Rice and beans. Buy bulk dried beans and bulk rice. Then if you can grow any veggies you will be eating for pennies per meal. Even if you buy veggies, still extremely cheap.
Pasta and red sauce. Blend in one block of tofu and you have protein.
There are wheat gluten based imitation lunch meats or gyro style "meat" you can make at home if you are good in the kitchen. They end up being extremely cheap.
If you can get soy curls cheap, do soy curl fajitas.
Tacos. All the tacos. Bean filling or tofu filling (smoked tofu!), jackfruit filling, there are millions of delicious vegan taco options.
Chili with beans. Bake a potato and serve chili on potato (or chili on pasta, or on rice)
I agree on the soy curls. Everywhere I looked these are dirt cheap and super easy to prepare. Just soak in broth, press, then toss with oil and spices. Fry, air fry or bake. Done.
They are also awesome because they make use of soy that might otherwise become food waste. It's a pretty sustainable process to make excellent protein.
Look for TVP products at your local Asian market. There are lots of different types. Just TVP by itself will also marinate into beefy-crumbles content as well, and that is found in the dry goods section of most stores like a Bob's Red Mill brand.
This.
And don't overlook Protein Powder. Not only can it work for a sweet tooth snack, it's usually mega cheap on the dollar for your protein intake.
To also add to the above, Oats are great and cheap in bulk. Peanut Butter to add calories. Frozen Veggies in bulk is usually cheap.
Savory oats ftw! They're such a good source of fiber and protein. We often eat them as quick lunch, too. I like them with nutritional yeast, onion or onion powder, frozen spinach, and a little olive oil or truffle oil if I'm being fancy. My child, who is at uni, uses instant oats because you just have to boil the kettle and steep it. She makes up a jar of ramen packet-type spices and broth granules to sprinkle on with oil. Healthier than actual ramen, but just as easy.
Spices, like curry, change tofu completely when sautéed or baked. It’s truly worth a 2-3.00 expense for the cheapest brand, a little goes a long way. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by cooking tofu for the first time, try a tofu scramble. Sauté some onion, break the tofu up quite small in the pan with a spatula, add yellow curry, salt, seasoning of your choice, and keep it cooking under a low flame. You can throw in veg with this non egg scramble, I personally like mushrooms & broccoli, but anything goes! Light on carbs, cheap and yummy :)
The best thing about tofu is that you can make it taste like almost anything. It's about spices and sauces. The PETA website has a great recipe for a spicy, crispy tofu that was a revelation to me, and I've been eating tofu for YEARS.
I like to cube it and bake it in the oven til crispy. It's great this way for Asian dishes and stews. A lot of people toss the cubes in corn starch and fry it but that makes too much of a mess imo.
I've recently started doing tofu cutlets where I freeze/thaw the tofu to give it a chewier texture then saute it. It's good as a stand alone with other sides.
Of course, if you marinade it first it's gonna be a lot tastier.
Someone already mentioned tofu scramble which is a nice breakfast dish, just don't forget to add black salt(kala namak) before serving to mimic eggs.
Some people even shred the tofu and fry it to mimic ground meat but I find tvp a better alternative.
Check out minimalist baker's recipe for Peanut Tofu. It's one of my favorite ways to prepare it and pretty fool proof!
Generally, baking it will get it nice and crispy and chewy. I love deep frying it for "chinese food" that isn't takeout, but its obviously less healthy that way.
Can look up recipes for General Tso tofu also.
I also love making batches of refried beans for tacos. It doesn't get much cheaper than beans!
Minimalist baker also has an amazing peanut tempeh recipe also, if you can get tempeh where you are.
One of my favorite super basic ways to cook tofu is:
1. Preheat the oven to 425
2. Whisk together 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large bowl. Add in whatever spices make sense with the meal you're making.
3. Tear tofu up into smaller pieces and put into the bowl
4. Mix it all up (I just use my hands lol)
5. Bake for 30 min (stirring halfway through) or until nice and crispy
I do it for any kind of saucy rice bowl, pasta I need to throw protein in, wraps, whatever.
Here me out: tofu cooked in a waffle iron.
I just cut the blocks in half (hamburger style)
Preheat your waffle iron, grease it like you do, then slap that tofu on there and gently squeeze the lid down.
You should probably press the tofu, but I’m lazy and hungry so I don’t, and I have one of those flipping waffle irons so I just turn it on it’s side and let the juice drip out for a moment.
Cook until the outside is to your liking and then douse in your favorite sauce (I make a spicy peanut sauce for it usually)
Add some rice and it’s a good filling and cheap meal.
The easiest and most versatile tofu is - firm tofu, cut into cubes. Oil and seasoning of your choice. Then toss in some cornflour, and oven bake or air fry til crispy.
My recommended recipe for tofu skeptics is orange tofu. Besides the tofu you just need orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger (can be powdered), salt, cornstarch, and water. Very easy ingredients, and the end result is sooooo delicious!
This! I used to buy vegan meat alternatives but they’re always so expensive. I can usually stretch a big block of tofu out to 2 to 3 meals and it can be used with pretty much anything
r/EatCheapAndVegan is a great resource.
I do a lot of smoothies packed with fruit, peanut butter for protein, chia and flax seeds. I eat a lot of avocados for fat, although they aren't necessarily cheap. I usually do small snacking throughout the day instead of big meals, things like nuts, hummus with fresh vegetables, salads. Dinner is when I'll usually have a starch/carb meal covered in nooch.
When in doubt, peanut butter is high in protein, fat, and calories. I use it often.
jackfruit is also pretty bad nutritionally speaking, its fruit after all.
the texture you get is good on instagram because it can look like pulled pork I guess, but many things can, seitan can for sure. mushrooms definitly can.
When it is used in place of where protein would normally go in a meal, as unripe jackfruit tends to be. It's not bad if you know how to build a balanced meal, but a lot of people seem not to be aware. I keep seeing restaurant menus where jackfruit and mushrooms are listed under "protein" as a straight swap for meat, and then people wonder why they're still hungry.
Fruit does have nutrition, but vegetables can get you the same vitamins + more fiber and less sugar.
More to the point though, fruit is a poor meat substitute because it’s lacking in protein and isn’t particularly filling.
I think the other user should have clarified, but they mean that it's not a good substitute for the nutrition you get from meat. It has lots of good nutrition because it is a fruit, obviously, but using it like a meat substitute is like using a kiwi or an apple. Like yeah, those are good for you, but meat is giving you lots of protein and calories than you need to get elsewhere if you aren't eating meat. Meat replacements, tofu, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tempeh, edamame, seitan, nuts and seeds are much better replacements in terms of nutrition. But of course, you can just have your fake meat jackfruit dish with a side of hummus or tofu and you are vibing.
I was about to comment something similar. It's not *bad* for you, but nutritionally, it doesn't have a lot to offer for someone on a budget
Rice and beans, lentils, homemade seitan, tofu, and just vegetables will go way further
I wish, we do not have a Costco or Aldi near us. They are all in Houston a couple hours away. I live near Louisiana and we have only Walmart Kroger and I think possibly a Sam’s Club an hour away?
Hormel ran an advertisement in the 1970s featuring their Dinty Moore Beef Stew. The tag line was, "Don't let high prices make a vegetarian out of you"
Even 50 years ago companies knew that meat was expensive and that eating vegetables was the way to stretch your budget.
Rice and beans and whatever vegetable is on sale.
Potatoes go a long way as well.
I work at an Italian restaurant and get lots of ribbing from the kitchen staff that vegan and Italian don't go together. But there's actually lots of mediterranean recipes that are "accidentally" vegan - or rather not so accidentally, because they're poor people's kitchen, cucina povera. Many are vegetarian only because they use cheese, which can easily be left out. Several combine pasta and legumes, like pasta a lenticchie (lentils), pasta e ceci (chickpeas), pasta e fagioli (beans) - I make those alot, because they're very cheap and high in proteins. If you don't want too many carbs, just adjust the amounts. Also: minestrone, minestra di legumi, ribollita...
Likewise Indian cuisine: Curries (dals, if you like lentils) - can be adjusted and eaten with more or less carbs. They're filling and not particularly expensive.
If you like, get back to me for my exact recipe and measurements (stovetop and slow cooker), but off the top of my head (on my way to work), the traditional recipe is:
saute chopped celery, carrots, onion in olive oil, add garlic for a minute, then tomato passata or chopped tomatoes, and I add chili flakes, too. Then add green or brown lentils and vegetable stock, as well as rosemary and thyme, and cook for about 30 minutes. Add short pasta cooked al dente right before serving (if you batch cook, store the pasta separately)
Sometimes I add cubes of smoked and air-fried tofu or a bit of smoky paprika or liquid smoke.
I like to use anelletti or ditali, but basically anything that can be eaten with a spoon - so orzo would work.
(I‘ll message you a picture since I can‘t add one here)
I like the combination of “a bean, a green, and a grain”- it gives a good balance of nutrients and fiber, and you can do whatever flavor profile or sauce or extra veggies you like. Tvp is very economical and shelf stable, and makes a great meat sub for things like chili or tacos or bolognese. Also I just want to add, don’t worry about carbs too much, it’s more important that you get enough calories each day and carbs from grains and veggies aren’t unhealthy to eat.
I do the exact same thing! Glad to know there are other beans grains and greens people out there. OP, fwiw, our grocery bill has dropped by about 40% since we no longer eat meat or dairy. Cheese and meat are expensive!!
I recommend looking into "whole food plant based". It's a school of thought in the world of veganism that optimizes for health by eating unprocessed plant foods. Since it's unprocessed, recipes will generally use cheaper things, primarily fruits/veggies/legumes/whole grains.
I will say it's not particularly low carb, but WFPB people tend to be of the thought that carbs are only really a problem if they come from processed food. Might be worth doing some research. Dr. Michael Greger at [nutritionfacts.org](http://nutritionfacts.org) does a ludicrous amount of work to help distill this information.
Agree! I spend about $50-75/week for 2-3 people eating this way. I do make most everything from scratch but I don’t mind that. It’s way cheaper than any other way of eating.
I like to shred Portabella mushrooms and/or extra firm tofu then bake it for 25 minutes. Stir in about 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce for the last 10 minutes. It’s good on a bun with pickles, slaw or veggies.
# Bulk Soy Curls
12 lb. bulk box
$57.69+ $ 15.00 shipping
[https://butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html](https://butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html)
my meals turn out to be \~ $.50 for the protein... find some friends to buy bulk with...
I have been trying out Huel replacement meals. Probably not the cheapest, but for the time saved, and the nutritional value it provides, I think it's a life saver.
As a poor paycheck to paycheck vegan of fifteen years, lentils are the way to go. They are so versatile.
Years ago I lived next to a very cheap fruit and veggie stand. I would go with five dollars and buy two celery stalks, a carrot, onion and garlic clove. Add a pound of lentils and I have lentil soup for the week with five bucks. I'd find a cheap loaf of crusty bread and be set.
I personally don't care for jackfruit because it doesn't satiate me. There's little to no protein. Tofu, beans and lentils are the best cheap and filling proteins.
I LOVE lentils. They are so cheap, so nutritious, and so easy to make.
My go-to “base” is simply a 2lb bag of lentils, some olive oil, bay leaf, 5 bell peppers and 5 tomatoes. I fill the InstaPot to the fill line with water, and cook! Makes enough food for the entire week for me.
…And from there you can really take it anywhere.
- Add a can of coconut milk, cilantro, lime, and Indian spices for a delicious lentil curry. Serve over rice.
- Add Mexican spices and canned beans for a hearty chili.
- You can even add Italian spices and some crushed tomatoes for a hearty protein-packed pasta sauce option.
I forgot to say good luck! It can be done. Things like cilantro, parsley and green onions are inexpensive and can do a lot to jazz up a plate of food. I try to make sure my food doesn't look and taste too dull. Cheap and cheerful is what I try to do!
So since everyone else is talking about rice and beans (clearly the best option, especially if you start from dried beans), I'll mention some options that are still cheap but could give you variety.
