Does becoming a vegetarian have to be expensive?

[ohio_liberal]

I'm on a tight budget and I'm interested in a vegetarian diet. We don't have nifty stores like Whole Foods or even specialty stores geared toward vegetarians/vegans. I found some nifty recipes on websites and I even looked into how to balance my diet properly. But it looks like I'm going to have to order some of the food products online. Do you find them significantly more expensive than products on the Kroger shelves? I really want to break away from corn syrup and hydrogenated oils!

[DIKB]

1. Kick

I'd like to know this too. I'm living in Arkansas, and suffering the same situation.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

45. help for you, perhaps

depending on where you live. I know of many organic farmers in Newton County who raise veggies for sale, and one who raises and sells open pollinated plants, if you want to grow your own. Have some of them in my greenhouse right now. Harrison AR boasts three health food stores with reasonable prices, and you can order from Ozark Cooperative Warehouse in Fayetteville in bulk. Come to Newton County in June and look me up and I'll show you where to pick your own blueberries.

[DIKB]

53. Thanks

for the offer. I live right off of Hwy 7 in Russellville. Come June, if I decide to come check it out, I'll let you know ahead of time.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

56. Yeah, you're practically a neighbor.

Does Russelville have a farmer's market? Jasper and Harrison both do. And if you're into planting things, you can't do better than Herb's greenhouse-I think he calls it heirloom plants. He's just off Hwy 16 near Nail.

[DIKB]

59. Sadly

I honestly wouldn't know. I'm still a young'n. I rent a house, work full time (thus I have some bad eating habits) and don't have a garden or anything.

I'm trying to get into better eating habits, and have been considering some vegetarian recipes for fun and to stretch my cooking wings.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. I eat oatmeal almost every morning.... cheap and no meat, it's a

start.

[ohio_liberal]

21. I love oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar

It's addictive.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

24. I pretty much stick with the walnut and raisin mix from quaker....

damn it's good, what a way to wake up in the morning.... it's greeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaat!

[wicket]

76. and very good for the heart!

:thumbsup:

[DS1]

3. Vegetarian is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying meat

[Deja Q]

4. Vegetarian is not nearly as expensive as Organic Only.

That's where it gets pricey.

We're all going to die sooner or later anyway. :(

[ohio_liberal]

14. Nah, I don't think I could do organic only

I'd have to order everything online. The only organic fresh produce Krogers had last night were bananas. They are awesome though. I'll never eat a regular banana again.

[calendar girl]

92. ideas to improve diet/ how to get stuff you need cheaper (coop trips)

If you eat conventional produce, avoid ones heavy in pesticides and waxes like apples or peppers for example. Sometimes frozen (without sauces or butter) are fresher than fresh produce as it is frozen immediately). Bananas are somewhat safer due to thick skins (though some pesticides are systemic). Try to use farmers markets or find farmers in your area who will sell eggs or produce to you directly. Even if they use pesticides, it is fresher, not gassed, and they usually use less pesticides.

Combine with friends in your area to do buying coops. I used to do this with raw milk. One person (or two) gets everyone's list and drives to the city with the coops or health food stores and buys everyone's stuff. Each person in the club/coop gives you (as that week's buyer) enough money (the money is settled when you return before giving them the food--ie change). The next week (or two weeks or whatever you decide) another person in the "coop" does the buying, and so on till all have taken a turn. This saves a lot of money in gas and also time. Everyone meets somewhere before you go to give you their weekly list and the money to cover it.

This worked out great with the raw milk club we had 25 years ago. With ten people in it, we only had to drive once every 2 1/2 ,months. I think this is good for people without health food stores/or coops in the area. Go to a big city with several coops or stores to choose from so you can discover the cheapest ones or ask the shoppers in the areas. You might also be able to find wholesale produce companies that will sell organic produce to you if their are several people in it who split the larger amount they sell.

Avoid canned foods opting for fresh or frozen. (except certain beans or health food store cans--black beans at kroger have no additives. These are good for beans dips (blend beans {drained--save liquid for soups} with onion, garlic, hot sauce or cayenne, and a spoon or so of cumin, organ, garlic powder, and chili powder. Cheese is optional to add. If adding cheese, heat the beans first--I love this with whole wheat crackers, bread, or veggies--can vary the beans---use any kind).

Shop mostly the perimeter of the store. Though some is in the middle like pastas, beans, frozen fruits/juices/veggies, extra virgin olive oils, canned fish (if you use fish--focus on omega three fish like mackerel, salmon, sardines, herring, (tuna has some). Meijers has cheap whole wheat pasta that is also organic. I've gotten it for 99cents a lb. Beans (dried are good).

Buy the book "dining in the raw." It is loaded with wonderful, good tasting recipes including tasty raw fruit pies with nuts/dried fruit crusts. Learn to sprout all kinds of seeds and grains (this is in the book also with some information about nutritious eating. The author worked at the famous Anne Wigmore Hippocrates center as the chef and also had a health food restaurant). If you start with organic beans, grains, nuts or seeds to sprout, you'll have fresh, organic raw food at your fingertips...even in survival situations. LIVING foods (sprouts and immediately picked wild foods/ or produce) are much more important than raw foods and or course, raw tends to be much better than cooked.

