Vegetarianism on a budget?

Question

Hi, I have another vegetarianism related question. I'm 13 and I am looking into becoming a vegetarian. I've done lots of research and learned what to eat in order to get the proper nutrition. The only thing is that all the good nutrition sources look kinda pricey. My family doesn't make a large amount of money by any means and I was wondering if anyone had any sugestions on how I could get vegetarian friendley foods without the high price.

Oh, and bye the way I am looking into becoming a lacto vegetarian. So no meats of any kind, no animal enzymes, no eggs and no gelatin.

Thanx :-)

Answer 1

I eat a lot of beans.  They are a great source of protein.  Also tofu is good and not that expensive.  Just make sure you don't eat a lot of junk.

Answer 2

Step 1 in keeping food costs down, either vegetarian or omnivore, is to avoid all prepared foods. Buy the basic stuff and cook it from scratch. It tastes a whole lot better, too, and is probably better for you.

Beans, rice, potatoes, pasta, bulk grains are all pretty cheap (though goodness knows prices are rising like crazy right now.) You'll need to eat some fresh stuff like salad things, but don't buy the packaged pre-prepared salad mixes. Buy fruits in season - they're cheaper and better. And stay away from the premium-priced "organic" foods.

Trader Joe is a great place to buy cheeses at good prices. Sometimes the price is half what the same cheese costs at other stores.

Unfortunately, right now the cheapest foods on a cost per nutrition basis are meats, especially chicken, pork, and ham. You'll just have to bite the bullet on that one.

Answer 3

as mentioned earlier, Beans are great and there are many ways to prepare them.  Fresh produce is usually the way to go.  If you think about it....a pound of ground hamburger meat is about 4 or 5 dollars.....and it shrinks up to a bout 1/2 that from all the fat....go grab a couple morningstar veg burgers, some soy dogs, all for about a fraction of what it would cost for steak.  Nuts raisin mixes can usually be pretty cheap and are great for protein.  Just look around for the deals.

Answer 4

you should start your own garden..

it's cheap, and  you'll save money in the looooong run..

Answer 5

Beans, rice, whole grains and frozen veggies are far less pricey than any meat.