This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This cheap vegan meal plan will help you save money while eating good! The recipes are full of nutrition, flavor, and fiber to nourish you to the core. Don’t miss the 6 tasty recipes and video at the end of the post. 
Happy New Year! I’m back again with another cheap vegan meal plan, and this one will only cost $30. There’s a myth that a vegan lifestyle is expensive. But it’s just that, a myth! Until very recently, the most expensive food was meat. Our ancestors in most parts of the world had a very plant-based diet consisting mostly of nutritious beans, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Nowadays meat and dairy are subsidized in the United States, which is why you can buy a hamburger for $2 at McDonalds. Still, whole grains, beans, lentils, and veggies are cheap. I spent just $30 on a whole week of nutritious vegan groceries, and I’m eating like a Queen!
Like just about everything else, the cost of plant foods does vary depending on where you shop. Produce at Sprouts is less expensive than at Whole Foods. Even cheaper is produce from Costco (especially if you’re shopping for a family). One of my favorite places to shop for inexpensive groceries is ethnic markets, especially Indian markets for spices, and Korean markets for mushrooms and produce. Don’t sleep on ethnic markets!
If you’re on a tight budget you may not be able to only buy organic produce and that’s okay. As long as you are eating a whole food vegan diet you are doing right by your body. If you are particularly worried about pesticides follow the “dirty dozen” and the “clean 15” lists from the Environmental Working Group. That way you can spend a little extra just for organic produce that would have higher levels of pesticides if conventionally grown. Shop at a farmer’s market as often as possible for the freshest produce, and great deals. Small farms often cannot afford to purchase the USDA Organic Certification, even when their produce is technically organic. But unlike at a grocery store, at a farmer’s market you can often speak directly to the person who grew the food you’re buying, and ask questions about pesticide use.
Produce that is in season is always the least expensive. Supply and demand! Ever try to buy a watermelon in January? It’s way more expensive than in July because it had to be shipped thousands of miles to make it to your grocery store. Even worse, it’s not as tasty and may not be as nutritious because of a longer transit time. So eating with the seasons is another good money saving technique.
You can also find great deals on food on Amazon and Thrive Market (get 25% off + free shipping when you use my link). Of course, shopping online makes life easier because you don’t have to leave the house and re-ordering is easy. Just make sure to recycle your boxes and packaging 🙂
Ultimately, the most important part of shopping on a budget is having a plan. Have a vegan meal plan for the week, and have a thorough shopping list. By planning ahead you’ll avoid impulse buys, and having to eat at restaurants. It may take a little work at first, but budget shopping will quickly become an easy task. You’ll spend less money on food, and still be able to eat nutritious and delicious vegan meals. You got this!!
CHEAP VEGAN MEAL PLAN (for 1 person)
MON
lunch: mushroom & barley risotto
dinner: roast beet & kale salad
TUES
lunch: sweet potato & tofu curry
dinner: mushroom & barley risotto
WED
lunch: lentil sweet potato chili
dinner: roast beet & kale salad
THUR
lunch: roast beet & kale salad
dinner: sweet potato & tofu curry
FRI
lunch: lentil sweet potato chili
dinner: mushroom & barley risotto
NEED MORE VEGAN BUDGETING INSPIRATION? Check out my Cheap Meals Under $1.50 post, and my Shopping for a Week on $35 Videos ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sweet Potato & Tofu Curry | Cheap Vegan Meal Plan
Ingredients
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk + 2 cups water
- 1 sweet potato, cubed
- 1 block extra-firm tofu, cubed
- 1/2 bunch kale, chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
- cilantro and lime juice to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Pour 1/4 cup of water into a skillet, and bring it to a simmer on medium heat.
- Add the onions and garlic, and sauté them in the water. They will soften and cook just like sautéing in oil.
- Once the onions are soft, add the curry powder, and toast for 30 seconds.
- Add the coconut milk, water, sweet potato, and tofu. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
- Add the kale and soy sauce, and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes.
- Season to taste with more soy sauce.
- Serve over brown rice and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime juice.
Mushroom Barley Risotto | Cheap Vegan Meal Plan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 10- oz pack of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup pearled barley
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water + 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a skillet warm the grapeseed oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté until slightly golden
- Add the zucchini and mushrooms then cook until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid and soften, about 10 minutes.
