How can I eat vegan on a budget while also making sure to eat healthy?

[Karl Kalinowski]

I'm a student right now with a budget of $15-30 a week to spend on food, and I really can't go very far over 30, as I'm not working, until I find a job.

My primary concern is being able to eat healthily while being able to afford it. I'm pretty overweight, and while trying to lose, my caloric needs will be around 2200 calories per day. (Any less and I'll lose too quickly.)

How can I eat vegan on a budget while also making sure to eat healthy?

[Blueberries]

I'm a student right now with a budget of $15-30 a week to spend on food, and I really can't go very far over 30, as I'm not working, until I find a job.

My primary concern is being able to eat healthily while being able to afford it. I'm pretty overweight, and while trying to lose, my caloric needs will be around 2200 calories per day. (Any less and I'll lose too quickly.)

How can I eat vegan on a budget while also making sure to eat healthy?

Heya Karl, you should check out the 'poor vegan, cheap living' thread :D. I don't really know how much basics cost where you are and how much $30 would get you, but buying dried beans, rice and frozen vegetables should be pretty cheap and last you more than a few meals.

[harpy]

Hi. As Blueberries says, vegan food can be really cheap and nutritious (as well as tasty). Just steer clear of "special" foods such as fake meat and cheese which tend to be expensive and stick to the basics. I think you can probably afford non-frozen vegetables as long as you stick to buying what's in season.

Here's that other thread, in case you can't find it: http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?361-Poor-vegan-cheap-living

[Lentils]

Staples: Lentils, beans, potatoes and rice - all super cheap, especially when bought in bulk.
Fruit: Apples, bananas and oranges as well as some frozen berries.
Greens: Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage - all super cheap and usually a better nutritional bang for your buck than other greens such as kale and spinach.
Misc: Onions, carrots and canned chopped tomatoes

If you're a fan of soy milk then just make your own, I'm not sure about prices in the US but I can get 1kg of organic soy beans for £1 here which works out at £0.13 ($0.20) per litre - you can also make tofu and use the pulp for veggie burgers.

I recently spent 3 months eating nothing but rice, beans, tortillas, potatoes, jalapenos, tomatoes, avocado, (spring) onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges and two really basic seasoning mixes - I didn't find it bland or boring at all and it was very cheap and healthy.

[Blueberries]

Staples: Lentils, beans, potatoes and rice - all super cheap, especially when bought in bulk.
Fruit: Apples, bananas and oranges as well as some frozen berries.
Greens: Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage - all super cheap and usually a better nutritional bang for your buck than other greens such as kale and spinach.
Misc: Onions, carrots and canned chopped tomatoes

That's a prett good list, Lentils. With some spices you could do alot with that.



I recently spent 3 months eating nothing but rice, beans, tortillas, potatoes, jalapenos, tomatoes, avocado, (spring) onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges and two really basic seasoning mixes - I didn't find it bland or boring at all and it was very cheap and healthy.

Was that when you were in Mexico? I noticed that your location had changed. How did you find being vegan there?

[Lentils]

Was that when you were in Mexico? I noticed that your location had changed. How did you find being vegan there?

Yeah. There weren't really any options for eating out but there were plenty of cheap staples and fresh local fruit and veg. People there tend to eat lots of beans, fruit and vegetables etc at home but when it comes to eating out they typically want to be a bit more indulgent and that normally means meat and cheese.