Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.
Is veganism only possible with enough money?
Options
Replies
-
nickssweetheart wrote: »Meat and fish are expensive. How would not buying them be more expensive?
Except that they are not. Example.
Whole chickens are $1.99/lb every day here. That one chicken can feed a family of 4 for few days if you know what to do with and how to use all the parts.
Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower etc. are $1.99/lb when on sale here.
Okay, but lentils are between 99 cents and 1.50/lb and cook up to a lot more food than a pound of chicken does. A single pound of lentils makes 6-8 meals for me, as a hearty eater. Rice starts at 1.50/lb and can go as low as 30 or 40 cents/lb depending upon where you buy it. The chickpeas I'm cooking now which will make another 8 meals cost me $1.37. Personally I can do a lot better than the prices you're citing for broccoli and cauliflower, although not asparagus, but if price is an issue, frozen cauliflower is 84 cents for 12 ounces here. And it would be difficult for many people to eat half a pound of cauliflower at a sitting, where most people easily eat 8 ounces of chicken. At least if that's ALL they're eating, as you implied with your "can feed a family for a few days."
And the artificially low price of that chicken is paid for in brutal conditions for chickens and the cost of a life.
Lentils, rice etc. without adding "extra" are not anyone with a choice would want to eat.
Chicken, bone in and skin on is delish on its own baked or grilled.
Add some spices and maybe some affordable vegetables like carrots or cabbage and lentils and rice is a dish I choose to eat quite often.
I'm not saying it is to everyone's taste, but even when I ate meat I preferred a dinner of beans and rice to a dinner of just meat.3 -
Meat and fish are expensive. How would not buying them be more expensive?
Except that they are not. Example.
Whole chickens are $1.99/lb every day here. That one chicken can feed a family of 4 for few days if you know what to do with and how to use all the parts.
Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower etc. are $1.99/lb when on sale here.
This is interesting.
Let's start with Broccoli, Asparagus, cauliflower etc not being a fair comparison. Different food, different caloric value, plus, the average family, eats those as garnishments, so these are most likely part of your meal regardless of it containing chicken.
So, let's do a little math.
A chicken weighs in avg 2 lbs with bones when you do your own killing.
In the supermarket, it is stuffed with water, so it weighs a little more.
In Average, 62% of the chicken is meat, the remaining 48% is bone and cartilage, which would be enough for 1 meal if eaten standalone by a family of 4.
Since you make it last "for days", it is safe to say that you consume it in small bits with other garnishments.
On a 2lbs chicken, you pay $4. 62% is meat, so about 1.24lbs or 19.84oz. (That's before cooking as we all know that cooking dehydrates the meat and it reduces in both size and weight - But for the sake of argument, I'll keep the numbers as they are)
Now if you eat chicken with lunch and dinner, to make it last for more than one day, you would have to eat less than 2 oz, per person, per meal. Double that if you eat it at dinner only.
When I used to eat meat, a whole chicken would last a meal, maybe 2 on a family of 3. so your family is definitely more disciplined than mine.
Now, unless you are consuming vegan meals outside of lunch and dinner, we can safely assume that you also buy cream cheese, butter, yogurt, milk, lunch meats, fish etc; And when comparing your lifestyle with a vegan lifestyle, you must take all of that in consideration.
Legumes and grains, like beans, chickpeas, lentils etc, increase in weight when cooked between 72% and 200%. So 1 lbs of a particular grain or legume will mean about 1.72 to 3 lbs after cooked.
Our friend @nickssweetheart, has graciously shared her shopping list with us, demonstrating the following:
These are the proteins:
1 lb lentils @ 1.54 each = 1.54
1 lb chickpeas @ 1.37 = 1.37
1 lb navy beans @ 1.37 = 1.37
1 block tofu = 1.84
These are garnishments, which you most likely already buy given that no family of 4 would survives while eating 4oz of chicken a day.
2 lbs pasta = 1.97
10 lbs potatoes =4.94
5 lbs carrots @ 3.22 = 3.22
1 cabbage = 1.74
2 bags froz spinach @ .86 =1.72
1 bags froz broccoli @ .86 = .86
4 lemons @ .50 =2.00
7 bananas @ .18 =1.26
42 oz oatmeal @ 2.48 =2.48
2 can diced tomatoes@ .72 =1.54
1 can tomato paste @ .46 = .46
1 jar peanut butter @ 2.18 = 2.18
1 head garlic = .46
3 lbs onions =2.14
Now, considering beans, lentils and other legumes will, in avg, double in weight when cooked, it is very easy to find out which one is more cost effective.
