As grocery costs balloon, some people question whether eating vegetarian can actually save money.
Isnt filling your plate with organic, plant-based foods from trendy markets equally expensive?
Going vegetarian can be $10 smoothies and pricey natural food stores, but it doesnt have to be.
The reality is reaching for veggies to fill your grocery cart benefits your health and your wallet.
you could even save money with a mostly vegetarian diet.
Here are 10 ways going vegetarian can help you save money.
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But first, lets talk about how much you could save.
How Much Money Can You Save Going Vegetarian or Vegan?
Did you know?
Researchers didnt examine how buying costly processed meat substitutes could affect savings.
In comparison, those who eat fish and meat pay nearly 10% more for groceries.
This study shows its quite the opposite.
How Much Does Eating Meat Cost You?
But wont you miss it?
There are lots of meals lasagna, curry, salads, soups where meat isnt the focus.
That same recipe without meat comes in at $1.50 a serving.
An even more basic vegetarian burrito bowl could even be as cheap as$1.17 per serving.
(you’ve got the option to make thatveggie burgeryourself for less than $1.)
Consider too that sometimes adding a protein is as simple and cheap as opening a can of black beans.
And opting for a vegan or vegetarian diet doesnt mean you have to buy organic.
it’s possible for you to use thisUSDA directoryto find one near you.
Shopping at a nearby farmers market makes fresh food more accessible and affordable, too.
Some grocery stores compound this problem by stuffing vegetarian products into one aisle like they do ethnic foods.
Instead, roll up your sleeves and get all your chopping down before you get going cooking.
You could even prep ahead for another recipe later in the week.
Need some help chopping, dicing and parsing your way through the produce section?
Award-winning chefAmy Chaplinshows you how to tackle every vegetable.
Search forvegetarian dishesthat leverage familiar foods and have overlapping ingredients.
If a vegetarian recipe has a costly specialty item, look for a cheaper alternative or skip it.
Choose whole grains, whatever green leafy vegetables you have in the fridge and open a can of beans.
Its an easy formula for quick and satisfying meals without the fuss.
it’s possible for you to save money just by eating meat and dairy products less often.
Say you spend $500 a month on groceries.
That adds up to $840 over a year.
Your wallet and doctor will thank you.
Kaz Weida is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