Tofu can be cheap, is available at most stores and is versatile. Travel to cities with coops or health food stores and stock up on large bottles of things like raw apple cidar vinegar. You should use extra virgin olive oil. Most canola in the grocery is not freepressed and hence, no good.

You get way more pesticides (not to mention hormones) in meat and dairy products than veggies and fruit so if you can only do one and must use dairy, buy organic dairy and eggs and conventional produce. Definitely, use only freerange eggs and dairy like milk or better yet substitute soy or almond or rice, or oat milk. I like almond best followed by oat, rice, and soy. I have been trying to substitute rice or soy cheese for dairy more. If you go to a big city to shop at health store, you can freeze the organic cheeses (shred them and take out what you need for recipes).

The best thing you can start with are increasing produce (get good recipes and go for a lot of variety--try a few new veggies or fruits a week) and using meat as an ingredient as you lesson it rather than eating a lot (examples in stir frys or soups or casseroles) and using organic dairy and eggs.

Work on a new change eat more. For example, one month increase produce and the next keep doing this but add more nuts and seeds (use raw if possible or shelled). The next increase whole grains. The next more soy poducts..the next less chemicals, etc.

Use only butter or oils never margarine. Kroger does have brown rice..use this instead of white. Be aware that it is not whole wheat (bread, cracker's, etc.) unless it says "100% whole wheat" on the label.

Use no Nutrasweet. It is very dangerous (deaths, brain tumors, etc. There is a class action lawsuit going on). Stevia is safe (and healing) for diabetics, and hypoglycemics, and way safer for dieters than Nutrasweet, equal, or splenda. It is an herb sold in tablets, liquid, or packages like the equal ones. Kroger's with a health food section sells them. Giant eagles often have a great (though expensive) health section. Avoid diet foods (I just read they put appetite enhancers in them--and it is off the label courtesy of lobbyists and congress).

Likewise avoid any food with hydrogenated vegetable oil or high fructose corn syrup (I heard the high fructose corn syrup is a appetite enhancer (that is probably why it is everywhere--the fatter you are, the more you'll buy and the more diet food). Use instead filtered water (reverse osmosis {you fill it jugs} or steam distilled are the best --the kind of water you drink even more important than what you eat) or add a little 100% juice to sparkling water. Best to use only fresh juices (made with a juicer), water, herb teas, and green tea as your drinks.

Hope these idea help. May give you more later.

[MelissaB]

5. While you vegetarian's are at it....I'd like a recommendation for a

cookbook. I'm not a vegetarian, but I'd like to know how to eat healthier and I could live without meat. The sad part is that most of us don't know how.

[flvegan]

8. What do you like to eat, and how do you like to cook?

I could recommend an easy dozen, but it won't help if I'm giving you easy and you want gourmet and vice-versa.

[Silver Gaia]

73. A few classic vegetarian cookbooks:

*Diet for a Small Plant by Frances Moore Lappe
companion to above:
*Recipes for a Small Planet by Ellen Buchman Ewald

*Laurel's Kitchen: A Handbook for Vegetarian Cookery & Nutrition by Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders, and Bronwen Godfrey

The above books contain a lot of nutritional information, so are good for both recipes and understanding your diet. Lappe's book is great for teaching you how to combine foods in the proper proportions to get a complete protein with all necessary amino acids present. And Laurel's Kitchen has extremely detailed nutritional charts in the back that I've found to be very useful over the years. The recipes in both are extra yummy, too.

Any of the cookbooks from the Moosewood Restaurant are pretty good, too, IMO.

I've also been a vegetarian for almost 35 years, and one of the main reasons I did it initially was because it was so much cheaper than eating meat. It IS much cheaper. When I see the prices of meat at the supermarket, I'm so glad I don't have to buy it!

If you like to cook, it will be fun. Experiment! All of the old recipes I loved as a meat-eater, I've managed to convert to something vegetarian that is often even better by experimenting over the years. Chili, many pasta dishes, all kinds of soups, and even a yummy representation of my Arkansas grandma's chicken & dumplings, without the chicken.

Mexican cuisine lends itself well to vegetarian treatment, as does Indian. Italian isn't too difficult, either.

It's not that hard to come up with a really varied diet that's both tasty and healthy. You don't need a bunch of fancy ingredients. Staples in my kitchen that might not be in a non-vegetarian kitchen are: nutritional yeast (NOT brewer's yeast, that tastes yucky), brown rice (more nutritional than white rice), and many kinds of legumes. Nutritional yeast is the most expensive, but it is worth it to me, and is a great source of B vitamins.

I include soy products, but not in huge quantities. It isn't necessary to go hogwild on soy. Most Americans get WAY too much protein in their diets anyhow. We can live healthily on much less, and after all these 30 some-odd years, and having raised children this way as well, I can attest to that. :)

[Silver Gaia]

80. P.S. ...

Cast-iron cookware will help to add iron to your diet, too, and that can be expecially important for many women. I bought a set of cast-iron cookware when I became a vegetarian and still use them. I made it through pregnancy on a vegetarian diet without having to take iron supplements by cooking in cast-iron and eating a lot of greens. ;) And this is from someone who was often amemic before I began doing this.

[politicat]

90. Best Veg cookbook I own is The American Wholefoods Cookbook.

Nikki and David Goldbeck.

Lots of very simple, quick, even "short order" type recipes (something like 1300), plus tips and how-tos. Best book I ever bought, and it tells you how to balance proteins to make sure you're eating a healthy diet. (Every recipe has a notation as to whether it is a major protein, a minor protein, or complimentary.)

