Cheap and Cheerful: Tips For an Affordable Vegan Diet
A Vegan Diet Can Be Delicious and Affordable
Cheap and Cheerful: Tips For an Affordable Vegan Diet
It’s no secret that prices are going up.
It only takes a quick glance at the news, or a trip to the store to show that the cost of living is now significantly more expensive than it was just a few months ago and, as a result, we’re all going to be tightening up our belts.
Now cutting costs is no easy task and, all too often, the biggest casualty is the weekly food shop. Keeping everyone fed on a tight budget often means shifting priorities. Balancing concerns like fat content and nutritional value is hard enough, but when you throw a tight budget, and a vegan diet into the mix it can become a real head-scratcher.
For many people, the weekly shop is fast becoming a weekly dose of stress. That’s why, this week, we’ve decided to take a look at a few ways to keep your costs down while maintaining a happy, healthy, and 100% vegan lifestyle.
Bulk Out Your Meals
Everyone knows it's good to eat your greens, especially vegans.
Vegetables really are one of nature's greatest gifts, because not only do they provide amazing nutritional value, but they can go well with just about any meal. But the added benefit to a veg-heavy diet is just how easily you can make more from less. Whether you’re making a tasty tofu stir-fry, or a vegan pasta bake, throwing a few more veggies into the mix can easily double your portions.
Batch Cooking
Let’s face it, good food takes time and work.
While it’s almost always more cost-effective to eat home-cooked food than ready meals or take-out, finding the time can prove difficult. Even fifteen minutes an evening - which might not sound like a lot - can be hard to manage for full-time workers, let alone those with other responsibilities such as parents or careers.
If this is a problem for you, then batch cooking may be the way to go.
There are all kinds of vegan meals, such as curries or bean chili, that are just as tasty defrosted as they are fresh.
Just cook up a pot at the start of the week, split it into portions, and freeze them for later.
Not only is this a time-saver, but it’s also a great way to make sure you use everything up, with no wasted leftovers.
Buy Long-Life Products
You really can’t go wrong with pasta and rice.
As staples of a vegan diet, pasta and rice are incredibly healthy and easy to cook. Not to mention they’re cheap - really cheap.
Bulk buying these kinds of long-life foods can not only save you a lot of money but can help to fill your cupboards in case of a rainy day.
Don’t Feel Guilty
Although it’s certainly possible to balance thrift and veganism, whilst also staying healthy, it’s not always easy. These are difficult times, and the most important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t feel guilty.
Here at Vegan Gently we believe that veganism, at its core, is about kindness, and a part of that is being kind to yourself. Some weeks you might find yourself not being as healthy as you’d like, and others you may find it difficult to maintain your vegan diet.
Veganism isn’t about point-scoring or record keeping, but about making the world a better place. Different people have different needs. We all live in our own unique circumstances, and what works for one person won’t necessarily work for everyone else. The most important thing to remember is that so long as you’re doing your best, then that’s the most anyone can ask of you.
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