Frivolous lawsuits make me giggle. In November 2019, an Atlanta, Georgia-based vegan man sued Burger King for not explicitly advertising that it’s veggie Impossible Burger is fried in hamburger grease to enhance the taste. (In Burger King’s defense, fast food joints are not ubiquitously thought of as culinary havens for vegans.) The man, a strict vegan who doesn’t eat any animal-derived foods, was upset at paying premium prices for an animal-fat coated veggie burger. An Impossible Whopper value meal costs about $7.60. A beef burger Whopper meal costs $7 or less. It might’ve been simpler for this vegan to practice going vegan on a budget instead of patronizing Burger King for vegan meals.
Ironically, the Impossible Burger is not designed for consumption by vegans or vegetarians. Impossible Burgers are 100% plant-based and contain no animal proteins.
Additionally, Impossible burgers are culinarily designed to be cooked in hamburger grease to enhance its flavor. They exist as a hamburger grease flavor-enhancing veggie burger option for meat-eaters who want to eat less beef.
Vegans and vegetarians who want to eat Impossible Burgers without hamburger grease need to ask for a microwave option when ordering.
Going Vegan on a Budget or Conscious Temptation
I do not have any sympathy for the vegan suing Burger King. Who the hell goes to a hamburger joint for their vegan meals?
That is like strictly going to liquor stores to buy bottled water. Conscious and intentional temptation seems to be at play here.
And this conscious temptation is counterproductive to the health benefits of being a vegan.
You are better off going vegan on a budget For one thing, it’s healthier.
The bigger problem with Impossible Burgers or its alternative Awesome Burgers is that they just are not healthy at all.
Plant-based burgers sold in fast-food restaurants are extremely high in fat and saturated fats. Sometimes, fast food veggie burgers have as much as 25% more fat and saturated fats than the daily recommended health requirement.
Impossible Burgers are also high in sodium too.
My biggest beef with the Burger King vegan is that this litigation farce perpetuates the myth that vegan eating is expensive. (Yes, pun intended.)
The Burger King vegan explicitly complained about paying premium prices for a veggie burger cooked in hamburger grease.
Believe me, I have experience patronizing fast food restaurants too much for my own good. If the Burger King vegan bought 3 Impossible Burger meals a week, that adds up to $22.80.
Buying an Impossible Burger meal for a month could cost him $91.20 a month.
People who aspire to become vegan or vegetarian encounter the same financial problems as the
Burger King vegan. It can cost over $500 a month to eat as vegan restaurants or buy pre-prepared vegan food at specialty stores and supermarkets.
Additionally, vegans may have to spend $60 monthly on vitamin and mineral supplements that may be lacking in a strictly vegan diet. (Make sure you consult with a doctor before becoming a vegan.)
Going Vegan on a Budget is a Lifestyle Adjustment
You can go vegan on a budget without busting the family budget. Or trying to rely on expensive prepared vegan food in restaurants, supermarkets, or specialty stores.
Before we get into all of that, let’s differentiate between what it means to be a vegan and a vegetarian.
Being a vegan is all about changing your dietary lifestyle completely, being healthier, and being keenly aware of your food sources. Vegans do not eat any animals or any food that comes from animals.
In contrast, vegetarians do not eat beef or chicken, but they do eat animal food derivatives like consume milk, cheese, and eggs. It’s also time-consuming to become a vegan, but not necessarily expensive.
However, you must specifically commit to buying raw plant-based food, preparing, and cooking it yourself every day. There is no way to get around that if you want to go vegan on a budget.
You just have to learn how to buy and eat more frugally as a vegan.
For example, it is much cheaper and healthier to buy dry beans than canned beans. Eating dry beans is healthier for you too, since canned beans contain a lot of sodium.
Eating and prepping dry beans is time-consuming too since you must soak dry beans for at least half a day before cooking them.
Vegans can’t eat meat. But there are many kinds of plant-based proteins, like avocados, quinoa, or soy, that are similarly filling and healthy to eat.
There is no debate that plant-based foods are cheaper than traditional supermarket fare. You can go vegan on a budget with no problems.
You must learn what to buy and how to cook them. So, here are tips to develop your own budget vegan meal plan.
Going Vegan on Budget
Here are some basic tips to get you started:
Stock Up on Staples
Going vegan on a budget can be relatively easy on your culinary lifestyle.
Instead of stocking up on beef, pork, or chicken, you’ll just adjust to stocking up on plant-based staples.
No one with a straight face can say that pound-for-pound, raw fruits, vegetables, and plant-based food are more expensive than animal protein.
So, you’ll buy lots of pasta, oatmeal, granola, rice, seeds, dry beans, legumes, dried fruit, hummus, flours, grains, and plant-derived cooking oils.
Compare plant-based food prices by weight when shopping and always buy in bulk.
And always buy generic over brand name. Otherwise, you might as well just buy Impossible Whopper meals.
Buy Frozen Fruits and Veggies When Affordable
Frozen fruits and veggies retain more of their nutrients when frozen and keep longer.
Stock up on as much fruit and veggies as you can and freeze them for later use.
Frozen fruits and veggies are also great ingredients for smoothies.
Compare Store Prices
Visit several groceries, supermarkets, online vegan stores, and farmer markets and compare prices.
Going vegan on a budget is not a concept you should just take for granted. Adopting a vegan lifestyle is something that you must always work hard to aspire to and perpetuate.
Always build your grocery lists beforehand through this kind of comparison shopping.
Also, collect daily and weekly advertisement circulars for the best deals. Look for customer appreciation day promotions where you can score 15% or higher discounts.
Always keep an eye out for marked down produce which can score you 50% discounts or more.
Going Vegan on a Budget Can Save You Thousands Annually
You can save over $3,000 annually by switching to a vegan diet. It takes discipline. Also, it can be delicious.
There are numerous vegan recipes, dinner prep plans, and recipes for beginners online.
Being a vegan means having the discipline to make time to cook your own plant-based staples.
G0ing vegan on a budget won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
It’s either that or going to the local burger joint for an Impossible Burger every day.
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.
