Ultimate Guide to Eating Plant-based on a Budget

My top 10 (with a bonus 11) tips on how to eat plant-based on a budget – something I have been perfecting over the years as a student living in one of the most expensive cities in the world!

I have spent the past nine and a half years honing the art of pinching pennies. Yes, I am a student. From the time I went away to do my undergraduate degree, continued on to my masters in London, and finally my PhD which I am currently working on, I quickly became aware of how much everything costs.

So I learned how to spend as little as possible. I think I’ve gotten quite good at it. I would say I may even be one of the most frugal people you will ever meet. Sometimes I go a bit too far – as my mum often has to remind me. I’m learning that it can be worth it to spend a little bit extra for the sake of quality, time, health, etc. But I have also picked up loads of tips, tricks, and techniques for living frugally – especially when it comes to plant-based eating.

There are lots of misconceptions that a vegan diet is very expensive. Now don’t get me wrong, if you buy lots of mock meats, specialty products, and vegan cheeses, it certainly can be. Just as any other diet can be expensive. BUT, eating a plant-based diet can be amazingly affordable. I promise you can put together simple meals, that are still full of flavour and colour, that your budget will thank you for – it’s what my Instagram feed is all about.

Here are my top tips for getting plant-based foods at the best prices possible!

1. Focus on Whole Foods

Whole plant foods are some of the most budget-friendly foods on the planet. Rice, beans, potatoes, oats, bananas – you can hardly find cheaper items in the store. Sticking to these foods not only can greatly reduce your weekly shop, but centres your diet on the most nutritious and nourishing foods for your health. Check out Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen, and my own Vegan Food Staples, to see what is regularly in my kitchen.

It’s also worth noting that cooking meals and packing food can help save a lot! While there is always a place for going out to eat, it can be expensive if it becomes a habit. Getting into a good routine of cooking meals, meal prepping, and packing snacks, pays off both for your finances and your health.

2. Buy Frozen Fruit and Veggies

While I like to keep my fridge stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables, this can sometimes be more of a luxury – some fruits and veggies can be pricey. Fortunately, frozen fruit and vegetables are generally much cheaper! They’re often frozen at the peak of freshness and last in your freezer forever, so you don’t have to worry about them going off. Lots of wins!

I pretty much always have a bag or two of frozen berries in the freezer (for breakfast bowls), as well as a bag of spinach and kale (for smoothies, soups, etc). I like to rotate the frozen vegetables I buy based on whatever is on offer – if broccoli is on offer then I’ll go for a bag, and then maybe get a bag of green beans or mixed veg the next time. A big freezer is a vegan’s best friend!

3. Find the Best on Offer/Reduced Deals

I am constantly hunting for the best deals and offers on food. Sometimes this can take a bit of time, but personally I think it’s worth it. I organise my food shopping into 2-3 lists, divided by store. When I’m planning my next food shopping trip(s), I’ll pull up the websites of my go-to shops and see what foods are on offer that week. If there are particular ingredients/foods I need that aren’t on offer anywhere, I’ll check the price of that item at each store to see where it is the cheapest. Then I’ll pop that item under the appropriate store shopping list where it was best priced.

This might sound like a lot of effort, but it honestly doesn’t take too much time. You quickly start to get an idea of which items are cheapest at which stores, when certain items tend to go on offer, and then shop accordingly.

Of course, be sensible about how much time you put into this and how far you’re willing to take it. My mum always tells me time is money. I try to strike a healthy balance of finding good deals alongside shopping reasonably.

I often share my food hauls and found deals on my Instagram stories!

4. Buy in Bulk 

A great part of eating plant-based is that lots of foods can be bought in bulk and will keep for a long time. And buying in bulk is almost always much cheaper! Frozen food is a good example of this which we covered earlier. There are also loads of cupboard staples you can buy in bulk so that you’re always stocked with healthy staples.

I like to do a larger bulk buy every few months or so of those cupboard staples. I’ll often use Buy Whole Foods Online and fill my cart with foods like steel cut oats, dried beans, rice, etc. If you sign up for their weekly e-mails, you also receive fantastic offers every week to further save. Their deal of free 3kg of quinoa, on orders over £40, is my favourite! This usually comes with free shipping as well. So not only do you get bulk prices on loads of cupboard staples and 3K of free quinoa, but it’s also all delivered free to your front door so you don’t have to lug it home yourself – after all, buying in bulk can get heavy.

Some other places that have great bulk prices are Costco, BJ’s, and Thrive Market.

5. Buy Seasonally and Locally

There are lots of benefits to shopping seasonally. You’re getting fruit and vegetables that are at their peak and fresh from harvest, so they taste better. It helps add variety to your diet by focusing on different foods throughout the different seasons. And since foods in season are also in abundance, their prices are better! Here’s a helpful guide to seasonal foods.

