There is a common misconception that veganism is expensive. In this post I wanted to address that myth. It is certainly true that veganism can be expensive, but so can any type of diet. People seem to have a hard time imagining what vegans eat. Many think that their diets mainly consist of tofu and faux meats and cheeses which are usually quite pricey. Not many people realize that the staple foods in an average vegans diet are some of the cheapest foods you can buy: rice, beans, potatoes, and fresh or frozen fruits and veggies.
Just in case anyone is curious, I decided to show you all what a normal trip to the grocery store results in for an average low-income vegan like myself. All of the food in the photo to follow was under $45 at my local Kroger grocery store. I didn’t actually buy rice this time, but that’s because I always have that. The spices to season all of your delicious vegetable dishes can be a bit expensive in the beginning, but they are only a rare purchase as they last for a long time.
In case you can’t make it out in the photo, here is a list of everything pictured:
- Watermelon
- Pineapple (x20
- Potato (x20
- Green onion bunch (x2)
- Cucumber
- Celery hearts
- Dark brown sugar
- Blueberries (1lb)
- Zucchini
- Avocado
- Red pepper
- Green pepper
- Radishes (3 bags)
- Frozen corn
- Broccoli (2 crowns)
- Tomatoes (3 Roma)
- Sugar snap peas
- Spinach
- Cilantro
- Kale
- Veggie stir-fry kit
- Dried apricots
- Cabbage
- Tamari
- Beet and ginger bean dip
- Mediterranean pickles
- Garbanzo Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Vegetarian refried beans
- Kombucha
That’s 30 wonderful plant-based foods for less than $45! I want to help spread the message that veganism can be easy, accessible and affordable. It takes a little practice. You learn how to shop with the season and benefit from bargain bins. But there is no reason that someone should hold themselves back from living a more compassionate and healthy lifestyle because of their income.
I hope that this can be an inspiring example to some of you out there that have held onto the false notion that veganism is simply too expensive to consider. If a 24-year-old, single, social worker can do it, so can you!
Protect the Innocent 