I’ve noticed that quite a few people are concerned with their budget when it comes to following the vegan diet and I completely understand. There are a ton of great vegan recipes that do require some pretty hard to find ingredients but that doesn’t mean that all vegan meals are all expensive, in fact there are a lot that are very economical and easy to do. I also have some tips and tricks that I will share with you today as to how you can maintain a low budget while eating vegan, so don’t despair and enjoy the meal along with these tips.

Starches are your friend – To accompany most vegan meals, you usually have a starch or something that shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact in a ton of vegan recipes, the starch is the hero in it and let’s not stop there. Starches such as brown rice, several viands of pastas and breads, are pretty great and are expected to be bought in bulk, which makes it cheaper. Now here is even more great news for the starches, it keeps you full longer and quicker. Make use of starches in your vegan recipes and you will see that you will not only cut down on costs, you will still come out of the kitchen with stellar vegan meals.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables are key – When the seasons roll around, there are always fruits and vegetables that are in season, which make them not only delicious but incredibly much more affordable than when they are out of season. There is nothing more sumptuous than vegan recipes making use of seasonal fruits and vegetables, plus with the price being lower given that it’s the right season, it fits into your budget and perfectly into your vegan meals as well.

It’s always good to know what fruits and vegetables are in season that would suit your budget.

A little elbow grease will help your budget – I know convenience is a very handy and alluring option, that’s why you end up buying canned stuff instead of doing it yourself. Well like I said go for the do it yourself my friend. All it takes is a trip to the store and you’ll notice that a pound of fresh beans is much cheaper than a can of beans. Additionally the fresh produce placed into your vegan recipes and vegan meals will really up the flavor, you’ll immediately notice the difference in both your palate and your wallet, I’m particularly pleased at how well that rhymed.

Beware the trends – There is quite a hype going around about being vegan and let me tell you it can be great, but it can also be costly to you. Make sure you watch out for these trends as they usually package in an eye catching and attractive way that you end up buying a pack or two of say kale chips or raw chocolate or much more. While they are great and work for a lot of vegan recipes, getting the simple packaged and natural unprocessed options, in my opinion, work even better in vegan meals.

Frozen if you must – Vegetables come in quite a frozen selection, in fact even some fruits come in that option now. While I usually advice going fresh, frozen doesn’t hurt that much either and you can’t really beat the prices that they offer. So if the budget is really pinching your wallet, check out the local store for the frozen option, you won’t regret adding those frozen peas into your vegan recipe for sure.

Organic if you can – Alright, so organic foods are a little expensive, this is probably why a lot of people think that becoming a vegan is expensive and I won’t lie to you, the prices of organic food can be a little high. However the freshness is nothing to sneeze at and I really appreciate it having no pesticides introduced at all. However if the budget is fighting your vegan recipes, no problem at all, you can get the non-organic but try to find ones with lowered pesticide usage or other such, you’re better having it in your vegan meals than be without them completely.

Brandless or branded, what’s the difference – When you’re in the store and you are stretching your buck, go for the generic brands rather than the popular ones. Take your time and allow yourself to check which works well with your vegan recipes but at the option of having little to no difference, go for the cheaper brand if at all possible. Most of the brands are usually more of glitz and glamour, but end of the day an asparagus is just another wonderful addition to your vegan meals regardless if it comes from a well known farm or a simple unknown one, so what is the difference right?

Explore the culinary stores all over – I don’t need to tell you that a lot of prices in each store differs, sometimes in small amounts, sometimes in larger amounts. You need to know where you can buy whatever you need at a reasonable price. All it takes is a little footwork and you’ll be scanning through stores you never realized were near you before, aside from the extra cardio from searching around, you’ll have some great new sources for ingredients for any vegan recipes you have at the ready.

Cash is still king – This tip works for even non-vegan people, I always suggest to anyone who wants to make sure they stay on budget is to shop with cash instead of credit or debit. Why you may ask? Simple, because when you are using a credit card or a debit card, you may feel as though you have an inexhaustible source of funds and that could just end up biting you in the proverbial booty. Budget properly by making it a cash purchase for the vegan recipes you have planned out for the week, this will make sure you stick to the budget.

It is always best to plan your menu for the week so as to fit your budget. This also lessens the tendency of impulse buying.

Plan out the week – There is nothing that ruins a budget more than poor planning. I suggest taking the time to sit down and plan the vegan recipes you want to try out or if you’ve found some staples that work for you, then plan out your vegan meals for the entire week so that you can shop accordingly. Nothing helps a budget more than buying in bulk or sticking with what you have planned, it’s those sudden changes that could really hurt your wallet and if you are in need of a tighter and stricter budget, planning is your answer.

As you can see there are a lot of ways to pinch the penny here and there, plus these tips will definitely make sure that your vegan meals come with a reasonable price tag on the plate. Just make sure you don’t budget too much and forget to balance your nutrition, a hospital trip is far more expensive than any meal you can come up with, let me tell you that. Additionally keep searching for the perfect vegan recipes for you and I’m sure you’ll find several that are affordable and super delicious, even ones you can have on the go. Stay healthy!