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Vegan on a budget: This is what you need to buy
There is a myth flying around that veganism is this expensive, elitist diet, which is simply not the case. So here is a helpful guide to aid those who feel a little stuck and confused about how to navigate the ££££ issue.
New to veganism? Spending too much money on food? Never planning food ahead? Never got any snacks in the cupboard?
This one is for you.
Firstly: Things a vegan gotta have in the cupboard
Cans - kidney beans and chopped tomatoes are in a lot of hearty vegan recipes. They are also cheap and easy to stock up on. If you don't like kidney beans or are looking for an alternative butter, beans are a great addition to pasta and salads, and black beans are great in quesadillas. They can also be mashed up to make beany burgers or meatballs.
Pasta, rice and noodles. Amazing and cheap. If you wanna do Asian inspired dishes, grab some noodles. If you're a pasta fiend, you know what to go for. Rice is a great change to these two, and if you’re terrible at cooking it never fear - rice packs are here to save the day!
OATS, oats oats oats… They are an absolute saviour for a cheap vegan diet. A large bag of oats can cost a pound or less and it is so versatile. Hot porridge, breakfast made overnight, even making your own milk - here come oats to save yo life.
Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter. Another saving grace. Sometimes vegan snacks aren’t totally abundant, so if you’re at home needing a quick fix, nut butter spread on toast are brill. They taste great and have lots of protein to keep you feeling full and full of energy. Nut butters are also great for making those oats taste a little more interesting.
Most bread is vegan, but also some crumpets are! This can be another nice breakfast, with jam or sunflower spread on top, so deffo get these in your cupboards.
Lastly, bananas. As much as we try and deny the stereotype, bananas are kind of a staple vegan food. But luckily for us, they’re healthy and versatile. They can top vegan pancakes, yoghurt… oats again… or they can go in your smoothies or protein shakes. Lots of people worry about vegans not getting enough protein, which isn’t really a challenge at all. What you may struggle with actually is fibre. Bananas, though, are a great source of fibre, so an all-round win really.
What you need to stock in the fridge
There are a million options of items to stock up on in the fridge, including all fruit, veg and salad. But along with those things, here are some other must-have, cheap ideas of fridge-based items.
Dairy-free milk. Pour it in tea, over your cereal, in a smoothie, in porridge, the choice is yours! Dairy-free milk does all the useful things that milk does, but it tastes better, is better for you, better for the planet and of course, better for animals. Plus, you can count on dairy-free milk to NEVER go as gross as gone off cow milk does. Nut, oat, soy and other milks can also be an ingredient in recipes like cakes and pancakes.
Hummus. Another stereotypical, memey vegan thing yes, but rightly so. Hummus is love, hummus is life. Your vegan fridge will be lost without it.
Sun-dried tomato/roasted red pepper. These can be bought in jars that can be kept for around a week or more. They are cheap and a great filling for sandwiches, or an addition to pasta, rice and noodle dishes.
Aaaand finally the freezer
It’s always great to have frozen veggies in the freezer, as they will always be there to add to a meal. They are also incredibly cheap, frozen bags of peas can be only 30p!
Sometimes it’s hard to think up a meal from scratch, and it’s expensive to go and buy a load of ingredients just for one dish. This list of cheap and versatile items to grab from the supermarket will help you feel full and healthy - budget style.
Stock up your cupboards with these all for around £12 and you'll have the base for a lot of your week's meals.
Now you're not totally unprepared, you'll find plant-based living isn't so hard (and hard on the wallet) after all!
