Saving Money On A Vegetarian Diet
Do you ever pay attention to how the grocery bill adds up to at the end of the month? Food is definitely one of the primary costs of living today. In order to eat a well balanced diet even a week’s groceries will fill a good portion of your grocery cart. You may start with the breads and cereals, then pastas and potatoes. Moving on to cheeses, yogurts and meats your bill is adding up and you haven’t even gotten close to fulfilling all of your nutritional needs let alone adding variety to your menu. How is it possible to save money on food? If you are ready for some interesting things on the menu as well as a reduction in the overall cost of food, look at trying a vegetarian diet. If you are already a vegetarian and you are still disappointed with how much you give the grocery checker every week, read on.
Eliminating the Cost of Meat
One very quick way to cut your grocery bill is to not buy the meat. The meat market fluctuates pretty drastically, but meat is always expensive. The bill for a single person may total $15 or more per week. If you add in other family members, the price skyrockets. Not buying meat is not an answer by itself however. There is also an art to choosing the protein that you will be eating. Tofu and cheese are definitely vegetarian options. While they cost less per pound than meat, those items are also fairly expensive. One benefit to buying cheese and tofu is that they provide protein, but the serving size is significantly smaller than a serving of meat. That means that the average cost per bite is down. In the same way, nuts can be rationalized. While they cost more per pound than meat, the serving size is tiny compared to a serving of meat. The protein is packed more densely. The way to actually save money though is by eating beans as your primary source of protein. There are seemingly endless varieties of beans, each with its own flavor. Dry beans are very inexpensive and highly nutritious as well as filling and satisfying. By eating other, more expensive sources of protein occasionally, but primarily enjoying beans, your grocery bill will start to be whittled down.
Shopping Wisely
The next step in saving money by eating vegetarian meals is to shop wisely. You can spend $30 at the grocery store and get enough nutritious food or you can spend $60 or more at the grocery store and end up with nearly the same amount of food that you got for $30. The trick is in your shopper’s eye. Fresh produce rotates in season and therefore price. Choose to eat those things that are in season in order to get the most food for your money. If you need to buy the more expensive items in order to add variety to your meal plans, buy those things in small amounts. Also pay attention to where your snack food comes from. Packaged crackers and cookies are more expensive than and not as good for you as pretzels and fruit. You can also save money by making food at home instead of buying pre-made items.
It is possible to save money on food by taking meat off the menu. If you do though, it is still important to fill in the gap with other nutritious protein. In addition to changing your diet, make sure to shop wisely. Choose food that is in season and that is nutritious. Empty calories are the most expensive of all.
