and health will be worth it. :)

[Mynyel]

We have been working slowly over to "whole" foods for the last 6+ months.

 

Although it has been somewhat expensive for us (to be fair we have been building up or pantry with bulk stuff) it really is cheaper.

 

You are used to buying more because your body needs more to get the nutrients it needs in the "regular" foods you are eating. This is *especially* true if you eat processed foods. Once you start eating the "whole" foods you body will get the nutrients it needs and you won't need to eat as much and thus spend less.

 

As far as *saving* money. You can. It can also cost the same as before, however the health benefits are oh-so worth it!

 

:)

[stripe]

I want to do this. I want to eat more fruits and vegetables. Can anyone say sticker shock????

 

Is it just really expensive to get started? Please tell me that I am not going to be buying nutritional yeast, ground flaxseed, and all that other stuff every week.

 

Nutritional yeast? Yuck. I think my mom ate that in the 70s. No thanks. I don't drink soy milk either. I may have some flaxseed around, but I doubt I go through a bag a year. Anyhow nutritional yeast isn't exactly a fruit, so ... ;)

 

I shop primarily at ethnic grocery stores. There are stores with inexpensive produce near where I live. That may not be an option near you, but you'd be surprised.

 

I think meat is expensive. I don't eat very much of it.

[HappyLady]

What do people do with nutritional yeast that say they don't like it? I couldn't imagine my foods without it! I make a yummy broccoli and "cheese" soup with it that gets requested by family and friends when they come over to eat. I add it to red sauces and you don't even know it's in there. I add it to pestos and it makes it sooooo much better. Oh, and then there's my alfredo sauce..... :drool5:

 

You're not eating it straight, are you? I mean, it can be good that way too (on popcorn and such) but if you're adding it to foods it's sooooo good! :)

[Snickerdoodle]

I want to do this. I want to eat more fruits and vegetables. Can anyone say sticker shock????

 

We are not vegetarian. However, when people here start threads about feeding their family of 6 on $50 dollars a week (only slightly hyperbolic) I think first that they must not be eating very many real foods.

 

Fruits and vegetables can be expensive. I try very hard not to buy out of season.

[Jane in NC]

I would encourage you to get into the seasonal swing. Do you have any "pick your own" places near you? I love picking strawberries, blueberries and blackberries (despite the thorns). We gorge ourselves on these seasonal fruits but I also make jam and freeze some. Just yesterday I made a peach pie with peaches frozen from last summer's crop.

 

Can you buy a bushel of sweet potatoes in the fall? Just store them in a cool place.

 

Also, salad greens may not be economical but frozen spinach is. How about kale? Introduce your family to seasonal veggies. One thing that I make regularly in the cooler months is roasted roots. While turnips don't excite me, if I roast a turnip or two with a sweet potato, a couple of parsnips and carrots and anything else that is around (golden beet, white potato, etc.), the outcome is delicious.

 

We love beans. I regularly make vats of bean soups and stews. Bob's Red Mill makes some nice bean/grain mixes with simple recipes on the packages. We are not vegetarians so I often use homemade stock in these concoctions.

 

And I will add another vote for ethnic markets. While the Asian market near us does not have organic produce, we can get a nice variety of fresh veggies very inexpensively.

[warriormom]

Really organic carrots, parsley (for green shakes), spinach, bananas etc are really inexpensive. I think I saw on a video that we are the first generation to spend only 15% on our groceries. Our food is so cheap thanks to corn, high fructose corn syrup and corn feed for animals. King of Corn is another eye opening film.

[Zebra]

Cutting out meat saved me a lot on groceries. Now I have the money for other things, like fruit. If you cut down your meat, you would save a lot. Don't think of meat as the main part of every meal.

 

We eat a lot of whole grains and beans. I'm not into nutritional yeast and all that stuff, I don't feel like I need it. We still eat yogurt and eggs etc. I think a vegan has to worry more about supplements, which is obviously my opinion :lol:!!!

[Momof3littles]

We do PYO strawberries and blueberries and freeze enough to last us for the year whenever possible.