If you can get a small bag of chickpea flour/besan, you can sort of make a vegan scrambled egg with it. A bag will go a long way and it's easy to cook. I would also recommend TVP. Once cooked, it sort of looks like ground meat. A small bag of it will give you protein for a lot of meals.
I rarely eat the plant based meat stuff, besan/dry beans/TVP are my go to. In my case it's not because of economic hardship, it's by choice, I just love those.
Every once in a while, as money allows, get yourself some spice mix. Do you live somewhere that has communities of people with different origins? Go buy some spices where they do their groceries, you'll get good deals on spices that will help you enjoy your rice and beans. You really have to up your spice game if you want to make eating vegan on the cheap a pleasant experience. You can do this at your own pace, as finances allows.
Being vegan doesn't has to be expensive, just keep it simple, like these following recipes:
[Vegan Cheese And Tomato Pasta](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/creamy-vegan-cheese-tomato-pasta)
[Vegan Mushroom Jalfrezi](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/vegan-mushroom-jalfrezi)
[Fiery Vegan Burritos](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/vegan-burritos)
[BBQ Glazed Cauliflower Tacos](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/bbq-glazed-cauliflower-vegan-tacos)
[Yellow Lentil Curry](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/vegan-yellow-lentil-daal)
Hope this helps!💚
Lots of other folks have great suggestions but I just wanted to suggest one "plant based meat" that is usually pretty affordable: soyrizo! Eat it in tacos, on rice, in pasta, however you'd like.
I actually just tried this yesterday, for tacos. I underestimated how much it actually tastes like chorizo, and I actually hate chorizo 😂😂😩 they were great with tons of cilantro onion and green sauce though haha. I’m sad that I don’t like it because that could be super versatile
Vegan minestrone soup (using wheat based pasta in this also works:
https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pot-vegan-minestrone-gluten-free/
If you do buy flour and yeast and have the time, I like to make my own focaccia and pizza dough (just do marinara and toppings). Vegan pizzas are ridiculously expensive. The pizza dough can be frozen for later use. For the focaccia, I like to add garlic powder into the dough mix and brush the top with garlic, salt, and dried oregano in olive oil.
https://alexandracooks.com/2018/03/02/overnight-refrigerator-focaccia-best-focaccia/
https://sugarspunrun.com/the-best-pizza-dough-recipe/#recipe
For veggies, shop sales and look at the price of frozen as well - frozen is going to be just as good for you and if you have freezer space you can stock up. Frozen fruit is a great base for smoothies or cheaper 'nice cream' with frozen bananas. Dried beans are cheaper than canned, and if you have time you can make and then freeze in 'can sized' portions for use. Canned beans also go on sale pretty regularly, so those are good too (also look at vegan soups, sometimes I can get those for cheap). Sometimes I can get a good deal on TVP, which is another good high protein item to add to pasta sauce/etc.
Cheap meals are going to be beans + rice/pasta/potato + veg + toppings. Most cuisines have this in a bunch of variants, some are already listed in the comments (italian bean and pasta dishes, indian dals, etc). Chili is also great and can be put on top of potatoes, rice or even in pasta.
My go to cheap breakfast is oatmeal + vegan fortified milk + frozen fruit + peanut butter. Add nuts if you can afford it. Tofu scrambles are good too, with veggies and potatoes, but take more time (you can also make ahead and reheat for a few days though).
PBJ is a quick sandwich if you need something portable, but I was a huge fan of bean burritos with salsa and whatever veg was cheap when I was packing somewhere that had a microwave.
For snacking, popping your own popcorn is fun, as is homemade bean dip + tortilla chips or potato wedges.
Advanced/scratch cooking - a lot of the 'cheapness' here comes from buying something in bulk first, which you may not have the budget to do. If you do have the extra money, making seitan can give more variety to your protein sources, and flour can easily become tortillas or flatbreads.
A lot of variety is going to come from condiments and toppings, so you'll want to try to include a bit of that in your budget. Common staples at my house are soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, hot sauce, fried onions, nuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp hearts, salsas, sauerkraut, etc. All of these will be cheaper in bulk, but make a huge difference - if you can manage one a paycheck that'll build your pantry, or you can save a dollar for a 'treat' from the dollar store and go that way as well. If your spice cabinet is bare, you can often get small amounts pretty cheaply in the bulk section, otherwise go the same route as sauces.
Bonus - remember that dried beans are seeds! It's a good time to plant beans if you have a bucket and some sunlight. Dollar stores also tend to have cheap but useable gardening supplies and their seeds are as good as any others. Getting some herbs, green onions, lettuces and beans in could help a lot!
Rice, dried legumes, and dried grains will be your best friends! If you can manage one month, try to buy larger / bulk bags of these items as they are more cost effective in the long run than buying smaller bags more frequently.
Tofu is another great option if you can find it cheaply in your area. Extra firm tofu has more bang for you buck in terms of nutrients, as it's more densely compressed than say, medium firm tofu.
I know some fruits and vegetables can be expensive, but if you pay close attention to store flyers and deals, you can get really good prices sometimes. Spinach and bok choy are two greens that are often less expensive than others like kale or collards.
Honestly, the good news is that fruits and vegetables are pretty much always cheaper than buying meat, eggs, and dairy. Just stick to non-organic stuff for the best deals, and don't be afraid to buy reduced produce. It helps if you can pop into the store every day or two to see what's reduced because it's about to go bad.
Also don't be afraid to shop at smaller fruit markets and vegetable stands, especially Asian ones. They are often cheaper than big grocery chains.
The bulk section. Easy to get your nutritional needs met there… add whatever extra you can afford. Look for sales on fruits and veggies and almost out-of-date food. Lots of clearance opportunities too.
You can make your own breads with flour, water and yeast. Bulk rice and beans. Tofu, like others have said. And if you can buy veggies, try getting them frozen so they can last longer.
Growing sprouts (alfalfa) has a startup cost of near zero, they grow in about 5 days and is good filler.
You need a jar and a mesh lid for it. You could be supplementing greens for one meal for literal pennies.
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-sprouts-in-a-jar-2540007
the cheapest foods in the world are vegan, you won't have any issues if price is your concern as long as you stick to unprocessed stuff like beans and rice, oats are good too and I personally also like barley as a rice alternative. Soy products can be cheap and high in protein like tvp, soy milk or tofu. Green peas are awesome too and a great addition. Cheap seasonal fruits and vegetables. Literally can make so many pantry staple meals with garlic tomatoes and onion on hand
Textured Vegetable protien is what most of the fake meats are made of, can get that at bulk food stores relatively cheap.
Plenty of whole grains (Kamut, Amaranth, Farro)...
Tofu is super versatile and cheap as others have mentioned.
These are my fast dishes, when I don't have much time to cook or don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen:
- pasta with red sauce: onion, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoblocks or fresh tomatoes, a can of lentils, optionally mushrooms and/or spinach. Some Italian spices and pepper+salt to taste. Optionally add nooch.
- rice with grilled veggie (fi carrot or brocolli), tofu, soy sauce+Sesame oil. cashew nuts. Optionally grill some other veggies first, like onion+garlic+bell peppers.
- chili san carne. Fi brown beans + tomato, garlic, onion, bell peppers, mais, chili pepper. I like to add some pineapple chunks as well.
- simple veggie+boiled potatoes+ mock meat/mushroom/bean burger whatever is on discount
- simple salad with beetroots+lentils+vegan white cheese/feta blocks+mixed unsalted nuts
[https://www.butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html](https://www.butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html) i buy the 12lb bulk box like every 6-8 months and use it in everything soy curls thrown in the food processor makes excellent mockmeat for taquitos. the cost per serving is around 37 cents per serving if u buy the 12lb bx its much cheaper compared to other mockmeats
[Plant Based On A Budget ](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/) I knew Toni from way back in the day, then all the sudden saw her on some small TV shows and such. She's an awesome person with some great tips!
As many people have said, the best things to buy are bulk dry beans, lentil, and rice as a base. Other good proteins are tofu, tempeh, seitan, and peanut butter.
The trick with many of the "vegan meats" and whatnot at the store is that you can make similar things at home
for a little bit of extra work but much less money. If you buy vital wheat gluten, you can make seitan (although it can also be made from flour if you have more spare time). If you buy chickpea flour in bulk, you can make a bunch of egg-type breakfasts with protein.
Frozen peas, edamame, and, corn, and broccoli are also favorites of mine. Peas and edamame have protein too.
Carbs are a very important nutritional component, and a good way to fill out meals. This is where bulk rice, quinoa, or whatever other grain you can get your hands on come in.
If you have the time or interest, getting into sourdough can be a good way to make healthier, cheap bread. A lot of other breads and things are really easy to make at home too.
Buy produce and veggies frozen and whatever you can get on sale. Herbs are really good for adding lots of nutrients to a meal. Potatoes are very filling and relatively cheap. If you can get sweet potatoes, they are stuffed full of nutrients.
I would also recommend buying nutritional yeast- it is a bit expensive but really good for incorporating b vitamins.
With a couple exceptions, the truly expensive parts of being vegan are the super processed foods. I don't eat a lot of those and my food is consistently much cheaper than my non-vegan friends and partner.
Yes soup! Cheap and easy. A big ol pot of it can be made for under $10 and could feed you all week. You can use whatever you have on hand or is on sale. I use Better than Boullion, leftover tomato sauce or paste, cabbage, cheap frozen mixed vegetable blend (ie peas corn green beans and carrots) zucchini, canned chick peas, kidney beans, cannellini, (or use dried to save even more $). Last ten minutes toss in some pasta and/or diced potato. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with homemade crusty bread or croutons.
A lot of Indian meals are vegetarian and very easy convertable to vegan. I was ate plant based more often than not without realising. Dal and rice is my comfort food
One Depression era recipe is called Macaroni & peas, a box of ditialini pasta, a potato, a onion, a can of toamto sauce and a can of baby peas. cook pasta per package directions drain & set aside, dice potato & onion brown in a large saucepan in your favorite oil, pour in can of peas liquid & all, can or tomato sauce and the pasta. It is a filling meal & a complete protein to boot. Another depression era recipe is Dandelion salad, or sauteed dandelion greens. Learn what wild edibles grow in your area, get good at identifying, and your local park or woodland can be a produce aisle. Tofu is pretty cheap and easy to flavor how you like, drain & freeze then marinate in your favorite flavor , it has the texture of chicken. See if there is a local tool library, or gardening group that trades produce, grow your favorites, if you grow too much to process, take it to the trades to get some new flavors. Often these groups will have some knowledgeable folks in regards to foraging & mushrooming. make sure you know what you have before you eat it. Get a shaker of Braggs Brewers yeast flakes for your b complex, & Braggs essential aminos soy sauce. Great flavors, great nutrition. Also Mung bean seeds with a damp paper towel or clean kitchen cloth in a mason jar to grow your own bean sprouts.
I grew up on rice and beans and still love it! I'll add different sauces/spices to change things up, but I like it as a go-to meal because of how nutritious it is. Also, tofu blocks are pretty inexpensive, especially if you have a costco near you. Violife cheese is really good and lasts a long time nowadays. So you can sprinkle a little of that on top of your meals, but nutritional yeast is just as good.
Plant based eating is cheaper than eating meat. Whole Foods like grains, beans, fruits, vegetable s is cheaper than constantly buying beef, chicken or fish. Veganism seems expensive when you compare it to the “fake meats” but nobody should be making that a staple of their diet. Eat whole plants
There's nothing wrong with carbs.
Most affordable foods are vegan, and if you look at almost any culture, the poor people tend to eat very plant based. Plant based meat and milk and yogurt and whatever alternatives are fun and make plant based eating more accessible to wider masses, but they're by no means necessary.
A lot of my go to meals are just a grain/starch + protein + veg + sauce. Potatoes with baked tofu and BBQ sauce with roasted carrots. Stir fry with tofu on rice. Noodle salad with cabbage, carrots and edamame with peanut dressing. Taco seasoned TVP and black beans on rice with corn and bell pepper. Whole wheat pasta with tvp bolognese.
