Responding to Vegan Myths:Part 4

By: Megan

Myth: veganism is expensive

    Over the past few years, I have heard many people say "I could never go vegan because of how expensive it is," or "isn't vegan food expensive though?" Rest assured, vegan foods are some of the cheapest foods on the planet. In fact, most impoverished communities in other countries eat a vegetarian or plant-based diet because animal products are too expensive. Animal products are luxuries in most countries. Yet, in America, they are so cheap because of the system we have created. Beans, rice, lentils, potatoes, bananas, squash, and many other foods are the cheapest foods on the planet. Natural vegan foods are pretty cheap. It is the processed foods that can be more expensive. It is going to be more expensive to get frozen vegan convenience items such as vegan tv dinners just like it is typically more expensive to pay for a Lean Cuisine than making it yourself. It is also important to remember that vegan processed foods are considered health foods. Just like gluten-free products, companies can charge an extra dollar or two just for putting the word "vegan” on the packaging. It is also good to point out that vegan foods will not always be expensive. As the demand for these products goes up, the companies are able to go down on their prices. I have seen this first hand. When I first went vegan, a half-gallon of soy milk was $2.99. It has almost been three years and I now pay $2 for a half-gallon which is only one penny more than a half-gallon of cow's milk at my local Kroger. It is also important to know that as the dairy industry continues to crash, dairy products will be more expensive, and non-dairy products will continue to get cheaper.

There are many hacks to get vegan foods for cheaper. 

1.Buying Locally

   Typically, local farmers' markets have cheaper produce than stores. This is because the farmers who grow the produce sold at our stores have to ship them which costs more money. Getting produce straight from the source is a great way to cut down on costs and support local farmers.

2. Grow it at Home

     Growing your own produce is also an option. It all depends on your location, but some easy things to grow are lettuces, berries, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. This will make everything fresher and at least through the summer months you would not have to purchase some of these products. Also, spices are essential in every food that is cooked and luckily spices can be grown year-round on a windowsill. 

3.Buy in bulk

Buying in bulk makes the product cheaper and most times is better in reducing waste.

There are a few ways to do this. One way is by going to a health food store such as local Co-Ops or Earthfare. They have a bulk food section and you can either take in reusable containers and fill them up or use the paper bags they provide. This method cuts back on the packaging which both reduces waste and takes out the money paid to package a product. Another way is by buying larger quantities. For instance, if there is an 8-ounce package of oats and a 32-ounce package of oats most likely the 32 ounces will be cheaper per ounce. An easy way to check is on the price tag there is the price for the product and the unit price. In America, this is per ounce. Basically, the goal is to find the cheapest unit price.

As shown in the picture, the product is $2.99, but to the left side, there are numbers. The first line means the whole product is 10 ounces. The second line means each ounce is 29.9 cents. This is the line to pay attention to. If there was the same product in a different size that said "25 cents" then you would get that product instead. By doing this you can save some change which may not seem like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, it is. The third way to buy in bulk is through bulk food stores such as Costo, Sams Club, and BJ's. I do not suggest buying canned foods and some produce here because it can be more expensive unless specifically buying organic and brand names. I suggest buying frozen vegan items here because it is astronomically cheaper. I also suggest buying vegan butter, sour cream, cheese, milk, and basically anything that says "vegan" on the package. The reasoning behind this is these exclusive products are and will always be cheaper at bulk food stores. Typically, I pay around $2.50 for vegan butter at a normal grocery store, but at BJ's I can get two tubs for under $4. This is a huge saving. These bulk food stores are getting more and more vegan products and it makes it worth it to have a membership. 

4. Buy Store Brand When Possible

    This may sound self-explanatory, but store brand prices are usually a lot cheaper. Buying store-brand products is not always possible or cheaper. I suggest buying canned goods and mock meats, and non-dairy products in the store's brand. Kroger companies have so many vegan products that are really good and are cheaper than the popular name brand companies. Other stores such as Trader Joe's and Aldi have started to expand their brand to have vegan options. This is a great way to purchase vegan processed foods without breaking the bank. 

5. Don't Skip Clearance

    The clearance section is the best place to get cheap vegan foods. Vegan mock meats will constantly be close to the best buy date and be 50% off. I will buy them and store them in the freezer until I am ready to eat them. Sometimes I will be able to get multiple packages and stock up while other times I may just get one or two. Either way, it saves me money. This is also how I have been able to try so many vegan foods. Vegan foods are not purchased nearly as much as non-vegan foods and they often reach their best buy date or are not selling enough to keep them in stores. Every time I go to the store I can almost guarantee I will be able to find vegan energy bars, yogurt, and sour cream on clearance. Even though these products are not necessary for the vegan diet, they are still nice to have on hand. 

    It is extremely important to remember that one can live a healthy vegan lifestyle without these vegan convenience items. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains all provide adequate nutrition that can sustain the body. Veganism can be very cheap; it is the processed foods that make it expensive giving it the bad rap.