Is Eating Vegan Really Cheaper Or More Expensive?

My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!

There are so many conflicting opinions on this topic. Some vegans swear that eating a plant-based diet is cheaper. While others will tell you that it is much more expensive.

So which one is it?

Well, after being a vegan for more than a year I can tell you that the answer is complicated. It really depends.

The main difference between vegan and Omni diets is the elimination of all animal products such as meat, cheese, and milk. The first logical thought would be that eating vegan is cheaper if all these animal products are eliminated from one’s diet. Meat and animal products comprise about 30-50% of the Omni diet and by eliminating this you would think that your grocery bill will be cut by the same percentage.

This isn’t entirely true. Many vegans buy things that replace animal products such as tofurkey or vegan cheese. This means that their grocery bill isn’t reducing at all.

Let’s look at it a bit closer and examine which foods are more expensive and which ones are cheaper.

Vegan food is expensive if you:

1.Buy processed vegan food. Processed foods have always been expensive for both Omni and vegan diets, at least in the U.S. Processed vegan items such as meat substitutes, vegan cheese, vegan butter, and mayo will always be more expensive than fresh food items. Some of these items have taken years of research by companies to create vegan meat or dairy product. Plus, there are packaging and marketing expenses that need to be covered.

In short, if you buy vegan alternatives to animal products then your grocery bill will stay the same as it was on an Omni diet.

I have to note that processed food may actually be more expensive than fresh food in countries outside of the U.S. If that’s the case, then consider yourself lucky!

2.Consume lots of packaged food such as premade salads, precut fruits and vegetables, frozen dinners, and frozen pizza. Convenience foods, whether healthy or not, are expensive.

I certainly buy prepackaged stuff from time to time because life gets busy. It’s nice to have something in the freezer that I can heat and have the dinner ready in 15 minutes. I try to keep it to a minimum.

You can also make a big batch of one meal and freeze it yourself. I do it all the time. Some great ideas are Falafels, Stews, Meatballs, and Burger Patty.  

3.Love junk food (cookies, chips). Oh, junk food! We love you! And we hate you! There are of course healthier chips and puffs you can buy such as Lentil Chips or Chickpea Puffs but they are expensive! You can easily shell out $4 or more on a small bag.

The reality of life is that we probably can’t completely eliminate these foods from our diets or household. Keeping these foods to a minimum (maybe one snack per person per week) can lower your grocery spend.

4.Can’t get enough of trying new and exotic foods. When I first became a vegan, I discovered a whole new world of exotic fruits and vegetables that I previously didn’t know existed!

Dragon fruit became my favorite but with a hefty price tag of $7.99 per fruit! Yummy but expensive. And not necessary.

Food additives are another very expensive items such as Dunaliella salina. These are dried exotic fruit or vegetable powders that you can add to smoothies or use in place of food coloring in baking. To be honest, the cost of these powders does not justify the health benefits or nutrients they have. You’ll better off eating fresh berries to get the antioxidants.

5.Buy a lot of various condiments, sauces, spreads, and dressings. Condiments are my most favorite things! I love adding pesto or salad dressings to meals because they help elevate the taste of the overall dish.

Prepackaged condiments can get expensive. It’s so tempting to try new things and you should definitely do so! However, when it comes to more common items such as Pesto or Vegan Parmesan, you should make it yourself!

6.Consume upscale fast food. You may ask yourself if this even a thing? Yes, it is! I’m talking about fancy burger places and pizza places. There are a plethora of plant-based restaurants that are opening in many cities every year, which is a great thing! It certainly gives us more options when eating out and introduces more people to this lifestyle. However, if a take-out is your go-to lunch and dinner every day, then your food bill will be expensive.

Vegan food is not expensive if you:

via GIPHY

1.Shop in the produce aisle and buy fresh veggies and fruits. Even buying organic produce wouldn’t eat up your budget as much as buying processed foods would.

There is a belief that eating fresh is expensive. I must disagree. Carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, apples, bananas are all inexpensive produce items. I find that precut fruits and vegetables are the more expensive ones. Just get them and cut them up yourself! Or have someone in your house assigned to do that!

2.Meal prep for the week. This is truly magic. Meal prep not only saves you money but also helps you take control of your life. You will feel more organized, know exactly what you’re putting into your body, will clear up your mind and eliminate all the anxiety around dinner preparation.

I’ve written a whole blog post on the benefits of meal prep for vegans if you’d like to geek out more on that topic.

3.Incorporate beans and legumes in your meals. Not the canned kind. Soak the beans overnight and then cook them. Sound like too much work? Well, it is in a way, but cooking beans is so hands off!

Soaking beans overnight requires 5 minutes of prep on your end. Step 1: pour beans into a glass bowl. Step 2: pour water. That’s it.

The next day when you are home just simmer the beans for about 1 hour. It’s a very passive form of cooking where you don’t have to actively watch or stir the dish. You just let your beans simmer quietly while you’re doing other things. Easy peasy.

4. Make your food at home from scratch. You can’t beat cooking at home. Your meals don’t have to be overcomplicated either. If you need something quick, make a fresh salad. It usually takes only about 10 minutes to chop everything and put it together.

Make a big batch of stew or soup that you can eat for a couple of days. Or make some freezer-friendly foods and keep them in the freezer for those rainy days.

5.Buy grains and nuts in bulk. This is truly a money saver. Many stores will allow you to fill up your own jars with grains, seeds, and nuts at a lower price vs. buying pre-packaged. There are also some stores that only sell items in bulk. These stores usually offer the best deals. The best place to find them is by googling to see what’s in your area.

6.Buy what’s in season. Brussel sprouts in the fall, squash in the winter, watercress in the spring, strawberries in the summer.

Buying produce that is in season will not only save you money but will also taste the best. Your salads will be so much sweeter! Cooked meals will not require any additives or exotic flavors because the fresh produce will truly shine.

Eating what’s in season will also supply you with most vitamins and minerals that are present in fresh food.

At the end of the day, nobody wants to spend a thousand dollars a month on groceries. Consuming processed and pre-packaged foods is always more expensive no matter what lifestyle or diet you follow.

Eating healthy is more expensive than eating processed, unhealthy foods. However, eating healthy vegan is cheaper than eating healthy the Omni.

My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!