Here's the math:
- 2lbs whole chicken / $4 = 1.24lbs in actual meat. (In Avg)
- 2lbs lentils / $3.08 = 4lbs after cooked. (In Avg)
- 2 lbs chickpeas / $2.74 = 6lbs after cooked. (In Avg)
- 2 lbs navy beans / $2.74 = 5lbs after cooked. (In Avg)
- 2 lbs Tofu (Organic) / $8 = same weight after cooked, which takes me back to my original post that substitutes cost too much.
So, in conclusion, animal based products may be consumed by preference, taste, convenience or whatever other reasoning you can find, except price.5 -
Meat and fish are expensive. How would not buying them be more expensive?
Except that they are not. Example.
Whole chickens are $1.99/lb every day here. That one chicken can feed a family of 4 for few days if you know what to do with and how to use all the parts.
Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower etc. are $1.99/lb when on sale here.
This is interesting.
Let's start with Broccoli, Asparagus, cauliflower etc not being a fair comparison. Different food, different caloric value, plus, the average family, eats those as garnishments, so these are most likely part of your meal regardless of it containing chicken.
So, let's do a little math.
A chicken weighs in avg 2 lbs with bones when you do your own killing.
In the supermarket, it is stuffed with water, so it weighs a little more.
In Average, 62% of the chicken is meat, the remaining 48% is bone and cartilage, which would be enough for 1 meal if eaten standalone by a family of 4.
Since you make it last "for days", it is safe to say that you consume it in small bits with other garnishments.
On a 2lbs chicken, you pay $4. 62% is meat, so about 1.24lbs or 19.84oz. (That's before cooking as we all know that cooking dehydrates the meat and it reduces in both size and weight - But for the sake of argument, I'll keep the numbers as they are)
Now if you eat chicken with lunch and dinner, to make it last for more than one day, you would have to eat less than 2 oz, per person, per meal. Double that if you eat it at dinner only.
When I used to eat meat, a whole chicken would last a meal, maybe 2 on a family of 3. so your family is definitely more disciplined than mine.
Now, unless you are consuming vegan meals outside of lunch and dinner, we can safely assume that you also buy cream cheese, butter, yogurt, milk, lunch meats, fish etc; And when comparing your lifestyle with a vegan lifestyle, you must take all of that in consideration.
Legumes and grains, like beans, chickpeas, lentils etc, increase in weight when cooked between 72% and 200%. So 1 lbs of a particular grain or legume will mean about 1.72 to 3 lbs after cooked.
Our friend @nickssweetheart, has graciously shared her shopping list with us, demonstrating the following:
These are the proteins:
1 lb lentils @ 1.54 each = 1.54
1 lb chickpeas @ 1.37 = 1.37
1 lb navy beans @ 1.37 = 1.37
1 block tofu = 1.84
These are garnishments, which you most likely already buy given that no family of 4 would survives while eating 4oz of chicken a day.
2 lbs pasta = 1.97
10 lbs potatoes =4.94
5 lbs carrots @ 3.22 = 3.22
1 cabbage = 1.74
2 bags froz spinach @ .86 =1.72
1 bags froz broccoli @ .86 = .86
4 lemons @ .50 =2.00
7 bananas @ .18 =1.26
42 oz oatmeal @ 2.48 =2.48
2 can diced tomatoes@ .72 =1.54
1 can tomato paste @ .46 = .46
1 jar peanut butter @ 2.18 = 2.18
1 head garlic = .46
3 lbs onions =2.14
Now, considering beans, lentils and other legumes will, in avg, double in weight when cooked, it is very easy to find out which one is more cost effective.
Here's the math:
- 2lbs whole chicken / $4 = 1.24lbs in actual meat. (In Avg)
- 2lbs lentils / $3.08 = 4lbs after cooked. (In Avg)
- 2 lbs chickpeas / $2.74 = 6lbs after cooked. (In Avg)
- 2 lbs navy beans / $2.74 = 5lbs after cooked. (In Avg)
- 2 lbs Tofu (Organic) / $8 = same weight after cooked, which takes me back to my original post that substitutes cost too much.
