How to go vegan on a major budget

​There are two things I love dearly: being vegan and being frugal. Making vegan meals can be very daunting. You may walk past vegan items at the grocery store and see how overly-priced they can be. And it's true, being vegan CAN be expensive. Brands with fewer buyers will cost more, classic supply and demands. I envision that in the next five years we will see a dramatic drop in the prices of plant-based options as people around the globe began to shift to eating more veggies and fewer chicken leggies. 

But, eating vegan does not need to be expensive. I find when I follow a more whole-food, plant-based diet (WFPB), consisting of eating whole foods and avoiding the processed and pre-made vegan options, it is extremely affordable. I even try to buy most of my groceries at the local-brand grocery store, which buys and sells produce from local farmers and is a bit more expensive than Walmart. However, for ease, I am going to take an 11-day meal plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) and give you a ready to go grocery list. In fact, I am going to do it even better and make it enough portions for a family of 4. Now, I did an Instagram poll the other day and had answers from vegans and non-vegans. The average my followers spends on groceries per person per week is $60. I would say mine is usually about the same (or a little bit less depending on the week). But with this vegan meal plan and grocery list, you can feed a family of 4 for 11-days on $150. That's 1.5 weeks of meals for $25 per person per week. Now, THAT is a good deal. 

First, I will supply the grocery list, taken straight from Walmart's online ordering service. This grocery list includes spices and olive oil. There may be things on this list you already have in your pantry, making your total EVEN LESS. 

​For breakfast, your family can choose to have chia pudding or cereal and milk. 

For lunch, there are options for vegan chick'n nuggets, pb&J's (added that in for all you parents and grandparents out there), or leftovers from the plethora of food. One meal I have on the dinner menu is super easy to whip up for lunches too. 

For snacks, I have included a variety of fruits and veggies: carrots, apples, halos, and grapes. 

And now, your dinners for the 11-days: 
Monday: Chickpea Curry with jasmine rice
Tuesday: vegan tofu tacos
Wednesday: vegan spaghetti and meatballs
Thursday: beyond burgers and fries
Friday: Vegan pizza
Saturday: succotash
Sunday: Vegan chili 
Monday: lemon orzo and veggies
Tuesday: Butternut squash bowls
Wednesday: vegan chickpea noodle soup
Thursday: vegan pesto pasta

All these meals are delicious, easy to make, and incredibly affordable. Most of these meals use canned or frozen vegetables (cheap!!!!!) and are packed with protein and nutrients. 

Drop a comment below for which meals you want me to share recipes for!!!