Thinking about becoming a vegetarian, but worried about the cost? Even though vegetarianism and veganism are becoming popular dietary choices these days, many misconceptions remain! Enter misconception number 1… ‘I can’t afford to be vegetarian!’
It’s true, some plant based meat and dairy substitutes are expensive. Even more expensive than quality meat in some cases. However, even though these products are out there, keep in mind that they are not a prerequisite to a happy (or indeed healthy) vegetarian diet!
According to a recent study, you could save over $23/week on average when you have a more plant based diet. During this study, vegetarians and vegans spent an average of $102/week while meat-eaters spent $125/week. How to make veggie life more affordable? According to Byrdie, some of the ways that you could save money on a vegetarian diet include:
Buy basic ingredients in bulk
Make your own treats at home
Eat seasonally (do we really need fresh strawberries when it’s freezing outside?!)
Use frozen produce
Embrace leftovers
Meal prep weekly
Keeping these tips in mind, we put together a budget-friendly menu for a week of cheap vegetarian eats! Featuring some of the team’s favourite recipes! A little disclaimer - some of these ingredients are generally more affordable in Europe and the USA, but we hope this can still provide some helpful inspiration for friends in all parts of the world. Around 50% of these meals are vegan.
Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal pancakes
Lunch: Pea soup with frozen peas! (make enough to freeze an extra portion for Thursday!)
Dinner: Baked bean lasagne
Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with banana and peanut butter
Lunch: Carrot and coriander soup (make double quantities, freeze for Saturday!)
Dinner: Aubergine & chickpea stew (you don't need a slow-cooker for this one, there are tips for adapting it to cook in a large pan in the comments)
Wednesday
Breakfast: Blueberry & banana smoothie (try frozen blueberries to save some money on ingredients!)
Lunch: Spinach quesadillas (with just 4 ingredients)
Dinner: Sweet potato and chickpea curry (make double quantities, fridge for Friday!)
Thursday
Breakfast: Apple pie overnight oats
Lunch: Pea soup (defrost from Monday)
Dinner: Grilled bean burger with sweet potato wedges
Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with banana and peanut butter
Lunch: Hummus wrap (you could use any remaining wraps from Wednesday)
Dinner: Sweet potato and chickpea curry (leftovers from Wednesday!)
Saturday
Breakfast: Banana bread (super easy to make, use your squishy leftover bananas!)
Lunch: Carrot and coriander soup (leftovers from Tuesday!)
Dinner: Tempeh or tofu with a veggie stir fry
Sunday
Breakfast: Overnight baked egg bruschetta
Lunch: Spinach soup and homemade flatbreads (not too difficult to make, we promise!)
Dinner: Veggie roast dinner (ok.. this one does take a while to cook, but it's worth it!)
Interested in learning more about plant-based diets or how the planet will thank you for your eco-awesomeness? Keep in touch with us via our Instagram channel and feel free to get in touch with the team at hello@thecapture.club