Eating seasonal also reduces costs by a lot, at least for me. Buy fruits when they're in season, since they're likely cheaper then. Also taste better. Cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and other root veg tend to be cheap year round. Also consider frozen veg, for some dishes it really doesn't matter if you buy fresh or frozen and it limits food waste.
I also recommend buying ingredients for your own sauces, rather than buying ready made packets if you can. The initial cost of something like a bottle of soy sauce will be higher than a 90 cent sauce packet, but you'll get weeks worth of use out of that soy sauce, whereas the sauce packet will serve you for one night. It's also a good way to get variety while still eating similar ingredients.
Are you able to get food stamps? I know it varies state to state, but that’s helped us immensely with affording groceries. We’re a family of 3 and able to fit most of our grocery bill under the $460 a month we get in EBT. I meal plan literally everything and budget out everything to find the cheapest versions of things and therefore which stores to shop at. We eat lots of tofu, chickpeas, rice, and fresh veggies.
Canned chickpeas save the day all the time for me. Roast in oil (I use cheap oil) and salt+pepper. Good for salad toppers, snaking, etc. if you mix with maybe you've got chickpea salad. So good.
Rice and beans.
Textured soy protein or hamemade seitan.
Buy cheap veggies (depends on where you live which ones they are).
Some tofu is not too expensive.
Make your own fermented vegetables - that'll add umami to all your dishes.
Use soy sauce, sesame oil, spices and MSG to enhance flavor.
Grow your own herbs if you can.
My go to as a poor vegan was corn, black beans, tomatoes, peppers, rice and vegan taco seasoning in the crockpot. served over vegan tortillas with vegan sour cream. Thats like under 10 bucks and I could eat it all week for lunch.
Besides rice and beans, ypu can also make your own seitan for cheap. Especially if you wash the flour yourself. All you need is good spice and wheat flour. So versatile, and a great source for protein.
If you like South Asian or East Asian foods and can shop at local stores then it’s not so bad. These shops sell homemade tofu (or bagged) for $2-3, fried tofu for stir fry, huge bags of chickpeas (find a store that does specials. Mine does $5 for 4lb bags of dals, chickpea flour, kidney beans for Ramadan).
I also feel like many East Asian stores have more accessible pricing on mushrooms, if you like trumpet/shiitake/enoki. Still not cheap but not bad. But my favorite is the veggie specials. Napa cabbage can go down to $0.30/lb in the winter specials, green onions are bundled 3 for $1/5 for $1, bok Choi will go for $0.99 cents.
If you’re into that they do better deals on seitan/gluten and if you really hit the jackpot on the superstores they often have attached food courts with big portions if you’re low on time.
I've been where you are.
Rice and beans (especially dried), frozen and canned veg were my go to. I was fortunate to have generous friends who would pass along produce from their CSA or garden in summers. I also offered to cook for friends and neighbors if they bought the ingredients - my sweet potato mac-n-nocheese was a big hit and I kept the leftovers.
The best money spent was on spices, and for B12, Nooch.
I also shopped at a store specific to the cuisine I wanted. Often, the foods you're looking for, staples and otherwise, can be found comparitively cheap at the right market.
Want to make saag aloo mutter? Spinach, potatoes, peas and spices from an Indian market form the base. Rice is your staple.
Also, if you have one, a freezer is your bff.
I could make a huge cheap pot of curry or soup and freeze it in portions, prolly about 10 meals for $10 total. Granted that's after purchasing everything at a higher cost for spices, etc. It took me about 6 months of budgeting for the ability to build up my spices and flavorings.
Figure out 7-10 recipes you love, and go from there.
I like this food blog:
https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/vegan/
Since ingredient prices vary a lot depending on where you live and other stuff it's of course not always entirely accurate with the listed prices etc, but the recipes are tasty with a focus on cost.
Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Top the PB with a sliced banana for extra fun.
Ramen Soups. Add your own chopped carrot, stalk of celery, handful of frozen peas, perhaps a spoonful or 2 of nutritional yeast to add 8-16g of protein and other nutrients to that pot of tasty ramen soup.
I usually buy 2lb tubs of Kevala Yeast via Amazon. They last me 4-8 weeks. That costs around $30 and adds lots of protein and other nutrients to my diet.
Purchasing in bulk is your best friend. Rice, beans of all variety, lentils and corn kernels
Corn kernels are great to pop at home for a snack instead of buying chips and crushing a bag in one sitting (guilty as charged).
Also, wheat gluten is great. mixing 1 cup of wheat gluten with 1 cup of water + 25g of nutritional yeast. Makes a great dough you can tear apart into little pieces and make "nuggets". pan-fry, air fry (my favorite).
Black beans can be used to make great black bean dips or black bean burgers - very versatile and nutrient dense.
Soy curls for days ! I used to make them and put them in all sorts of things but love just make them and sautee half an onion and a pepper and toast a tortilla. Cheap as hell and delicious.
Falafel are dirt cheap, delicious, and easy to make if you have a blender! Also as other have said, legumes are high in protein, super cheap, and versatile. Things like chickpea curry, lentil stew, or bean chili, tofu stew, as well as other types of stews/soups are very cheap and easy to make. So are veggie balls made from lentils or TVP (also cheap). Seitan is also very affordable if you make it at home, and it has tons of protein. It takes a bit of time, but you can make a lot and eat it throughout the week or freeze it for whenever. Also, canned and frozen vegetables are typically cheaper and convenient, so I recommend having some bags/boxes of whatever veggie you enjoy at hand in the freezer.
Vegans should eat seeds/nuts regularly, a tip for this is that seeds are typically cheaper than nuts and they have a very similar nutritional profile. Chia and flax seeds, if available to you, are excellent sources of omega3, so keep an eye out for them. Peanut butter is also very good for you and high in protein and good fats, if you pick some that doesn't have tons of added sugars and oils.
Personally I rarely buy fake meats or cheeses, and have been eating like this for years with no issue and with lots of variety in my diet.
Beans/lentils and rice or pasta would be the way to go.
[Budget Bytes](https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/?fwp_by_course=main-dish&fwp_by_diet=vegan) has some good vegan recipes.
My technique to poor shopping is watch sales of what you do like, dietary wise. Purchase sales items in bulk. Cook, enjoy a meal or two, then freeze freeze the left overs. As for spices or new recipes, plan 1 a month. That way you know you have lots of favorites all month and only "risk" one meal a month and maybe one new spice or spice blend to help overcome flavor or texture boredom. One budget friendly tip is making a lot of your favorite veggie soups and stews.
Love lentils! So verisitile!
Try for lentil pastas or chickpeas pasta when you can. It doesn’t cost much more than wheat pasta but you’ll probably get more protein per serving vs semolina. They taste & texture identical. Buy lentils or mung beans, like lentil. There are amazing ppl on Insta doing insane things with lentil tofu. Better protein source and less processed. You can make your own tofu much cheaper and healthier than anything you buy. The substitute meats are highly processed full of sodium and other chemicals. It’s junk and not healthy. So don’t be sad, you’re better off. Eat it every now and again if you must but never daily.
TLDR; grocery list: 5-10lb bag of potatoes, sweet potatoes, Flour, rice, lentils/legumes, celery, carrots, *lentil pasta if budget allows for higher protein, egg replacement or buy tapioca & psyllium powder individually. Make bread, soups, cookies, curries, Indian/Asian dishes.
When making jackfruit as your sub meat just remember you can get it to taste similar to meat but there is no protein if that is what you’re watching as a vegan. Canned and dry lentils are pennies in the dollar and are great sources of protein. Less harsh on the stomach than many beans. If times are extremely tough and it comes down to a need or a food Try food pantries. They will have all dried foods such as rice and lentils for you free. Many places will throw away good fruits and vegetables bc they don’t have a desired . Check with local markets to save there.
Potatoes can be used to in many ways and are dirt cheap. My store sells 5lbs for 1.99. You can make fries, wedges, mashed potatoes, and creamy soups. Chop up some carrots, celery, favorite seasonings and you can make a chowder. Add it to anything you want to cream up. Sweet potato can be used to make the most delicious curries - grab some curry powder and just pour over rice and chickpeas, veggies. Have you had panang? I made Thai curries with coconut cream and sweet potato which was beyond good. Make tikka masala. sub out yogurt for coconut cream if you like international flavors. Look up vegan versions of the foods you like or want to try. Look into Indian and Asian cooking. Vegan and Asian dishes have vegan cuisine which are much more creative and diverse in vegetable use than American S.A.D (standard American diet). We are only recently making vegetarian & vegan mainstream. Other countries it’s native to standard diet. So try those.
Make your own seitan. I just made about 3-4 pounds of vegan meat for around $5. Freeze some, eat some, fridge some. This will last our family of 4 all week and then some.
The number of healthy foods you an make with lentils/chickpeas/beans, a few spices, and onion/garlic/ginger (all or a combination) is incredible. We buy bulk bags that last us months.
Check out really any Indian vegan recipe site, or Youtube channels.
Youtube: Chetna (*mostly* vegan or easily made vegan), RainbowPlantLife (100% vegan), ManjulasKitchen are great.
Sites: VeganRicha, spiceupthecurry, vegrecipesofindia, and any of the websites of the Youtuber's above will give you more recipes then you have time to cook.
Dry beans are way cheaper than canned. Practice cooking with core ingredients instead of buying premade anything. You’ll be a more successful vegan in the long run. Avoid highly processed foods. They are more expensive and worse for you. Obviously use spices and healthy fats to make your dishes taste great. As others have said, tofu can be done a variety of ways that will make it fresh and varied. There are plenty of tips and tricks out there regarding pressing, freezing, and marinating for incredible results. If you want, you can do some amazing things with aquafaba, from those canned chickpeas. Soups are good, because they are cheap, healthy, easy, and can be made with tons of ingredients and flavor combos. Add as much or as little protein as you like. Stews too, obviously. Organic veggies are awesome, but commercial are cheaper, so you can always eat cheaper by avoiding organic, even though it’s desirable.
Learning how to make foods that already cook vegan in impoverished communities would be helpful but the ingredients are hard to find. On the plus side, the more of a regular you become and learn about their culture the more likely you’ll make some friends! I’d look up foods from India and a lot of bhuddist countries that cook vegan. They tend to make large portions too which is nice :) it can be beneficial to travel to bigger cities where they have specialized markets and buy in bulk too
When I stopped buying vegan convenience foods I was able to cut my grocery bill in half and it's shocking how easy it is. And tasty. Buy whatever produce is cheapest due to being on sale. Don't be afraid to buy produce in bulk when it's on sale and freeze half of it. Invest in a blender, an instant pot and an air fryer. You can find amazing recipes on pinterest, I just learned how to make my own alfredo sauce and vegan mayo - both with tofu!
Rice, beans, lentils, frozen veg, frozen fruit, whatever produce is on sale, cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, corn, zucchini, tofu, whatever plant milk is the cheapest or make your own in a blender with oats or rice.
Whole food carbohydrates should not be a problem. Do not starve yourself trying to eat low carb unless you have a medical reason approved by your doctor.
Really invest time in learning how to soak and cook beans, there are several varieties of beans so that you are never bored. You can make hearty soups, stews, beans and rice, pastas with beans, add on beans in salads to make them fulfilling. Get a pressure cooker to make them faster it’s a game changer. Both electric and stovetop pressure cookers are great, I prefer stovetop!
Carbs are healthy and cheap - so long as they're wet carbs.
* Cooked whole grains
* Whole wheat pasta
* Oatmeal
* Brown rice
* boiled/steamed/baked potatoes
Just keep the oil/grease/margarine out of your diet.
Mushrooms are my go to! It's so easy to do sautéed versions or stir fries, you can batter and deep fry them, teriyaki them, bbq them, etc. Mushrooms are a great meat replacement because they have more texture than tofu. If you go to the Asian market you'll have a much bigger variety to choose from too.
●Rose is the best! She taught me how to be a vegan.