 

We have a local produce discounter. It is very no frills, but there are some amazing deals. They don't carry many organics so I focus on buying non dirty dozen items. I can get 12 medium turnips for 1.50, 6 nice sized parsnips for 1.50, etc. We eat LC so we eat a lot of those types of veggies.

 

Ethnic groceries sometimes have good prices on produce or certain items like rice, coconut milk, etc. I don't do grains but if you do, I've heard it is a great place to look for good deals.

 

We garden, but the upstart makes it a bit expensive. I don't think we really save money but it is possible to do so depending on how you do it.

 

When my toddler eats half a banana, half an avocado, etc. I toss those into the freezer and they get added to smoothies another day.

[HappyLady]

I think a vegan has to worry more about supplements, which is obviously my opinion :lol:!!!

 

Not really. :) As long as you're eating a well-balanced diet you don't need any supplements. Obviously, there are times when anyone would need them, but vegans don't need them any more than an omnivore does. Just thought I'd let everyone know that. :)

[Pretty in Pink]

If you are cutting back on dairy and meat, or cutting them out completely, then you can channel those savings towards other purchases.

 

That said, our grocery bill is high. We spend just about 20% of our income (after taxes) on food, and that is shopping at the base commissary, where prices are low, and the farmer's market.

 

Does anyone know what percentage of your budget is supposed to go to groceries?

[DaffodilDreams]

We've found this way of eating to be cheaper than a meat or processed foods diet. We do grow some of our own produce, but we also rotate our shopping list according to what's on sale. We hit orchards, pick in bulk, and freeze a lot. We've used a co-op, too, but the delivery fee jumped so much it's just no longer worth it. 1/3 of my family still wants meat every now and then, but it's no longer the main entree. This decision was purely financial, not ethics-based. It's just our new normal thanks to the rising cost of groceries.

 

P.s. we also shop at our farmer's market april - oct, but i could easily spend a fortune there, so i have to be careful.

Edited March 16, 2012 by kimmie38017

I second the recommendation to find a CSA, if you live in an area that has them. If you do find a CSA, see if your insurance will give you a healthy eating rebate. Our CSA costs about $600 for about 16 weeks of produce, but our insurance company pays us $200 for joining the CSA, so it comes down to about $25 / week for more produce than a family of five can eat. Also, it really forces the way you cook and eat, and that change can be difficult, but it is a healthy change. "OMG we've got five pounds of kale to eat before our next pickup tomorrow, and who knows what's going to be in that one".

[RoundAbout]

I don't eat a plant based diet (I'm actually a low-carber) but we eat a ton of veggies and find that vegetables are usually pretty cheap using a combination of ethnic markets, farmers market, Costco, and buying seasonally/on-sale. I don't eat fruit which helps a lot as it tends to be more expensive and heavy, so you get less if you are buying by the pound.

[Wolfmeis]

I second or third the Costco recommendation, especially if you have a business Costco in your area. Disclaimer - I'm not veggie/vegan. We do eat most meals meatless though. I find the absolute best prices at the business costco on garbanzo beans, rice, lentils, oats, all types of beans (business costco has more than double the varieties regular Costco does here) and organic veggies (regular too but especially organic). They also have whole aisles of frozen fruit for my green smoothies to go with the greens. :D

 

They are not cheapest on everything though so you still need to keep a price book to know your best prices in your area.

 

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!! I am IN LOVE with business Costco and I can't get any of my friends to go! They think it is just me being a weird former chef.

[Wolfmeis]

Not really. :) As long as you're eating a well-balanced diet you don't need any supplements. Obviously, there are times when anyone would need them, but vegans don't need them any more than an omnivore does. Just thought I'd let everyone know that. :)

 

I'm going to respectfully suggest that we do need b12 supplements....

[StephanieZ]

Sam's Club is a great resource, IME.

 

1 lb massive tub of baby spinach: $4

(also about $4 for similar size organic baby field greens, but they go bad very quickly, so when we buy them, I make sure to use them up in a few days. The spinach is much sturdier and lasts at least a week.)

3 lb bag of broccoli florets: $4

6 red/yellow/orange bell peppers: $7

 

They also have great prices on many other veggies, depending on the season. Potatoes, onions, various fruits, etc are often awesome prices.

