Veg On A Budget
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We’ve probably all heard the excuse, “It’s too expensive to be a vegan,” coming from people willing to splurge on luxuries like pedicures, diamond earrings, or flat-screen TVs, but even if they prioritize beauty and entertainment over animals’ lives, the environment, and their own health, deep down don’t they have a point?
Eating as a vegan can be costly. For example, coffee shops charge extra for soy milk but give out the cow’s milk for free, veggie meats often cost more than animal flesh, and B12 supplements can set you back a whole forty bucks for a year’s supply! And don’t even think about getting organic, fair trade, local vegan food. I mean, really, being vegan is just ridiculously expensive!
Just kidding. Get your coffee black or avoid the coffee shops entirely. Avoid expensive foods like veggie meats and eat tofu or seitan instead if you really want a “meaty” meal or better yet, just stick to beans and rice. Regarding “expensive supplements”: just accept the cost of B12 because in the long run it’s better to save animals, the environment, and your health from costly meat, dairy, and egg consumption.
And we all know that some of the cheapest foods around are vegan. Beans and rice, potatoes, and oatmeal are all vegan, cheap, satisfying, and healthy. But when money is really tight or when you’re newly vegan, you need a little more help than that. That’s where VegNews comes in.
VegNews magazine offers an article on being veg on a budget. In the article, there are tips like:
- get “Free samples from the farmers’ market”
- “Make quick tacos of beans, rice, and grilled green onions”
- “all the Elvis-style peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches you like”
- “splash fresh peaches with balsamic vinegar for a light, refreshing dessert”
But there’s more, so check it out >>
And if you still need help slimming down the vegan budget, check out these previous Soapbox posts:
Update: the link has changed. I don’t have a link to the original VegNews article any more. Sorry