Here's a link:
http://www.biblio.com/details.php?dcx=31331623&src=frg

[BeTheChange]

106. Passionate Vegetarian - Cresent Dragonwagon

The best vegetarian cookbook that exists, hands down. I own all the moosewood ones and a slew of equally uninspiring nonmentionables.

Have fun :)

[lakemonster11]

111. My favorite cookbook:

Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow-Cooker by Robin Robertson.

I also like her vegetarian chili cookbook. In fact, I would recommend any of her cookbooks that catch your eye. Her food is great and she is very health-conscious.

I'm not a vegetarian either---I just don't want or need to eat meat all that often.

[Sanity Claws]

6. Actually, less expensive

Beans, rice, tofu, vegetables are less expensive than meat. Cheese may be more per pound than meat but it's something that you should not overdo.
You should be able to find the basics at Kroger or other mainstream grocery store.
What ingredients are you thinking of ordering online?

[ohio_liberal]

10. I want to find soy cheese products

They don't have them at Krogers. Soy butter too, although I have read that I can do that myself.

[LeftyMom]

18. I hate to tell you

but most of the soy cheeses out there aren't really worth ordering. There's a book called the uncheese cookbook that you can use to make your own and specific recipies on vegweb for mac and "cheese" and whatnot, but at least in my case I found I wasn't really interested in cheese after a while.

[ohio_liberal]

25. Ok, so that might be one thing I don't need to worry about then

I'll just go with lowfat regular cheeses.

[LeftyMom]

31. I didn't mean that

Go ahead and try them. The parmesean sprinkles from soymage and Follow Your Heart Mozarella (when melted) aren't bad. I just wanted to let you know not to get your hopes up too high, the sprinkles taste about like kraft powdered parmesean and the FYH makes a decent pizza, but neither one is the best thing ever. Given the choice of that or low fat dairy cheese, I's stick with the soy both for health and ethical reasons and because I distantly remember that low fat dairy cheese was dry and awful.

Do try a short break from cheese though, the casien in dairy cheese is addictive, so after you're without it for a few weeks it looses most of it's appeal.

[Sanity Claws]

19. Go easy on the soy

Soy is not exactly as healthy as the soy industry would like you to believe. Dr. Mercola has written on this, as well as others. You might want to do a google search with his name and soy to find what I'm talking about.
Occasion tofu and some soy milk is more than enough soy in your diet, without adding soy as substitute cheese. Is there a reason you don't want to use regular dairy cheese? For variety, you could try goat or sheep cheese.

[flvegan]

35. I'm not convinced by a doctor selling a diet plan.

As I recall, most of his info is based on questionable studies, anyway.

In addition, a doctor that slams a vegetarian/vegan diet, obviously hasn't studied nutrition much. AND, money where my mouth is, I'd put my health up versus his, and we'd see where the chips fall.

[Sanity Claws]

39. He's not the only one

I've looked at Chinese medicine. It also warns about overdoing soy, particularly tofu. It can lead to "dampness," one of the out of balance conditions.
Like anything else, soy can be overdone.

[flvegan]

60. I'll take soy any day over the "balance" that meat destroys.

Of course, anything can be overdone, I just question what defines "overdone" in the case of soy.

[BeTheChange]

107. No offense but antibiotic and hormone laden meats and cheeses

are way more unhealthy then soy.

[LeftyMom]

44. a nice little article about soy

http://www.foodrevolution.org/what_about_soy.htm

[Missy Vixen]

48. Thyroid disease and soy

>Soy is not exactly as healthy as the soy industry would like you to believe.<

Soy functions as kryptonite to the thyroid hormone I must take daily.

IMHO, YMMV.

Julie

[Sanity Claws]

51. I didn't realize this posting was going to be so controversial

My real concern was a recent vegetarian's overdoing soy. Eating it a couple of times a week is more than enough to be the health benefits without it inhibiting thyroid function (a problem for me)or causing other problems.

[ohio_liberal]

52. I appreciate your input!

I'll take it easy on the soy. I don't need even the remote possibility of a thyroid problem.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

104. Blech! Soy Cheese...

I honestly believe that you can make pretty much anything out of soy and have it taste good with the very notable exception of cheese. Soy Cheese is generally terrible. The tofutti vegan pizza tastes just like Ellio's though. It's bizarre. The only edible soy cheese product in my opinion.

[RebelOne]

116. If you live in Georgia and have an Ingles near you,

they sell soy cheese. I never cared for it myself. The Krogers in my area also stock it.

[flvegan]

7. Absolutely not.

I spend less as a vegan now, than I ever did as a meat eater. Granted, I do spend more for what I want (organic, etc) but being vegetarian can actually save you a great deal of money. Just get a couple good cookbooks, and enjoy your time in the kitchen.

Join us in the DU Vegetarian/Vegan/Animal Rights Forum for tips, help, advice, etc, okay? Official invite (we love when folks visit us in the tofu ghetto...).

[ohio_liberal]

11. I will definitely join the DU group

I'm happy to hear that there is one. :hi:

[calendar girl]

94. please help

How do I find this. It is my first day posting and it would not let me search without donating.

[flvegan]

97. Hi!

You can head to the DU forums area. I don't think you can post without donating, but I (think) that you can read through the forum posts.

