Vegan Dollars [Part 2]

      As a college student who eats healthy, you may think that I have to spend a lot of money on food.  I will gladly admit that this is not the case at all!  Out of desperation springs creativity and I have found that now I actually spend less on food than I did before I was vegan.  I do not buy meat (which is expensive anyways), dairy, or junk food anymore so all of that money stays right where it should: in my bank account.

If you are just joining me, feel free to also read Part 1 of Vegan Dollars.

Here is Part 2 of my tips on how to eat healthy without giving up your precious money!

1. Drink water (and only water).  
• This cuts out all of the other extra drinks that you would buy, such as soda and juices, which are full of unnecessary sugars.  
• Don't waste your money on bottled water either. Instead invest in a water filter that you keep in the fridge and simply refill it daily.  
• If you want a change from water then make tea, lemonade (using real lemons), and/or squeeze some oranges or grapefruits.
2. Split the bill. 
• Find foods that you and a roommate frequently eat and offer to split the bill with them on those foods.
3. Write out a grocery list, then revise it.  
• Let it sit for a little while and then go back to it.  Read over it and decide which items are likely to run out quickly.  Replace those items with foods that will last longer.
• For example:
• Lettuce goes bad quickly, replace it with spinach.
• Fresh fruit goes bad and runs out quickly, replace it with frozen fruit or freeze it yourself.
4. Freeze the fresh fruit. 
• When considering quantity, buying fresh fruit is actually cheaper than buying frozen fruit. The problem? Fresh fruit needs to be eaten quickly. The solution? Freeze it after you buy it. Many fruits do well when frozen, so buy them fresh and freeze them yourself.
• Fruits that freeze well:
• Bananas
• Grapes
• Berries
• Refer to this website and that website for more detailed tips on freezing your fruits.
5. Read the ingredient list.  
• The packages of many food items may claim to be healthy, but read the ingredient list just to make sure.  If it has a long list of added preservatives, whey (milk), meat, or dairy then hopefully this will deter you from buying the item.
• Most bread is not actually vegan, so read the ingredients to make sure.

I hope that this helped, look forward to Part 3!
(And don't forget about Part 1)


Que te vaya bien!