So, in conclusion, animal based products may be consumed by preference, taste, convenience or whatever other reasoning you can find, except price.
Extremely biased comparison but good one none the less. You also forgot that there is "stuff" in meat that no veggie or legume will give you. Now start adding in your pills.
Also, I know that for me meat is simply more satisfying as a protein and fat source than legumes and oils.
But the OP topic was for veganism being expensive. So in short, nope, its not. If you are smart about it neither is eating meat. Just dont fall for organic, GMO etc. garbage.
The only supplement required for vegans is B12. It's incredibly cheap to supplement.11 -
My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs. While 99% of our desserts and treats are home-made, the moment I need a break or I need something in a pinch or we want something special (the way any kid would):
- a vegan cupcake from a vegan bakery is $6
- A vegan chocolate cake is $20 for a 200 g package
- A frozen vegan pizza is $10
- 500 ml of vegan ice cream is $7
- Vanilla soft serve ice cream cone in a vegan dessert place is $8
Are any of the above necessities? No. Are any of them frequent purchases? No. But you'd be hard pressed to go through life while making everything from scratch or thinking you're going to be loading up your carts with veggies and lentils every single week. Good luck having kids and never stepping into a bakery or never purchasing treats.
Yes, having lived the lifestyle, being vegan is more expensive.
3 -
walking2running wrote: »My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs. While 99% of our desserts and treats are home-made, the moment I need a break or I need something in a pinch or we want something special (the way any kid would):
- a vegan cupcake from a vegan bakery is $6
- A vegan chocolate cake is $20 for a 200 g package
- A frozen vegan pizza is $10
- 500 ml of vegan ice cream is $7
- Vanilla soft serve ice cream cone in a vegan dessert place is $8
Are any of the above necessities? No. Are any of them frequent purchases? No. But you'd be hard pressed to go through life while making everything from scratch or thinking you're going to be loading up your carts with veggies and lentils every single week. Good luck having kids and never stepping into a bakery or never purchasing treats.
Yes, having lived the lifestyle, being vegan is more expensive.
Which is why vegans on a budget typically buy "accidentally vegan" treats when they're not wanting to cook everything from scratch or want to buy things besides besides vegetables and lentils. There are lots of options for quick eats and treats beyond fancy vegan bakeries or pizzas specifically marketed to vegans.
Some of the stuff I buy includes candy like Swedish Fish, pre-made puff pastry (easy to turn into treats with a savory filling or jam), Duncan Hines cake mixes (not all are vegan, some of them are), frozen Tater Tots/french fries, Cap'n Crunch, Oreos, Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, a huge array of potato chips, and stuff from Taco Bell like bean burritos with no cheese and Cinnamon Twists. All of this stuff is widely available, no trip to special grocery stores or bakeries necessary.
(I understand that allergies may preclude eating some of those foods due to cross-contamination, but we're talking about veganism here).
The choice to pay $20 for a cake is just that -- a choice. It isn't required for anyone.
11 -
It's always *possible* on a tight budget (and I'm talking poverty level tight), I just don't know how flavorful or varied it'd be in the long-term. No offense to any vegans here, clearly different strokes for different folks, but most vegan recipes and restaurants I've tried are bland or have very bizarre flavor combinations. You would also have to pay attention to if you are getting all the nutrients you need in sufficient quantities, but that is the case even if you have money.
I find being vegetarian fairly easy, but veganism is where it starts getting kind of difficult to me because the flavor profiles of dishes I could realistically cook at home every day would become difficult to manage. In my experience, there are just not many reasonably quick (<2 hrs preparation/cook time) and delicious recipes that don't at least contain some kind of dairy product or egg. There are decent vegan substitutes for these (variety of less common fats and milks), but these are not exactly cheap in my neck of the woods. Moreover, it seems like a lot of the vegan recipes I find that seem cheap and decent are very carb-heavy with little protein. I do better on a protein-heavy diet, and there are not many vegan sources of protein that are palatable to me. If they are palatable to me, probably not so much that I'd want to eat them day after day. I couldn't do lentils and beans every day for the rest of my life.
