Stretching Your Dollar: How to Save While Going Vegan

[Lou]

I found this news report in my feed this morning,

Stretching Your Dollar: How to Save While Going Vegan

How to save while going vegan.

cheddar.com

Nothing that interesting or groundbreaking but I was impressed with the channel: Cheddar news; which I had never heard of before.
I'm going to add it to my newsfeed and my Roku.

 

[silva]

I have Cheddar on my Roku but never looked.
Plant based foods have always meant frugal to me, and even when I was married, and he had zero intention of being veg, we ate mostly veg.
Growing up meat was served in small portions. I still remember how shocked my grandmother was when burger joints came out with quarter pound burgers!

Vegan is much like saying omnivore really. It's not like omnis eat all meats, vegans eat anything but animal products, but limited other than that.

Gotta say, I am finding vegan processed foods are looking closer in price to prepared meat based things
I used to limit my premade foods to sales. Now fresh veggies are getting pricier
Think we need to start gardening

 

[Raven]

I could do with being a lot more frugal as I eat out too much! I had curry and rice in a restaurant the other day and I thought that I should cook with rice more at home as it is tasty and cheap.

It is weird as the Airbnb we stayed at had a Roku and none of us had ever seen one before and we didn't know how to use it.

 

[shyvas]

I could do with being a lot more frugal as I eat out too much! I had curry and rice in a restaurant the other day and I thought that I should cook with rice more at home as it is tasty and cheap.

It is weird as the Airbnb we stayed at had a Roku and none of us had ever seen one before and we didn't know how to use it.

It's a streaming TV service. It goes via internet. I think that my cousin has it in the US as it's an American based company.

 

[Lou]

I could do with being a lot more frugal as I eat out too much! I had curry and rice in a restaurant the other day and I thought that I should cook with rice more at home as it is tasty and cheap.

It is weird as the Airbnb we stayed at had a Roku and none of us had ever seen one before and we didn't know how to use it.

I have one. it's pretty easy. but you sort have to know that the first step is to push the home button.

 

[LoreD]

I just went shopping, and as long as I stayed away from heavily processed foods, everything was pretty reasonable. Packages of store brand organic tofu were 3 for $5. The small bags of vegetables were 10 for $10 (w/coupon), and the huge economy size bags were $6.99. Store brand organic soymilk was $2.79. I picked Aldi brand veggie burgers for $2.89, and organic apples for $4.99 per bag.

I usually don't buy many fresh vegetables in winter because I don't like the environmental aspect of transporting vegetables cross country or around the world, so winter increases don't bother me.

The processed faux burgers, nuggets, and fish was pretty expensive, but were just about the same as the animal based counterparts.

If you have a highly processed vegan diet, then it is really expensive. But a high quality vegan diet with dried beans, organic grains, vegetables, and fruit is not very expensive.

 

[Lou]

Soy milk is close to $5.50/half gal here in Ca.
Almond is like $5
Oat milk was like $6 but had gone down to $5
Also they are now selling oat milk in 52 oz containers now. it's just as expensive an ounce but I think some people think they are saving money. I think this phenomena is called shrinkflation.

organic tofu is like $4/lb.

Boca burgers are $6 for a box of 4.

Organic apples are around $3 pound

Frozen peas are $3/lb

 

[Emma JC]

I let my fingers do the shopping before I go out to see what is on sale and where and only shop for things on my list unless I see that something I regularly buy is on sale. I was able to get 10 lbs of potatoes for $2.44 a week or so ago and a 10 lb bag of onions for $2.99.

I do watch for the frozen fruit and vegetables on sale.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

The major supermarket here, Safeway, has a website.
During the lockdown I got really good at using it for pick-ups.

They also have coupons you can clip online. Before back in the "paper-age" I used to get the ads and clip my paper coupons. Then I had to organize them and use them before they expired.
Now I virtually clip my coupons. they stay in my account till I use them or just evaporate when they expire. I don't even shop with the coupons in mind. I just buy what I need and maybe I'll have a coupon for it.

 

[silva]

I've noticed the shrinkflation in plant milks and butters as well. Aldi oatmilk is what I normally buy, but I had watched for the extra creamy ones like Chobani to go on sale. I found Chobani and others are now 52 oz--Aldi is still 64 and $2.99I . Aldi has organic tofu for $1.54--no I don't know why, it's over 2.50 everywhere else, but it's been for months and it does sell
I do always go online to check for coupons, compare prices- sometimes use Flipp – Flyers, Shopping List, Weekly Ads | Flipp, or google shopping.
I like Aldi as my main store because it really doesn't change. I have my list set up for all regular things, I get most all beans there for just over a dollar a pound and they're always good.
I also go to the Indian and Chinese stores.
I'm finding I can get more things from Costco,though I'm balking at the 2 pounds or more of all fresh organic produce. I feel I should and make myself use it, but,,,, not quit ready

 

[VeganRachel]

Hi, I am always amazed when critics say the vegan "diet" is expensive. It is if you live on frozen and canned, packaged processed foods.
It is NOT if you make your own from whole foods like beans or nuts which are found in bulk. I have even bought 25 pound bags.
I do not buy the packaged nut milks anymore. They are in an environmentally-unfriendly package. If I want nut milk I just make my
own after soaking nuts and putting in a blender. The packaged nut milks are mostly water and have ony about 1g protein even though
they seem cheap. Some stores have sales on certain items or even buy 1 get 1 free, thats' the time to stock up.