 

I also use Amazon for quinoa, flax seed oil, and some other specialty items.

[HappyLady]

I'm going to respectfully suggest that we do need b12 supplements....

 

I think it depends on what you're eating. A lot of foods are supplemented with B12. I've been tested probably 5 or 6 times and have never, ever been low in anything and I don't supplement. Other people I know (omnivores) have been low on just about everything.

 

So I'll agree that if you aren't getting your B12 through foods, then you should supplement, but that goes for just about anything that's lacking in your diet. :)

[KidsHappen]

I'm going to respectfully suggest that we do need b12 supplements....

 

And iron if you are a vegetarian woman. All of my girls are slightly anemic and I am as well even though I eat some meat.

[Pretty in Pink]

]I think it depends on what you're eating. A lot of foods are supplemented with B12[/b]. I've been tested probably 5 or 6 times and have never' date=' ever been low in anything and I don't supplement. Other people I know (omnivores) have been low on just about everything.

 

So I'll agree that if you aren't getting your B12 through foods, then you should supplement, but that goes for just about anything that's lacking in your diet. :)[/quote']

 

I think if one is eating processed grain products (breads, cereals, pasta, flours, snack bars, crackers) this is probably true. If one is making those items completely from scratch (milling their own grains) then they will need a supplement.

[Zebra]

Ironically, I was anemic when I was a meat eater, and now I'm not.

 

Life is too funny sometimes :D!

[redsquirrel]

And iron if you are a vegetarian woman. All of my girls are slightly anemic and I am as well even though I eat some meat.

I dunno, popeye did ok with only spinach. Actually, there is lots of iron to be found in the vegetable world. And even non-veg can avoid supplementation by cooking in cast iron pans. When I was pg I fixed a very low iron level by drinking nettle and raspberry leaf tea. A serving of cream of wheat has about 50% of the RDA of iron and that has no meat.

 

And many people are considered low iron, but that is how their bodies work. There is a big variety in how much iron we all need. I tend to show up low iron even when taking supplements.

[abacus2]

Aldi's is another great place to shop for produce.

[Jenny in Florida]

Is it just really expensive to get started? Please tell me that I am not going to be buying nutritional yeast, ground flaxseed, and all that other stuff every week.

 

 

I've been vegetarian for about 25 years, vegan for 15, and I've never bought nutritional yeast or ground flaxseed.

 

I don't think it's necessary.

 

We just eat food, without the animal products. We're all healthy as horses.

[Jenny in Florida]

I think a vegan has to worry more about supplements, which is obviously my opinion :lol:!!!

 

Why would you think that?

 

The only "supplements" we use are vegan-friendly protein powders I use for smoothies for my son. They are part of my regular grocery budget and not terribly expensive, even when I buy them at the frou-frou natural foods market. (I usually spend about $70 every three months on them.)

[Jenny in Florida]

I'm going to respectfully suggest that we do need b12 supplements....

 

The jury is still out on that, as far as I can tell. And, as I said, I've been at this a long time (and have two vegan-from-birth teenagers).

 

However, B-12 is easy, if you eat any fortified products at all. Both of the soymilks my kids like have B-12, as does the aforementioned protein powder. Heck, last time I checked, even most dry cereals have the stuff.

 

And iron if you are a vegetarian woman. All of my girls are slightly anemic and I am as well even though I eat some meat.

 

Same goes for this as for B-12. Most soymilks and many other foods are already fortified with iron.

 

Similar to someone else's experience, I was anemic when I was an ovo-lacto vegetarian. However, I've been fine since going vegan.

Edited March 16, 2012 by Jenny in Florida

[HappyLady]

Ironically, I was anemic when I was a meat eater, and now I'm not.

 

Life is too funny sometimes :D!

 

Same here!!! For YEARS my doctors kept telling me to do "this" and do "that" because I was anemic. I followed their advice and it didn't help. Then, I went vegetarian. The next time I was checked their exact words were, "Well I don't know what you're doing, but keep it up!" I told them I went veg and they looked at me like, "Oh no, that can't possibly be it." Yet, I've never been anemic since! :D

[HappyLady]

I think if one is eating processed grain products (breads, cereals, pasta, flours, snack bars, crackers) this is probably true. If one is making those items completely from scratch (milling their own grains) then they will need a supplement.

 

I still don't think you need a supplement. I've known raw vegans who don't supplement and have never been low on B12. One thing to know is that there are a lot of factors involved when it comes to being low in B12. In a normal, healthy person, B12 deficiencies are rare because your body stores it for years and years and uses it as needed. It also recycles it. So as long as you have a healthy gut/flora you should be fine. There's really so much more to B12 and it would take me all day to write about it, but bottom line is, just because you're vegan it doesn't automatically mean you need to supplement with B12 (or anything for that matter).

[SewingMom2many]

We are vegan and I try to feed my family lots of veggies and fruits (Fuhrman/McDougall style). We use Azure Standard, Aldi's, and an ethnic grocery store. I'll probably buy some things from the farmer's market this summer. Thanks to this thread, I'm going to check out Costco. There is one by my dd's house about an hour away so I can stop there when I visit her. Is there a membership fee to Costco?

 

We've never needed supplements, my iron levels have always been fine except the time I decided not to be vegan lol - I went vegetarian and ate eggs and cheese for a time and was anemic for a little while during that time but then I was breastfeeding and pregnant at the same time.

 

We LOVE nutritional yeast. I can't imagine that someone doesn't like it. I think it has a nutty/cheesy kind of flavor. I'm not sure what you are paying for flax seed meal but I buy the flax seeds and put them in one of those Mr. Coffee bean grinders as I need them. Keeps them fresh and it's super cheap (a dollar or two a pound).

 

We used to belong to a CSA but we had to go and pick the veggies and I had a hard time with that because I was pregnant and some of the kids were too little. I probably won't do that again but the price wasn't bad.

 

I really don't feel like we spend much on groceries - usually about $50-$75 a week I guess and that's for 5 people currently living at home. It was much more when we ate cheese, milk, and eggs. Plus even if we did spend a little more, we almost never get sick so we've saved a large sum of money on healthcare and I'd be fine with spending more at the grocery store.

[Jennifer in MI]

We are vegan and I try to feed my family lots of veggies and fruits (Fuhrman/McDougall style). We use Azure Standard, Aldi's, and an ethnic grocery store. I'll probably buy some things from the farmer's market this summer. Thanks to this thread, I'm going to check out Costco. There is one by my dd's house about an hour away so I can stop there when I visit her. Is there a membership fee to Costco?

 

We've never needed supplements, my iron levels have always been fine except the time I decided not to be vegan lol - I went vegetarian and ate eggs and cheese for a time and was anemic for a little while during that time but then I was breastfeeding and pregnant at the same time.

 

We LOVE nutritional yeast. I can't imagine that someone doesn't like it. I think it has a nutty/cheesy kind of flavor. I'm not sure what you are paying for flax seed meal but I buy the flax seeds and put them in one of those Mr. Coffee bean grinders as I need them. Keeps them fresh and it's super cheap (a dollar or two a pound).

 

We used to belong to a CSA but we had to go and pick the veggies and I had a hard time with that because I was pregnant and some of the kids were too little. I probably won't do that again but the price wasn't bad.

 

I really don't feel like we spend much on groceries - usually about $50-$75 a week I guess and that's for 5 people currently living at home. It was much more when we ate cheese, milk, and eggs. Plus even if we did spend a little more, we almost never get sick so we've saved a large sum of money on healthcare and I'd be fine with spending more at the grocery store.

 

How do you do it on $50 - $75week? Seriously? I'm dying over here. Last week I spent $250! Most of that was fresh fruit and veggies. We aren't vegetarian, but I do try to have most meals with the veggies as the main dish with meat to flavor it or as a side dish. Do you mind posting meal ideas? We eat a lot of vegetarian/vegan meals (maybe three - four times/week).

[ravinlunachick]

Do some googling and see if there is an Indian or halal market near you. IME, you can't beat their prices for beans and "other" flours. Their produce (esp. herbs) and spices are often significantly cheaper as well.