I would really need to have a lot of ethical motivation to get over the flavor and variety hurdle.2 -
walking2running wrote: »My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs. While 99% of our desserts and treats are home-made, the moment I need a break or I need something in a pinch or we want something special (the way any kid would):
- a vegan cupcake from a vegan bakery is $6
- A vegan chocolate cake is $20 for a 200 g package
- A frozen vegan pizza is $10
- 500 ml of vegan ice cream is $7
- Vanilla soft serve ice cream cone in a vegan dessert place is $8
Are any of the above necessities? No. Are any of them frequent purchases? No. But you'd be hard pressed to go through life while making everything from scratch or thinking you're going to be loading up your carts with veggies and lentils every single week. Good luck having kids and never stepping into a bakery or never purchasing treats.
Yes, having lived the lifestyle, being vegan is more expensive.
It sounds as though you're still eating meat though? Correct me if I'm wrong. The money I save on chickpeas instead of chicken on an ongoing basis can certainly cover the cost difference in an occasional vegan cupcake.
Also, there are alternatives to just buying "replacements", although I admit to indulging in the occasional Ben and Jerry's or So Delicious ice cream treat. For example, Outshine fruit bars are pretty cost effective at WalMart and vegan and give a nice frozen treat experience. I can get a Sprouts vegan superfoods muffin at 4.49 for 4 or a little over a dollar a muffin, the same price as a conventional muffin.
I will not argue that vegan pre-made frozen foods are more expensive. They definitely are. But 1) hopefully pre-made frozen foods aren't forming the largest part of anyone's diet and 2) if we're talking about people on a really tight budget, which was the premise of the thread, they're not buying the 4 dollar conventional cupcake at a bakery either!
And my B-12 supplement is 3 dollars for a half year's supply.
Edit: looks like I'm too slow...
3 -
I don't see how price itself can be in question when vegetables, grains and legumes are the cheapest foods there are. Nutrition wouldn't be difficult to achieve either considering you can practically live on potatoes alone even before you throw in the incredible variety of other cheap foods there.
The key would just be actually liking normal, natural vegan foods, for one. And understanding how to season food, for another. Not 'food vegans can't have: but vegan so they can pretend!' but just plain old vegetables with herbs and spices, the only things on this planet that have actual variety in flavor.
Just reading the front page I saw lots of questionable assumptions too, like the claim a diet plan for one adult is not a legitimate answer for a person who specifically asked for a diet plan for one adult. (Which ignored the fact that someone with kids would have a much larger budget than the example given, if we're talking about food stamps...)
'Sustainable' is another matter, but that's all down to an individual's willpower and willingness to live with the choices they've made. And again, how good of a cook they are. There are a billion different ways to serve up most staple foods.
I'm not a vegan but I could easily and happily be a vegetarian if all the usual carb laden stuff didn't effect me the way it did. If I could trade meat for the ability to eat rice every day I'd do it it a heartbeat and have it every day. Rice beans and tortillas or cornbread are practically what I was raised on and it's something I find myself missing now that I can have all the other foods I want.
0 -
walking2running wrote: »My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs. While 99% of our desserts and treats are home-made, the moment I need a break or I need something in a pinch or we want something special (the way any kid would):
- a vegan cupcake from a vegan bakery is $6
- A vegan chocolate cake is $20 for a 200 g package
- A frozen vegan pizza is $10
- 500 ml of vegan ice cream is $7
- Vanilla soft serve ice cream cone in a vegan dessert place is $8
Are any of the above necessities? No. Are any of them frequent purchases? No. But you'd be hard pressed to go through life while making everything from scratch or thinking you're going to be loading up your carts with veggies and lentils every single week. Good luck having kids and never stepping into a bakery or never purchasing treats.
Yes, having lived the lifestyle, being vegan is more expensive.
I can make 24 delicious vegan muffins in less than an hour including cleanup for less than $6 and they freeze well.
Spending $6 for one muffin is probably not a choice someone on a budget would make often.7 -
ThereAreManyNames wrote: »I don't see how price itself can be in question when vegetables, grains and legumes are the cheapest foods there are. Nutrition wouldn't be difficult to achieve either considering you can practically live on potatoes alone even before you throw in the incredible variety of other cheap foods there.
The key would just be actually liking normal, natural vegan foods, for one. And understanding how to season food, for another. Not 'food vegans can't have: but vegan so they can pretend!' but just plain old vegetables with herbs and spices, the only things on this planet that have actual variety in flavor.
Just reading the front page I saw lots of questionable assumptions too, like the claim a diet plan for one adult is not a legitimate answer for a person who specifically asked for a diet plan for one adult. (Which ignored the fact that someone with kids would have a much larger budget than the example given, if we're talking about food stamps...)
