I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for new ways to save money, especially while on my weekly shop to the supermarket. There are many ways you can be a frugal vegan while eating an abundance of vegan food, and with these tips & some creativity you can easily thrive as a vegan on a budget. Even the smallest changes can make a big difference to your bank account at the end of the month. And if you’re already eating a plant-based diet, then you’ve more than likely adopted some or most of these tips already.
Buy supermarket own brands
They’re usually cheaper and just as good (if not better) as the best selling brand. Plus, who doesn’t love a good bargain? A lot of the own store brands are sometimes vegan because they are the cheap version and therefore have less ingredients (for example, only the cheap store branded garlic breads are vegan in most supermarkets). A lot of the time big supermarkets don’t add things like milk & eggs to keep it cheap to make, which works out amazing for vegans who don’t want milk or eggs in the product in the first place!
Take advantage of the sale & reduced items
Items are always reduced at the end of the day & a lot of things go on sale so keep an eye out for the deals. Holland & Barrett do a “buy one get one for a penny” sale which is always handy when stocking up on bulk items such as nuts & seeds.
Base your meal around grains & beans
Sweet potatoes, store-brand wholegrain rice & pasta are all cheap, healthy & filling! Dried beans & legumes are all really cheap to buy in bulk, but tinned beans with low sodium & salt are also a good option.
Use Pinterest
Instead of buying hundreds of vegan recipe books, go on Pinterest and look at the abundance of vegan recipes floating around. You will NEVER run out of ideas by using Pinterest, it’s just not possible.
Buy frozen
I buy a lot of frozen food, or I buy fresh and I freeze it, just so that I don’t have to worry about anything going off quickly & wasting money. Frozen fruit is perfect for smoothies, and its cheaper than buying fresh. I buy bulk frozen mango, blueberries, raspberries & pineapple ready for morning green smoothie.
Plan your meals ahead
This is the most important one. If you plan your meals, then you know what food you need to buy in advance and you won’t feel so lost at the supermarket with the thousands of brands on offer. I find most of my meal plan inspiration on Pinterest because it’s all free and there are SO many amazing vegan recipes. Not sure what to meals to make?
Start meal prepping
I am obsessed with storage containers, tupperwear & especially glass containers
Buy in bulk
It’s always cheaper in the long run and if you buy in bulk when certain items are on offer then you are saving so much money!
Grow your own food
I’d love to be able to grow my own food, but right now, it’s not practical for me, and I know a lot of people are the same. But if you have garden with some space, try it out!
Forget the fake meat alternatives
It can get pretty expensive buying the faux meat & cheeses, however. If you’re a newbie vegan then I would definitely recommend fake meat alternatives. Only buy the meat alternatives that are on special offer that week, and if you’re as frugal as me, try using vegetables as meat alternatives.
Forget the tinned soup
Get a few ingredients, make it yourself and keep a few portions in the fridge for the remainder of the week. Most vegan soups you can make with cheap & basic ingredients. Some affordable soups to make are tomato & basil, carrot & coriander, broccoli & coconut milk & cauliflower & garlic.
Create simple recipes
Cooking as a vegan doesn’t have to be complicated, long or expensive. All the recipes I make on a daily basis take no time to make and taste yummy as fuck. And if you’re struggling for inspiration, try some of these easy vegan recipes on a budget.
Pack your own lunch
If you’re a busy vegan looking to save money, then packing a lunch on a daily basis is a must. Treat yourself to a perfectly organised glass container, and fill it up the evening before with as much vegan goodness as you can fit so you’re ready to demolish it the next day!
Keep your leftovers
I always have a habit of making too much food, especially when I’m hungry and my eyes are too big for my belly and I make enough food to feed the whole street. Keeping your leftovers in the fridge or freezer means that you’ve got tomorrows lunch sorted and you’re not wasting any food. I use a zip lock freezer bag to keep all my food stored away or these handy storage bags which keeps your leftovers sealed and fresh – these are definitely worth the investment!
Buy fresh from your local market
This obviously depends on where you live, but if you look around, sometimes your local market can be cheaper than the big supermarkets.
Buy in season
When fruit & veg is in season, it’s way cheaper. Check out the fruit/veg section in your local supermarket to see what they have on offer this month. I went to the market recently and ended up buying the biggest bag of apricots for £1. I can’t wait to see what kind of recipes I can make with them!
Make it yourself
If I am ever craving something that I’ve seen online, in a restaurant or in a supermarket I always take a picture of it and go home to make it myself. Supermarkets are releasing their own ranges of vegan products, which is brilliant because they’re giving vegans more options… But a lot of the basic microwave meals are expensive considering you can make it at home for half the price, double the portion and without the added salt and preservatives. Don’t buy into it; make everything yourself & experiment with your cooking – it’s cheaper, its healthier & you’ll more than likely gain some mad cooking skills.
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3 Comments
I absolutely love making my own soups, so much tastier than tins, or at least I think so, I’ve not had a tin in sooo long! And so much cheaper, especially if you’ve got a load of leftover veg to use up!
I agree, they are soooo much tastier & cheaper!
I’m still trying to make meal planning a habit. It can be hard sometimes, especially when my shopping days are not the same. But I try. But I always make sure that what I buy is always the produce in season.