More budget and money-saving tips! I love reading posts like this, so I hope you can appreciate.
In the past, I’ve shared my $50 vegan shopping list for Trader Joe’s. As we’re trying to save more and more for baby girl on the way, we’ve opted to buy more from PriceRite. Do you have a PriceRite near you? I believe it’s a New England (or maybe just upper East Coast?) chain but oh man, it is SO INEXPENSIVE AND CHEAP! And cheap does not mean poor quality in this case, because the fruit and veggies are awesome here, as well as other name brand products. One of the ways that PriceRite keeps it costs down is the fact that you need to bring your own bags, so don’t forget yours (if you do, they are only 10 cents a bag).
I’ve been so impressed with our shopping habits these days that I wanted to share what a week’s worth of vegan/plant-based food from PriceRite looks like for under $50. I hope it helps! I love having proof that eating vegan/plant-based does not mean expensive. You can still be frugal and eat like a queen (or king). ;)
NOTE: There are two items that my non-vegan husband bought on this list. You’ll notice that I crossed them out in red on the receipt and will also deduct from total below. Still – under $50 even with his items.
For a grand total of $44.23 (or $48.75 with my husband’s non-vegan items), you can buy:
- 1 can kidney beans – .59 cents
- 3 cans cannellini beans @ .65 cents – $1.95
- 2 cans pinto beans @ .59 – $1.18
- Natural creamy peanut butter – $1.99
- Fajita wraps – $1.69
- Dried lentils – $2.99
- Radishes – $1.29
- Sweet potatoes @ .69 cents/lb – $1.11
- Red onion @ .89 cents/lb – .85 cents
- 5 bulbs garlic – $1.89
- Romaine lettuce @ .99 cents/lb – $1.05
- Red pepper @ $1.29/lb – .68 cents
- Zucchini @ .99 cents/lb – .58 cents
- Bag of carrots – $1.19
- Bananas @ .49 cents/lb – $2.46
- 5 kiwis – $1.00
- 1 large watermelon – $4.99
- Frozen broccoli – $1.49
- Frozen chopped spinach – $1.29
- Frozen corn – $1.49
- Frozen peach slices – $2.49
- 5-lb bag frozen strawberries – $9.99
Prices may vary depending on your local store, but this is what it came out to for us. Here’s proof:
Don’t be afraid to play around with this list, too. The most expensive item on here is the frozen strawberries for $9.99 but honestly… I use these everyday in my smoothies and for a huge 5-lb bag, this is a bit cheaper for me than to buy the small 1-lb bags. If you don’t normally use frozen strawberries, swap them out for something else. For instance, a few things didn’t make this week’s list that we’d usually grab but already had – like nut milk (usually $2-3), pasta (.88 cents for a lb of elbows), or tomato paste (.29 cents a can).
It’s really up to you to swap out things you’d prefer over my own items, but this is just a good starting point and a sample that proves eating vegan doesn’t have to cost a crazy amount (I’m looking at you, Whole Foods). Other vegan items they carry that could be included/swapped out according to your preferences: baking products, vegan boca burgers, black bean burgers, variety of frozen/canned fruits and veggies, variety of dried beans and legumes, hummus, fresh herbs, yucca, plantains, 5-lb bags of rice, variety of bread products, pita, nuts, dried fruit, canned pickled products, condiments, etc. You get the picture – just lots of great stuff at an even better price point.
Some days, I really feel good about the added expenses of a baby and then two seconds later, I am in panic mode. We are definitely trying our best (as always) to keep costs down and save in any areas we can. I frequently re-read my own post on living rich on a budget to inspire myself, too. I think it’s important to be mindful! So anyways, I hope that this post inspires some of you to give PriceRite a go if it is in your area. I’m very happy with all their vegan options, and honestly… I eat better this way. When there aren’t too many speciality vegan products in my face, I definitely eat much cleaner!
For more information on how to save money on a plant-based diet, download my eBook: My Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Kitchen.
From grocery lists to quick tips to recipes, you’ll find 90+ pages of inspiration.