'Sustainable' is another matter, but that's all down to an individual's willpower and willingness to live with the choices they've made. And again, how good of a cook they are. There are a billion different ways to serve up most staple foods.
I'm not a vegan but I could easily and happily be a vegetarian if all the usual carb laden stuff didn't effect me the way it did. If I could trade meat for the ability to eat rice every day I'd do it it a heartbeat and have it every day. Rice beans and tortillas or cornbread are practically what I was raised on and it's something I find myself missing now that I can have all the other foods I want.
Agreed, fruits, veggies, grains, legumes, etc. are way cheaper than 'food vegans can't have: but vegan so they can pretend!'
I've heard raves about "nice cream" made from frozen bananas. Certainly cheaper than packaged vegan ice cream.1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »
I've heard raves about "nice cream" made from frozen bananas. Certainly cheaper than packaged vegan ice cream.
Dessert Bullet was a wonderful invention.
0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »walking2running wrote: »My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs. While 99% of our desserts and treats are home-made, the moment I need a break or I need something in a pinch or we want something special (the way any kid would):
- a vegan cupcake from a vegan bakery is $6
- A vegan chocolate cake is $20 for a 200 g package
- A frozen vegan pizza is $10
- 500 ml of vegan ice cream is $7
- Vanilla soft serve ice cream cone in a vegan dessert place is $8
Are any of the above necessities? No. Are any of them frequent purchases? No. But you'd be hard pressed to go through life while making everything from scratch or thinking you're going to be loading up your carts with veggies and lentils every single week. Good luck having kids and never stepping into a bakery or never purchasing treats.
Yes, having lived the lifestyle, being vegan is more expensive.
I can make 24 delicious vegan muffins in less than an hour including cleanup for less than $6 and they freeze well.
Spending $6 for one muffin is probably not a choice someone on a budget would make often.
Yep, my freezer is full of baked goods (and other pre-made stuff) specifically for the days when I'm feeling like I want a break from cooking or I'm in a rush.1 -
IMO you can eat super cheap as a vegan.. and you can equally eat super expensive as one.. it's all dependent on what you're buying.
From personal experience, there have been times I've spent $40 on a weeks worth of groceries, and times where I've spent $100+
Imitation foods both meat and dairy alike, are usually what cause your vegan grocery bill to spike.
But lets be real. Rice, beans, frozen veggies, pasta, tofu.. all these things are hella cheap.
I'd say the only time I really spend the money is on substitutes.. and when I run out of spices (but that applies to everyone).2 -
Meat and fish are expensive. How would not buying them be more expensive?
Except that they are not. Example.
Whole chickens are $1.99/lb every day here. That one chicken can feed a family of 4 for few days if you know what to do with and how to use all the parts.
Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower etc. are $1.99/lb when on sale here.
Why are you comparing meat to vegetables? Why would a vegan be relying more on vegetables than an omnivore? The comparison should be between meat and the protein sources that vegans rely on. And I've fed a family of four by cooking, among other things, whole chickens. The only ways that the chicken would last more than two meals is if you supplemented it with other protein sources (eggs, cheese, beans, etc.) -- or if your family of four consisted of one adult and three small, picky children who had decided that week that they didn't like chicken. Yes, I turned the carcass into soup, but then I'm supplementing the chicken with egg noodles or grains or legumes or eggs (as in avogolemono soup or some variation thereof). Yes, we ate organ meat, but there's only so much of that in a single whole chicken.
A five pound chicken is $10 with your pricing. I could buy 10 lbs of beans for $10. That would last a family of four a few weeks, not a few days. And both families would need to buy the same amount of veg.4 -
Extremely biased comparison but good one none the less. You also forgot that there is "stuff" in meat that no veggie or legume will give you. Now start adding in your pills.
Also, I know that for me meat is simply more satisfying as a protein and fat source than legumes and oils.
But the OP topic was for veganism being expensive. So in short, nope, its not. If you are smart about it neither is eating meat. Just dont fall for organic, GMO etc. garbage.
There's no "stuff" in meat that is not available in vegetable options, with maybe one nutritional exception. Maybe being the keyword.
IF your cow is grass fed, it will have consumed b-12 from the soil.
