What is the financial cost of eating vegan?

[Allison]

How much do you spend on groceries each week or month or however often you buy? How many in your family? Does anyone eat vegan, but have a dh or kids who don't? How do you afford both? Anyone converted dh to eating vegan?

[julbug]

It's easier for me to answer your question in terms of per month because we try not to go grocery shopping more than once a month (aside from stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables about every two weeks or so because they would go bad otherwise), it's just easier to delegate grocery money one time a month than having to budget it out once a week or so.

There's three in my family, DH, DS & me (but I'm eating for two! ;)). We all went vegan at the same time so that makes things alot easier. DH and I made the decision together after a lot or research but he tries to convert his family :)

We spend about $200 a month for food when we're being good. I have a tendency to splurge at the farmer's market or if we go out to eat often that definitely has an impact on our budget and that will end up pushing things closer to $300 a month.

Really your basic pantry staples and things are much more economical than the Standard American Diet (the SAD diet!). Rice, beans, lentils, pasta, all these things are very cheap and good to have on hand. Oh and buy these in bulk! Usually the mock-meats and things are much more expensive and not as good for you. Stick with the basics and you'll find you're spending less on food. It took us about two years to fully realize that, we used to think meat had to be replaced with something so we got alot of fake meats, etc. Then we started experimenting with more ethnic dishes that are more of a conglomeration of different tastes and textures instead of a plate divided into 3 parts for an entree and 2 sides that never touch each other.

But then you start buying organic and things get expensive from there :rolleyes. Oh well! One of these days I'll have my huge garden and orchard and I know my food will be organic, and free! It'll only cost my time.

***I just read what I've written and realized that I focused mainly on meat issues. As for dairy and egg issues: Soy, nut or rice milks don't have to be expensive, you can even make your own. I think I know about 10 ways to replace eggs in baking so I can always do it with whatever's on hand. We have a deep-freezer so I really stock up when there's a good sale. Hope this helps!

[ArmsOfLove]

We have about $370 a month to spend on groceries and sometimes spend a little more than that. We are 5 who are eating. When dh said it was okay with him if we went vegan I told him that he was a big boy and could eat what he wanted when away from home, but I was responsible for planning meals and stocking the fridge and preparing food so we were going to be totally vegan at home. He was fine with that and it was less than a year before he told me he was eating vegan away from home too ;) And we also eat gluten free which is a big part of our grocery expense.

I think the biggest expense with eating vegan is if you also buy only organic. If you aren't eating totally organic (and we can't afford to) it's very affordable to eat vegan. And the more you are willing to eat simple foods the cheaper also. I could feed dh and I really cheap. The kids eat more prepared foods (like tofu pups, etc). We do bake our own bread and other stuff from scratch.

[ShangriLewis]

We spend around $400 and we eat alot of organic foods. But, sometimes in the beginning you spend more if you are trying to replace meat and dairy. I stock up when something we like goes on sale. When we lived in Northern California we had access to a lot of cheap organic produce. I've been Vegan and then lapsed back to occasional meat eating and then back to vegetarian. My dh finally watched the McDougall videos before Thanksgiving and became a Vegetarian and quit smoking at the same time. We eat a pretty near Vegan diet. I like what Mary McDougall says about mixed families. Cook one meal and the meat can be a side dish. Bean Burritos with a dish of meat or crumbles. Stirfry with chicken on the side.

Heather

[Allison]

Thanks, guys! Our budget is around $400 a month with four eating. Our pet food (two dogs and a cat) and toiletries, etc are included in that, but they don't cost so much that a vegan diet wouldn't be possible. I am interested in buying more organic, though, so that's where the cost would be for me. Now, my father has a garden and says we can have an extras this summer, so that'll help tremendously and hopefully we'll be getting our own garden in a couple of years.

[ArmsOfLove]

Check any nearby farms or look around for buying clubs. It's possible to get very cheap organic produce depending on where you are. You might have to drive out to get it, but it's worth what you can save. Also, look for farmer's markets. And pesticide free is just organic farms that haven't been organic long enough to get certified.

[Allison]

Thanks, Crystal! I just asked about organic co-ops at the HFS yesterday and got a number for someone who might know. My dad says he just uses lime on his garden, but I don't know if that's good or not. I thought he wasn't using anything because I know he actually picks the bugs off of the tomatos and fruit trees by hand and you have to pick out the little green bugs before eating the broccoli! LOL

[ArmsOfLove]

:laughtears

See, now, that is why I prefer my veggies from the grocery store :lol

But with our own garden I'm just going to have to get used to it, I guess :)

[Allison]

LOL Yeah, I've undoubtedly eaten bugs in my veggies before. Hey, it's protein! ;-)