Today, I will attempt to debunk the myths concerning the costs of going vegan and the notion that eating Vegan is expensive. Many people believe that making the switch to an animal-loving, planet-saving, healthy diet will cost them their life savings (plus retirement).
This simply is not true. Not only will the healthy diet lower your medical bills, save you money from prescription costs, preserve the planet, and save the lives of countless animals, but the actual meals you will prepare will be cheaper too!
Let me give you some examples of a few of my favorite vegan meals and you can tell me if it seems expensive. This is a typical day for me:
Breakfast
Kale Smoothie
- 1 Banana $0.15
- 1 Cup Kale $0.20
- 2 Dates $0.60
- ½ Granny Smith Apple $0.50
- ½ Bosc Pear $0.35
- 1 Carrot $0.15
- ½ Cup Broccoli $0.352
- Tsp flax seed $0.05
- 1 Cup Water $0.02
On the Side
- 2 Slices of Ezekiel’s Cinnamon Raison Bread $0.43
- Total: $2.80
Lunch
Veggie Burritos
- Cup of Cauliflower $0.75
- ¼ Onion $0.20
- Clove of Garlic $0.05
- ½ Cup Black Beans $0.50
- 1 Tomato $0.75
- Spices $0.15
- ½ Cup Couscous $0.50
- 2 Whole Wheat Handmade Tortillas $0.60
- Total: $3.50
Dinner
Fresh Pasta
- ¼ Lb. Whole Wheat Pasta $0.57
- 2 Tomatoes $1.50
- ¼ Onion $0.20
- 2 Cloves Garlic $0.10
- ½ Cup Mushrooms $1.15
- Fresh Basil (grown myself) $0.05
- Fresh Oregano (grown myself) $0.05
- 2 Slices of Trader Joes Whole Wheat Bread $0.36
- Total: $3.98
Grand Total For Today: $10.28
Who could possibly argue that this diet is expensive? I will admit that organic fruits and veggies are more expensive per pound, and were not figured in for this scenario, but being vegan doesn’t necessarily mean buying organic (although I highly recommend it). When you get into the organics, soy (and almond) milks, specialty superfoods, and mock meats like Gardein, things get a bit pricier.
But, if I were on a meat-based diet and eating filet, caviar, lobster, and lamb, I would be spending much more than any herbivore. The bottom line is that either diet can be expensive if you, a.) Eat out a lot, b.) Buy the specialty items, and c.) Buy organic and/or grass-fed.
However, a plant-based (vegan) diet in general is typically cheaper overall due to the decrease in medical expenses. I haven’t had to see my doctor or buy cold medicine in I don’t know how long.I hope that this cleared up any misconceptions concerning the costs of being on a plant-based diet. For a list of vegan diet foods click here.
Do you now think you can afford to go vegan? Please, let me know below! If you have any questions, feel free to ask under the “Contact” tab up top. I will use these questions to create new articles that answer them ????
So this is all you eat in one day for a runner? Do you have any in-between snacking? I just ordered the FOK cookbook from Amazon. I'm hoping that will help me figure out meal plans. I feel lost when it comes to this radical of a change. I either A. end up not eating because I don't know what to eat & B. end up eating everything in sight because I'm so frustrated. Do you eat anything before a workout or run?
Thanks for the question Sue! This is all that my body "requires" for a full day's nutrition. However, when I'm training for a marathon, I do load up on more whole-wheat pasta, nuts, lentils, brown rice, couscous, sweet potatoes, olives, dark chocolate, and chia seeds. And, with two of my meals, I have unsweetened almond milk. Some days I eat more, some days I actually eat less. What's interesting about making this change, is that my body no longer craves food like it used to. Sure, I get hungry, but I don't actually crave any specific food.
The way that I look at it: I don't put anything into my body that will not help my performance as a runner. I don't eat sweets often (unless it's plain dark chocolate), not because I am disciplined or anything, but because it's typically not necessary. Only during my heavy training do I delve into the high calorie foods. When I'm running 60+ miles a week, I have eat more of the natural fats like chocolate, almonds, olives, and avocados.
As far as snacks go, I typically grab for a banana, raisins, or piece of fresh fruit. Speaking of raisins, they're another great food to carry with you on long runs. As far as a cookbook goes, I think you did the right thing getting the FOK cookbook; that's where I started.
I encourage you to visit our forum and ask your question again there. Many people are visiting the forum, looking for questions that need answering. Unfortunately, the forum is brand new and it appears as a ghost town, lol. Just put your question in there and you'll get all the help you need for cookbooks and recipes!
wow, that is awesome! I need to do a post on eating in the Arctic. Everything is more expensive and I think bananas are like $6/pound. Yet Pringles are just $3 per can. So like anywhere, it's doable but not as cheaply and you have to be smart. People do a lot of grocery shopping online (yay amazon prime!), when they travel (we get 3 free checked bags!), and we do have a company that ships in organic produce weekly.