How I Eat Inexpensively as a Vegetarian

A lot of new vegetarians have trouble figuring out what to eat. It can be hard to know where to start when you first become vegetarian. A lot of the recipes that come up when you search for vegetarian recipes can be over complicated and overwhelming. When you’re new to the vegetarian lifestyle it can be easy to overspend on meat replacements. In truth, grocery shopping as a vegetarian can be really simple and inexpensive. So here’s how I do it:

Shop the Sales

I always start my shopping in the produce section. I usually base my meals on what fruits and vegetables are on sale that week. Sometimes you can discover delicious food combinations by trying vegetables you don’t usually eat when you spot them on sale. For example, in the Fall you can get really good deals on squash, which is something that I never used to buy but have started to love!

I also watch for sales on easy pre-made frozen dishes, such as perogies or pizza. I save these for days when I don’t have the energy to cook. When there’s a good sale, I can get a bag of perogies for only $2. That is enough food for 2-3 meals. I can get a pizza for around $3.50 that is also enough for 2-3 meals for myself. When I’m shopping I also always check the frozen section for sales on vegetables and fruits. I stock up on these to supplement whatever fresh veggies I’m buying.

It is also important to know what your staple dishes are so you can watch for when the ingredients go on sale. This would be things like pasta noodles and rice, as well as sauces and spices you can use to flavour your dishes. Basically things that you use regularly that have a long shelf life.

Keep it Simple

For most of my dinners I go for a Buddha Bowl type dish, a power salad, or a pasta dish. This means that most of my meals start with a base of either noodles, rice or vegetables. Having a dish that has a basic base allows you to add whatever you have on hand to create a complete meal. That way you don’t have to shop for specific ingredients to recipes. You just need to make sure you have your base, and then the rest you can change up based on the deals you find or the flavour you’re craving.

For breakfast and lunch I will usually do something similar, but with bread as the base. That means I’ll have toast, sandwiches, or bagels, but with different toppings depending on what was available. I also might have some fruit on yogurt or cottage cheese when those are on sale. Or I’ll just have fruit by itself. I may also have some eggs, which I’ll touch on more when I talk about protein (I’m not vegan so I eat eggs and dairy).

Struggling to make time for breakfast? Check out:

Ten Quick Things to Eat for Breakfast When You Have No Time

Once you’ve figured out a simple base that you like, you can start to experiment by adding different sauces and spices, or by using different methods to cook your vegetables. Simple to make doesn’t mean it has to taste boring!

Inexpensive Protein

For protein I like to add tofu to my dishes because it’s usually quite inexpensive. When other meat alternatives are on sale I will buy things like veggie sausages, burgers, salami, pepperoni, or imitation ground beef to incorporate into my meals. These meat alternatives usually keep for a pretty long time, and some are sold frozen, so I usually take good advantage of sales and stock up.  Personally, I enjoy the variety they add to my meals, but I just really love tofu so I don’t have a problem eating it regularly. You can also get protein from a lot of different vegetables and nuts, so you don’t need to worry about having these meat alternative on hand. You can get a can of beans for around $1 and they are packed with protein. I am not vegan, so I also incorporate eggs into my meals a lot.

If you’re having trouble with vegetarian protein sources, you can check out this list from Healthline.

A note about eggs:

I always get free run eggs even though they are more expensive because I believe the health and well-being of the chickens is worth that extra price. I know in the United States, eggs can be a lot cheaper than they are here in Canada, so they are thought of as an inexpensive food. As a vegetarian, I am concerned with the well-being of animals. If this is also a concern for you, please take a look at the eggs you are buying and don’t just automatically pick the cheapest eggs. If money is really a constraint for you, it might be best just to skip the eggs altogether. There are many other ways to get protein as a vegetarian. The chickens will thank you!

Inexpensive Produce

Another thing that can take the load off your wallet, and also introduce you to new flavours, is looking for a store that specifies in produce. In my neighbourhood there are some small produce markets that sell Asian vegetables, like bok choy, for a lot cheaper than the regular grocery stores do. I find that these stores are also more conscious about wasting produce, so they often discount fruits and vegetables that are getting closer to their expiration. Since they specify in produce, they also carry a wider variety of fruits and vegetables. This makes it a good place to look if you want to try something new. You should also keep an eye out for local seasonal produce markets. There are some produce farms near where I live that open markets for the Summer and sell local produce at low prices.

 Conclusion

I hope this post has helped you see how easy it is to eat inexpensively as a vegetarian! I think a lot of people get caught up in complicated recipes when they first become vegetarian because they don’t know where to start. Hopefully this post can act as a good starting point for some of you, and as a helpful guide for those of you who are still finding your groove!

Thank you for reading! I’d love to know your own food suggestions, so please leave them in the comments below!