First of all, veganism being too expensive is a weak excuse for not eating healthy. Have you ever heard of a heroine junkie quitting drugs because they were too expensive? No, because if you want something badly enough, you'll do anything to obtain it. With that said, veganism is as expensive as you make it. Poor families in Africa and Asia live off of fruits, vegetables, and rice because they cannot afford meat.
The meat and dairy industry want you to think vegetarianism and veganism are expensive so you will keep buying meat (which is more expensive)! But it's not just the meat industry, it's anyone that wants more money. There's plenty of products that are being marketed towards vegetarians and vegans, like pre-packaged meals, supplements, and superfoods that are labeled as "healthy", "organic", or "raw" that we think we need. But in actuality, these products are unnecessary and expensive when compared to the essentials (fruits, vegetables, and water.)
The meat and dairy industry want you to think vegetarianism and veganism are expensive so you will keep buying meat (which is more expensive)! But it's not just the meat industry, it's anyone that wants more money. There's plenty of products that are being marketed towards vegetarians and vegans, like pre-packaged meals, supplements, and superfoods that are labeled as "healthy", "organic", or "raw" that we think we need. But in actuality, these products are unnecessary and expensive when compared to the essentials (fruits, vegetables, and water.)
Again, don't be fooled by the products. Corporations want you to buy their products so they can market off of you, whereas buying fresh, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, rice, and beans cannot make corporations rich.
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| 40 lb box of bananas cost $23 |
So what and where should you buy food? First, aim to grow your own food, but the second best place is Amish markets, farmer's markets, and farmer roadside stands that are selling produce. The last choice for purchasing groceries should be Kroger, Meyers, Targets, etc. Secondly, buy fruit like bananas, dates, mangoes, raisins and whatever is in season (here's my post on what fruit and veggies to buy month-by-month: How To Eat Healthy, Vegetarian, Vegan, or Raw for DIRT CHEAP!)
Make sure you calculate you're getting enough calories (2500-3500) from your fruits and vegetables, and you will never fall off your vegan diet. Also to make sure you have ENOUGH fruit and vegetables around you to sustain and so you won't have the urge to eat something fatty.
While I agree that a vegan diet is healthy and cheap to live on, I think it is a little more complicated when you promote foods like bananas. The banana trade has been full of controversy for years. There are only a handful of large companies that sell the majority of the bananas available to most of us (not many people live in areas where bananas can be grown year around), and those companies have been less than steller with regards to laborors and their rights and the environment, let alone the animals that depend on the environment in which bananas are grown. There is a lot of profit made by large corporations for bananas, and trade wars have been an issue for years. For most of us, the availability of bananas depends on them being shipped halfway around the world. We can choose to buy organically grown but they are still not going to be local and will cost more. If you rely heavily on bananas as part of your diet and buy only organic you are still paying a good bit of money. If you don't buy organic you are supporting an often brutal trade industry. Granted it is a step up from the brutality of factory farming and exploitation of animals even on small grass fed farms.
ReplyDeleteI would be more inclined to promote the use of local and/or responsible resources for fruit/vegetable produce. And of course growing your own when and if you have the means is always a great idea!
Yes Elaine, the banana industry is quite controversial. Many of us forget that, as well as the many bugs that were killed because of the pesticides&insecticides during farming.
DeleteI promote bananas because they are part of our natural diet, packed with the necessary vitamins and minerals, inexpensive per calorie compared to any other food. For me, I cannot get fair trade bananas as there isnt a Whole Foods near me. I also envision an ideal world where each of us can grow tropical foods in a warm climate, but I do what I can with the card I have been dealt ;-)