5+ Hacks for Saving Money on a Plant-Based Diet

Delicious, plant-based, and budget-friendly —yes, you can have all three. Despite what you may think, eating on a plant-based diet does NOT need to be expensive! In fact, it can be one of the most affordable ways to fuel your body and hit your protein goals.

The misconception that veganism is unaffordable stems from when people see the price of higher end, gourmet-style, plant-based alternative products such as Beyond Meat, Just Egg, Spread’Em cashew cheese, and many others.

Don’t get me wrong —these products are AMAZING. And I definitely do splurge occasionally or buy these on sale from time to time. But they certainly aren’t my everyday staples. I’d be broke by now if that were the case.

I was also under the impression that plant-forward eating would cost me more when I first went vegan. But I’ve learned over the years that this lifestyle is actually really economical, even on a high-protein diet!

These 5 hacks I’m about to share with you will change your perception about the cost of plant-based-ism, or maybe give you some relief if you’re currently a vegan with a tight grocery budget!

1. Buy in Bulk

There are certain foods that I use almost daily! And therefore, I can save a lot of money by getting large quantities, as long as I commit to using it all up before it expires.

I’ve even taken this strategy to the extreme. For example, a few months ago I bought 12 pounds of soy curls from Vegan Supply in Vancouver. That single purchase lasted me about three months — and by buying in bulk, I saved over $60 compared to what I would’ve spent buying the same amount in smaller packages over time.

Here are some other products that I like to buy in bulk, organized by food group:

Proteins: soy curls, textured vegetable protein, extra firm tofu, and sometimes frozen specialty items if available. See my post about my top 5 plant-based protein sources for more detail!

Carbohydrates: oats, rice, flour, dried beans and legumes, cereals, and other grains.

Fats: nut butters and oils.

The only limitation to this money-saving strategy comes down to storage space. Alike many of you, I have a relatively small kitchen and not a lot of food storage space. I do what I can to make the best use of the space I do have by using lots of handy home organization items (click here for my favourites). But ultimately, you can only take advantage of bulk items as much as your space allows.

2. Buy Frozen

Frozen fruits and veggies are often cheaper, while being just as nutritious and delicious! Plus they won’t spoil nearly as quickly, which means less waste, and ultimately more savings.

This also means you can safely buy frozen foods in large amounts at once since you don’t need to worry about them becoming rotten. I always have a big bag of frozen blueberries in my freezer that I add to my daily protein oatmeal breakfast.

Frozen produce is also great because it takes away a lot of prep time for you. No need to wash, chop, or peel! For the easiest prep, I recommend getting a big mixed stir-fry veggie bag.

3. Choose the Right Protein Sources

If you want to save money, you’ll have to focus on affordable, staple plant-based proteins. Like I mentioned earlier —mock meats are fun, but they’re often way more expensive AND sometimes don’t even contain very much protein relative to calories.

I actually made a whole blog post about my top 5 best plant proteins here for a full breakdown! But the cheapest forms of vegan protein will usually be:

• Extra firm tofu
• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• Soy curls
• Protein powder
• Seitan (homemade)
• Lentils, beans, and legumes

4. Buy Shelf-Stable

Canned, dried, dehydrated, and other similar items are also typically much cheaper than fresh. And they also last longer, which helps to reduce food waste.

These are also massive time savers as they often require less prep, and sometimes none at all. Some items I almost always buy in canned form are corn, tomato products, legumes, and beans.

5. Meal Prep Ahead of Time

This might sound obvious if you’re already a consistent meal prepper —but for majority of people, meal prep can be a daunting task. But mastering the ability to meal prep will save you LOADS of time, money, and effort during the week.

It eliminates the need for you to eat out as often, the time spent cooking while in a hurry, and the stress that comes with deciding what to make for dinner.

I actually have a free plant-based meal prep guide here that you can download! It teaches you step-by-step how to efficiently 1) grocery shop, 2) cook, 3) portion, and 4) store food and avoid waste.

Bonus Hacks

Odd Bunch

If you’re located in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, or Alberta, I’d HIGHLY recommend seeing if Odd Bunch Canada delivers to your home!

Odd Bunch is an amazing subscription-based produce delivery service that rescues imperfect or surplus fruits and veggies from local farms and distributors. Basically just misshapen produce that’s still perfectly fresh, delicious, nutritious, and safe to eat!

As a result, YOU can get high quality local produce for up to 50% less than the grocery stores delivered right to your door. And you can feel good about supporting an initiative that reduces tons of food waste.

Use my code SEMBLEY20 to get 20% off your first box!

Too Good To Go

Another great way to save money and reduce food waste is with the Too Good To Go app! This program supports local restaurants, markets, bakeries, cafes, and stores by offering their surplus items at a STEEP discount —like a third of the original price or less.

I’ve used Too Good To Go many times in Vancouver at grocery stores, vegan bakeries, and vegan cafes, and have always been pleasantly surprised by the value in each bag.

Flipp

Flipp is a free Canadian shopping app that consolidates digital flyers for grocery stores and retailers. It allows you to search for specific items and make shopping lists to determine where you can get the best deal and what coupons are available.

It’s also very useful for meal prep if you’re on a budget and looking to take advantage of sales. You can see upcoming deals and flyers and plan your meals accordingly.

Conclusion

You don’t need a big budget to eat plant-based! Just intentional meal planning and grocery shopping. Start by picking out one hack and implementing it this week.

Need More Help?

I got you covered! I offer meal plans, intuitive eating programs, and hybrid options through 1:1 online fitness coaching. Together, we can determine which method will best suit your lifestyle, and work towards your health and fitness goals.

Click below to apply for a free phone consultation with me!