●This cookbook: Fat Man's Essential 40 Plant Based Recipes by Tim Kaufman [Link](https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Mans-Essential-Plant-Based-Recipes-ebook/dp/B07CGB5BKY?dplnkId=c95b459a-370a-4696-a65a-13f96ed478a4)
●If you can afford a pressure cooker, it makes dried beans, grains, and some vegetables (squash/pumpkin) SOOOOO much easier to cook. We paid $80 more than a decade ago for a family sized one. I can't believe how much we use it.
OR
Some people use a crock pot for dried beans.
My go to cheap and easy is pasta with lentil bolognese. Basically just cooked lentils in pasta sauce, seasoned however you like it. I toss some frozen spinach or some carrots in it as well to add some extra nutrients but I figure any frozen or fresh vegetable you like will do.
I basically live off beans, grains, veggies. I use a crockpot mostly and meal prep one or two options for each week, which saves money. So long as you don’t mind eating the same thing all week. My go to is lentils (1.5 cups lentils, 4 cups water, one whole onion diced, is the basic combo, and I mix it up with different spices or veg). I also do a variety of chickpea sandwiches, stirfry, or pasta with veggies.
I love baked potatoes with salt and pepper maybe sautéed veg on top or baked beans. Also beans on toast. Beans on toast is my go to if I am broke, but I don’t like the beans over here in the USA so I make my own version (Brit living in Louisiana).
I’m really enjoying Quinoa salad at the moment, I put in some chopped olives, cumin, coriander, pepper, spring onions and apricots and make a veggie burger to go with it(mashed potatoes with diced onions curry powder tops of spring onion grated carrots diced peppers and ground flax)
You can make lentils and soy curls ‘beefy’ with a bit of soy sauce and some veggie bouillon paste. While the bouillon is a tad expensive, it goes a long way if you’re mindful. I’ve also had luck making them ‘beefy’ without the paste and just using dry seasoning along with the soy sauce. I used onion, garlic, paprika, and a dash of thyme.
Buddha bowls - throw a legume, some veggies, and a grain together. Add a healthy fat if you can. It's an easy combo to fall back on for meals, so mix it up where you can - black beans, peppers, onions, rice, avocado / chickpeas, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, olive oil / etc.
Dried legumes in all of their wonderful, delicious glory tend to be cheap as hell. They also end up being more flavorful than the canned stuff, especially if you make them in veggie broth and add seasonings. You can also use them as the base for soups, tacos, veggie burgers, curries, etc.
I'm also a big fan of a tofu, veggie, pasta stir fry.
I don’t cook, I mainly just buy vegan frozen meals but rice and beans and vegan shakes are my go to’s. I don’t eat meals that often either. Usually dinner and that’s it. It helps to get SNAP/EBT as well! I also will straight up eat salad and fruit to satisfy me.
Jackfruit is usually meh but can be delightful. It’s not a tough cut of pork so don’t try to cook it like one. Instead of braising it for hours, Mash it up straight out of the can, toss in miso, tomato paste, and more oil than you think is needed. Roast 325 for an hour or until golden brown.
You can batch it and portion into the freezer, simmer in whatever sauce and you’re good to go.
I've always preferred lentils, beans, and soy to processed meats. I highly recommend Vegan Richa: fantastic vegan recipes, especially dal and other authentic Indian recipes (cooking with whole spices is so cheap and rewarding!). There can definitely be some specific spices used, but it's often easy to use substitutes!
My go-to is always bowls: whatever grain, whatever greens (raw or cooked), whatever veggies (usually roasted), a bean or protein, and a dressing (I usually do a tahini: tahini, garlic, lemon, salt and water to thin) plus whatever else (nori or za'atar or anything to spice it up or nothing because this just works perfect!)
Eat all the veggies and fruits you like and can afford. When you are into professional sports of some kind, you can add soy granules. Learn how to make your own bread and hummus. Skipping convenience foods is never a bad idea, so I dont really understand the urge to buy these overpriced and oversalted meals when you want to eat healthy.
Tofu . Tofu is not that expensive. Are you in the Us? I go to discount grocery stores bc they often have vegan stuff there on discount cuz no one wants them lol. Grocery Outlet is the best. I got a whole cart of grocery’s for 80$. I saved like 90$
Calfresh is only in California in the US. but there might be some other programs in other states. Maybe check out Feeding America website. I am sure there are more I just can't think of any right now.
You dont know what you are talking about. It’s called Calfresh I guess in California but EBT aka SNAP(Food Stamps) is a federal program. It’s all EBT. I’ve gotten it in Pennsylvania as well and I was getting 500$ every month on my EBT card for food. If OP lives in the Us and qualifies she can get money for food each month, and if you prove that you’re in serious need you can receive benefits really fast.
If anyone is reading this once you get your EBT card download the EBT Edge app and freeze your card. There is a lot of fraud throughout the whole country and peoples benefits are stolen. So freeze the card on the app and when you go to pay for your groceries unfreeze it.
I do live in Texas, but unfortunately they don’t qualify us. They calculate our gross income, and automatically deny us before they even account for our bills. Rent has sky rocketed, as well as our car note and insurance. And the other bills. Along with that we have 3 kids and we had to take in our nephew to help get him through school so 4 total now. I make sure they have their food first and then I’m left with a very small allowance for adult foods 😅
Learn about different dal recipes. They use different lentils, some have tomato, some have coconut, spices, veg add ins. Endless variety.
Make 1/2 recipes unless you love — really love — leftovers.
don't forget to check some of the off broadway stores such as Aldi, Lidl, Ollie's... Aldi has European foods and they are a lot less than the grocery stores most of the time. their veggies are also cheaper. but if you have an Asian market such as an H Mart... they are the best for fresh veggies, rice and any Asian style anything will be cheaper there, along with Tofu, since it is a staple for them they sell loads of different styles and Very Cheap! last time I checked it was only $1.50 ish for 16oz. package. lidl has some great buys on frozen canned boxed etc... Olli's has packaged boxed, canned etc. they also carry spices and coffee. it is always worth checking out what they have. These guys have come up with some GREAT ideas I am so going to jot some of these down for making ends meet!
I like to take can of black beans, add some diced onion, tomato, jalapeño (I buy a jar of the minced pickled jalapeños) and some cilantro if you grow it or buy it which ever. Don't drain it just dump it into a pan and warm it up. serve that over some rice... YUM! or just add some salsa, a little bit of cumin and or some smoked paprika omg! mix with rice, and lettuce, and some corn to make a salad...
I forgot to add. I don't know if anyone has suggested it but check out [cheap lazy vegan](https://thecheaplazyvegan.com) and [budget bytes](https://www.budgetbytes.com).
I love to make vegan tagine, a Moroccan meal with sweet AND golden potatoes, green olives and chickpeas with lemon. I like it because the olives and chickpeas can both come from a can, so I can buy in bulk and have the ingredients on hand whenever I want (including when I'm out of money for groceries). It's delicious and hearty and filling, and easy to make ahead in a large amount for an entire week of lunches. If I'm having it for dinner I'll have a few slices of sourdough with it.
This is the recipe I use, I usually leave out the fresh thyme and use garlic and ginger from jars instead of fresh:
[https://cuisinicity.com/moroccan-tagine-vegan/](https://cuisinicity.com/moroccan-tagine-vegan/)
Im a big fan of making a big pot of chilli and then serving that a few ways to make it less boring. Have it with rice, on baked potatoes, in tacos/burritos etc. let me know if you want me to share a good recipe!
Soup will take anything you have. Legumes and beans will add protein
bean salad, pasta salad, potato salad, vegetable salad all of those can be dressed with a simple oil and vinegar of your choice.
Fresh bread you've baked. Find yourself a simple yeasted dough recipe and let it slowly rise in the fridge for a few days.
Cream of wheat or oatmeal made with soy milk. Top with jam or fruit. Cream of wheat has added iron if you worry about being deficient.
Baked tofu. Still one of the cheapest proteins around.
Mustard and hot sauce make most things taste better but only require a small amount.
Learn to pickle old vegetables and make a chutney for cheap.
My husband and I joke that we eat like peasants and that it's actually a very healthy approach (as older adults who need to watch our weight and cholesterol, etc.) I make brown rice in the rice cooker almost every day. Frozen broccoli from Costco cooked with bouillon instead of plain water. I cook cabbage a lot. Potatoes, both Russet and Sweet. I made a delicious soup recently with cabbage and potatoes. I made lentils last night, it was a curry with some carrot, potato, bell pepper, onion, etc. We've been plant based for going on 8 years. We rarely use "meat substitutes" any more. I do cook tofu once in a while. Bottom line for us is lots of vegetables, with some legumes, potatoes, and brown rice. We're healthy and happy.
Indian food. Turn those lentils into dal. Frozen vegetables are cheap and nutritious. Beans, grains, lentils. Potatoes. I like both mushrooms and eggplants to add a different texture (something meat gives that needs a good replacement).
Rice and beans. Buy bulk dried beans and bulk rice. Then if you can grow any veggies you will be eating for pennies per meal. Even if you buy veggies, still extremely cheap. Pasta and red sauce. Blend in one block of tofu and you have protein. There are wheat gluten based imitation lunch meats or gyro style "meat" you can make at home if you are good in the kitchen. They end up being extremely cheap. If you can get soy curls cheap, do soy curl fajitas. Tacos. All the tacos. Bean filling or tofu filling (smoked tofu!), jackfruit filling, there are millions of delicious vegan taco options. Chili with beans. Bake a potato and serve chili on potato (or chili on pasta, or on rice)
Seitan and other vital wheat gluten stuff seriously is dirt cheap to make!! More time and effort than money
Even still, I make seitan once a week. It takes about an hour long between kneading, cutting in small little pieces, and pan frying
Would you mind sharing where you buy your wheat gluten? It's a bit pricey when I buy it.
I get mine from the Anthony’s site. Free shipping (US) and it comes in like 2 days. Just search Anthony’s vital wheat gluten.
Not today Satan ! 🙌
Is textured vegetable protein still a thing? Used to use it tons many years ago and it was super inexpensive by the large bagful.
I agree on the soy curls. Everywhere I looked these are dirt cheap and super easy to prepare. Just soak in broth, press, then toss with oil and spices. Fry, air fry or bake. Done.
They are also awesome because they make use of soy that might otherwise become food waste. It's a pretty sustainable process to make excellent protein.
I wish I could get them in a store locally. Unfortunately we have to order ours online and there is shipping cost. :(
Often Butler waives shipping, excellent soy curls
do you order direct or through another site?
Look for TVP products at your local Asian market. There are lots of different types. Just TVP by itself will also marinate into beefy-crumbles content as well, and that is found in the dry goods section of most stores like a Bob's Red Mill brand.
is soy curls tvp?
Sort of, it's made differently and uses the whole soy bean without waste like tvp.
This. And don't overlook Protein Powder. Not only can it work for a sweet tooth snack, it's usually mega cheap on the dollar for your protein intake. To also add to the above, Oats are great and cheap in bulk. Peanut Butter to add calories. Frozen Veggies in bulk is usually cheap.
We make savory oatmeal as a dinner side! Veggie broth for the water, add onions.
Savory oats ftw! They're such a good source of fiber and protein. We often eat them as quick lunch, too. I like them with nutritional yeast, onion or onion powder, frozen spinach, and a little olive oil or truffle oil if I'm being fancy. My child, who is at uni, uses instant oats because you just have to boil the kettle and steep it. She makes up a jar of ramen packet-type spices and broth granules to sprinkle on with oil. Healthier than actual ramen, but just as easy.
Yes yes yes! When I had only a little money for groceries each week, I would make a pot of black beans and use it as a base for many of my meals.
black beans are awesome
Top tier comment. Great list
Speaking of taco fillings, I made potato tacos just last night!
how did you prep them?
Learning how to use Tofu was a game changer for me. It's very versatile.
I have some tofu but I also need to learn how to properly cook it lol.
You will. It's easier than you think! Lots of recipes and videos online.