Here's a direct: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=231

[Melissa G]

9. nope

various versions of rice and beans and corn... lots of salads. fruits can get pricey. the cheap stuff is often time consumptive though...
Think simple meals... Third world staples..

[LeftyMom]

12. Not really.

Provided you don't eat a ton of convenience food being vegan is pretty cheap, especially if you make stuff that centers around inexpensive staples like rice, pasta and beans and seasonal produce.

BTW, ethnic markets are a good place to get cheap staples.

[Glimmer of Hope]

13. The most expensive item for me is soy milk.

Otherwise, my food budget is pretty low when I stick to unprocessed food. What do you need to order online? I eat a vegan diet and I can find most of the items that I need at Safeway.

[ohio_liberal]

17. Well, for one, tofu is going to be difficult to find in my town

Krogers sometimes has it, sometimes not. I'm worried about the freshness, truthfully. I might be able to go to another big grocery store about 15 miles away to get it. It's a much nicer store but not nearly as convenient.

[Glimmer of Hope]

27. Check out Morinu tofu.

It comes in shelf stable packages. I keep some with my duct tape. Maybe if you buy in bulk, you can save save some $$?

[ohio_liberal]

29. I'll definitely look for it

Thanks! And welcome to DU :hi:

[BeTheChange]

108. You can make an awesome corn or potato "chowder" with mori nu

No dairy, but youd never miss it.. along with a nice wallop of protein. Also, the tofu at Krogers should have an expiration date on it so you shouldnt have to worry about freshness. If you can, stock up when they have it and freeze the excess. Previously frozen tofu has a chewiness that alot of meat eaters find very nice. I always freeze my tofu when I make tofu parm or tofu and gravy with mashed potatoes :)

[LeftyMom]

22. Do you have a costco where you're at?

They sell cases of silk for about $10. Right now it's only the vanilla but they'll have plain in the spring. I save enough on just that and bread to pay for the membership.

[Glimmer of Hope]

38. That is so cheap! I am embarrased to say..

I live in D.C. and don't have a car so I pay almost $5 for 1/2 gallon at the corner market. There is a Costco in Arlington that I should check out. Thanks for the tip!

[Ellen Forradalom]

15. Not at all. Meat is often the most expensive line item

in a food budget.

Whole grains, dairy products, legumes, nuts are all good sources of protein. Think of your classic cheap student meals: mac & cheese, peanut butter & jelly, spaghetti, sauce & cheese.

Here are some ideas from our recent dinner table:

Red beans and rice, look up a good Louisiana recipe online, omit any meat products like pork;
Vegetarian tacos
Vegetable quesadillas
Pizza with vegetarian toppings (make your own dough)
Baked beans and cornbread
Vegetable biryani, although we did use Patak's Biryani sauce, a speciality product.
Pad thai, Americanized.
Ratatouille
Eggplant parmesan
Baked potatoes and salad
Stir fried tofu and vegetables with rice

I'd recommend visiting your public library, or perusing the vegetarian/vegan group here at DU.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

16. The problem with vegetarian is that you have to cook it, or spend lot$

Vegetarian can be very cheap if you cook it yourself. If not, it can cost you an arm and a leg, as vegetarian restaurants don't tend to be drive thrus.

[okasha]

47. You don't have to go to vegetarian restaurants to get a veggie meal.

Most ethnic restaurants have several meatless things on the menu--eggplant parmagianna, pasta primavera, cheese enchiladas and chiles rellenos, spanakopeta (sp?), couscous, etc.. Even meat-heavy franchises like Outback generally have at least one veggie dish on the menu.

[Ilsa]

101. Yeah, but drive-throughs offer highly processed, lower vitamin

content foods, usually, unless it is a vegetarian item on the menu. I go to drive-throughs sometimes to get stuff for the kids, but I get stuff like a salad, carrot and raisin salad, cole slaw, baked potato or potato salad, beans, rice, etc for a veg meal that doesn't violate my principles.

[BeTheChange]

109. Not to mention that 99% of frozen vegetarian convience food is crap..

Full of bad things that negate the health benefits of being vegetarian. Has anyone ever looked at the sodium content on most of these things?!?! OMG.

Except quorn. I <3 Quorn.

[RebelOne]

117. But they taste so good. What is Quorn and where do I buy it?

[XanaDUer]

20. Here are some staples we use...

Beans and rice (black beans and generic rice-dirt cheap!)

Peanut butter on whole wheat-cheap, hopefully no peanut allergies to worry about.

Falafel mix (Casbah is good) and tabouli-they sell this at our Kroger's. Just now see Bill O'Reilly whenever I say , "falafel."

I do buy the organic stuff, like the milk. It can get expensive.

For a treat, get any Amy's brand anything.

[Ilsa]

102. The neat thing about organic milk is that it will keep for much, much

longer in the fridge, if you are a slow milk user.

[Cleita]

23. No it's cheaper.

You don't have to buy all the exotic ingredients that most of the vegetarian cookbooks suggest.

I actually just make the stuff I always enjoyed eating, leaving the meat out of it. Be sure to get good bread though. It's filling.

You might want to experiment with tofu and other Asian soy products, but if you aren't used to using them, get someone to show you first.

[ohio_liberal]

28. Thanks for the input!

That's probably the problem, that I'm reading all the exotic ingredients and thinking I have to go out and get them.

