Lately, I’ve been trying to keep food costs in mind. The current inflation crisis that is happening in America has certainly put stress on many families. In fact, the Summary Findings of the Food Price Outlook shared by the USDA found that “all food prices are predicted to increase between 9.5 and 10.5 percent”(2). This has put many vegan families like yours to perhaps re-consider how you meal plan.

Including a variety of plant-based foods—from grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds—is an approach I recommend in all of my programs. Now, if you’re wondering how to be able to do this despite the increase in food cost, you’re not alone. This is something I too have been thinking about while meal planning for my family. 

I want to take a moment and say that I’m very, very fortunate to be able to buy an abundance of food for my family; however, I still want to be mindful about what we buy so that we maintain our grocery bill at a reasonable budget Luke (my husband) and I can feel comfortable with. 

In today’s article, I’m sharing a few strategies that I have implemented in my meal planning and grocery shopping in hopes that it may help you in maintaining a manageable grocery budget as food prices rise. While these strategies have worked in feeding my vegan family, do what feels reasonable and attainable for your family.

How to Grocery Shop

Grocery shopping for your vegan family is unique for all of us and it may evolve over time as family dynamics change. Writing down a grocery list of ingredients and plant-based foods of items you need as you take inventory of your pantry may work for you. Or perhaps once you finish a product you write it down on your grocery list. Or if you’re anything like me, you just keep a mental note of the items you need and add them to your grocery cart for pick up the next day. 

Every family has their own way of grocery shopping and it may change over time, and that’s OK. Some of us go grocery shopping every few days, once a week, or even once a month. For me and my family, going grocery shopping once a week is something that has continued to work over the years but how I shop for groceries has certainly changed since I became a mom.

I used to LOVE going to the grocery store and taking the time to pick up the items I needed (again, keeping a tab of that mental list). I used to take my oldest with me and she would help me pick some items that we needed for the week. She liked touching and feeling most of the vegetables I picked which served as a great way to expose her to those veggies. 

Now, with two kids at home, I can’t say I enjoy that process anymore to be honest—let alone taking the time to go to the grocery store. With the never ending mental list of tasks to do at home, for some reason, I still keep a mental tab of the plant based foods we need at home. Which in all honesty, I shouldn’t be doing because I’ve noticed it causes more emotional stress for me. So, something for me to change.  

Nowadays, I try to take advantage of grocery pick up to grocery stores that offer that feature. This allows me to save time and overall money because I don’t select items that I don’t need. Sometimes when I’m at the store, I’ll see something and tell myself “Oh I should try that” or “I think I can use that in a recipe this week”. And sometimes it works out and sometimes it honestly goes forgotten. 

So, take a look at how you grocery shop and whether that meets your current family lifestyle. For me, grocery shopping weekly is something that works but often opt for grocery pick up with the recent addition of a new family member. Keeping a mental tab of the plant-based foods that I need for the week is something that I’ll continue doing for the time being simply because that’s a preference but if writing down a grocery list of only the items your family needs is a better approach for you, do just that.

Where to Grocery Shop

Whether you shop at one, two, or several stores for your groceries, I have found that where I shop for groceries matters for my family’s food budget.

I remember a few weeks ago I went to Whole Foods to buy my favorite brand of vegan mayonnaise. Whole Foods is the only place I can find it locally. I noticed that the cost of that vegan mayo was $2 more than the last time I had bought one—which in all honesty it’s probably every one or two months. Now, $2 may not be that big of a deal but when you add all other products with a price increase, the grocery bill certainly adds up. I still ended up buying it because…well, I wanted and needed it.

There are three different stores where I do my groceries: Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Aldi. Once a month my husband Luke goes to Costco to get some staples we use a lot like cashews, tofu, apples, brown rice, or whole grain bread. So, for the most part, food prices are something I’m more familiar with and keep a mental note of price changes too.

In knowing food prices and comparing them to the grocery stores I go to, I’ve been buying certain items at certain stores depending on their price. For example, Aldi seems to have the absolute best grapes, both in flavor and price. So, I tend to buy grapes there, along with other grocery items. And in all honesty, Aldi has been the primary grocery store lately as it helps maintain our grocery bill more affordable for a family of four.

Alternating between grocery stores may not be something that is feasible, reasonable or even an option for your family. You may not have the opportunity to shop at different grocery stores for affordable prices. But if there is a store that helps your family stay within your budget, stick to that. Even if they don't have known brands. What matters is finding a grocery store that meets your needs.

Tips for Your Grocery List

With the rise in food prices, I wanted to share some of the strategies I’ve been taking to help with my vegan family’s grocery bill. My hope is that these tips will help you and your family find a way to maintain your food budget at a level you feel comfortable. But if there is something else that meets your family’s meal planning to stay on budget, there’s no reason to change what is already working.

