PLANTPLATE

Many people are concerned that eating healthy means spending a lot of money on food. I can tell you with great assurance that this is just not true! Of course, it can be costly if you are buying specialty vegan foods, premium produce items, or various “super food” concoctions. But none of that is really necessary. Almost all the recipes on this website are made with everyday ingredients, most of which you can find at your local supermarket.

Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge that the idea of a “restricted budget” is pretty subjective. To put things in perspective, let's talk numbers: I've eaten a whole foods plant-based diet on less than $25.00 per week (for 3 generous meals a day, plus snacks). A lot of people will spend that amount on a single restaurant meal. Of course, food prices vary from suburb to city, from city to region, and from region to country, but I’ve seen similar food budgets achieved plant-based folks all around the world. No matter whether it’s $2, or $10 a day you’re budgeting for food, these simple pointers can help you stay healthy at an affordable price.

 

KNOW WHERE TO SHOP

If you’re lucky, your local supermarket will have good prices on generic brands, as well as produce, and you’ll be able to get everything you need there. But sometimes, in order to make big savings, you need to source your groceries from a few different locations. Some of my favourite places to check out for food bargains are:

• Local markets for great deals on fresh produce
• Discount ($1) stores for diced tomatoes, beans, frozen vegetables and seasonings
• Local ethnic supermarkets (Asian, Indian, Middle-Eastern, etc.) for rice, tofu, legumes, dried herbs and spices
• Stores with bulk-bins (including organic or health food supermarkets) for grains and legumes, as well as measured portions of dried herbs, spices and seeds

 

KNOW WHAT TO BUY

There are certain foods that seem to be very affordable no matter where you are in the world. These include:

• Oats and oatmeal
• Brown rice
• Whole wheat pasta
• Potatoes and / or sweet potatoes
• Dry beans, peas and lentils
• Frozen Vegetables
• Shelf-stable tomato products, ie. diced tomatoes, pureed tomatoes and tomato paste

You can rely on these staples, or other inexpensive whole grains, then add in whichever fresh fruits and vegetables you can get at a good price. This usually means buying in season, or checking for discount deals in the produce section. Carrots, cabbages, spinach, bananas and apples are some of my favourite affordable options. Also be sure to check local Asian grocery stores for bargain prices on tofu and leafy greens!

When it comes to seasonings, dried herbs and spices are a simple and economical way to add flavour to your food. I usually buy 100g bags for $2 from an Indian spice market, and they last at least a couple of months. You can also check for deals and generic brands at the supermarket, or buy small quantities from bulk sections at health food stores if you’re living week to week on your paycheck.

 

LEARN HOW TO PLAN & COOK ACCORDINGLY

Being frugal and healthy generally means preparing a lot of your food from scratch. But with a little planning, this doesn't have to equate to hours spent in the kitchen every single day. In order to save both time and money, I recommend that you:  

• Plan a weekly menu: Look at what you’ve bought, figure out how many servings there are of each ingredient, and plan your meals for the days ahead. This frees up plenty of time during the week, and also ensures that you’ll make use of everything you bought.
• Prepare your own legumes: Dry legumes are normally half to a quarter of the price of canned, so they'll save you lots over the course of a month. I recommend soaking and cooking legumes in large batches, then freezing leftover portions, to save time. Check out this guide to preparing legumes if you'd like to learn more.
• Cook grains in double or triple batches: Most whole grains take between 40 and 60 minutes to cook, so I'd suggest making enough for 3-4 meals at a time, and refrigerating the extra portions. You can refer to this grain cooking guide for extra info.
• Choose recipes that freeze well: Soups, stews, curries and casseroles can all be made in with inexpensive ingredients such as lentils, beans, potatoes, and frozen vegetables. Better still, they can be prepared in large quantities, then frozen in portions for lunches and dinners throughout the week.
• Get baking: This one’s not really vital, but it will come in handy for some. Baking muffins, cookies and breads at home using whole grain flours and plant-based ingredients means you can treat yourself once in a while, without breaking the bank. You can freeze the extras for up to one month, and defrost as needed. Check out the baking recipe section for healthy recipes.

