Opinion Vegan budgeting hacks: How to save money grocery shopping

Keen to pinch some plant-based pennies? Discover practical tips for eating deliciously vegan on a budget – including cheap recipes, cost-cutting swaps, how to save money grocery shopping, and more!

Think vegan food has to be expensive? Think again! Research shows that switching to a plant-based diet could actually save the average Aussie family over $1800 a year. In this guide, we’re sharing all our favourite cheap vegan hacks, including how to save money grocery shopping, making the most of frozen and seasonal produce, stretching your pantry staples further, prepping low-cost meals ahead of time, and even recreating your go-to takeout dishes on a shoestring budget at home.

These tips are the ultimate proof that you don’t need a massive pantry, fancy gadgets, or expensive substitutes to eat well: A handful of whole food staples, a little pre-planning, and a few smart cooking strategies are all it takes to prepare tasty, satisfying meals that are kind to animals, the planet, your health, and your wallet!

Here are our top tips for putting together cheap vegan meals:

1. Focus on whole, plant-based foods as your staples

If you want to keep your plant-based meals tasty and budget-friendly, it helps to centre your cooking around whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible. Some affordable pantry basics to have on hand include:

• Grains – rice, pasta, oats, bread, quinoa
• Legumes – lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans, black beans
• Vegetables – potatoes, carrots, onions, spinach, broccoli, canned tomatoes
• Fruits – bananas, apples, oranges, berries
• Soy-based proteins – tofu, tempeh, TVP, edamame 
• Nuts & seeds – pepitas, chia seeds, cashews, almonds
• Flavour-builders – soy sauce, nutritional yeast, peanut butter, liquid smoke, coconut milk, vegan-friendly stock 

These ingredients might sound simple on their own, but together they open the door to endless meal possibilities: stir-fries, soups, pasta dishes, roast-veggie bowls, hearty stews, or even filling breakfasts like smoothies and loaded porridge.

By building your shopping list around plenty of whole foods, you’ll always have what you need to create satisfying, affordable, and varied plant-based meals.

2. Swap pricey plant-based alternatives for home-made options

Vegan meats, cheese alternatives, and other specialty products are great occasional treats, but they can quickly add up if they become everyday staples. If you’re on a budget, it’s smart to grab them only when they’re on sale. Resources like Let’s Go Vegan are perfect for spotting weekly specials at Coles and Woolworths so you can stock up when the price is right.

But the real budget-friendly magic is in making your own ‘meaty’ recipes and vegan cheeses at home! Lentils, beans, chickpeas, tofu, TVP, and tempeh are all versatile, protein-packed ingredients that can be seasoned and cooked to mimic the meatiness of burgers, meatballs, taco fillings and more. 

Nutritional yeast, blended cashews, and tahini all work beautifully to create creamy, cheesy flavours in sauces, spreads, and baked dishes.

By leaning on low-cost plant-based ingredients and a few simple DIY tricks, you can still create all the same vegan flavours and textures you love without blowing the budget.

3. Stick a go-to list of budget recipe ideas on your fridge

Start by jotting down a handful of reliable, inexpensive meals you love, like easy veggie stir-fries, comforting veggie curries, and simple pasta dishes. That way, next time you’re hovering in your kitchen wondering what to cook, you’ll have a ready-made lineup of meals that are cheap, satisfying, familiar, and stress-free!

Want more ideas for how to save money? Check out our round-up of cheap and cheerful plant-based dinners for inspiration – there are plenty of delicious ideas to add to your money-saving repertoire and make low-cost cooking a breeze.

4. Align your cooking with the seasons

There are countless benefits to buying and cooking with in-season produce whenever you can. Not only do seasonal fruits and veggies tend to be much cheaper than out-of-season produce, they’re also likely to be fresher, more flavourful, and more nutritious – so you can be sure you’re getting the best bang for buck! 

Seasonal produce is often discounted since it’s in such high supply, so look for whatever’s on sale (and piled high) at the grocery store, or visit a farmer’s market to buy quality fruit and veg directly from local growers.