 

Of course, that may not be helpful if you are looking only for organics, but it's worth asking.

[Random]

How do you do it on $50 - $75week? Seriously? I'm dying over here. Last week I spent $250! Most of that was fresh fruit and veggies. We aren't vegetarian, but I do try to have most meals with the veggies as the main dish with meat to flavor it or as a side dish. Do you mind posting meal ideas? We eat a lot of vegetarian/vegan meals (maybe three - four times/week).

 

I'm interested, too! $50-$75 per week for five people is amazing! I'd love to see some menu plans and recipes, if SewingMom2many would be willing to share.

[stripe]

And iron if you are a vegetarian woman. All of my girls are slightly anemic and I am as well even though I eat some meat.

 

A lot of processed foods are supplemented esp cold and hot breakfast cereals. Btw I was eating some halva, made with sesame seeds, and 2 oz has 25% of iron RDA.

[SewingMom2many]

How do you do it on $50 - $75week? Seriously? I'm dying over here. Last week I spent $250! Most of that was fresh fruit and veggies. We aren't vegetarian, but I do try to have most meals with the veggies as the main dish with meat to flavor it or as a side dish. Do you mind posting meal ideas? We eat a lot of vegetarian/vegan meals (maybe three - four times/week).

Wow, I can't imagine spending $250! I try to only go to the store every other week so that helps a lot. At the ethnic store I can pretty much fill up the cart with fresh produce and it's under $100. Besides that, I buy bulk grains and dried beans and peas once a month through Azure Standard and odds and ends I try to get at Aldi's. Sometimes I'll splurge on prepared soymilk or maybe some tofu but I try to make those things when I have time. I make lots of stuff from scratch too so that helps a lot.

 

I can't seem to export from my meal planner but here are some things we eat for dinners. For meals that aren't veggie based like salad or stir fry we have veggie sides; steamed broccoli, kale chips, roasted carrots, potatoes, asparagus, etc.

 

I can give you more dinner ideas or recipes if you like. Just let me know :)

I keep thinking I should make some Youtube videos on how I make some of this stuff because people ask me on a regular basis. Plus my daughters who have gotten married call and ask "how do you make...." and I'd love to just point them to a video lol

 

--Dinner Ideas--

Dinner salad

Stir Fry with rice

Burritos (homemade burritos shells or cheap corn ones - the flat ones where are about 50 in a bag)

Veggie Burgers (usually black bean) w/homemade buns

Honey Baked Lentils (I found that recipe on here and it's a winner!)

Mac and Cheese (homemade vegan cheese sauce)

Vegan hot dogs (from scratch and buns that I make)

Chili (from dried beans)

WW Pasta with red sauce (I get whatever cheap sauce is the healthiest I can get for a decent price)

Black Bean soup

Mock Turkey w/stuffing (a tofu dish)

Nachos (I make the corn chips with those cheap corn tortilla shells) with refried beans I make from dried pintos, vegan cheese sauce, romaine, and tomatoes

[Jennifer in MI]

Wow, I can't imagine spending $250! I try to only go to the store every other week so that helps a lot. At the ethnic store I can pretty much fill up the cart with fresh produce and it's under $100. Besides that, I buy bulk grains and dried beans and peas once a month through Azure Standard and odds and ends I try to get at Aldi's. Sometimes I'll splurge on prepared soymilk or maybe some tofu but I try to make those things when I have time. I make lots of stuff from scratch too so that helps a lot.

 

I can't seem to export from my meal planner but here are some things we eat for dinners. For meals that aren't veggie based like salad or stir fry we have veggie sides; steamed broccoli, kale chips, roasted carrots, potatoes, asparagus, etc.

 

I can give you more dinner ideas or recipes if you like. Just let me know :)

I keep thinking I should make some Youtube videos on how I make some of this stuff because people ask me on a regular basis. Plus my daughters who have gotten married call and ask "how do you make...." and I'd love to just point them to a video lol

 

--Dinner Ideas--

Dinner salad

Stir Fry with rice

Burritos (homemade burritos shells or cheap corn ones - the flat ones where are about 50 in a bag)

Veggie Burgers (usually black bean) w/homemade buns

Honey Baked Lentils (I found that recipe on here and it's a winner!)