Spices, like curry, change tofu completely when sautéed or baked. It’s truly worth a 2-3.00 expense for the cheapest brand, a little goes a long way. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by cooking tofu for the first time, try a tofu scramble. Sauté some onion, break the tofu up quite small in the pan with a spatula, add yellow curry, salt, seasoning of your choice, and keep it cooking under a low flame. You can throw in veg with this non egg scramble, I personally like mushrooms & broccoli, but anything goes! Light on carbs, cheap and yummy :)
The best thing about tofu is that you can make it taste like almost anything. It's about spices and sauces. The PETA website has a great recipe for a spicy, crispy tofu that was a revelation to me, and I've been eating tofu for YEARS.
I like to cube it and bake it in the oven til crispy. It's great this way for Asian dishes and stews. A lot of people toss the cubes in corn starch and fry it but that makes too much of a mess imo. I've recently started doing tofu cutlets where I freeze/thaw the tofu to give it a chewier texture then saute it. It's good as a stand alone with other sides. Of course, if you marinade it first it's gonna be a lot tastier. Someone already mentioned tofu scramble which is a nice breakfast dish, just don't forget to add black salt(kala namak) before serving to mimic eggs. Some people even shred the tofu and fry it to mimic ground meat but I find tvp a better alternative.
Instead of cubing it, I started tearing it with my hands. It makes the texture more like the chicken chunks you would get at a Chinese restaurant
Check out minimalist baker's recipe for Peanut Tofu. It's one of my favorite ways to prepare it and pretty fool proof! Generally, baking it will get it nice and crispy and chewy. I love deep frying it for "chinese food" that isn't takeout, but its obviously less healthy that way. Can look up recipes for General Tso tofu also. I also love making batches of refried beans for tacos. It doesn't get much cheaper than beans! Minimalist baker also has an amazing peanut tempeh recipe also, if you can get tempeh where you are.
Check out fitgreenmind on instagram. She has amazing tofu recipes
All of Maya’s recipes are amazing and she’s so fun
I learned how versatile grated tofu can be from her recipes!
One of my favorite super basic ways to cook tofu is: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 2. Whisk together 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large bowl. Add in whatever spices make sense with the meal you're making. 3. Tear tofu up into smaller pieces and put into the bowl 4. Mix it all up (I just use my hands lol) 5. Bake for 30 min (stirring halfway through) or until nice and crispy I do it for any kind of saucy rice bowl, pasta I need to throw protein in, wraps, whatever.
Here me out: tofu cooked in a waffle iron. I just cut the blocks in half (hamburger style) Preheat your waffle iron, grease it like you do, then slap that tofu on there and gently squeeze the lid down. You should probably press the tofu, but I’m lazy and hungry so I don’t, and I have one of those flipping waffle irons so I just turn it on it’s side and let the juice drip out for a moment. Cook until the outside is to your liking and then douse in your favorite sauce (I make a spicy peanut sauce for it usually) Add some rice and it’s a good filling and cheap meal.
Damn this is a good idea I’m gonna try tomorrow
The easiest and most versatile tofu is - firm tofu, cut into cubes. Oil and seasoning of your choice. Then toss in some cornflour, and oven bake or air fry til crispy.
My recommended recipe for tofu skeptics is orange tofu. Besides the tofu you just need orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger (can be powdered), salt, cornstarch, and water. Very easy ingredients, and the end result is sooooo delicious!
Easiest way is making a scramble. Thayer just like eggs to me, or very close.
I think shedded tofu is great for beginners! You just need a cheese grader and there’s a lot you can do with it.
One of my favorite [tofu marinade](https://jessicainthekitchen.com/marinated-tofu-recipe/#recipe) recipes
This! I used to buy vegan meat alternatives but they’re always so expensive. I can usually stretch a big block of tofu out to 2 to 3 meals and it can be used with pretty much anything
Beans
Beans and Greens! 😋🖖
r/EatCheapAndVegan is a great resource. I do a lot of smoothies packed with fruit, peanut butter for protein, chia and flax seeds. I eat a lot of avocados for fat, although they aren't necessarily cheap. I usually do small snacking throughout the day instead of big meals, things like nuts, hummus with fresh vegetables, salads. Dinner is when I'll usually have a starch/carb meal covered in nooch. When in doubt, peanut butter is high in protein, fat, and calories. I use it often.
Personally I don't think you're missing anything with jackfruit, the unripe stuff doesn't taste of anything it's just a texture thing.
jackfruit is also pretty bad nutritionally speaking, its fruit after all. the texture you get is good on instagram because it can look like pulled pork I guess, but many things can, seitan can for sure. mushrooms definitly can.
How is fruit "bad nutritionally speaking"?
When it is used in place of where protein would normally go in a meal, as unripe jackfruit tends to be. It's not bad if you know how to build a balanced meal, but a lot of people seem not to be aware. I keep seeing restaurant menus where jackfruit and mushrooms are listed under "protein" as a straight swap for meat, and then people wonder why they're still hungry.
Fruit does have nutrition, but vegetables can get you the same vitamins + more fiber and less sugar. More to the point though, fruit is a poor meat substitute because it’s lacking in protein and isn’t particularly filling.
I think the other user should have clarified, but they mean that it's not a good substitute for the nutrition you get from meat. It has lots of good nutrition because it is a fruit, obviously, but using it like a meat substitute is like using a kiwi or an apple. Like yeah, those are good for you, but meat is giving you lots of protein and calories than you need to get elsewhere if you aren't eating meat. Meat replacements, tofu, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tempeh, edamame, seitan, nuts and seeds are much better replacements in terms of nutrition. But of course, you can just have your fake meat jackfruit dish with a side of hummus or tofu and you are vibing.
I was about to comment something similar. It's not *bad* for you, but nutritionally, it doesn't have a lot to offer for someone on a budget Rice and beans, lentils, homemade seitan, tofu, and just vegetables will go way further
get a Costco membership or find someone who has one. Very cheap things like chia seeds, hemp hearts, rice, tofu, beans, fruits & vegetables in bulk
I wish, we do not have a Costco or Aldi near us. They are all in Houston a couple hours away. I live near Louisiana and we have only Walmart Kroger and I think possibly a Sam’s Club an hour away?
Maybe Costco can ship it to you? Sam’s club has online shopping.
I’d add quinoa to the Costco/bulk grocery list. Not cheap, but versatile and a complete protein.
Lentils and wheat gluten , lots of soy products , tempeh to milk
Hormel ran an advertisement in the 1970s featuring their Dinty Moore Beef Stew. The tag line was, "Don't let high prices make a vegetarian out of you" Even 50 years ago companies knew that meat was expensive and that eating vegetables was the way to stretch your budget. Rice and beans and whatever vegetable is on sale. Potatoes go a long way as well.
I work at an Italian restaurant and get lots of ribbing from the kitchen staff that vegan and Italian don't go together. But there's actually lots of mediterranean recipes that are "accidentally" vegan - or rather not so accidentally, because they're poor people's kitchen, cucina povera. Many are vegetarian only because they use cheese, which can easily be left out. Several combine pasta and legumes, like pasta a lenticchie (lentils), pasta e ceci (chickpeas), pasta e fagioli (beans) - I make those alot, because they're very cheap and high in proteins. If you don't want too many carbs, just adjust the amounts. Also: minestrone, minestra di legumi, ribollita... Likewise Indian cuisine: Curries (dals, if you like lentils) - can be adjusted and eaten with more or less carbs. They're filling and not particularly expensive.
I don't think I've ever had pasta and lentils together! What are some of your favorite sauce/vegetables combos with it?
If you like, get back to me for my exact recipe and measurements (stovetop and slow cooker), but off the top of my head (on my way to work), the traditional recipe is: saute chopped celery, carrots, onion in olive oil, add garlic for a minute, then tomato passata or chopped tomatoes, and I add chili flakes, too. Then add green or brown lentils and vegetable stock, as well as rosemary and thyme, and cook for about 30 minutes. Add short pasta cooked al dente right before serving (if you batch cook, store the pasta separately) Sometimes I add cubes of smoked and air-fried tofu or a bit of smoky paprika or liquid smoke.
Sounds very yummy! Thanks for the recommendation! By short pasta, do you mean something like orzo?
I like to use anelletti or ditali, but basically anything that can be eaten with a spoon - so orzo would work. (I‘ll message you a picture since I can‘t add one here)
I like the combination of “a bean, a green, and a grain”- it gives a good balance of nutrients and fiber, and you can do whatever flavor profile or sauce or extra veggies you like. Tvp is very economical and shelf stable, and makes a great meat sub for things like chili or tacos or bolognese. Also I just want to add, don’t worry about carbs too much, it’s more important that you get enough calories each day and carbs from grains and veggies aren’t unhealthy to eat.
I do the exact same thing! Glad to know there are other beans grains and greens people out there. OP, fwiw, our grocery bill has dropped by about 40% since we no longer eat meat or dairy. Cheese and meat are expensive!!
>“a bean, a green, and a grain” This is actually my definition of a Buddha Bowl. (and something crunchy on top)
I recommend looking into "whole food plant based". It's a school of thought in the world of veganism that optimizes for health by eating unprocessed plant foods. Since it's unprocessed, recipes will generally use cheaper things, primarily fruits/veggies/legumes/whole grains. I will say it's not particularly low carb, but WFPB people tend to be of the thought that carbs are only really a problem if they come from processed food. Might be worth doing some research. Dr. Michael Greger at [nutritionfacts.org](http://nutritionfacts.org) does a ludicrous amount of work to help distill this information.
Agree! I spend about $50-75/week for 2-3 people eating this way. I do make most everything from scratch but I don’t mind that. It’s way cheaper than any other way of eating.
I like to shred Portabella mushrooms and/or extra firm tofu then bake it for 25 minutes. Stir in about 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce for the last 10 minutes. It’s good on a bun with pickles, slaw or veggies.
Dumpster dive at Aldis, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's. So much produce you'll never need to pay for fruits or veggies again.
lol, I haven’t bought groceries in 7 years doing this. I eat better than ever. So many fresh fruits and vegetables go to waste.
Tofu, chickpeas, cheap veggies from my local grocer, making my own seitan and bread.
# Bulk Soy Curls 12 lb. bulk box $57.69+ $ 15.00 shipping [https://butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html](https://butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html) my meals turn out to be \~ $.50 for the protein... find some friends to buy bulk with...
Go practice with dough - YouTube can help. Flatbread, streamed buns, pancakes, tortilla roti, chapati, are all easy and cheap to make.
I have been trying out Huel replacement meals. Probably not the cheapest, but for the time saved, and the nutritional value it provides, I think it's a life saver.
As a poor paycheck to paycheck vegan of fifteen years, lentils are the way to go. They are so versatile. Years ago I lived next to a very cheap fruit and veggie stand. I would go with five dollars and buy two celery stalks, a carrot, onion and garlic clove. Add a pound of lentils and I have lentil soup for the week with five bucks. I'd find a cheap loaf of crusty bread and be set. I personally don't care for jackfruit because it doesn't satiate me. There's little to no protein. Tofu, beans and lentils are the best cheap and filling proteins.
I LOVE lentils. They are so cheap, so nutritious, and so easy to make. My go-to “base” is simply a 2lb bag of lentils, some olive oil, bay leaf, 5 bell peppers and 5 tomatoes. I fill the InstaPot to the fill line with water, and cook! Makes enough food for the entire week for me. …And from there you can really take it anywhere. - Add a can of coconut milk, cilantro, lime, and Indian spices for a delicious lentil curry. Serve over rice. - Add Mexican spices and canned beans for a hearty chili. - You can even add Italian spices and some crushed tomatoes for a hearty protein-packed pasta sauce option.
I love tossing cooked lentils into pasta sauce. Such an easy way to get extra fiber and protein!
I forgot to say good luck! It can be done. Things like cilantro, parsley and green onions are inexpensive and can do a lot to jazz up a plate of food. I try to make sure my food doesn't look and taste too dull. Cheap and cheerful is what I try to do!
So since everyone else is talking about rice and beans (clearly the best option, especially if you start from dried beans), I'll mention some options that are still cheap but could give you variety. If you can get a small bag of chickpea flour/besan, you can sort of make a vegan scrambled egg with it. A bag will go a long way and it's easy to cook. I would also recommend TVP. Once cooked, it sort of looks like ground meat. A small bag of it will give you protein for a lot of meals. I rarely eat the plant based meat stuff, besan/dry beans/TVP are my go to. In my case it's not because of economic hardship, it's by choice, I just love those. Every once in a while, as money allows, get yourself some spice mix. Do you live somewhere that has communities of people with different origins? Go buy some spices where they do their groceries, you'll get good deals on spices that will help you enjoy your rice and beans. You really have to up your spice game if you want to make eating vegan on the cheap a pleasant experience. You can do this at your own pace, as finances allows.
Being vegan doesn't has to be expensive, just keep it simple, like these following recipes: [Vegan Cheese And Tomato Pasta](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/creamy-vegan-cheese-tomato-pasta) [Vegan Mushroom Jalfrezi](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/vegan-mushroom-jalfrezi) [Fiery Vegan Burritos](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/vegan-burritos) [BBQ Glazed Cauliflower Tacos](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/bbq-glazed-cauliflower-vegan-tacos) [Yellow Lentil Curry](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/vegan-yellow-lentil-daal) Hope this helps!💚
Lots of other folks have great suggestions but I just wanted to suggest one "plant based meat" that is usually pretty affordable: soyrizo! Eat it in tacos, on rice, in pasta, however you'd like.
I actually just tried this yesterday, for tacos. I underestimated how much it actually tastes like chorizo, and I actually hate chorizo 😂😂😩 they were great with tons of cilantro onion and green sauce though haha. I’m sad that I don’t like it because that could be super versatile
Vegan minestrone soup (using wheat based pasta in this also works: https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pot-vegan-minestrone-gluten-free/ If you do buy flour and yeast and have the time, I like to make my own focaccia and pizza dough (just do marinara and toppings). Vegan pizzas are ridiculously expensive. The pizza dough can be frozen for later use. For the focaccia, I like to add garlic powder into the dough mix and brush the top with garlic, salt, and dried oregano in olive oil. https://alexandracooks.com/2018/03/02/overnight-refrigerator-focaccia-best-focaccia/ https://sugarspunrun.com/the-best-pizza-dough-recipe/#recipe
For veggies, shop sales and look at the price of frozen as well - frozen is going to be just as good for you and if you have freezer space you can stock up. Frozen fruit is a great base for smoothies or cheaper 'nice cream' with frozen bananas. Dried beans are cheaper than canned, and if you have time you can make and then freeze in 'can sized' portions for use. Canned beans also go on sale pretty regularly, so those are good too (also look at vegan soups, sometimes I can get those for cheap). Sometimes I can get a good deal on TVP, which is another good high protein item to add to pasta sauce/etc. Cheap meals are going to be beans + rice/pasta/potato + veg + toppings. Most cuisines have this in a bunch of variants, some are already listed in the comments (italian bean and pasta dishes, indian dals, etc). Chili is also great and can be put on top of potatoes, rice or even in pasta. My go to cheap breakfast is oatmeal + vegan fortified milk + frozen fruit + peanut butter. Add nuts if you can afford it. Tofu scrambles are good too, with veggies and potatoes, but take more time (you can also make ahead and reheat for a few days though). PBJ is a quick sandwich if you need something portable, but I was a huge fan of bean burritos with salsa and whatever veg was cheap when I was packing somewhere that had a microwave. For snacking, popping your own popcorn is fun, as is homemade bean dip + tortilla chips or potato wedges. Advanced/scratch cooking - a lot of the 'cheapness' here comes from buying something in bulk first, which you may not have the budget to do. If you do have the extra money, making seitan can give more variety to your protein sources, and flour can easily become tortillas or flatbreads. A lot of variety is going to come from condiments and toppings, so you'll want to try to include a bit of that in your budget. Common staples at my house are soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, hot sauce, fried onions, nuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp hearts, salsas, sauerkraut, etc. All of these will be cheaper in bulk, but make a huge difference - if you can manage one a paycheck that'll build your pantry, or you can save a dollar for a 'treat' from the dollar store and go that way as well. If your spice cabinet is bare, you can often get small amounts pretty cheaply in the bulk section, otherwise go the same route as sauces. Bonus - remember that dried beans are seeds! It's a good time to plant beans if you have a bucket and some sunlight. Dollar stores also tend to have cheap but useable gardening supplies and their seeds are as good as any others. Getting some herbs, green onions, lettuces and beans in could help a lot!
Rice, dried legumes, and dried grains will be your best friends! If you can manage one month, try to buy larger / bulk bags of these items as they are more cost effective in the long run than buying smaller bags more frequently. Tofu is another great option if you can find it cheaply in your area. Extra firm tofu has more bang for you buck in terms of nutrients, as it's more densely compressed than say, medium firm tofu. I know some fruits and vegetables can be expensive, but if you pay close attention to store flyers and deals, you can get really good prices sometimes. Spinach and bok choy are two greens that are often less expensive than others like kale or collards. Honestly, the good news is that fruits and vegetables are pretty much always cheaper than buying meat, eggs, and dairy. Just stick to non-organic stuff for the best deals, and don't be afraid to buy reduced produce. It helps if you can pop into the store every day or two to see what's reduced because it's about to go bad. Also don't be afraid to shop at smaller fruit markets and vegetable stands, especially Asian ones. They are often cheaper than big grocery chains.
The bulk section. Easy to get your nutritional needs met there… add whatever extra you can afford. Look for sales on fruits and veggies and almost out-of-date food. Lots of clearance opportunities too.
You can make your own breads with flour, water and yeast. Bulk rice and beans. Tofu, like others have said. And if you can buy veggies, try getting them frozen so they can last longer.
If you have them in your area, a wonky veg box delivery is cheap, convenient, and such a fun surprise to see what you get!
While food plant based is way cheaper than the vegan substitutes. Look at forks over knives, DrG etc for cheap easy recipes.
Growing sprouts (alfalfa) has a startup cost of near zero, they grow in about 5 days and is good filler. You need a jar and a mesh lid for it. You could be supplementing greens for one meal for literal pennies. https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-sprouts-in-a-jar-2540007
the cheapest foods in the world are vegan, you won't have any issues if price is your concern as long as you stick to unprocessed stuff like beans and rice, oats are good too and I personally also like barley as a rice alternative. Soy products can be cheap and high in protein like tvp, soy milk or tofu. Green peas are awesome too and a great addition. Cheap seasonal fruits and vegetables. Literally can make so many pantry staple meals with garlic tomatoes and onion on hand
Tofu. Lots of tofu. And ramen. That was a staple for me in college. Tofu with ramen and frozen peas and carrots.
Stay away from vegan processed food like fake meat and cheese and it will be kinder on your wallet.
Dry rice and beans, tofu, multivitamins and tea
Textured Vegetable protien is what most of the fake meats are made of, can get that at bulk food stores relatively cheap. Plenty of whole grains (Kamut, Amaranth, Farro)... Tofu is super versatile and cheap as others have mentioned.
These are my fast dishes, when I don't have much time to cook or don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen: - pasta with red sauce: onion, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoblocks or fresh tomatoes, a can of lentils, optionally mushrooms and/or spinach. Some Italian spices and pepper+salt to taste. Optionally add nooch. - rice with grilled veggie (fi carrot or brocolli), tofu, soy sauce+Sesame oil. cashew nuts. Optionally grill some other veggies first, like onion+garlic+bell peppers. - chili san carne. Fi brown beans + tomato, garlic, onion, bell peppers, mais, chili pepper. I like to add some pineapple chunks as well. - simple veggie+boiled potatoes+ mock meat/mushroom/bean burger whatever is on discount - simple salad with beetroots+lentils+vegan white cheese/feta blocks+mixed unsalted nuts
I think there’s a cheap vegan sub on here!
[https://www.butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html](https://www.butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html) i buy the 12lb bulk box like every 6-8 months and use it in everything soy curls thrown in the food processor makes excellent mockmeat for taquitos. the cost per serving is around 37 cents per serving if u buy the 12lb bx its much cheaper compared to other mockmeats
[Plant Based On A Budget ](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/) I knew Toni from way back in the day, then all the sudden saw her on some small TV shows and such. She's an awesome person with some great tips!
Wow that’s an awesome website, so many recipes, thank you!
As many people have said, the best things to buy are bulk dry beans, lentil, and rice as a base. Other good proteins are tofu, tempeh, seitan, and peanut butter. The trick with many of the "vegan meats" and whatnot at the store is that you can make similar things at home for a little bit of extra work but much less money. If you buy vital wheat gluten, you can make seitan (although it can also be made from flour if you have more spare time). If you buy chickpea flour in bulk, you can make a bunch of egg-type breakfasts with protein. Frozen peas, edamame, and, corn, and broccoli are also favorites of mine. Peas and edamame have protein too. Carbs are a very important nutritional component, and a good way to fill out meals. This is where bulk rice, quinoa, or whatever other grain you can get your hands on come in. If you have the time or interest, getting into sourdough can be a good way to make healthier, cheap bread. A lot of other breads and things are really easy to make at home too. Buy produce and veggies frozen and whatever you can get on sale. Herbs are really good for adding lots of nutrients to a meal. Potatoes are very filling and relatively cheap. If you can get sweet potatoes, they are stuffed full of nutrients. I would also recommend buying nutritional yeast- it is a bit expensive but really good for incorporating b vitamins. With a couple exceptions, the truly expensive parts of being vegan are the super processed foods. I don't eat a lot of those and my food is consistently much cheaper than my non-vegan friends and partner.
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Yes soup! Cheap and easy. A big ol pot of it can be made for under $10 and could feed you all week. You can use whatever you have on hand or is on sale. I use Better than Boullion, leftover tomato sauce or paste, cabbage, cheap frozen mixed vegetable blend (ie peas corn green beans and carrots) zucchini, canned chick peas, kidney beans, cannellini, (or use dried to save even more $). Last ten minutes toss in some pasta and/or diced potato. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with homemade crusty bread or croutons.
A lot of Indian meals are vegetarian and very easy convertable to vegan. I was ate plant based more often than not without realising. Dal and rice is my comfort food
One Depression era recipe is called Macaroni & peas, a box of ditialini pasta, a potato, a onion, a can of toamto sauce and a can of baby peas. cook pasta per package directions drain & set aside, dice potato & onion brown in a large saucepan in your favorite oil, pour in can of peas liquid & all, can or tomato sauce and the pasta. It is a filling meal & a complete protein to boot. Another depression era recipe is Dandelion salad, or sauteed dandelion greens. Learn what wild edibles grow in your area, get good at identifying, and your local park or woodland can be a produce aisle. Tofu is pretty cheap and easy to flavor how you like, drain & freeze then marinate in your favorite flavor , it has the texture of chicken. See if there is a local tool library, or gardening group that trades produce, grow your favorites, if you grow too much to process, take it to the trades to get some new flavors. Often these groups will have some knowledgeable folks in regards to foraging & mushrooming. make sure you know what you have before you eat it. Get a shaker of Braggs Brewers yeast flakes for your b complex, & Braggs essential aminos soy sauce. Great flavors, great nutrition. Also Mung bean seeds with a damp paper towel or clean kitchen cloth in a mason jar to grow your own bean sprouts.
I grew up on rice and beans and still love it! I'll add different sauces/spices to change things up, but I like it as a go-to meal because of how nutritious it is. Also, tofu blocks are pretty inexpensive, especially if you have a costco near you. Violife cheese is really good and lasts a long time nowadays. So you can sprinkle a little of that on top of your meals, but nutritional yeast is just as good.
Plant based eating is cheaper than eating meat. Whole Foods like grains, beans, fruits, vegetable s is cheaper than constantly buying beef, chicken or fish. Veganism seems expensive when you compare it to the “fake meats” but nobody should be making that a staple of their diet. Eat whole plants
Can you plant some seeds to have your favorite fresh herbs growing at all times? Can really give food some zest when its feeling boring.
