Plant Based Diet on a Budget for Beginners

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The plant based diet on a budget can be done! Get started eating more plant based foods without overspending with this free shopping list and meal plan.

Since I first published this post in 2018 many new plant based products have come on the market. It’s refreshing to see so many options for plant based diet foods in grocery stores.

This article is going to focus mainly on non-packaged plant based items as well as sharing a few new plant based offerings that you can purchase at Aldi for convenience.

Before you start any diet I always recommend to chat with your doctor about what makes the most sense for you.

How You Can Eat the Plant Based Diet on a Budget

Have you ever wondered, how do you eat a plant based diet on a budget? Food budgeting and healthy eating can sometimes seem totally unrelated!

I’ve written a number of articles on how to eat healthy on budget! You might think that eating healthy on a budget is impossible but it can happen!

Aside from this article on the plant based diet, here are a few of my top articles on eating healthy on a budget:

In this case, let’s talk plant based on a budget and easy plant based recipes for beginners!

Plant Based Diet Results – My Personal Story

A few years ago I realized that the amount of veggies I was consuming had gone down significantly. I’d been eating healthy for almost three years but my veggie choices were limited and I was beginning to eat less and less.

In an effort to turn that around, I decided to do a three week plant-based eating plan. While the program I did was rather intense, it did help me to begin to love veggies again!

One thing I realized while transition to a plant-based diet was that I felt really amazing when I ate plant based. My skin was more clear, my mind was more clear, my anxiety was lessened, I slept better, and I had more energy!

What is a Plant-Based Diet

The plant-based diet focuses on eating whole, plant-based ingredients. Rather than eating animal products like meat, cheese, dairy products, etc., the plant-based diet focuses on eating plant-based items like veggies, legumes, fruits, healthy non-animal fats and whole grains.

One common misconception about eating a plant-based diet plan is that you will lack protein. Surprisingly, plant-based protein sources like quinoa, kale, and chia have high amounts of plant-based protein.

Another thing to be mindful of if you are considering a plant-based diet is to look for things that are actually plant-based! For example, you may think that pasta is an OK option since it doesn’t contain animal proteins.

Grains can be tricky so look for plant-based pastas like those made from spelt, whole wheat, quinoa, or lentils. When I was doing the plant-based diet I focused on gluten-free items as well. It was a personal choice but I was a fan of the benefits!

Medical News Today listed out some great sources of plant-based protein.

If you’re just starting out on the plant based diet and looking for some books to guide you, two awesome books to get started with are:

How to transition to a Plant-Based Diet

Transitioning to a plant-based diet doesn’t have to happen all at once like I did. In fact, you might never transition fully, which is OK. I do not eat fully plant-based today but I still love everything I learned from it! I believe that transitioning slowly helps your overall success.

You might find that swapping out a few things for plant-based alternatives will create huge changes for you! My advice is to slowly begin swapping out animal-based food items for some plant-based meals and foods. For example, switch to plant-based yogurt! One of my favorite plant based breakfast recipes includes non-dairy yogurt.

Another tip to transition to a plant-based diet is to add in plant based foods into your diet. Sometimes it’s easier to add something in, rather than take it away. For example, if you are a fan of smoothies for a quick healthy breakfast, try adding in a handful of spinach. That will up your veggie factor without you even realizing it.

How to Shop for the Plant Based Diet on a Budget

When I was on my three week plant based diet plan I realized that I needed to control our food spending. Many fresh foods are more expensive that the conventional processed foods. This can make eating a plant based diet on a budget hard. There are a few things you can do to save money while transitioning to a plant based diet.

Shop at lower-priced grocers. Shop at grocery stores like Aldi or Trader Joe’s that have excellent plant based diet food selections. These stores have great produce sections and have many of the staples for a plant-based diet.
Shop in season. Even if you aren’t shopping at a budget store like Aldi or Trader Joe’s, your local grocery store should have specials or lower prices on seasonal produce. Also, keep a close eye on coupons or store-specials for plant-based diet staples like quinoa or lentils.
Shop in bulk. Speaking of plant based diet staples, don’t forget about stores like Costco or Sam’s Club for bulk discount prices on plant based diet foods like quinoa, lentils, beans, olive oil, etc. When you are eating these staples frequently, it makes sense to buy them in larger quantities.
Shop local. Utilize your local farmer’s markets to find in-season plant based foods. I love shopping the farmer’s markets for the freshest plant based foods.

