Are Vegan Diets Expensive? Let’s Find Out.
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A huge reason why people neglect a vegan diet is that it can be expensive. However, is this true? That’s a great question and one we’ll be looking into today. Health is extremely important. However, there is a lot of misinformation out there. Therefore, we’re going to take a deep dive into some anecdotes, the average cost of a vegan diet, and compare them against some other diets.
Veganism often gets confused with being a vegetarian. However, there are a few key differences that must be looked at. It is important to note that a vegan diet may not be for everyone. However, I implore everyone to try it at some point in time. The reason I advise this is so that you can try something new. It’s common for people to sweep a diet or experience under the rug without trying it first. Therefore, if you try something new, you may end up liking it. Now, let’s get into this deep dive.
1. The Difference Between Vegan & Vegetarian
Veganism and vegetarianism are very similar in the sense that they both do not consume meat. Both diets are plant-based. However, there are certain economic impacts that might be advantageous for both the person and the environment when comparing the two. Therefore, let’s begin to compare the two while also talking about the morality of veganism in itself. This is due to the fact that being a vegan can be seen as a stance, a way of life, rather than just a diet.
Vegan
When you’re on a vegan diet, you do not partake in the consumption of meat. That means turkey, chicken, beef or fish. However, the glaring difference between this and veganism is that you do not eat anything that has come from an animal. This includes dairy. However, there is a more detailed definition of what veganism is because it extends far beyond simple consumption.
This is a quote taken from The Vegan Society which can be traced back to as far as 1944. Veganism is defined as a philosophy where you’re taking a moral stance against the cruelty and exploitation of animals. This can mean that you’ll not wear items made from real fur. Furthermore, it can extend to not using certain products that were tested on animals first. For example, certain makeup products.
Remember how I mentioned environmental impacts? First, most crops and grain that is grown go towards feeding livestock. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that if we were to dedicate more land that produces calories dense foods, we can make an impact on world hunger. Furthermore, raising animals and producing meat creates uses a lot of energy. Theoretically, this means that if more people switched to a vegan diet, there would be less energy consumption and pollution by meat-producing industries. The quote above explains it in more depth.
The idea of veganism is to treat animals in a respectable manner while living a lifestyle that is healthier. This quote by Stanford Encyclopedia. It quickly outlines the morality issues that people are conflicted with. The bluntness of the quote is what many people need to read to truly get a grasp as to why many people choose to go vegan.
Vegetarian
A vegetarian is quite similar to a vegan. Individuals will have their reasons for simply not eating meat. For example, I’ve met many people who choose to become vegetarian because of how animals are treated, similar to vegans. However, there are many people who’re born into families that are vegetarians. This can be because of culture or maybe religion. Every family is different and individual is different.
As previously stated some of the key differences are that vegans do not partake in the consumption of anything from an animal. Furthermore, veganism is more of a moral position rather than a type of diet. Vegetarianism is more of a dietary choice. You can also be against the harmful treatment of animals for other products. However, vegetarianism usually is not synonymous with being against animals being harmfully treated for other products, much like veganism is.
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2. Do You Get All The Nutrients?
This is one of the biggest concerns for many people. Furthermore, it’s one of the hardest questions to find the answer to. This is due to the fact that a lot of people reiterate what they hear, such as you can’t get enough protein from a vegan diet. Although it may be harder, you can get an adequate amount of protein. However, it is important to note that more difficult to gain all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet.
Compared to omnivore diets, you are able to get a lot of vitamins from animal-based sources such as B12. For this vitamin, you can eat cereals that have vitamin B12 in it, according to NHS.uk. However, you will have to be more knowledgable in what you buy because you want to incorporate iron, calcium, B12, omega 3 fatty acids, proteins, carbs, vitamin d, and vitamin c among other things.
According to NHS.uk, these are the certain foods and eating habits you must abide by to have a healthy vegan diet. However, these aren’t the only foods that’ll lead to a healthy diet. For example, tofu is a great source of protein, equating to 8g of protein per 100g.
3. Cost Analysis: Vegan Vs. Meat-Eaters
We can’t compare diets without looking at the costs. After all, the cost plays an integral role in decision making. From surveying the people I know, it’s safe to say that becoming vegan is slightly more expensive. However, this is due to a few factors.
Average Vegan Diet Cost
As one of my vegan friends stated. Going vegan usually coincides with leading a healthier lifestyle. This means food will become a bit more expensive. However, there are ways to make this cheaper. Making your own food can be one way of doing this. Purchasing premade food tends to be more on the expensive side. Therefore, if you cook more and find deals, you’ll most likely spend around the same amount of money.
It’s also important to note that everyone has different preferences and consume different amounts of food. Therefore, cutting out animal-based sources of protein may actually save you a bit of money. While searching the internet, there are many stories of how people spend $400 per month on food for two vegan adults. For example, Iamgoingvegan explains that he spends $400 per month on food and begins to break it down.
Furthermore, Jubilee Baez from Vice tells their story of how they only spend $25 per week on their vegan diets. You can check that article out here. The point I’m trying to make is that if you’re thrifty, use coupons, know exactly what you need, and are not bulking, you shouldn’t spend more than the average diet.
Vegan Recipes
Average Meat-Eater Diet Cost
Much like a vegan diet, the cost depends on you. The amount of food you eat, the types of food, the grocery store, and whether or not the food is prepackaged. Some of the more most expensive food in a person’s household is meat.
This is further backup up by Stats Canada who shows that purchasing meat is the most expensive factor next to eating at restaurants. However, these numbers are not specific because they cover all households. That means that they average out the amount regardless of the number of people in the household. To get a rather accurate statement, we must look to USA Today.
$4,049 yearly. This equates to $77 per week. This is well below the previously stated $100 per week in the last section about vegan diet costs. However, it’s higher than $25 weekly spend. The point is that you can either spend more or less. However, meat costs the most out of all categories. This means that you may save money if you cut it out. However, supplementing the protein and vitamin b12 may cost you just as much money.
Meat-Eater Recipes
The Conclusion
Diets can vary in price. Therefore, are vegan diets really that expensive? Well, no they aren’t. At least not any more expensive than the average diet. However, it is much harder to follow and a bit more difficult to find the proper nutrients. This can be counteracted by studying foods that have those vitamins and incorporating them into your diet. For example, you can eat almonds throughout the day to get protein.
If you are becoming a vegan, are thinking about it or just want to learn more about them. Remember, veganism is not just a diet. It’s a moral position and lifestyle. You’re opting-in to be healthier for a cause that is important to you. However, you may want to become a vegan just for the diet. Either way, knowing what you want to eat, finding delicious recipes, and creating a meal plan will help you greatly.
Shameed is just a man on a mission to help those around him gain financial success. Obsessed with writing about all things finance, this GTA native is constantly learning and sharing his experiences with others.
