I watched a documentary when I was in law school about eating a plant-based (vegan) diet. I went plant-based the following day and along the way learned more about my health. I think many vegans eat a nutrient deficient diet (myself included for a period of time), so let me first say that my approach was not a good one. I think it is best to study the vegan diet before you make that switch in order to ensure you are getting all of the nutrients you need. I also did not realize how expensive being vegan could be if you are doing it the wrong way. To say that my current diet saves me money is an understatement and was a contributor towards shrinking my expenses as I paid of my loans. When I eat my perfect diet of leafy greens, rice, homemade beans and potatoes, my food budget is around $50 a week per person and this is shopping at Whole Foods. While some people make think a “rice and beans” diet is a hardship, my waistline and wallet do not care as it has been a wonderful approach for me.
1. Stick to Whole Foods
I started my vegan journey eating all the Field Roast and Tofurkey I could find. It was expensive, and I gained weight. I bought into the belief that if it was vegan that it had to be healthy. Vegan sugar is not like regular sugar, right? Yep, I fell right into that trap. It wasn’t until I took charge of my narrative and started to only eat Whole Foods like sweet potatoes, collard greens and made my own tofu “chicken less” chicken nuggets that the weight dropped.
2. If it has more than three ingredients then it is processed
Sticking to a whole food diet means determining which foods would be considered processed. For me, I consider any product with three or more ingredients to be processed. Tortillas should have masa and lime – that meets my standard and it comes home with me on a regular basis. If it is Daiya’s Mac and Cheese (one of my favorite holiday treats) then that is reserved for special occasions.
3. Frozen veggies and fruit are a great bargain as you start your journey
I am a working professional and time is limited. When I don’t have an opportunity to meal prep (see tip below), I rely on frozen fruits and veggies to whip up delicious and easy recipes. I roast frozen broccoli and bake frozen cauliflower to make “buffalo wings” or simply throw frozen rice and veggies together for a stir fry. It takes minutes and I never say that I have nothing to eat because I always keep a few bags in the fridge for those moments.
4. Avoid those fancy nuts
There was a period of time that I made my own nut cheese and milk. It was ridiculously expensive, and I mean expensive. There is no denying that it tasted great, but it left a hole in my pocketbook and also contributed to some weight gain. I work at a desk, so eating high caloric foods just is not in the cards for me. I stick to peanut butter in my smoothies and save those other nuts for when I want to make a gourmet meal, which is once a month at best.
5. Meal prep like your life depends on it
Meal prep changed my life. I wish I was exaggerating, but my health really took off when I started to make my own beans for the week and a large pot of soup. I now cook the vast majority of my food on a weekend. For example, after I go shopping, I immediately chop my red onions, cabbage, collard greens, lettuce, kale and other vegetables. I then make a soup for the first couple of days of the week and cook my tofu and rice. Just those steps alone ensure that I have options from at least Monday to Thursday to make my lunch and dinner since my mornings are usually oatmeal or a smoothies. It saves me time and encourages me to eat all the delicious food since it is ready to go.
Food can be a major expense for any person and finding those ways to cut it down is invaluable. However, the most successful approach is the one that you stick to and that means find a path that works for you!