How To Eat Healthy, Vegetarian, Vegan, or Raw for DIRT CHEAP!

Being vegan, vegetarian, and raw is only expensive if you are buying the products marketed towards people who are replacing meat with fake meat. If you cut out the pre-packaged meatless burgers, pre-made veg meals, soymilk, and gluten-free or organic health products...what's left for the veg to eat: DUH! FRUITS AND VEGETABLES! If you ONLY buy fresh (or frozen) fruit and vegetables, you will save hundreds of dollars a week!



Photo by Scrumptious Photography  

If you go to the grocery store, stick to the fruits and veggies that are on sale or in season. If that isn't cheap enough for you, buy bananas in bulk. You can literally live off of bananas, just like I have seen people live off of ramen or bread (but the difference is: bananas have nutritional value...ramen and bread do not.)

Bananas cost approximately 0.50 cents/lb. I usually buy a 40 lb box of bananas for $20.
Not only would that save you money, it takes out the guess work about "what should I eat tonight?"; you don't have any dishes to wash; and above all, you're getting all your nutrients (high in potassium, vitamin C, B vitamins, protein, carbs, and calories if eating large quantities).

If you cannot eat that simply, and just cannot do without other foods, here is a list of fruits and veggies that are at their cheapest month-by-month (from "Frugal Living" on About.com):

January broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, parsnips, rutabagas, tangelos, tangerines, turnips

February broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, parsnips, rutabagas, tangelos, turnips

March artichokes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, pineapples, radishes, rutabagas, turnips

April artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas

May apricots, artichokes, asparagus, cherries, lettuce, mangoes, okra, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas, strawberries, swiss chard, zucchini

June apricots, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, corn, kiwi, lettuce, mangoes, peaches, strawberries, swiss chard, watermelon, zucchini

July apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini

August acorn squash, apples, apricots, blueberries, butternut squash, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, figs, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, winter squash, zucchini

November beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cranberries, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, parsnips, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, tangerines, turnips, winter squash

December broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, papayas, parsnips, pears, pomegranates, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, tangelos, tangerines, turnips

WHAT ABOUT ORGANIC FOOD? Eating organic IS very important because we want to avoid eating pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and other chemicals! As if we don't already breathe in polluted air, and inhale toxic fumes from other sources ENOUGH, we have to PAY FOR FOOD THAT CONTAINS CHEMICALS??? But because we live in a ass-backwards world, we must PAY MORE for organic (aside from growing organic food.) So if you're not growing organic food, you're next option is to choose what foods you need to buy organic, and what foods aren't particularly "necessary" to purchase organic. Here is a list of the foods you need to purchase organic:

Nectarines
Berries (strawberries, cherries, raspberries)
Celery
Pears
Peaches
apples
GRAPES
SPINACH
Potatoes
Peppers

Usually, fruits without thick outer skins have less trace of pesticides, so you can purchase these foods non-organic if you have to:


Bananas
Oranges
Avocados
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peas
HOPE THIS HELPED!