So far today I had a bunch of fresh fruit, a glass of soy milk, some raw carrots, tomato with basil and olive oil, and a vegetarian protein bar. I'm totally filled up. I'm a bit worried about balanced diet although I never had one before so I'm probably stressing for nothing. It's the healthiest food I've eaten in years :D

[druidity33]

70. little tips...

The best way to ensure healthy food IMO is to grow it yourself, or barring that find a local farmer's market or CSA and make weekly pilgrimages for the "fruits" of the season. Also, definately check out Asian import stores as they often have great fresh produce and tofu, rice and spices at great pices. I would recommend always using extra firm tofu unless you're making a dessert with it... and a special secret to pass on for you and all else out there... FREEZE YOUR TOFU until it's a solid block, then thaw it out. When you cook with this tofu press all of the water out of it and marinate in your favorite sauce. Something happens to the texture of tofu after it has been frozen that just plain makes it better... you'll see. As for cookbooks, go with The Moosewood Cookbook and the Tassajara Bread book. I try to eat beans or nuts at least once a day to cut down on soy intake. Deep dark greens are Extremely important too... grow some kale. Anyway, best of luck.



at Laughing Dog Farm

[G_j]

30. a simple rule

just the bottom line,

a grain, a legume, a green vegetable, a yellow or orange vegetable

(a good start anyway)

[C_U_L8R]

88. My rule is...

eat a colorful diet.....


no bland manufactured or processed stuff

[SmokingJacket]

26. Use beans and rice as your staple dish, and it's actually much

cheaper.

I lived in Louisiana many years ago, and started eating B&R then, just like the locals. It's great, totally filling and cheap as heck. A can of beans is less than a dollar and makes two huge servings on top of rice (I prefer brown).

Here's some easy guidelines for making it: saute onions (garlic too if you like) in olive oil (butter would be okay too). Add some chopped tomatoes and whatever kinds of spices you like (salt, pepper, chiles, etc). Add a can of beans (black, kidney,pinto, or blackeyed peas) or the same amount of soaked dried beans (I don't use that method anymore, so I forgot how many). Simmer it all together into a nice thick stew -- pour over your favorite rice. Yum.

Bean and cheese burritos are also a cheap vegetarian dish. I like tofu if it's fried in cubes and used in a stir fry, or mashed with garlic and mayo as a dip with crackers. Or marinated and used with tomatoes and lettuce in sandwich...

Potatoes are great and versitile: chopped in cubes and roasted with olive oil and rosemary, or fried up with eggs.

I really don't think you have to order much online.

[mike_c]

32. there's absolutely no reason for a vegetarian diet to be...

...prohibitively expensive. The problem for most people becomes one of VARIETY and balance-- you can do pretty well on rice and beans, green veggies, fruits, and nuts in terms of balanced nutrition, especially if you include at least some dairy products (but they're not necessary). It can get boring after a while though. Personally, I'd advise you to become a vegetarian slowly-- let your cooking skills and your taste dictate the rate of diet change. Don't impose vegetarianism on yourself-- learn to cook balanced, nutritious meals without meat (or whatever level of animal products you want to avoid) and let your taste guide you in that direction. Try to learn two or three new veggie dishes a week, until you simply leave meat behind. If it works for you, you'll gradually become a happy vegetarian. If it doesn't, you'll find out why, and you won't feel guilty about it.

Find some good vegetarian cookbooks that use ingredients that you CAN get locally. Used bookstores are often full of them-- which says something about the rate with which people attempt to change their habits overnight, and fail. Experiment with substitutions if you can't find all the ingredients. If you've got a Kroger nearby, you can probably get lots of good produce, rice, flour, pasta, etc. If you want specialty items, like tempeh and fifteen different flavors of smoked tofu, my advice is to move out here to northern California :-).

[ohio_liberal]

43. We've been eating the same old stuff day in and day out

This is going to be fun for me. I'm sick and tired of spaghetti with meat sauce, meat this and meat that. I ate a fresh pear today. I don't remember the last time I ate a fresh pear.

I'll check out Amazon and half.com for used vegetarian cookbooks, and the local library too. Thanks! :)

[XanaDUer]

69. You can use bulgur wheat as a meat substitute in sauce...

NT.

[freeplessinseattle]

33. easy if you're smart about it

you don't have to buy that expensive stuff from Whole Foods (tho I do enjoy a ten dollar or so deli counter meal now and then, they do have the best deli I've ever seen. and bakery), if you're vegan and avoiding eggs you might have to shell out for some vegan bread, but being a single person I can make a loaf last a month if I freeze it and then just toast a slice when I need to. If you're not avoiding eggs, they are very cheap and and excellent source of protein, very easy to make, sometimes I'll top rice with a poached or fried egg, mmm. Potatoes and pasta is very cheap, and can get yummy potatoes at the fruit stand for 30cents a lb. I usually leave with a whole basket full of 6-10 different types of produce for $5-14.

Hummus can be made cheaply at home, just garbanzo beans, garlic, olive oil, some other seasonings. Trying different kinds of beans in soups or as dips (nachos!) is fun, too, actually. oooh, guacamole! mmm. right now avocados are on sale in my area, they are just too good.

when I was vegetarian I used to love to eat pizza, now my body just can't handle any dairy at all, though I do eat eggs bc I'm sensitive to soy, and eggs are a complete protein.

