How much does it cost to be vegan?

In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “How much does it cost to be vegan?” and will discuss some tips on saving money while going vegan.

How much does it cost to be vegan?

When it comes to the expense of being vegan, there are several variables. A typical vegan food budget is about $200-$250 per month. Some vegans, on the other hand, spend twice or even triple that amount. Eating out and consuming specialty vegan dishes, such as fake meats, may drastically increase the expense.

Surveys generally estimate the number of vegans at around 1–2% of the adult population in the UK, vegetarians around 2–7% and pescatarians 3–9%. A UK survey found that the high cost of meat substitutes was a barrier for 58% of consumers that intended to adopt a vegan diet. Another study found that a vegetarian diet is actually cheaper than one containing meat, but that a vegan diet is most expensive of all. This may be due to the relatively high cost of plant-based milks and other specialist products (3).

Of course, we’ll speak about some cost projections here, but the cost of your vegan diet is greatly dependent on the following factors:

·         What you’re putting in your body

·         If you insist on purchasing products with a “vegan” label,

·         You eat out how frequently

·         A place where you get your meal

As a result, a vegan diet may be much less expensive than your present diet, but it can also be just as expensive as your current one.

Is Eating Out as a Vegan More Expensive?

The first thing to keep in mind is that vegan alternatives may be found at a wide range of places, from fast food to fine dining. It’s not required that you dine in a “vegan restaurant” to enjoy excellent vegan cuisine. There are several possibilities:

·         Chana masala, aloo sag, roti (bread), and other vegan meals are common in Indian eateries.

·         The injera bread in Ethiopian eateries is also vegan, and there are a wide variety of vegan wat alternatives (stews).

·         For vegetarians, falafel and hummus at Middle Eastern eateries are a godsend.

·         Bean-and-rice burritos and tacos may be made vegan at Mexican restaurants.

·         Deep-fried tofu and broccoli are just two of the many choices available in Chinese eateries. Tofu from General Tso’s is my go-to dish.

·         A vegan pho (soup) choice is common in Vietnamese restaurants, as well as a variety of other options.

·         Veggie sushi rolls (like avocado rolls) and spring rolls are common in Japanese eateries. The miso soup may either be vegan or include fish sauce.

·         Moreover, vegan choices may be found in almost every restaurant, including pizzerias, fast-food chains, cafes, Italian restaurants, Thai restaurants, food trucks, and the like!

Because of this, you don’t have to go out of your way to find a vegan or vegetarian restaurant every time. And the expense of dining vegan at these places will frequently be the same as eating meat meals there.

However, to follow a vegan diet that is able to include all of the needed nutrients for maintaining health, you will need to eat more. A study in New Zealand compared the costs associated with omnivorous and healthy diets and two healthy and environmentally friendly dietary patterns: flexitarian and vegan. Results showed that there were significant differences between diet scenarios with the omnivorous diet having the lowest mean cost in New Zealand Dollars (NZ$584 per fortnight for a family of four), followed by the healthy diet (NZ$637), the flexitarian diet (NZ$728) and the vegan diet, which had the highest mean cost (NZ$789). Larger servings of high protein plant foods, for example, legumes, nuts and seeds, compared with the current and healthy diets were needed to meet protein requirements in vegan and flexitarian diet scenarios and were thus more expensive. A comparison of the plant and animal-based protein sources used in the diet scenarios showed that on average, plant-based sources had nearly half the protein content per 100 g. Roughly twice the volume of food is therefore required from plant-based compared with animal-based protein sources (1).

In another study, the costs of different diet styles were compared in different countries. The results showed that, compared with the cost of current diets, the healthy and sustainable dietary patterns were, depending on the pattern, up to 22–34% lower in cost in upper-middle-income to high-income countries on average (when considering statistical means), but at least 18–29% more expensive in lower-middle-income to low-income countries (2).

Money-Saving Tips for Those Who Will Soon Be Vegan

·         Colorful your plate is, the better.

 To add some color to your plate, you should eat more veggies rather than vegan meat and other substitutes for non-vegan meals. When anything is advertised as “vegan,” you may expect to pay a premium for it. As a result, instead of squandering money on “meat” nutrients, eat more vegetables and supplement your diet with meat substitutes.

Consume the raw veggies within two to three days after purchasing them. A vegan diet may require more frequent trips to the grocery store, but it doesn’t have to be more expensive than eating meat.

·         For the frozen part

Frozen foods shouldn’t be overlooked either. It’s cheaper to buy frozen fruits and veggies than fresh ones, so take advantage of that. Grab a couple of big packages of frozen stir fry veggies from the freezer aisle. Get at least two bags of the California mix and one that’s more typical. While this choice has a lot of broccoli and cauliflower, it’s still a good idea to buy two different bags of each.

Grab a couple of packs of frozen fruit while you’re here. sorbet or sherbet may be served as a dessert alternative to the traditional ice cream. Check the ingredients before purchasing, since some sorbets and sherbets include milk or cream.

·         Soup is an essential meal.

Soup and chili are both good options for supper. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken or beef stock to make a hearty vegetable soup. Fresh or frozen veggies are both acceptable. You may wish to rely on canned products in the event of a power outage or other emergency. You can prepare food in a fireplace.

Make your soup or chili more filling by incorporating grains into it. Any soup may be paired with rice, and if you cook it in the soup stock with the veggies, it absorbs the flavors.

·         Make your own foods

Eating at home is ALWAYS less expensive than dining out. Additionally, you have the freedom to set your own rates and the standards for the quality of the food you eat. The vast majority of restaurants provide much too much food and it’s a waste of time and money in almost every manner. Plan ahead of time, go grocery shopping, and prepare your own meals at home!

·         Read the labels

Many of the foods and snacks you currently consume are vegan. So not only can you maintain them in your diet, but you already know how much they will cost you. Also, vegans must examine food labels to ensure they are receiving all of the necessary nutrients.

To check out the prices of various vegan alternative food items, click here 

Other FAQs about Vegans that you may be interested in.

Is 1422 vegan?

Is 150a vegan?

Is 150d vegan?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the query, “How much does it cost to be vegan?” and discussed some tips on saving money while going vegan.

References

1. Kidd B, Mackay S, Vandevijvere S, Swinburn B. Cost and greenhouse gas emissions of current, healthy, flexitarian and vegan diets in Aotearoa (New Zealand). BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2021, 4, 275-284. 
2. Springmann, Marco, et al. The global and regional costs of healthy and sustainable dietary patterns: a modelling study. Lancet Planet Health, 2021, 5, e797-e807.
3. Bryant CJ. We Can’t Keep Meating Like This: Attitudes towards Vegetarian and Vegan Diets in the United Kingdom. Sustainability, 2019, 11, 6844.