'Good Things' On A Tight Vegetarian Budget

Question for Savvy Vegetarian:

How does one maintain the vegetarian lifestyle on a tight budget? I don't earn a lot of money. And I'm a new vegetarian who's concerned that she won't be able to buy all the good things.

K.W.

Savvy Veg Advice:

Dear K. W.,

This is an excellent question, which concerns most vegetarians, and thank you for asking!

What 'good things' did you mean though? I hope you meant fresh organic veggies, fruit and grains, and not chips, soft drinks, frozen and canned food, microwave meals, and take-out! By avoiding convenience foods & junk foods, all of which are expensive, and not big on nutrition, you should be able to eat reasonably well. If you're on social assistance, food stamps, etc, that may limit your choices, but natural food stores, co-ops and farmers markets will often take food stamps, or trade food for labor.

From my own experience, I know it's possible to have an excellent vegetarian diet on a low budget. You'll also eat much better. It's a lot more work, though - you have to think and plan more, and be a creative opportunist.

That's the catch. All of the above takes time, which you may not have much of, if you're like most people.

Here are a few time savers:

1. A pressure cooker to cook beans and other foods - yes, expensive, but one of the best vegetarian investments you'll ever make. A good one costs about $120, and will last 20 years or more. Are you due for a gift from someone who can afford it?
2. Get a good chef's knife with a sharpener, to chop veggies, and learn to use it. Otherwise prepping veggies is time consuming and difficult, the main reason most people can't be bothered. But being vegetarian means eating vegetables! Good chef's knives range in price from $30 to $120, and will last your lifetime. I bought one for $50 (a fortune to me at the time) when I was married, about a hundred years ago, and still use it every day. Forshner and Oxo are the cheapest of the recommended brands - you should be able to find them online.
3. Have at least one excellent all purpose vegetarian cookbook, with a large, informative ingredient section, nutrition information, cooking methods, and a vast array of delicious recipes for a varied vegetarian diet. Find used books in excellent condition online for half the price.
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4. Make extra beans, grains, breads, etc, and freeze or fridge for later. Left over food isn't as nutritious or tasty as freshly made, although it's better than most of the alternatives, but I know very few people who have time to cook three meals a day from scratch.
5. If your budget allows, buy some bread, yogurt, sprouts, and other basics, such as canned beans, tomatoes, and the odd package of frozen veg to supplement what you make yourself. You will pay three or four times more, but the time saved for other activities, such as earning money, may be worth it to you. Getting these things through a food co-op will save quite a bit, but the trade off again, is your time.

This answer could be much longer and more complete, and in fact it's a worthy topic for an article. Hope it helps - let me know if you have more questions.

All the best,

Judy Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

Health Disclaimer:

Savvy Vegetarian provides education and support to individuals who want to become vegetarian, or improve their diet. We don't advocate any particular vegetarian diet. We don't claim to be health care professionals, or nutritionists, nor do we treat any illness. Any changes that you make to your diet, or results of those changes, are your decision and responsibility. For your protection, we ask you to be completely open with us about your health, and we may recommend a medical exam before changing your diet. We reserve the right to refuse or to end a client relationship if we believe the client's actions may endanger his or her health.

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