[StellaBlue]

34. I am currently stuck in Podunkville, Texas - and my answer is NO!

I was vegetarian in Austin for about a year and a half in college, and having recently returned to the USA and come out of a bad break-up, I have decided to be veg*n again. New Year's resolution. I've found that our local Kroger has a very impressive array of veg*n and organic products - even Amy's frozen soy cheese pizza! Things have improved a LOT in the four years since I left Texas. There is also a small 'health' foods store here that mostly caters to medical problems / special diets, which carries tofu, herbs, etc.

If you do a little bit of looking around, you should be able to eat very well and healthy as a vegetarian - and it *should* be cheaper, provided your diet is mostly fresh vegetables and in-season fruits and whole grain breads and pastas, etc. If you buy all Amy's prepackaged foods, it will be expensive!

So my answer to you is NO, it doesn't have to be more expensive. Since meat is very expensive, your new diet should SAVE you some money. Get creative!

[XanaDUer]

67. Our Kroger's is amazing like that, too.

We shop there now because they have a whole section of organic, veg., etc. foods.

We were blown away by it.

[Crowdance]

36. It depends on how much work you're willing to commit to the process

In fact, if you eat a diet of whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and veggies with minimal animal products (cheese, milk, eggs), it can be cheaper than the typical american diet. The problem is that all those foods are in their original state, and must be extensively prepped prior to eating. It's a real challenge, and requires energetic planning to succeed.

Kroger will have dried rice and beans on the shelf. A strategy is to map out your food week, and do as much cooking as possible when you have free time. Beans need to be soaked overnight, then cooked for 1-2 hours. Lentils, however, don't have to be soaked, and cook up nicely in about an hour. Grains also cook faster if soaked overnight. A helpful strategy can be to soak beans and grains overnight, then bake them both in the oven for an hour before dinner.

The prepared vegetarian foods at Whole Foods and others of their kind are hugely expensive. I love seitan (wheat meat), for example. If I make it myself, I can make 3 pounds for about $4. To buy three pounds, however, is going to be about $14 in New York. That's a lotta' cash...

[ohio_liberal]

40. I'm looking forward to cooking lentils

Can you believe I've never ever had them before? I did buy dried brown & white rice, black beans, navy beans, and lentils. I can't wait to try the lentils!

[XanaDUer]

54. Here is a lentil, veggie recipe

Boil the lentils for about 45 minutes...the grey ones.

In a pan, saute celery, onions, and garlic until translucent over medium heat in vegetable or olive oil (about 1 tsp.). Add the boiled lentils and stirfry-like. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Very filling, cheap, and easy. You can put fresh parsly on it if you'd like. If you can afford, put some golden raisins in, as well.

[ohio_liberal]

55. Thanks!

I'm definitely going to try it. :hug:

[XanaDUer]

64. PS-I forget to say, drain the lentils first! (about 1 cup dry)

Lol, that will make a big difference.

You're welcome. I think you will see this as a positive change in your life, and you need to start with baby steps.

:hi:

[Silver Gaia]

79. Another recipe for lentil soup (or stew)

This is off the top of my head, so you may want to experiment with amounts. I don't measure. I just do it how I feel like doing it each time...

Chop up onions (1), celery (2-3 stalks w/leaves), carrots (2-3 medium size), and sweet potatoes (about 3), and saute in small amount of oil (olive or safflower).

When the onions are translucent, add about 1 package of lentils (yes, the grey ones, not red ones), and stir to coat them with the oil. Add water to cover, and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, and a bit of soy sauce. Lower heat and simmer for about 30-45 minutes, adding water as necessary.

In the last 10-15 minutes, you can add some greens torn into bite-size bits if you like (swiss chard or spinach are good--don't use really strong-flavored greens like mustard or turnip greens), and add a few pinches of ground CLOVES. The cloves give this soup a distinctive flavor and are great with the sweet potatoes.

Serve with fresh-baked whole wheat biscuits, any other whole-wheat bread, or cornbread.

Very yummy! Enjoy! (This is my own recipe, BTW... so you've just been given a "family heirloom recipe." Ha! :D )

[SmokingJacket]

82. Yes! Sweet potatoes add a lovely richness to lentils. nt

[sbj405]

78. Another quick easy one

http://vegetariantimes.com/recipe/recipe_details.cfm?recipe_id=9672

Nice this time of year. To save a little you can cut out the fresh herbs.

Also, have you looked for a food co-op in your area?

[RebelOne]

118. I love lentils, but they do bad things to my stomach.

[renate]

100. how do you make seitan yourself?

I buy it in cans for about $1 at an Asian grocery store. It's not plain seitan, it's called vegetarian duck and vegetarian chicken and it comes in a thin, soy-y kind of sauce, and it tastes very good. Even my non-vegetarian husband says so. I've read in a few cookbooks that there's such a thing as instant seitan that comes in a box and you just add water, but I haven't been able to find it so far.

The staff at the two Asian stores I go to had never heard of seitan--I was surprised because the word sounds so Japanese to me, but I guess it isn't. But anyway, when I asked for wheat gluten they knew what I was talking about.