 

[silva]

A real problem is all the very amateurish writing that gets published now. I cringe when I click on most articles on plant based, or vegan foods as there is no depth to them, just fluff and a cheap paycheck.

Mostly people either think of direct replacements for what they now eat, or the health aspect of whole organic foods. In that light they would look more expensive.
For most of us that have been vegan for some time, it's that we've found our groove, and don't need to overthink what we'll make for dinner, or what we need to buy.

 

[VeganRachel]

A real problem is all the very amateurish writing that gets published now. I cringe when I click on most articles on plant based, or vegan foods as there is no depth to them, just fluff and a cheap paycheck.

Mostly people either think of direct replacements for what they now eat, or the health aspect of whole organic foods. In that light they would look more expensive.
For most of us that have been vegan for some time, it's that we've found our groove, and don't need to overthink what we'll make for dinner, or what we need to buy.

Agreed. Having healthy meals is not complicated and can be really simple. I have 2 cups of chickpeas soaking now to become a meal tomorrow.
I can also make a salad, smoothie, fruit, bean burger, stew or soup, whole grain pasta, PB & J sandwich on whole grain bread, hummus, etcetera...
I also just got some amy's veggie burgers on sale which I usually do not buy.
However, for someone "new" to this way of eating, it can be a challenge. 6 recipes to rely on really help the process along.

 

[VeganRachel]

I have Cheddar on my Roku but never looked.
Plant based foods have always meant frugal to me, and even when I was married, and he had zero intention of being veg, we ate mostly veg.
Growing up meat was served in small portions. I still remember how shocked my grandmother was when burger joints came out with quarter pound burgers!

Vegan is much like saying omnivore really. It's not like omnis eat all meats, vegans eat anything but animal products, but limited other than that.

Gotta say, I am finding vegan processed foods are looking closer in price to prepared meat based things
I used to limit my premade foods to sales. Now fresh veggies are getting pricier
Think we need to start gardening

Animal food are heavily subsidized by americans at over $40 BILLION a year. Without us paying up front, the farmers
would lose $ on every animal raised. Then the Gov;t lowers the price of animal foods so it is easier and "more affordable"
to encourage americans to eat MORE of it and so it seems cheap compared to fruits and veggies. See; "meatonomics". cheers.

 

[LoreD]

I live on a fixed income of SS and a pension. It does make me watch my pennies. I haven't had an issue because I strictly control my food waste.

Vegan food can be a lot cheaper because a couple of cups of beans is waaay cheaper than buying a pound of meat.

I think a lot of the misunderstanding is that it is very expensive to replace meat with the meat replacements, instead of using dried or canned beans.

 

[FredVegrox]

I have been very very limited on spending capacity. Fortunately produce, which is more affordable than very many things, is healthy. I was getting produce I like, and that persists, along with very cheap items I could get to have with it. I now have some more quality stuff but still mostly produce that I get for myself, with a very healthy way to eat. There is no real snacking I have anymore, other than my tea and bit of complete cookie routine I have while it is still at night.

 

[Raven]

I am doing better on the meal planning, but I still could do a lot better. We did get a takeaway and eat out once this week.

I was saying on another forum that I won't buy cheap food for something I really like. I always get good quality olive oil and PB, for example.

 

[sugarhiccup]

I have Cheddar on my Roku but never looked.
Plant based foods have always meant frugal to me, and even when I was married, and he had zero intention of being veg, we ate mostly veg.
Growing up meat was served in small portions. I still remember how shocked my grandmother was when burger joints came out with quarter pound burgers!

Vegan is much like saying omnivore really. It's not like omnis eat all meats, vegans eat anything but animal products, but limited other than that.

Gotta say, I am finding vegan processed foods are looking closer in price to prepared meat based things
I used to limit my premade foods to sales. Now fresh veggies are getting pricier
Think we need to start gardening

How do you get Cheddar on Roku? TY

 

[Lou]

Put the tubi channel on your Roku. It's free. and then it's an option under live TV. or just search for it.

 

[sugarhiccup]

Put the tubi channel on your Roku. It's free. and then it's an option under live TV. or just search for it.

Thank you, Lou, for the instructions.