 

MY $3.50 A DAY GROCERY LIST

Fortunately, I don’t always need to to keep my food budget $3.50 a day. But I have in the past, both out of necessity for many years (as a student) and for the purpose of experimentation. On my most recent shopping expedition, I decided to shop for myself and my husband for a week, on a budget of just $3.50 per person, per day ($49.00 total for the whole week). Here's what we ended up with:

Food	Quantity	Price (in US Dollars)
Oats	1 kg / 2.2 lb. bag	$1.89
Brown Rice	1 kg / 2.2 lb. bag	$1.99
Whole Wheat Pasta	1 kg / 2.2 lb. bag	$2.98
Brown Lentils	500g / 1 lb. bag	$1.49
Chickpeas	500g / 1 lb. bag	$1.72
Bananas	2.5kg / 5.5 lb. / 14 med.	$4.20
Apples	2 kg / 4lb. / 14 small	$3.99
Carrots	1 kg / 2.2 lb. bag	$1.79
Onions	1kg / 2 lb. / 10 med.	$1.98
Potatoes	2.5kg / 5 lb. / 14 med.	$3.79
Garlic	1 med. bulb	$0.50
Green Beans (frozen)	1kgg / 2.2 lb. bag	$1.99
Tomatoes	1kg / 2 lb. / 7 med.	$1.49
Broccoli	1kg / 2.2 lb.	$2.65
Green Cabbage	1 large head	$1.29
Frozen Spinach	1 kg / 2.2 lb. bag	$2.29
Frozen Peas	900g / 2 lb. bag	$1.99
Diced Tomatoes	2 x 800g / 28 oz. cans	$2.00
Brown Rice Cakes, Unsalted	2 x 100g / 3.5oz. packs	$1.38
Seedless Raisins	250g / 9oz. bag	$1.79
Flax Seeds	100g / 3.5 oz.	$0.76
Curry Powder	50g. / 1.7 oz. Jar	$1.00
Chili Powder	50g. / 1.7 oz. Jar	$1.00
Italian Herb Mix	10g. / 0.7 oz. Jar	$1.79
Cinnamon	50g. / 1.7 oz. Jar	$1.00

 

TOTAL = $48.74 for 2 people / $3.48 per person, per day

(Please note: I acknowledge that these items may be more expensive depending on your location. I have, however, compared prices in different regions across 3 continents, and while there were variations, most of the foods I bought were consistently inexpensive by local standards.)

So what does this list equate to, in terms of meals?

Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal, with cinnamon, raisins, sliced banana, and flax seeds.

For lunch, I made a huge pot of soup using the lentils, potatoes, peas and diced tomatoes, plus some onions, garlic, chili and curry powders. This was enough for lunches for the whole week! We kept 3-4 days’ worth in the fridge, then froze the rest in 2-serve portions for the remaining days.

Dinner meals were alternated. I made two different stews:

1. Onion, garlic, curry powder, chickpeas, spinach and cabbage
2. Onion, garlic, chickpeas, spinach, broccoli, diced tomatoes and Italian herbs

The first stew was served with a generous portion of brown rice, and the second with the whole wheat pasta.

Snacks included apples, carrot sticks, and brown rice cakes with sliced tomatoes.

I think that given the budget, the variety is actually pretty impressive! I managed to buy a week’s worth of flax seeds and oats from the bulk section at a local organic supermarket. Everything else came from my local grocery store, where I bought in-season produce and generic brands as much as possible. The quantities of curry powder, chili powder and cinnamon purchased would last at least 2 weeks, which would make the following week’s bill slightly cheaper.

In short? The next time you're wondering if you can afford to eat whole foods plant-based, remember: the answer is yes!

 

If you'd like a more detailed guide to eating plant-based on a budget, with recipes, grocery lists, and additional information, be sure to check out my book, Whole Food Plant Based on $5 a Day. (Also available as an eBook here).