How Can I Maintain a Healthy Diet on a Budget?

Question

I want to eat healthy and preferable turn into a vegetarian or vegan, but veggies tend to be very expensive. How can I manage without buying canned goods, only?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Actually being vegetarian is a lower cost than a meat based diet.  I suggest you make a list of dinners for the week and then buy based on that and nothing more.  Eat a meal before and go alone because they can cause you to buy stuff that is not necessary.  

Answer 2

If done correctly, being vegetarian is the cheapest way of living that is available. If you tend a large garden, the food bill could be outrageously low.

Bread, pasta, cereal, rice, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies can easily offer everything that you need except B12.

http://www.veganhealth.org/sh

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo

All vegetarians should take a B12 supplement regularly since most people eat meat, dairy AND fortified cereals yet still have a B12 status that is lower than recommended.

http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/b12

It may help you if you see proof that vegetarians have the same potential as anyone else.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sto...

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/...

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/...

http://www.macdanzig.net/bio.php

http://www.scottjurek.com/career.php

If you need meat or dairy during any stage of your life or to live any certain lifestyle, why does the American Dietetic Association say otherwise?

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada...

Answer 3

If you only buy veggies, it'll be cheaper because you won't be buying other things like meat and eggs and cheese (if ur Vegan like me). Also, you can plant a garden and until it grows and starts producing, you can buy veggies

Answer 4

Actually, I don't have a problem with canned beans, because I don't often have time to soak beans and there's a big variety of  them. Otherwise, compare the sales, buy fruits and veggies in season and don't forget little produce stands.  Here in CA Henry's prices are much lower on many items, so you just have to be a good shopper.  I'd also pay a lot of attention to the grocery store fliers each week, because the prices are sometimes loss leaders and often are based on items being in season.  Skip frozen foods and make your own entrees.  Bread, again, is something I'm OK just buying rather than making, because your time is worth something, as are canned tomatoes if you're making an italian dish (chicken cacciatore made with soy chicken strips is amazing, easy, and not expensive, and if need be you can stretch it with a little rice).  Find your favorite inexpensive recipes like chili, stuffed peppers, or whatever and see if you can't convert them to vegetarian pretty easily.  The good news is that all these things also make a lot and travel well so you can bring your lunch.  And having an herb garden in the window will make sure you have the herbs you like on hand, so you're not always running to the store and paying $3 for those little plastic boxes of herbs.  

And you have to be really careful about your fat intake--you saw that study that said that there are vegetarians with bad numbers from eating too many eggs and too much fettucine alfredo.  So, nothing's perfect and you still have to be careful and exercise.  

Good luck with a healthy life :-)

Answer 5

I am a raw vegan and also a college student, I live on my own for now. If you grow some of the veggies on your own you can save a lot of money, especially with the herbs, etc. As a raw vegan I only eat fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts. Nothing processed. I also go to organic farms or food stands, they tend to be cheap. If you are in an area as such then you are in luck. Of course only go shopping when you need to. Have a weekly menu for yourself to eliminate food you might not use anytime soon. Good luck

Answer 6

Depends on where yo live Blossom...if you are in a major city...Good Luck, you may want to try being a "Freegan"

But if you live in a Burbs or in the outskirts somewhere, Farmers Markets are great for bulk, Co-ops, and of course depending on what you are trying to do, canned beans, Canned Corn, organic are pretty cheap..

I turned my diet around two years ago and I pend way less than when I ate out everyday.

Answer 7

What are you talking about?!?!?!?! Do you know how cheap it is to be a Vegetarian. When you become a Vegetarian you stop buying fast food, dairy products, meat, and all the extra crappy snacks from the grocery store. Also since Vegetarian food is healthy and has a lot of good things in it you'll become fuller a lot quicker which means you don't have to buy quite as much.

Please this is always the excuse for diets and Vegetariasm, it's too expensive or too hard which is complete c**p!!

Answer 8

Buy frozen store brand veggies, dried beans, whole wheat pasta.  Most people don;t realize that whole wheat pasta is an excellent source of protein and a very good source of iron.