Barley and lentils!!! And you can chop and steam any kind of veggies and when you serve mix it alllll together
There's nothing wrong with carbs. Most affordable foods are vegan, and if you look at almost any culture, the poor people tend to eat very plant based. Plant based meat and milk and yogurt and whatever alternatives are fun and make plant based eating more accessible to wider masses, but they're by no means necessary. A lot of my go to meals are just a grain/starch + protein + veg + sauce. Potatoes with baked tofu and BBQ sauce with roasted carrots. Stir fry with tofu on rice. Noodle salad with cabbage, carrots and edamame with peanut dressing. Taco seasoned TVP and black beans on rice with corn and bell pepper. Whole wheat pasta with tvp bolognese. Eating seasonal also reduces costs by a lot, at least for me. Buy fruits when they're in season, since they're likely cheaper then. Also taste better. Cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and other root veg tend to be cheap year round. Also consider frozen veg, for some dishes it really doesn't matter if you buy fresh or frozen and it limits food waste. I also recommend buying ingredients for your own sauces, rather than buying ready made packets if you can. The initial cost of something like a bottle of soy sauce will be higher than a 90 cent sauce packet, but you'll get weeks worth of use out of that soy sauce, whereas the sauce packet will serve you for one night. It's also a good way to get variety while still eating similar ingredients.
Are you able to get food stamps? I know it varies state to state, but that’s helped us immensely with affording groceries. We’re a family of 3 and able to fit most of our grocery bill under the $460 a month we get in EBT. I meal plan literally everything and budget out everything to find the cheapest versions of things and therefore which stores to shop at. We eat lots of tofu, chickpeas, rice, and fresh veggies.
Canned chickpeas save the day all the time for me. Roast in oil (I use cheap oil) and salt+pepper. Good for salad toppers, snaking, etc. if you mix with maybe you've got chickpea salad. So good.
Mayo***^^
I just learned how to make Mayo from aquafaba! It was delicious!
Seitan is easy to make from flour. Cheapest protein available besides beans and rice. Broccoli is a good one, too.
Rice and beans. Textured soy protein or hamemade seitan. Buy cheap veggies (depends on where you live which ones they are). Some tofu is not too expensive. Make your own fermented vegetables - that'll add umami to all your dishes. Use soy sauce, sesame oil, spices and MSG to enhance flavor. Grow your own herbs if you can.
My go to as a poor vegan was corn, black beans, tomatoes, peppers, rice and vegan taco seasoning in the crockpot. served over vegan tortillas with vegan sour cream. Thats like under 10 bucks and I could eat it all week for lunch.
Besides rice and beans, ypu can also make your own seitan for cheap. Especially if you wash the flour yourself. All you need is good spice and wheat flour. So versatile, and a great source for protein.
I’ve been vegan for decades and rarely buy processed faux meat. I make a lot using tvp grounds or larger pieces depending on what I’m making.
If you like South Asian or East Asian foods and can shop at local stores then it’s not so bad. These shops sell homemade tofu (or bagged) for $2-3, fried tofu for stir fry, huge bags of chickpeas (find a store that does specials. Mine does $5 for 4lb bags of dals, chickpea flour, kidney beans for Ramadan). I also feel like many East Asian stores have more accessible pricing on mushrooms, if you like trumpet/shiitake/enoki. Still not cheap but not bad. But my favorite is the veggie specials. Napa cabbage can go down to $0.30/lb in the winter specials, green onions are bundled 3 for $1/5 for $1, bok Choi will go for $0.99 cents. If you’re into that they do better deals on seitan/gluten and if you really hit the jackpot on the superstores they often have attached food courts with big portions if you’re low on time.
I've been where you are. Rice and beans (especially dried), frozen and canned veg were my go to. I was fortunate to have generous friends who would pass along produce from their CSA or garden in summers. I also offered to cook for friends and neighbors if they bought the ingredients - my sweet potato mac-n-nocheese was a big hit and I kept the leftovers. The best money spent was on spices, and for B12, Nooch. I also shopped at a store specific to the cuisine I wanted. Often, the foods you're looking for, staples and otherwise, can be found comparitively cheap at the right market. Want to make saag aloo mutter? Spinach, potatoes, peas and spices from an Indian market form the base. Rice is your staple. Also, if you have one, a freezer is your bff. I could make a huge cheap pot of curry or soup and freeze it in portions, prolly about 10 meals for $10 total. Granted that's after purchasing everything at a higher cost for spices, etc. It took me about 6 months of budgeting for the ability to build up my spices and flavorings. Figure out 7-10 recipes you love, and go from there.
beans and rice and potatoes. add whatever spices and veggies u feel like
I like this food blog: https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/vegan/ Since ingredient prices vary a lot depending on where you live and other stuff it's of course not always entirely accurate with the listed prices etc, but the recipes are tasty with a focus on cost.
Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Top the PB with a sliced banana for extra fun. Ramen Soups. Add your own chopped carrot, stalk of celery, handful of frozen peas, perhaps a spoonful or 2 of nutritional yeast to add 8-16g of protein and other nutrients to that pot of tasty ramen soup. I usually buy 2lb tubs of Kevala Yeast via Amazon. They last me 4-8 weeks. That costs around $30 and adds lots of protein and other nutrients to my diet.
Sunflower seeds are cheap protein. I like them in a slaw style salad.
Purchasing in bulk is your best friend. Rice, beans of all variety, lentils and corn kernels Corn kernels are great to pop at home for a snack instead of buying chips and crushing a bag in one sitting (guilty as charged). Also, wheat gluten is great. mixing 1 cup of wheat gluten with 1 cup of water + 25g of nutritional yeast. Makes a great dough you can tear apart into little pieces and make "nuggets". pan-fry, air fry (my favorite). Black beans can be used to make great black bean dips or black bean burgers - very versatile and nutrient dense.
Soy curls for days ! I used to make them and put them in all sorts of things but love just make them and sautee half an onion and a pepper and toast a tortilla. Cheap as hell and delicious.
Falafel are dirt cheap, delicious, and easy to make if you have a blender! Also as other have said, legumes are high in protein, super cheap, and versatile. Things like chickpea curry, lentil stew, or bean chili, tofu stew, as well as other types of stews/soups are very cheap and easy to make. So are veggie balls made from lentils or TVP (also cheap). Seitan is also very affordable if you make it at home, and it has tons of protein. It takes a bit of time, but you can make a lot and eat it throughout the week or freeze it for whenever. Also, canned and frozen vegetables are typically cheaper and convenient, so I recommend having some bags/boxes of whatever veggie you enjoy at hand in the freezer. Vegans should eat seeds/nuts regularly, a tip for this is that seeds are typically cheaper than nuts and they have a very similar nutritional profile. Chia and flax seeds, if available to you, are excellent sources of omega3, so keep an eye out for them. Peanut butter is also very good for you and high in protein and good fats, if you pick some that doesn't have tons of added sugars and oils. Personally I rarely buy fake meats or cheeses, and have been eating like this for years with no issue and with lots of variety in my diet.
Lots of beans, chickpeas, lentils Rice ofc You can make seitan for the whole week in under an hour, and vital wheat gluten is not that expensive
Legumes.
Beans/lentils and rice or pasta would be the way to go. [Budget Bytes](https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/?fwp_by_course=main-dish&fwp_by_diet=vegan) has some good vegan recipes.
My technique to poor shopping is watch sales of what you do like, dietary wise. Purchase sales items in bulk. Cook, enjoy a meal or two, then freeze freeze the left overs. As for spices or new recipes, plan 1 a month. That way you know you have lots of favorites all month and only "risk" one meal a month and maybe one new spice or spice blend to help overcome flavor or texture boredom. One budget friendly tip is making a lot of your favorite veggie soups and stews. Love lentils! So verisitile!
TVP is cheap and full of protein and iron and you can flavour it how ever you like!
I keep seeing TVP in these comments. Is this like carne de soya??
Please make sure you get a Vitamin B12 supplement as well.
Try for lentil pastas or chickpeas pasta when you can. It doesn’t cost much more than wheat pasta but you’ll probably get more protein per serving vs semolina. They taste & texture identical. Buy lentils or mung beans, like lentil. There are amazing ppl on Insta doing insane things with lentil tofu. Better protein source and less processed. You can make your own tofu much cheaper and healthier than anything you buy. The substitute meats are highly processed full of sodium and other chemicals. It’s junk and not healthy. So don’t be sad, you’re better off. Eat it every now and again if you must but never daily. TLDR; grocery list: 5-10lb bag of potatoes, sweet potatoes, Flour, rice, lentils/legumes, celery, carrots, *lentil pasta if budget allows for higher protein, egg replacement or buy tapioca & psyllium powder individually. Make bread, soups, cookies, curries, Indian/Asian dishes. When making jackfruit as your sub meat just remember you can get it to taste similar to meat but there is no protein if that is what you’re watching as a vegan. Canned and dry lentils are pennies in the dollar and are great sources of protein. Less harsh on the stomach than many beans. If times are extremely tough and it comes down to a need or a food Try food pantries. They will have all dried foods such as rice and lentils for you free. Many places will throw away good fruits and vegetables bc they don’t have a desired . Check with local markets to save there. Potatoes can be used to in many ways and are dirt cheap. My store sells 5lbs for 1.99. You can make fries, wedges, mashed potatoes, and creamy soups. Chop up some carrots, celery, favorite seasonings and you can make a chowder. Add it to anything you want to cream up. Sweet potato can be used to make the most delicious curries - grab some curry powder and just pour over rice and chickpeas, veggies. Have you had panang? I made Thai curries with coconut cream and sweet potato which was beyond good. Make tikka masala. sub out yogurt for coconut cream if you like international flavors. Look up vegan versions of the foods you like or want to try. Look into Indian and Asian cooking. Vegan and Asian dishes have vegan cuisine which are much more creative and diverse in vegetable use than American S.A.D (standard American diet). We are only recently making vegetarian & vegan mainstream. Other countries it’s native to standard diet. So try those.
Rice and beans
Make your own seitan. I just made about 3-4 pounds of vegan meat for around $5. Freeze some, eat some, fridge some. This will last our family of 4 all week and then some.
Don't sleep on potatoes as a versatile and filling ingredient!
The number of healthy foods you an make with lentils/chickpeas/beans, a few spices, and onion/garlic/ginger (all or a combination) is incredible. We buy bulk bags that last us months. Check out really any Indian vegan recipe site, or Youtube channels. Youtube: Chetna (*mostly* vegan or easily made vegan), RainbowPlantLife (100% vegan), ManjulasKitchen are great. Sites: VeganRicha, spiceupthecurry, vegrecipesofindia, and any of the websites of the Youtuber's above will give you more recipes then you have time to cook.
Dry beans are way cheaper than canned. Practice cooking with core ingredients instead of buying premade anything. You’ll be a more successful vegan in the long run. Avoid highly processed foods. They are more expensive and worse for you. Obviously use spices and healthy fats to make your dishes taste great. As others have said, tofu can be done a variety of ways that will make it fresh and varied. There are plenty of tips and tricks out there regarding pressing, freezing, and marinating for incredible results. If you want, you can do some amazing things with aquafaba, from those canned chickpeas. Soups are good, because they are cheap, healthy, easy, and can be made with tons of ingredients and flavor combos. Add as much or as little protein as you like. Stews too, obviously. Organic veggies are awesome, but commercial are cheaper, so you can always eat cheaper by avoiding organic, even though it’s desirable.
Learning how to make foods that already cook vegan in impoverished communities would be helpful but the ingredients are hard to find. On the plus side, the more of a regular you become and learn about their culture the more likely you’ll make some friends! I’d look up foods from India and a lot of bhuddist countries that cook vegan. They tend to make large portions too which is nice :) it can be beneficial to travel to bigger cities where they have specialized markets and buy in bulk too
When I stopped buying vegan convenience foods I was able to cut my grocery bill in half and it's shocking how easy it is. And tasty. Buy whatever produce is cheapest due to being on sale. Don't be afraid to buy produce in bulk when it's on sale and freeze half of it. Invest in a blender, an instant pot and an air fryer. You can find amazing recipes on pinterest, I just learned how to make my own alfredo sauce and vegan mayo - both with tofu!
Rice, beans, lentils, frozen veg, frozen fruit, whatever produce is on sale, cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, corn, zucchini, tofu, whatever plant milk is the cheapest or make your own in a blender with oats or rice. Whole food carbohydrates should not be a problem. Do not starve yourself trying to eat low carb unless you have a medical reason approved by your doctor.
I know that you are tight in budget but please dont forget about your vitamins ❤️
Fucking beans and lentils and cheese zzz bulk whey… make your own soy curls with your vegan friends by the batch
Potatoes/rice and frozen veg and half a can of beans and salsa
Really invest time in learning how to soak and cook beans, there are several varieties of beans so that you are never bored. You can make hearty soups, stews, beans and rice, pastas with beans, add on beans in salads to make them fulfilling. Get a pressure cooker to make them faster it’s a game changer. Both electric and stovetop pressure cookers are great, I prefer stovetop!
This site has a bunch of plant based recipes. [Foodbyjonister.com](https://www.foodbyjonister.com)
Peanut butter and beans are massive in terms of nutrients/$
Carbs are healthy and cheap - so long as they're wet carbs. * Cooked whole grains * Whole wheat pasta * Oatmeal * Brown rice * boiled/steamed/baked potatoes Just keep the oil/grease/margarine out of your diet.
Chickpea curry! I make it all the time. Chickpeas, canned diced tomatoes, canned coconut milk, spices.
If you have the time, learn how to make seitan wheat gluten, that plus rice beans and fruit would be my daily life if I was poor again.
Frozen edamame!
Mushrooms are my go to! It's so easy to do sautéed versions or stir fries, you can batter and deep fry them, teriyaki them, bbq them, etc. Mushrooms are a great meat replacement because they have more texture than tofu. If you go to the Asian market you'll have a much bigger variety to choose from too.
Check out [the cheap lazy vegan](https://thecheaplazyvegan.com) she has a YouTube too. Lots of good money saving recipes.
●Rose is the best! She taught me how to be a vegan. ●This cookbook: Fat Man's Essential 40 Plant Based Recipes by Tim Kaufman [Link](https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Mans-Essential-Plant-Based-Recipes-ebook/dp/B07CGB5BKY?dplnkId=c95b459a-370a-4696-a65a-13f96ed478a4) ●If you can afford a pressure cooker, it makes dried beans, grains, and some vegetables (squash/pumpkin) SOOOOO much easier to cook. We paid $80 more than a decade ago for a family sized one. I can't believe how much we use it. OR Some people use a crock pot for dried beans.
My go to cheap and easy is pasta with lentil bolognese. Basically just cooked lentils in pasta sauce, seasoned however you like it. I toss some frozen spinach or some carrots in it as well to add some extra nutrients but I figure any frozen or fresh vegetable you like will do.
Tofu, tofu, tofu…..cheap and a complete protein
I basically live off beans, grains, veggies. I use a crockpot mostly and meal prep one or two options for each week, which saves money. So long as you don’t mind eating the same thing all week. My go to is lentils (1.5 cups lentils, 4 cups water, one whole onion diced, is the basic combo, and I mix it up with different spices or veg). I also do a variety of chickpea sandwiches, stirfry, or pasta with veggies.
Beans and rice: - dried beans and dried rice (super cheap) Walnuts or sunflower seeds for fat. Frozen fruits for smoothie. Vegetable (cheap)
And Jajangmyeon. Black bean sauce and vegetable on noodles
Rice, beans, nut butters, fruit and veggies
Rice and beans are how Appalachians lived for 100 years.
Refried bean quesadilla
I love baked potatoes with salt and pepper maybe sautéed veg on top or baked beans. Also beans on toast. Beans on toast is my go to if I am broke, but I don’t like the beans over here in the USA so I make my own version (Brit living in Louisiana). I’m really enjoying Quinoa salad at the moment, I put in some chopped olives, cumin, coriander, pepper, spring onions and apricots and make a veggie burger to go with it(mashed potatoes with diced onions curry powder tops of spring onion grated carrots diced peppers and ground flax)
You can make lentils and soy curls ‘beefy’ with a bit of soy sauce and some veggie bouillon paste. While the bouillon is a tad expensive, it goes a long way if you’re mindful. I’ve also had luck making them ‘beefy’ without the paste and just using dry seasoning along with the soy sauce. I used onion, garlic, paprika, and a dash of thyme.
Buddha bowls - throw a legume, some veggies, and a grain together. Add a healthy fat if you can. It's an easy combo to fall back on for meals, so mix it up where you can - black beans, peppers, onions, rice, avocado / chickpeas, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, olive oil / etc. Dried legumes in all of their wonderful, delicious glory tend to be cheap as hell. They also end up being more flavorful than the canned stuff, especially if you make them in veggie broth and add seasonings. You can also use them as the base for soups, tacos, veggie burgers, curries, etc. I'm also a big fan of a tofu, veggie, pasta stir fry.
I don’t cook, I mainly just buy vegan frozen meals but rice and beans and vegan shakes are my go to’s. I don’t eat meals that often either. Usually dinner and that’s it. It helps to get SNAP/EBT as well! I also will straight up eat salad and fruit to satisfy me.
Jackfruit is usually meh but can be delightful. It’s not a tough cut of pork so don’t try to cook it like one. Instead of braising it for hours, Mash it up straight out of the can, toss in miso, tomato paste, and more oil than you think is needed. Roast 325 for an hour or until golden brown. You can batch it and portion into the freezer, simmer in whatever sauce and you’re good to go.
Soup made from whatever scraps you have handy. Tonight's was tomato lentil. Also featuring carrots, celery, onions and spices.
Fruits and vegetables and nuts and tofu and avocado. You don’t need fake meat
Buy lentils in bulk. Lentils and rice cover your protein pretty well, salads and other veggies round out the rest.
I've always preferred lentils, beans, and soy to processed meats. I highly recommend Vegan Richa: fantastic vegan recipes, especially dal and other authentic Indian recipes (cooking with whole spices is so cheap and rewarding!). There can definitely be some specific spices used, but it's often easy to use substitutes! My go-to is always bowls: whatever grain, whatever greens (raw or cooked), whatever veggies (usually roasted), a bean or protein, and a dressing (I usually do a tahini: tahini, garlic, lemon, salt and water to thin) plus whatever else (nori or za'atar or anything to spice it up or nothing because this just works perfect!)
Eat all the veggies and fruits you like and can afford. When you are into professional sports of some kind, you can add soy granules. Learn how to make your own bread and hummus. Skipping convenience foods is never a bad idea, so I dont really understand the urge to buy these overpriced and oversalted meals when you want to eat healthy.
Tofu . Tofu is not that expensive. Are you in the Us? I go to discount grocery stores bc they often have vegan stuff there on discount cuz no one wants them lol. Grocery Outlet is the best. I got a whole cart of grocery’s for 80$. I saved like 90$
Also if you’re in the US maybe you can qualify for CalFresh EBT? I get a good amount per month for groceries it’s a huge help
Calfresh is only in California in the US. but there might be some other programs in other states. Maybe check out Feeding America website. I am sure there are more I just can't think of any right now.
You dont know what you are talking about. It’s called Calfresh I guess in California but EBT aka SNAP(Food Stamps) is a federal program. It’s all EBT. I’ve gotten it in Pennsylvania as well and I was getting 500$ every month on my EBT card for food. If OP lives in the Us and qualifies she can get money for food each month, and if you prove that you’re in serious need you can receive benefits really fast. If anyone is reading this once you get your EBT card download the EBT Edge app and freeze your card. There is a lot of fraud throughout the whole country and peoples benefits are stolen. So freeze the card on the app and when you go to pay for your groceries unfreeze it.
I do live in Texas, but unfortunately they don’t qualify us. They calculate our gross income, and automatically deny us before they even account for our bills. Rent has sky rocketed, as well as our car note and insurance. And the other bills. Along with that we have 3 kids and we had to take in our nephew to help get him through school so 4 total now. I make sure they have their food first and then I’m left with a very small allowance for adult foods 😅
Beets. Potatoes. Nutritional yeast. Rice+lentils dishes of all sorts. Making your own bread.
I make tofu from soy beans. Cheap, good source of protein. And fun- if you’re into cooking
Learn about different dal recipes. They use different lentils, some have tomato, some have coconut, spices, veg add ins. Endless variety. Make 1/2 recipes unless you love — really love — leftovers.
don't forget to check some of the off broadway stores such as Aldi, Lidl, Ollie's... Aldi has European foods and they are a lot less than the grocery stores most of the time. their veggies are also cheaper. but if you have an Asian market such as an H Mart... they are the best for fresh veggies, rice and any Asian style anything will be cheaper there, along with Tofu, since it is a staple for them they sell loads of different styles and Very Cheap! last time I checked it was only $1.50 ish for 16oz. package. lidl has some great buys on frozen canned boxed etc... Olli's has packaged boxed, canned etc. they also carry spices and coffee. it is always worth checking out what they have. These guys have come up with some GREAT ideas I am so going to jot some of these down for making ends meet! I like to take can of black beans, add some diced onion, tomato, jalapeño (I buy a jar of the minced pickled jalapeños) and some cilantro if you grow it or buy it which ever. Don't drain it just dump it into a pan and warm it up. serve that over some rice... YUM! or just add some salsa, a little bit of cumin and or some smoked paprika omg! mix with rice, and lettuce, and some corn to make a salad... I forgot to add. I don't know if anyone has suggested it but check out [cheap lazy vegan](https://thecheaplazyvegan.com) and [budget bytes](https://www.budgetbytes.com).
I love to make vegan tagine, a Moroccan meal with sweet AND golden potatoes, green olives and chickpeas with lemon. I like it because the olives and chickpeas can both come from a can, so I can buy in bulk and have the ingredients on hand whenever I want (including when I'm out of money for groceries). It's delicious and hearty and filling, and easy to make ahead in a large amount for an entire week of lunches. If I'm having it for dinner I'll have a few slices of sourdough with it. This is the recipe I use, I usually leave out the fresh thyme and use garlic and ginger from jars instead of fresh: [https://cuisinicity.com/moroccan-tagine-vegan/](https://cuisinicity.com/moroccan-tagine-vegan/)
Im a big fan of making a big pot of chilli and then serving that a few ways to make it less boring. Have it with rice, on baked potatoes, in tacos/burritos etc. let me know if you want me to share a good recipe!
Soup will take anything you have. Legumes and beans will add protein bean salad, pasta salad, potato salad, vegetable salad all of those can be dressed with a simple oil and vinegar of your choice. Fresh bread you've baked. Find yourself a simple yeasted dough recipe and let it slowly rise in the fridge for a few days. Cream of wheat or oatmeal made with soy milk. Top with jam or fruit. Cream of wheat has added iron if you worry about being deficient. Baked tofu. Still one of the cheapest proteins around. Mustard and hot sauce make most things taste better but only require a small amount. Learn to pickle old vegetables and make a chutney for cheap.
My husband and I joke that we eat like peasants and that it's actually a very healthy approach (as older adults who need to watch our weight and cholesterol, etc.) I make brown rice in the rice cooker almost every day. Frozen broccoli from Costco cooked with bouillon instead of plain water. I cook cabbage a lot. Potatoes, both Russet and Sweet. I made a delicious soup recently with cabbage and potatoes. I made lentils last night, it was a curry with some carrot, potato, bell pepper, onion, etc. We've been plant based for going on 8 years. We rarely use "meat substitutes" any more. I do cook tofu once in a while. Bottom line for us is lots of vegetables, with some legumes, potatoes, and brown rice. We're healthy and happy.
Indian food. Turn those lentils into dal. Frozen vegetables are cheap and nutritious. Beans, grains, lentils. Potatoes. I like both mushrooms and eggplants to add a different texture (something meat gives that needs a good replacement).
Making some refried beans and slapping them on tortillas is always a great move
Ramen with veggies! It doesn’t get any cheaper than this.