We’ve rounded up our most helpful tips and tricks to save money on a plant-based diet, especially in the current cost of living crisis.
Cook For Yourself
This may be the most obvious but cooking for yourself is the easiest way to maintain your plant-based diet on a budget. Cooking your own meals is an easy and efficient way to ensure you’re saving money for food you get.
With cooking, you can use a range of the same ingredients for a variety of different meals which ensures you’re eating balanced meals without frequent repetition or getting bored.
Recent research published by Forbes found that it’s it is almost five times more expensive to order delivery from a restaurant than it is to cook at home.
Plan Out Your Meals
Meal planning is one of the most efficient ways to save money on food, it involves planning all your meals in advance and preparing them beforehand, so that they are ready to eat. Many people like to meal prep a week in advance each weekend, for easy and convenient meals on the go.
Although many people think it's difficult, meal planning is actually very easy. Simply identify your dinners or lunches throughout the week, keeping note of the ingredients you’ll need. Next, sweep your kitchen for any ingredients you may already have and write down a shopping list. Finally, make simple swaps and combine ingredients you may have for the most effective meal planning.
Some of our favourite recipes include:
10 Ways to Use Carrot Cake Vegan Protein Blend
This delicious blend makes more than just a great post-workout shake.
Stick To Your Shopping List
Before you head for a food shop, create a shopping list. This is one of the easiest and simplest ways to cut down on spending. Make sure to only include items you need in your shopping list: if you already have items you can substitute, or items you can eliminate from your recipes make sure to leave them out.
Organising your shopping list in order of category can also help cut down on the time you spend in the shops and browsing time, reducing any temptations to buy impulsive purchases. Online shopping is also great, as you can only search for the items you need.
If your shopping list is sparse or does not have any essential items you might want to skip until you have enough items, to avoid over purchasing or overspending.
Compare Prices
Many supermarkets are now price matching to others, in an attempt to reduce the burden of the cost-of-living crisis. However, it’s still important to compare prices between your local supermarkets, as this could be key in saving money.
You can easily compare prices before even making the trip to the shop on websites including trolley.co.uk and mysupermarketcompare.
Price matching isn’t the only way supermarkets are attempting to reduce costs, according to a report by Which, supermarkets have launched budget friendly ranges promising low prices on 300 products picked to help families on the tightest budget.
Find Sales & Discounts
You can still enjoy your favourite products at a reduced price, just keep an eye out on sales and discounts! Keep an eye out on social media, the website and subscribe to emails to make sure you don’t miss out on any deals.
Bundles are also a great way to save money, as they usually contain your favourite products for a discounted price. Sample bundles are also great for trying new products before committing or buying full sized items.
Check out our bundles, snack boxes and sample boxes here.
Buy Frozen Foods
One of the most common misconceptions people believe is that they should purchase all their food fresh, because it’s healthier than frozen or canned foods. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the best solution when harvested and consumed directly.
However, unless you are harvesting the fruit directly from your garden, you should probably keep in mind that produce takes time to reach supermarket shelves, which could compromise on nutrient content. Canned and frozen vegetables are processed within hours of harvesting, which could mean they retain a larger amount of nutrients.
Frozen foods are a great option for a quick and cheap meal, which can be stored for longer periods of time.
Buy In Bulk
Buying in bulk is an easy way to save money, as it can be cheaper than shopping at a regular supermarket. This is because you aren’t paying for excessive packaging and fancy branding that companies charge for.
Bulk buying also allows you to consider food waste and packaging being used. Being more mindful of your consumption and waste, you’ll shop more conscientiously and can contribute to reducing global emissions and becoming more eco-friendly.
Stock Up When You Can
Stocking up is also important for saving money, particularly with increasing prices, by stocking up you can take advantage of non-perishables whilst prices are low and avoid overpaying for any food or drink commodities.
Take Home Message
Learning how to save money is important, particularly in this cost-of-living crisis, by following tips such as meal planning, buying in bulk and making shopping lists are effective ways of saving money and eating healthy on a budget.
FAQs
Is living as a vegan expensive?
Living as a vegan does not have to be expensive if you know how to save money and shop efficiently, this includes looking out for sales and discounts, buying in bulk, comparing prices and meal planning.
Do vegans spend less money on food?
Depending on their diet, and what they buy, vegans may spend less money on food. Particularly if they follow cost-efficient tips including meal preparation, creating shopping lists and buying frozen foods.
Is vegan food cheaper than meat?
Vegan foods are often cheaper than meats, however it depends on how efficiently they have optimised their diet, so for example if they cook at home and only purchase necessities, and if they meal prep.
According to the Ecologist, Vegan food is cheaper per calorie than the higher end of the meat market.
How much money do vegans save?
A study conducted by Oxford University found that efficiently following a vegan diet could reduce grocery bills by as much as 34 percent compared to the food costs of a typical Western diet.