- Then add the pearled barley,and 3 cups of vegetable broth or water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Place a lid over the pan, keeping it ajar, and cook for 45-50 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Stir every 10 minutes, and add more broth or water if the liquid evaporates too quickly.
- Once the barley is tender, stir in the nutritional yeast and lemon. Season with pepper, and add more salt to taste if necessary.
Lentil Sweet Potato Chili | Cheap Vegan Meal Plan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup raw green lentils
- 1 15- oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 sweet potato, cubed
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ cups cooked rice
- ⅓ bunch fresh cilantro, minced
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a dutch oven on medium heat, then add the onions, and garlic to sauté.
- Once the onions have softened, add the raw lentils, diced tomatoes, sweet potato, cumin, and chili powder. Then add 3 3/4 cups of water, and bring it to a simmer.
- Cook on medium-low heat until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.
- Add the salt, and more spices if necessary. Serve over the cooked rice and garnished with fresh cilantro.
Roast Beet & Carrot Salad | Cheap Vegan Meal Plan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
- 3 small beets, cubed
- 1 bunch carrots with leaves intact, this part is optional, but recommended, leaves removed and carrots halved lengthwise or cubed
- 1 bunch kale, thinly chopped
- 1 cup cooked pearled barley or other whole grain
- simple vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
carrot top gremolada
- 1 cup carrot leaves, discard the stems
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the beets and carrots with 2 tablespoons of oil, and lay evenly over the parchment paper. Sprinkle salt over the veggies, and roast for 45 minutes, or until tender.
- Place the chopped kale into a large mixing bowl and set the pearled barley to the side while you make the vinaigrette.
- To make the vinaigrette combine the ingredients in a jar with a lid. Tighten the lid on the jar and shake vigourously until it is all combined.
- Pour the dressing over the kale and use your hands to massage it until the kale is tender.
- Pour the pearled barley into the kale.
- To make the carrot top gremolata: finely mince the carrot tops, salt, and garlic together (watch the video to see me do this if you need a visual). Mince until the leaves are very finely chopped. Pour the olive oil over the gremolata, and use your knife to incorporate it into the minced leaves. Transfer it to the kale salad, and toss to coat.
- Once the roasted veggies are cooked, add them to the kale salad, and toss well.
- This dressed salad will keep fresh for about 4 days in the refrigerator.
Sweet Pea Mash | Cheap Vegan Meal Plan
Ingredients
- 1 10- oz package of frozen peas, steamed for 5 minutes to thaw
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, +more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, if you have other fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and parsley, feel free to add those too. Can't have too many of these herbs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- vegan crackers for serving
Instructions
- Place ingredients into a food processor, and blend until combined. It shouldn’t be pureed, but still have some chunks.
- Season to taste with more salt.
Sweet Potato Oatmeal | Cheap Vegan Meal Plan
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups water
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
- 1/2 - 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 2-4 tablespoons raisins
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Then add the oats. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the oats are soft (about 8 minutes).
- Stir in the sweet potato puree, non-dairy milk, raisins, maple syrup, and spices. Season to taste with more sweetener or spice.
- Serve hot and topped with chopped pecans or walnuts.
I’ve made all of these multiple times. My favorite is the sweet potato and tofu curry, but I love them all. Thank you for this!
Thanks for sharing this Cheap Vegan Meal Plan , amazing one. Super excited to try this amazing plan, thanks for sharing with us.
Eating the curry right now and it’s so delicious. I eat curry a lot so I have lots of Indian spices, I added them when I added coconut milk and kept tasting til it was the flavor I like.
This is such a great idea. Very impressive.
Thank you for sharing.
I tried the salad, risotto, curry, and chili. I really loved all of them except the risotto, I couldn’t even finish one serving. The curry was kind of bland but then as soon as I added a little extra salt on top it was amazing. Also, with just these recipes, it came out to almost $40 at the grocery store…. But it was still cheaper than my normal week of groceries so I’m happy!
Nice! So glad that all worked out for you 🙂
Nice! So glad that all worked out for you 🙂
LOVE this post. This week I worked the risotto and beet/carrot salad into my meal plan. For the risotto, I subbed arborio rice (couldn’t find barley at my Sprouts) and a bag of frozen peas for the zucchini and it came out delicious! Also subbed tahini chickpeas in the salad for the barley. I love how versatile and easy it is to make these recipes “work”. Thank you for the inspiration!!
Yummy! Those subs are perfect. I’m so glad you enjoyed your week of meals 🙂