Plant Based Diet Shopping and Food List

Here is a list to get you started on your plant-based meal plan! There are a bunch more, but in getting started I’ve listed for you a number of plant-based diet staples.

Vegetables

Avocados
Beets
Onions
Sweet Potatoes
Peppers (hot, bell)
Mushrooms (button, portobello, shiitake, etc.
Leafy Greens (kale, collard, mixed greens, arugula, etc.)
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Parsnips
Tomatoes
Squash (Zucchini, Spaghetti, Butternut, etc.)
Asparagus

Fruits

Oranges
Lemons
Limes
Apples
Bananas
Plantains
Berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
Grapes
Melons (honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.)

Whole Grains

Sprouted Grain Bread
Brown Jasmine Rice
Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats
Quinoa
Whole Wheat Couscous
Risotto
Whole Grain Pasta

Seeds & Nuts

Pine Nuts
Roasted Nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, etc.
Flax
Nut Butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.)

Legumes

Black Beans
Chickpeas
Edamame
Black Eyed Peas
Kidney Beans
Great Northern Beans
Lentils

Dips

Hummus
Guacamole
Salsa

Dairy Alternatives

Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Cashew Milk
Oat Milk

Cooking Spices & Seasonings

Oils (coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, grape seed oil)
Sea Salt
Pepper
Vinegars (apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar)

Sweeteners

Stevia
Raw maple syrup
Agave

Pantry Staples

Olives
Canned Tomatoes
Vegetable Broth
Roasted Red Peppers
Artichoke Hearts
Sun Dried Tomatoes

Beverages

Coconut Water
Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Kombucha

Condiments

Tahini
Dijon Mustard

Protein

Tempeh
Tofu

Plant Based Grocery List for Shopping at Aldi

Aldi has launched a number of plant based and vegan friendly offerings in 2021. In addition to the fresh fruits and veggies and other vegan staples, they have introduced a number of convenience products in their Simply Nature and Earth Grown product lines.

Download your Free Plant-Based Diet Shopping List PDF!

Plant based Diet Meal Plan – 5 Days of Plant Based Recipes

I know a meal plan makes my life so much easier when I’m looking to make a healthy lifestyle change! This 5 days of plant-based plan for beginners is meant to help make the process easier! I’ve included many of my favorite recipes. I also love to find new plant-based recipes to try. If you find any that you love, be sure to message me on Instagram so I can try them too!

Day 1

Meal 1: Berry Quinoa Parfait
Snack: Homemade Lara Bar
Meal 2: Veggie Salad (mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, toasted pumpkin seeds, vinaigrette)
Snack: Vegan Protein Shake (this is the vegan protein I drink!)
Meal 3: Quinoa Power Bowl

Day 2

Meal 1: Berry Breakfast Bars
Snack 1: Roasted Chickpeas
Meal 2: Dinner Leftovers
Snack 2: Vegan Protein Shake
Meal 3: Plant Based Meatballs

Day 3

Meal 1: Berry Quinoa Parfait
Snack 1: Homemade Lara Bar
Meal 2: Dinner Leftovers
Snack 2: Vegan Protein Shake
Meal 3: Power Bowl

Day 4

Meal 1: Berry Breakfast Bars
Snack 1: Roasted Chickpeas
Meal 2: Dinner Leftovers
Snack 2: Vegan Protein Shake
Meal 3: Kale Pad Thai

Day 5

Meal 1: Berry Quinoa Parfait
Snack 1: Homemade Lara Bar
Meal 2: Dinner Leftovers
Snack 2: Vegan Protein Shake
Meal 3: Spicy Southwest Chili

Download your Free 5 Day Plant Based Meal Plan!

This should give you a pretty good start to transitioning to a plant based diet on a budget! It’s definitely doable with proper planning!

Plant Based Meal Ideas You’ll Love

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