[ohio_liberal]

37. One thing I did find that is absolutely amazing

Nickles Bakery is a regional breadmaker who bakes and packages breads (mostly plain jane white bread) and other products and puts different labels depending on who is buying it from them. They have their own label too. So they have this huge factory in town and alongside it is their "thrift store". They have the most amazing specialty breads you can imagine. I found day-old 12 and 7 grain , oatmeal, raisin breads for, get this, 69 cents in a plain wrapper. They're so good!

[I Have A Dream]

41. There are some vegetarian chili dishes out there that are amazingly...

good & inexpensive.

[Dirty Hippie]

42. Just a bit of encouragement

Me as a meat eater:

260lbs - cholesterol: 205

Me as a vegan:

185 lbs - cholesterol: 135

I kid you not.

On edit: I'm 46 years old
I found by researching that only 2% of Vegans are obese.

[ohio_liberal]

46. I know, I know!!

That's exactly why I'm doing this. I'm eating the same things that I always used to eat and I'm gaining 3-5 lbs a year no matter how much I exercise. I'm convinced it's the meat and the packaged foods that's doing this to me!

Thanks for the encouragement. It does help. I'll be the first one to shout out on DU when I stand up and my pants fall down. :D

[bcoylepa]

49. veggie

been one for 35 years now - raised 2 kids as veggies - eat dairy and soy
I live very rurally - here are a few tips

1)join a food cooperative buying club
look on line - we get delivery every month in these endless mountains
2)buy in bulk - rice , flour, beans, pnut butter, etc
3)get a freezer - freeze bread, cheese, flour, rice, juice, berries, soup etc.
4) grow a garden - find a community one if you live in the city - or plow up some of the yard or use containers - but salads, tomatoes, herbs, spinach, broccoli are all easy as pie to grow
as far as cookbooks - try the Moosewood ones - they are all good from special meals to soup and breads
good health to you!

[bcoylepa]

50. veggie

been one for 35 years now - raised 2 kids as veggies - eat dairy and soy
I live very rurally - here are a few tips

1)join a food cooperative buying club
look on line - we get delivery every month in these endless mountains
2)buy in bulk - rice , flour, beans, pnut butter, etc
3)get a freezer - freeze bread, cheese, flour, rice, juice, berries, soup etc.
4) grow a garden - find a community one if you live in the city - or plow up some of the yard or use containers - but salads, tomatoes, herbs, spinach, broccoli are all easy as pie to grow
as far as cookbooks - try the Moosewood ones - they are all good from special meals to soup and breads
good health to you!

[Little Star]

57. Maybe a look at this site might help

International Vegetarian Union (IVU)
http://www.ivu.org/recipes/regions.html

And this is a great cookbook:
The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen (Paperback)
by Donna Klein "

Good luck and have fun!

:hi:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

58. Frozen veggies are cheap...And pretty good.

:shrug:

[Warpy]

61. Yes, you'll probably want to order a few specialty items

but even southern small town markets are stocking things like canned and dry beans, rice, and fresh veggies. Most of them have even heard of extra virgin olive oil (the frou frou lady in town wants it for her salad dressings, yanno).

Items that seem pricey at first will generally last a long time, like good soy sauces, miso, whole grains, and nuts, all of which can be combined with the less salutary stuff you find at (ugh) WalMart or whatever small chain grocery is around.

I find a plant based diet to be endlessly variable and quite a bit cheaper than a meat based diet, but I don't insist on 100% organic, piously approved health foods. Some compromises will have to be made if you don't have access to a big grocery, at the very least, but the adventure will be worth the change.

Good luck!

[Warpy]

62. Yes, you'll probably want to order a few specialty items

but even southern small town markets are stocking things like canned and dry beans, rice, and fresh veggies. Most of them have even heard of extra virgin olive oil (the frou frou lady in town wants it for her salad dressings, yanno).

Items that seem pricey at first will generally last a long time, like good soy sauces, miso, whole grains, and nuts, all of which can be combined with the less salutary stuff you find at (ugh) WalMart or whatever small chain grocery is around.

I find a plant based diet to be endlessly variable and quite a bit cheaper than a meat based diet, but I don't insist on 100% organic, piously approved health foods. Some compromises will have to be made if you don't have access to a big grocery, at the very least, but the adventure will be worth the change.

Good luck!

[NMDemDist2]

63. Trader Joe's

if there's one in your area you'll love it!

http://www.traderjoes.com/locations/search/OHIO.asp

[formercia]

65. You can have a garden, even on a patio

when I worked in DC, I grew almost all the vegetables I needed using plastic laundry baskets, a trash bag insert and potting soil from the local garden center. During cold weather, I moved some of them indoors behind the sliding glass doors. As long as you can get at least 5 hours of direct sun, you can grow what you need. A big family might pose some problems.

Fill the gaps at the all you can eat salad bar.

[skids]

66. Not if you really, really, really like pizza. :-) n/t

[XanaDUer]

71. Amy's has a soy pizza

expensive, but still, once in a while it's good to treat oneself.

[K8-EEE]

68. Check The Vegetarian & Animal Rights Forum Here At DU!

Lots of tips and recipes there. It's way cheaper than eating meat IMO!!

A pot of lentil soup can really go a long way to stretch a tight budget -- as well as spaghetti sauce made with TVP, veggie stir frys with tofu, etc etc etc!

It's way cheaper and healthier, what it isn't, to be honest, is easier or more convenient, since us 'Murkins like our fast food, hamburgers, etc etc, stuff you can get without even getting out of your car for the most part. It kills you though!

[jhain]

72. you can do it!

Lots of good info here.
and
sprout your own sprouts- all you need is the seed and a jar. -a little goes a long way.

[XanaDUer]

75. Where do you get the seeds and how do you grow them?

I love sprouts-although they are expensive.

[jhain]

85. sprout info

basics here:
http://www.sprouting.com/

and here:
http://www.sproutpeople.com/

and I just bought this- it is easier and can give you more than just a jarful:

http://www.seefred.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl/SID=1136774139.26395/page=sprouterfarm.htm

comes with enough seeds for a few batches

[XanaDUer]

87. Thanks!

THese are great on avocado sandwiches! :hi:

[calendar girl]

93. cheap--sprout these

Most bulk beans or grains (whole not cracked) or sesame seeds can also be sprouted (not just alfalfa or broccoli sprouts) and they are very inexpensive.

[Harper_is_Bush]

74. How much is a casket?

:)

[baby_mouse]

77. Less expensive generally and much tastier AND healthier if

... you try out Indian dishes. Authentic Indian dishes aren't that spicy and are YUMMY. The only drawback is that fast food is kinda out, it takes time to prepare good vegetarian food... but you should start to feel a lot healthier and happier quickly.

[alittlelark]

81. Beans and rice (a perfect protein) are CHEAP.

I lived off beans and rice and sides for the first 2 years of college.

[xynthee]

83. Here's a thread with tons of vegetarian recipes

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=231&topic_id=497

[satya]

84. Student's Vegetarian Cookbook:Quick, Easy, Cheap,&Tasty Vegetarian Recipes

Haven't seen this one myself, but it's gotten pretty good reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761508546/ref=nosim/102-5788491-5016108?n=283155

:toast:

[pinto]

86. It's probably already mentioned, but beans and rice and vegies and cheese

are about as inexpensive as you can get. Beans and rice, especially, 'cause you can buy 'em in bulk.

[calendar girl]

89. Does becoming avegetarian have to be expensive?

where in Ohio do you live? Is it far from Columbus? It might be worth a trip to stock up on foods especially grains, nuts and seeds (raw) and frozen foods that last a long time. It is much cheaper than buying meat. You can buy a lot of produce for the same price as meat. I'll tell you more later if you like. I've been studying nutrition and improving my diet for 28 years.

[pitohui]

91. realistically? yeah

i gave up my vegetarian diet because of cost

you won't believe it but back in the 70s a vegetarian diet was actually cheaper

[jpgray]

95. Definitely go ethnic for eating out

Indian food is great for vegetarians, as with Jainism and the Brahmins they have quite a tradition of vegetarianism and therefore the food is tasty and in most places inexpensive.

[Cha]

96. It's especially cheaper in the

long run when you are conciously trying to eat a healthier diet and that includes vegetarianism for some people.

Good Luck to you..too bad you don't live in our area cause we have a natural food co-op, where I work, that is non-profit.

[calendar girl]

98. Help

I posted a need for help but solved it and now can't erase this thread (just editing and retyped this instead of original problem)..how do you cancel something you wrote. It's my first day.

[LeftyMom]

103. Alert on the post and ask a moderator to delete it.

Welcome to DU.

[uppityperson]

99. Aren't corn syrup and hydrogented oils vegetarian?

Not terrifically healthy, but veggie?
Try one of the Moosewood cookbooks. Eat lots of bits of stuff, rather than only a couple things at a time. Nibble.

[Maru Kitteh]

105. No it doesn't - our food bill went way down

Rice, beans, breads and potatoes replaced meat in our diet. We also dropped eggs and dairy. Other than that we didn't make any big changes. We are healthier and happier. I've not had one single cold since going veg and my sinus problems along with some persistent aches and pains just vanished. I don't claim others would have the same result, just telling you how it's been for us.

Best of luck to you, you've made a decision that will be good for you, the planet and the animals too. Good job.

[NMMNG]

110. It doesn't have to be

If you are trying to economize there is no better way to do it than frozen veggies, dried beans, rice, dry pasta, etc. Canned vegetables and beans are fine in a pinch but are high in sodium so drain and rinse them when possible. Meat is actually very expensive so going without it will decrease your grocery bill overall.

As to natural-food stores, I rarely pay visits to them even though I have three of them within 20 miles of me. I do the majority of my shopping at regular grocery stores, and only visit the natural-food stores once a month at the most. I've found that the selection at the regular stores is generally ample enough for me to get by, and it is only when I have a need or craving for a specialty product that I need to visit the natural-food stores.

If you want to get away from hydrogenated oils but want seasoning for toast/bread, pasta, potatoes and the like try some olive oil. It has that satisfying oiliness without the drawbacks of margarines and spreads, plus it has additional health benefits that they don't.

[Guy Fawkes]

112. Romen noodles: 10-19c each. Look around.

[obxhead]

113. Are those vegetarian friendly?

[Guy Fawkes]

114. you can get them in vegy, omnivore, and carnivore.

just read through the soup-base ingredients. Also, you don't have to use the stuff they give you- you can use cheese or put your own veggies on romen or whatever.

[obxhead]

119. That's what I thought.....

It's funny, Th e Nissin foods web site doesn't list any of the ingredients of the seasoning packets they provide.

[Guy Fawkes]

115. Dupe

delete