Mac and Cheese (homemade vegan cheese sauce)

Vegan hot dogs (from scratch and buns that I make)

Chili (from dried beans)

WW Pasta with red sauce (I get whatever cheap sauce is the healthiest I can get for a decent price)

Black Bean soup

Mock Turkey w/stuffing (a tofu dish)

Nachos (I make the corn chips with those cheap corn tortilla shells) with refried beans I make from dried pintos, vegan cheese sauce, romaine, and tomatoes

 

I think our food must just be more expensive (plus, we do eat meat, eggs, and milk). I do quite a lot of these meals. We do black bean burgers once/week with homemade buns. I usually add to that meal homemade french fries (I cook up 10#of potatoes ($6)), 2# of broccoli ($5), and a salad (romaine, tomatoes, avacado, carrots, and feta cheese with homemade dressings). I have no idea how much a salad costs each night. I pretty much figure dinners cost around $20. Most of the time I make enough that there's plenty for lunch the next day too.

 

I also do ww pasta with sauce (jarred), but I'll add a pound of meat to it (two jars of sauce for three pounds of pasta). The pasta is $1.39/pound. Jarred sauce is $3.49 each. Pound of beef is $4.99. Add to that a side dish of roasted veggies (at least $5) and a salad and it's up there.

 

Ugh. I think maybe my problem is that I have teenaged boys and they are killing me! They go through two pounds of peanut butter/week ($3.99 each), two jars of jelly ($3.49), 7 dozen eggs ($3/dozen), 1 gallon milk ($7), probably $20 worth of frozen fruit/week, at least $40 worth of frozen veggies/week, etc, etc, etc. It all just adds up.

 

We also belong to a food coop where we get all our rice, beans, oats, nuts, seeds, etc in bulk.

 

I do still need to try the honey lentils! Everyone here likes lentils - thank goodness!!! Oh - and split pea soup! Do you do that? I have a REALLY cheap recipe if you'd like (and it's vegan!).

[stripe]

I cook up 10#of potatoes ($6)

 

Wow.

[Jennifer in MI]

Wow.

 

:lol: Wow for the 10# or the $6?

 

I set aside enough for lunch the next day too. I've gotta fill these boys up! My 15 yo eats at least four times as much as I do. The 14 yo isn't far behind. They eat at least six meals/day. (They are all very athletic and work out VERY hard, FWIW)

[butterflymommy]

What I've eaten today so far (it hasn't been a perfect day but this will give you an idea):

 

8 cups of romaine lettuce (one huge head of romaine costs about $3, lasts me three days)

 

bananas

 

whole wheat with hummus (both homemade)

 

2 eggs and some cookies (oops)

 

apples

 

 

I eat lots of bagged fruit, bananas, romaine, broccoli, nuts, beans, homemade whole wheat bread... honestly it's all very cheap.

[mlbuchina]

Wow! Thank you everyone for your input. I'm beginning to think that it really is just "start up" cost. LOL I think once I get in the kitchen and start preparing meals, finding out what we like and don't like, the budget will get tweaked.

 

Any favorite recipes would be appreciated, too. I have no idea how to cook all these veggies!

[LibraryLover]

double post, sorry!

Edited March 17, 2012 by LibraryLover

[mlbuchina]

What I've eaten today so far (it hasn't been a perfect day but this will give you an idea):

 

8 cups of romaine lettuce (one huge head of romaine costs about $3, lasts me three days)

 

bananas

 

whole wheat with hummus (both homemade)

 

2 eggs and some cookies (oops)

 

apples

 

 

I eat lots of bagged fruit, bananas, romaine, broccoli, nuts, beans, homemade whole wheat bread... honestly it's all very cheap.

 

And you aren't hungry? I have always had the feeling that salad just doesn't last that long. I'll eat one, but then in an hour I'm hungry again. Does this pass as you begin to get accustomed to eating more plant based?