How I Make Vegan Meals on $50 a Week

How I Make Vegan Meals on $50 a Week

All of my tips and tricks for vegan food budgeting. This is how I prep a full week of vegan meals on ~ $50 per week.

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How I Make Vegan Meals on $50 a Week

Good morning friends! Today, I want to talk a bit about food budgeting. It’s no secret that food can be a huge expense. I personally find that when I don’t plan out at least some of my meals for the week, I end up spending more than I would like on groceries. Fortunately, with a bit of careful planning, I am able to spend around $50 each week on groceries. Here are the key ways that I make it happen.


How I Meal Prep On a Budget – Ingredients

The following are some of the main ingredients I purchase each month:

  • Rolled Oats (I get a huge bag at Costco which lasts me quite some time)
  • Peanut Butter or Almond Butter (Again, I purchase this at Costco)
  • Frozen Fruit (I usually go for blueberries or strawberries, and I get these at Aldi)
  • Pasta (I like whole wheat and lentil/chickpea pasta)
  • Tofu (I like the extra firm kind)
  • Lentils
  • Quinoa
  • Canned Beans (I love black beans, chickpeas, and refried beans)
  • Canned Beets
  • Canned Pumpkin
  • Canned Tomatoes (I mix these with olive oil to make an easy marinara sauce)
  • Hard Corn Taco Shells (or flour tortillas)
  • Bananas
  • Avocados
  • Baby Carrots
  • Spinach/Greens
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • A Few Other Produce Items (I try to shop in-season to keep my costs low)
  • Hummus
  • Almondmilk (One carton typically lasts me one to two weeks)
  • Fresh Sourdough Bread
  • Sauerkraut/Kimchi
  • Popcorn
  • Dark Chocolate Chips
  • Coffee

Other Items That I Purchase Less Frequently Include:

  • Coconut Flour
  • Protein Powder
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Unsweetened Applesauce
  • Baking Powder/Soda
  • Coconut Sugar
  • Pure Maple Syrup
  • Chia Seeds
  • Ground Flaxseed
  • Hemp Hearts
  • Raw Pumpkin Seeds
  • Condiments (Mustard, Ketchup, etc.)
  • Seasonings
  • Olive Oil
  • Coffee Creamer
  • Vegan Whipped Cream
  • Other Breads (Pita Bread, Crumpets, etc.)

The grand total for all of my staple foods comes out to about $50 per week. I have to pay more up front for some items (like the oats and nut butters), but they last me a long time. So, everything evens out. Some of my staple meals include oatmeal, sandwiches, tacos, salads, and pasta.


How I Make Vegan Meals – The Menu

The above ingredients may not seem like much, but I can actually make a ton of different dishes out of these basic staple foods. The following are some examples of meals I make each week that utilize the above ingredients.


How I Make Vegan Meals On a Budget – Breakfast

For breakfast, I am a creature of habit. So, I eat oatmeal most days for breakfast (especially on work days). I almost always have my oatmeal with peanut butter/almond butter and fruit.

But, sometimes I like to switch things up. When I want a savory breakfast, I will usually go for a couple slices of sourdough (or whole wheat) bread topped with avocado. I also really enjoy a veggie tofu scramble.


How I Make Vegan Meals On a Budget – Lunch

For lunch, I like to switch things up a lot. I’ll either have a tofu scramble, a burrito/tacos, a sweet potato salad, a nourish bowl, pasta, etc.


How I Make Vegan Meals On a Budget – Dinner

For dinner, I often make similar meals to what I make for lunch. I love a good soup and sandwich, bowl of pasta, burrito, nourish bowl, etc.


How I Make Vegan Meals On a Budget – Dessert

For dessert, I love to freeze some bananas in chunks and make banana “nice” cream out of them. I will blend the frozen banana chunks up in my food processor with the tiniest splash of almond milk. This makes the consistency incredibly thick and creamy. I like to top my nice cream with a peanut butter drizzle and/or chocolate chips, and it’s the perfect summer treat.

There are also a ton of desserts that I like to make using oats, coconut flour, cocoa powder, etc.


Other Ways I Save Money on Groceries

The following are some more easy ways that I save money on groceries each and every week.

  • I buy generic brand products — I often buy grocery store brand products to save money, especially on things like pasta, bread, tortillas, etc. They are cheaper and often have similar ingredients. Plus, I don’t really taste a difference for most items.
  • I buy in bulk —I like to buy things that I eat often in bulk to save money. This includes oats, frozen fruit, nut butters, etc.
  • I limit eating out — I try to eat out 1-2x per week max. This helps me save money on food. Plus, I make my coffee at home most of the time which saves me quite a bit as well.
  • I avoid convenience foods—The pre-packaged foods tend to be more expensive, so I prefer to buy fresh ingredients and meal prep on Sunday’s. I know this isn’t feasible for everyone, but I have the time and I enjoy cooking.
  • I get versatile ingredients — I like to buy ingredients that I can use for multiple recipes so that my food doesn’t go to waste and my meals don’t get to repetitive and boring.

How I Make Vegan Meals On a Budget – Final Thoughts

While budgeting can be a bit tedious, it has helped me immensely with staying on top of my spending, especially on necessary things like food. Anyway, that’s it for this post. I hope you all enjoyed it. As per usual, I will be back with more content very soon.
-Alyssa 🙂

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