This week I thought I would share a few great finds I located while searching the internet for low cost vegan friendly products.

Enjoy Your Week and Be A Thrifty Vegan!

Sales and Close outs

Vegan Rice Krispies -Come in four flavors: Peanut, Chocolate Peanut, Ricemellow, Chocolate Rice Mellow.

Drew’s Organic Mild Salsa

Irregular Vegan Marshmallows – These are actually a manufacturer’s OOPS!

Temptations Ice Cream Mix – If you have an ice cream maker and you’ll love Temptations.

Coupon Savings

Santa Cruz Organic Juice

Fantastic Foods Coupons

So needless to say sometimes when I enter into a grocery store, I do not have coupons and the sales are not always relevant to my household meals. This used to pose a problem for me at times because learning to feed s family of four on a tight budget was not my ideal of fun. But I got smart and reverted back to my single mom days and picked up some old habits for savvy shopping on a budget.

Just to give you and idea of how much my typical budget has been for the last few months, I have had to walk into the grocery store with anywhere from $40 to 60 per week. That’s $160 to 240 per month. Now that’s tight for a family of four.

Here are a few ways I squeeze a week’s worth of meals on a mini-budget:

1. I grab a sales paper from my local market and see what’s on sale. If black beans or pasta are on sale I know I can make at least three meals from each one. Those three meals normally leave enough for leftovers and so our meals for the week are pretty much covered.

2. On weeks when my husband gives me $40 and tells me to make it work, I have a typical shopping list that I keep on hand: potatoes, refried beans, tortilla shells, pasta, pasta sauce, bread, green chilies, 2 cans of black olives, black beans, bread, lettuce, tomatoes, 3 bags of frozen vegetables. I may not need to pick them up weekly, but with those few items I am able to makes some great meals. We normally keep breakfast items on hand like oatmeal, cereal, and grits, so I only have to grab those items once a month. We are also pretty good with keeping vegan staples on hand and so our shopping does not have to be extensive except for every once in a while.

3. In addition to my typical shopping list, I have a typical week of meals: bean burritos and salad, spaghetti with broccoli and cauliflower, black bean chili, vegetable soup, and a few others. This helps because with these meals I know I can shop on a budget of $40 with these inexpensive meals.

4. I skip the vegan boxed products because let’s face it they are expensive. If I have a coupon that saves me a $1 or more then I may buy one box of crumbles; otherwise I just use tofu which we keep stocked in the freezer.

There are many ways to shop on a tight budget. If I can do it, then so can you!

For more tips on vegan shopping try these Vegan Family Living resources.

Vegan Shopping Q&A Podcast Episode

Transitioning Your Family With Ease

Vegan Staples Podcast Episode Part 1 and Part 2

Shopping for vegan groceries is not as hard as it seems. The following tips should help any vegan seeking ways to shop smart and do it right.

• The first thing you want to do is make sure that you have budgeted, planned your meals, inventoried your kitchen (pantry and refrigerator), and create a shopping list. A good meal plan is the best way for transitioning and new vegans to really learn how to shop. Once you get used to it then you will be able to actually go into a grocery store without a list. However, I don’t suggest that you always do that. A shopping list is key!
• Once you have your shopping list, you will want to consider which stores in the area will best serve your needs. You may find that you have drive out a ways to actually get the products you need. That is ok because you want to make sure you get the best quality for your buck. You want to be able to go to stores that will fit your budget, have the food you need, and will provide good quality products.
• You will also want to check your coupons. If you think there are no coupons available for vegans you are wrong. There are plenty of places like Mambo Sprouts that not only offers e-coupons but also has a monthly mailer that includes a coupon book with great money-saving coupons. You can also try some of the actual sites for your favorite products. In my search I found coupons for Turtle Mountain dairy free products. They make some great ice cream!
• Once you get all of your shopping necessities together you are ready for the market. A rule of thumb for me is to go into the grocery store with health and budget on my mind. That means that I leave a lot of the prepackaged vegan foods alone because they are expensive and add up fast. That does not mean I don’t buy it, I just don’t go over board because they are high. I usually get Boca Chicken Patties, Began Burgers and the Crumbles. I also might pick up a package of the Morning Star hot dogs or the chicken pieces. Always remember, though, to shop with health and budget on your mind. Leave convenience out the window. You will learn how to make fresh foods convenient…trust me.
• You can also shop online. There are savings online as well and in some cases it is cheaper than going to the grocery store. Places like Dixie Dinner’s Club and The Vegan Family Living Health Nook offer great tasting vegan products at reasonable prices.

Vegan shopping can be as simple or as hard as you make it. All it takes is a little ingenuity and the right resources for your shopping experience to be a beneficial one.

For more vegan shopping tips listen to the Vegan Family Living Podcast Show #11

Look for a free reports all about Vegan Shopping and Meal Planning coming soon!