For example, figs can be very expensive for most of the year. But for a few magical weeks in the autumn they go way down in price. That’s when I go nuts and buy as many as I can.

It can also pay off to look around your local area for farmer’s markets, or shops that sell fruit and veg. These are often fresher, have less packaging (environmental win!), and cheaper. Around my neighbourhood in London there are market stalls that sell baskets of fruit and vegetables for £1. Also check out any community farms that have open hours where you can pick or harvest berries, apples, etc.

6. Use Vouchers

Have you tried online food shopping? It can save you some money, and be very convenient. Many shops will have a special offer for first time online shoppers. Ocado, Asda, Sainsburys, Tesco – I’ve used online shopping deals with all of them. Even after the first shop, I’ve gotten follow-up emails with further deals to entice you back. 25% off, free delivery, £10 off a shop – it all adds up. And sometimes getting a big delivery of plant-based foods right to your doorstep, especially in the midst of a busy week, is really nice.

It may sound a bit old school, but clipping coupons also can still pay off. Keep an eye out for vouchers on certain brands or items. Once I got five cartons of almond mylk for free by using a coupon!

Vouchers can also make a big difference when eating out. Check out if a chain store has any promotions going on, or a voucher for signing up for their app (Pizza Express, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, etc). If you’re a student, always ask about student discounts – in the UK many restaurants will have a small discount, and every bit helps! And if it’s your birthday, take full advantage – many places offer free treats to help you celebrate!

7. Create Meals Based on What You Buy 

Many people go into the grocery store with a shopping list. I’m all for this, I always have a list I’m working from. But I also think it’s important to leave some room for spontaneity (and that’s coming from someone well obsessed with sticking to lists and schedules).

I like to check out what reduced foods I can find in the shops and then create meals off of that. This can be hit or miss. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and other times there’s nothing available – which is why I always have a list. But if I do happen to come across loads of reduced stickers, then I’ll adjust my shopping list and load up on the cheap goods! I especially look out for vegetables like stir-fry mixes, which I can stick in my freezer and cook up in the future; salad leaves and greens that I can quickly eat up in the next day or two; and fruit. Always fruit.

8. Keep a Budget

It can be very helpful to know how much you’re spending on food. I track it all! There’s an app I use to actually track all of my expenses. I can see how much I spend on food shops, eating out, and other expenses. I try not to be too regimented with this, but I use it as a guideline to be intelligent about how I spend my money.

If you’re really trying to watch your spending, I recommend determining in advance exactly how much money you want to spend when you go shopping, out to eat, or to an event. Set that money aside in cash and bring it with you when you go out. It’s a helpful way to make sure you don’t overspend!

9. Stay Organised – Don’t Waste Food!

The statistics behind food waste are absolutely shocking. Did you know that over 1/3 of food produced globally goes to waste?! Not only does throwing out food your own money, but it also contributes to a massive global problem.

I hate wasting food and make a very conscious effort not to. How?

• Buying what I need, and not more. I tend to buy a bit less fresh food if I’m not sure I can finish it all – I can always go back to the store for more if needed.
• Utilising my freezer, where I know food won’t go bad. Most foods can be frozen!
• If I’m not going to eat it, I’ll give it to someone else – someone I’m living with, people at church/bible study, another friend, a homeless person, etc.
• Keeping fresh food visible in my fridge – if I can see it, I know to use it.
• And keeping a list of food I buy in bulk. I store extra bulk food in boxes on top of my closet. Having all of it on a list that I keep up-to-date means that I know exactly what I have and what I’m running low on. Then I can decide whether to take advantage of a big sale on quinoa, or that I don’t need to because I have 2 bags still in stock!

10. Attend Food Festivals – for show deals and free food!

Be careful with this one, because it could break the bank if you’re not careful.

I love going to foodie festivals – there are always loads of free samples to be had and enjoyed. There’s also often free goodies given out as well. These events will usually have stands selling their products at show prices much cheaper than anywhere else. Now here is where you don’t want to go nuts buying anything and everything. But if there’s something you know you’ll buy later anyways, you might as well take advantage of the show deal and stock up!

Check out my Guide to Vegfest London 2018 to read more about foodie festivals.

11. Enter Giveaways – and win things for free

I thought I’d throw in a cheeky extra tip for you all. You know all those giveaways on Instagram, Facebook, or in emails, newsletters, etc? Well, someone has to win them – why not you?! You may think you never win those kinds of things. I used to feel like that as well. But in the last year and a half I’ve won over 50 giveaways, getting all kinds of wonderful things for free. So just enter – you have nothing to lose, and only free things to gain!

PS – I regularly hold giveaways on my own Instagram – keep an eye out for them!