1. Take Advantage of Frozen Vegetables

Frozen vegetables and a great way to save food cost. According to the SUmmary FIndings of USDA, “fresh vegetables prices are now predicted to increase between 5.5 to 6.5 percent”(2) in 2022. Now, this isn’t to say that you should limit fresh vegetables in your family’s meals but more of how you can incorporate frozen vegetables to meet your vegan kids nutritional needs and meet your family’s grocery budget. 

There’s a misconception that frozen vegetables lose nutrients and thus fresh vegetables are superior for meeting nutritional requirements. But that’s actually not true. There are studies that have looked at the nutrient adequacy of both fresh and frozen vegetables and have found that Vitamin C, beta carotene or also known as Vitamin A, and antioxidants do differ between the two. Studies have shown that frozen vegetables actually provide more antioxidants and Vitamin C because they are picked right when they ripen and then are frozen within a few hours. This helps them retain these nutrients(1). Fresh vegetables often lose nutrients because of handling, storage or simply because of transportation. 

Lately I’ve been opting to use more frozen vegetables not necessarily for nutrient content, although that is a wonderful bonus, but primarily because I don’t end up wasting these foods, which in the long run help save food cost. 

Too often I forget what I have in the fridge and end up having to toss. 

But the one reason why I’ve been choosing to use frozen vegetables with our meals is because they tend to be cheaper which helps me stay within my grocery budget. A bag of frozen broccoli can cost anywhere from $1.99 to $2.99 where as if I were to buy it fresh it would cost that amount per pound, adding to the cost of my grocery bill. 

Some of the frozen vegetables we have been using are broccoli, butternut squash, brussel sprouts, green beans, corn, peas and other mixed vegetables. 

I will also add that now with a newborn at home using frozen vegetables saves me time in the kitchen. I don’t have to prep anything because I simply take out the bag of frozen vegetables and either steam them or sautee with a little bit of garlic and they are ready in about 7 minutes or so.

2. Utilize Frozen Fruit

Frozen fruit is also a great option for your meal planning and the nutrient content of frozen fruit applies the same as frozen vegetables, where they are harvested right when they ripen and then frozen within a few hours. 

I typically use frozen fruit on smoothies and when making popsicles at home, but you can also thaw frozen fruits overnight in the refrigerator and add them to your morning breakfasts like on chia puddings, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits. Thawed frozen strawberries are also great for vegan babies just starting solids. They tend to be a good texture for them as they begin to master those chewing skills. 

And buying a small or large bag of frozen fruit, especially berries which have recently increased in price, can be a way to save on food cost.

3. Buy Items on Sale

This may be kind of intuitive but there are two ways that I typically buy food items that are on sale.

The first way of buying items on sale is simply by comparing prices between two brands. Depending on the product, the ingredients, flavor if applicable, I opt for the item that is on sale. Not all the time because I do have preferences but for most products like if I’m buying coffee, legume-based pasta, or condiments I typically choose the one that’s on sale. 

The other way I buy items on sale are for items I know I regularly use but don’t need at the moment, I’ll purchase it anyway because it’s at a lower cost and I know that I’ll use it later on. Of course, this will depend on the expiration date or if it’s an item that can spoil easily, but in the long run I end up saving money because I bought it at a lower price. And this option may not be feasible for everyone depending on your grocery budget but if you’re able to think ahead and have the means to buy that product, it may be worth it.

4. Compare Prices Between Stores

If you’re anything like me, you like to buy certain food products at certain stores. This approach isn’t always the most feasible since it requires time and traveling but it allows us to compare prices for the same or similar products. 

Use the store's weekly ad flyers to look at deals as you’re building your grocery list. Many grocery stores now have an app available that you can look at their weekly deals directly from their app or you can also check their website. 

I don’t go to three different grocery stores in one day, rather I shop at one store one week, grab the items that I need, and will shop at another store the following week for specific items I may need that week.

5. Use Similar Ingredients in Different Recipes

Using similar ingredients in different recipes allows your grocery budget to stay within your grocery budget. In a way, you can buy items that are on sale or at a lower cost and utilize them in different dishes throughout the week.

You’ll often hear me talk about adding variety to your family’s meals and you can still do that even when using similar ingredients throughout the week. Simply by changing the flavor profile of the dish, cooking method, or changing the sides of the dish, you can add variety without having to add an extensive amount of plant-based ingredients to yoru meals. 

The Vegan Kids Cookbook offers recipes for your vegan kids using this method. Where the same ingredients are utilized in various recipes. For example, oats are used in several recipes such as Blender Oat Pancakes, Banana Spinach Muffins, Pumpkin Waffles, and Black Bean Brownies.

Let us know in the comments what other ways you help your vegan family lower your overall grocery bill.

References

Rickman, JC., Barret, DM., & Bruhn, CM. (2007). Review: Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. VItamins C and B and phenolic compounds. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 87, 930-944. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.2825 

Summary Findings. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-price-outlook/summary-findings