Now, as you pride yourself on not falling for those obvious marketing tricks of not eating antibiotics, growth supplements and not having your food spending all of it's life knee deep in its own excrement , i doubt you're buying organic grass fed beef.
So, assuming that you don't buy grass fed beef, your cow is being supplemented with B12 at the feedlot. That means your cow is being fed vitamin supplements and you're then eating the vitamin it has already digested.
Vegans just simply remove the middle man and get their b12 from molasses or soil or a multivitamin pill.
But lets factor that in as if vegans were the only people in the world that take a multivitamin pill, shall we.
Costco sells their multivitamins, Daily Multi. 500 caps with 250% the b12 requirement (Plus every other vitamin and mineral you can think of) for 14.99.
Assuming you take once a day, which is absolutely unnecessary, you're looking at 500 days of supplementation.
14.99 divided by 500 pills = 0.02998.
3 cents a day. Let's prepare the bankruptcy papers.
In the end, the only thing you're worried about is your satisfaction, your taste buds and that's fine. If it is more "satisfactory" to you, do what you do. To each its own.
And as far as biases go, to be biased, what i wrote has to be unfair.
Was it?2 -
If a spoiled 1st worlder, it is more difficult.
Willing to make sacrifices? Eat whole food only? Yep.
Are you willing to learn proper food combinations? Then yes.
Purchase whatever is on sale and buy some cheap supplements like nutritional yeast.
I have eaten on way less than a food stamp budget in a month.
Legumes, rice, seeds, perhaps a container of a complete soy protein. Need to make sure to have adequate seasoning to prevent boredom. Berries, veggies, etc.
1 -
I think it really depends on how much access you have to different types of foods in terms of your immediate geographic area, how many people you're feeding, how much time you actually have (taking into account working, potentially raising children, whether or not you are a single parent, your commute, etc etc), various health issues you may or may not have, what kitchen appliances you have, etc. In short, it is far from a black and white issue.1
-
It depends where you shop. I shopped at one place and I could spend a good amount on food and would have to replace it throughout the week and it worked out very expensive, I then found somewhere else where it was so much cheaper, I would say a quarter of the price I used to pay so I suppose it is about literally shopping around.
For me though I was vegan for ethical reasons and 3 years ago I had so many issues with the lack of b12, iron deficiency with having to have 3 iron infusions in less than 12 months, loss of hair and I mean massive bold patches. I fell pregnant and couldn't for myself and my baby continue with a vegan lifestyle. I only eat chicken and have only introduced milk slowly.
That was just me though so for me personally it was a question of cost to my health over the cost in money.
1 -
oooaarrrr79 wrote: »It depends where you shop. I shopped at one place and I could spend a good amount on food and would have to replace it throughout the week and it worked out very expensive, I then found somewhere else where it was so much cheaper, I would say a quarter of the price I used to pay so I suppose it is about literally shopping around.
For me though I was vegan for ethical reasons and 3 years ago I had so many issues with the lack of b12, iron deficiency with having to have 3 iron infusions in less than 12 months, loss of hair and I mean massive bold patches. I fell pregnant and couldn't for myself and my baby continue with a vegan lifestyle. I only eat chicken and have only introduced milk slowly.
That was just me though so for me personally it was a question of cost to my health over the cost in money.
The choice of where to shop is going to have a big influence on your food costs whether you're vegan or non-vegan.5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »oooaarrrr79 wrote: »It depends where you shop. I shopped at one place and I could spend a good amount on food and would have to replace it throughout the week and it worked out very expensive, I then found somewhere else where it was so much cheaper, I would say a quarter of the price I used to pay so I suppose it is about literally shopping around.
For me though I was vegan for ethical reasons and 3 years ago I had so many issues with the lack of b12, iron deficiency with having to have 3 iron infusions in less than 12 months, loss of hair and I mean massive bold patches. I fell pregnant and couldn't for myself and my baby continue with a vegan lifestyle. I only eat chicken and have only introduced milk slowly.
That was just me though so for me personally it was a question of cost to my health over the cost in money.
The choice of where to shop is going to have a big influence on your food costs whether you're vegan or non-vegan.
I was just giving my personal experience relating to question that was asked that was specifically relating to being vegan. Of course I know if you shop somewhere more expensive it will cost you more and I think that a lot of people, including myself are not stupid enough to think any different.
Good lord7
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 393 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 931 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions