Buy dry, cook big
Dry beans and lentils are half the cost of canned. Batch-cook 2 kg on Sunday, freeze in portions.
Practical · Cost of eating well
Vegan on any budget
Skip the pricey meat analogues. A pantry of staples, a $30 weekly shop, and a menu that actually keeps you full — with price-per-protein tables you can screenshot.
The $30/week staple pantry
| Staple | Typical price | Protein | How to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry lentils / split peas | $1.20/lb | 23 g / 100 g dry | Cook in 20 min. Base for soups, dals, taco filling. |
| Dry chickpeas / black beans | $1.30/lb | 19 g / 100 g dry | Soak overnight or pressure cook. Half the cost of canned. |
| Rolled oats | $0.90/lb | 13 g / 100 g | Breakfast, savory porridge, oat milk (blend 1 c + 4 c water). |
| Brown rice | $1.10/lb | 7 g / 100 g | Buy in 10-lb bags. Cook a whole batch and freeze in 1-cup portions. |
| Peanut butter | $3.00/lb | 25 g / 100 g | Fat, protein and calories in one jar. Look for 100% peanut ingredients. |
| Extra-firm tofu | $2/block | 17 g / block | Press, marinate, bake. Cheapest complete protein you can pan-fry. |
| Frozen mixed vegetables | $1.50/lb | — | Peak-season nutrition at half the fresh-produce price. |
| Bananas & apples | $0.60/lb | — | Cheapest year-round fruit almost everywhere on Earth. |
7-day menu under $30
Mon
Oatmeal + peanut butter · Lentil soup · Tofu stir-fry over rice
Tue
Banana-oat pancakes · Chickpea salad wrap · Pasta with tomato-lentil sauce
Wed
Overnight oats · Rice + beans + salsa bowl · Tofu curry with frozen veg
Thu
Oatmeal + apple · Peanut butter sandwich + carrots · Dal + rice
Fri
Tofu scramble · Black bean quesadilla · Big salad + baked potato
Sat
Pancakes · Leftover dal · Homemade veggie burger + fries
Sun
Berry oatmeal · Big prep salad · Chickpea pasta bake
Shop the perimeter
Produce, bulk bins, frozen. Skip aisles of branded 'vegan' snack foods — they're where budget goes to die.
One sauce, three meals
A big pot of tomato-lentil sauce becomes pasta Monday, stuffed peppers Tuesday and shakshuka Wednesday.
FAQ
Isn't a vegan diet expensive?
Only if you rely on branded meat and cheese analogues. A whole-food plant-based shop built on beans, rice, oats, potatoes, seasonal produce and frozen vegetables consistently costs less than the average omnivore diet in every major cost-of-living study since 2019.
What's the cheapest source of complete protein?
Dry lentils and split peas — about $0.06–0.10 per 10 g of protein when bought in bulk. Tofu, canned beans, peanut butter and rolled oats are close behind.
How do I meal-prep without spending hours?
Batch one grain, one bean and one sauce every Sunday, then rotate three vegetables through the week. Total active time is under 45 minutes for 15 meals.
Are frozen vegetables as nutritious as fresh?
Yes — often more so, since they're picked and blast-frozen at peak ripeness. Frozen berries, peas, spinach and broccoli are typically half the price of fresh.