Why is Vegan Food So Ridiculously Expensive?!
Suggestions for a budget friendly vegan diet
It seems reasonable to conclude that the cost of vegan food items, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, varies widely across different regions of the US and the world. In those places such as Alaska that are less able to grow a wide variety of fresh food crops the extra expense of shipping in vegan food staples may be reflected in their cost. That being said, here where we grocery shop in Western NY the cost of the vegan food that I enjoy is very reasonably priced and that is the case even though our cold winters mean that many fruits and veggies are transported a great distance to reach us during our non-growing seasons. When comparing the cost of the food that I enjoy with that of Beautiful Wife, who is not vegan, my weekly grocery cost is lower.
I do find that some of the specialty vegan items such as fake meats can be expensive, however, I find it unnecessary to buy them on a regular basis and purchase them on occasion as a treat. In general those items are highly processed and full of added salt meaning they rank low on the No/Low P.A.S.S. (remember No/Low P.A.S.S. means Low P rocessed, No A nimal, Low S alt, Low S ugar) nutrition regime I enjoy.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts (most often almonds), rice, beans, hummus are all staples in my diet and are widely available and place no strain on our grocery budget. Additionally, I enjoy oatmeal and other whole grain foods, all of which are widely available and relatively inexpensive.
If you are finding that enjoying the benefits of a vegan diet is a financial burden in your area perhaps there would be a benefit in adjusting what you purchase? Perhaps cutting out large purchases of fake meats and processed foods would bring down your grocery costs (and enhance the general nutritional value of your diet). Save the highly processed foods for special treats and/or for one meal a week. If fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive where you are, perhaps finding frozen alternatives would be more friendly to your budget.
Increasing the stress of breaking your grocery budget is not healthy and works against one of the most important reasons to eat a plant-based diet (better health). With a bit of research and planning finding the best balance of enjoying a diet based in fiber dense and nutritionally rich plant food with frugality is possible. Here are some books that may help find that balance:
Vegan Gently Blog