Are you keen to eat more cheaply and in tune with nature, but not sure how to start? Check out our beginner’s guide to eating seasonally in Australia for everything you need to know.

5. Buy long-life staples in bulk

This tip can feel counterintuitive at first, but sometimes buying more in the moment can help you spend less in the long run.

It’s usually more cost-effective to buy non-perishable plant-based staples like pasta, rice, quinoa, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, spreads, and canned goods in bulk, as bigger bags, cans, and jars tend to have a lower cost per 100g. (Usually, but not always – it’s worth double-checking!)

Stores like The Source Bulk Foods and Graina stock a wide range of everyday essentials in bulk, and some supermarkets now offer “scoop and weigh” options too. As a bonus, buying in bulk can help reduce packaging waste and limit future grocery runs, making it a time, planet, and money-saving win all in one.

6. Fill your freezer with frozen veg

Frozen fruits and veggies are often more affordable than fresh – plus, they’re just as nutritious, and there’s no ticking clock to use them up. Simply take what you need from the bag and pop the rest back for next time, without worrying about waste or wilted greens!

Keeping a few freezer staples on hand means you’ll always have healthy ingredients ready to go, even when the rest of the fridge looks bare or payday feels far away. 

Mixed berries, spinach, broccoli, peas, corn, and stir-fry veg are all budget-friendly options that can be tossed into smoothies, soups, curries, or pasta dishes whenever you need an easy, wholesome meal in a pinch.

7. Always check the unit price to save money

Price tags can be deceiving. That “special” or smaller pack might look cheaper at first glance, but it isn’t always the best deal. The unit price (that smaller number on the shelf label, showing the cost per 100g, litre, or piece) is your new best friend for making sure you’re getting the best value. 

When thinking about how to save money, always compare products and remember that the lower the unit price, the better! You might find that switching to a generic brand or buying a particular food in bulk gets you more bang for your buck. It might not seem like much of a difference in the moment, but if you shop this way over time, these small switches can add up to big savings on your grocery costs in the long run.

8. Ditch the tins – buy dried beans & legumes instead

Using dried beans, lentils, and other legumes takes a little extra planning – you need to soak them and boil them up before using them in recipes – but it can be well worth the effort. Dried beans are even cheaper than (already affordable!) tinned options, and are perfect for bulking out soups, stews, curries, salads, and more without breaking the bank.

If that extra prep ever feels like too much on a busy day, don’t worry: Canned beans are still a fantastic budget-friendly option. Sometimes, that tiny bit of extra cost is worth it for the convenience of opening a can and cooking straight away. 

Either way, keeping plenty of beans and legumes on hand is an easy, affordable way to add protein, fibre, and flavour to your plant-based meals. 

9. Batch-prep easy one-pot meals & freeze the leftovers

Cooking in big batches is one of the simplest ways to stretch your food budget further and save money. Doubling (or even tripling) a recipe doesn’t usually cost much more upfront, but means you’ll have extra meals prepped and ready to grab later – saving you time, money, and the temptation of ordering a pricey last-minute takeaway. 

Soups, curries, stews, pasta bakes, and lentil dishes are all great for batch-cooking and freeze beautifully, keeping their flavour and texture when reheated. 

Need some ideas? Check out our go-to recipes for cheap vegan meal prep, or explore these freezer-friendly plant-based meals perfect for stocking your freezer.

10. Grow your own herbs & leafy greens

You don’t need a huge backyard to start growing your own herbs – even a sunny windowsill can do the trick! A few pots of basil, parsley, mint, and coriander will happily thrive indoors or outside, saving you from buying bunch after bunch at the shops, only for them to wilt in the fridge after one use.

If you have a little more space for container gardening, try adding some easy leafy greens to the mix, too. They sprout super quickly, keep giving when you pick the outer leaves, and taste even better when they come from your own mini garden for just the cost of some seeds!

 

11. Prioritise using up what’s already in your pantry

Before heading to the shops, take a peek at what you’ve already got tucked away in your fridge, freezer, and pantry. You might be surprised by how many meals you can make (or nearly make, if you pick up one or two extra ingredients) from what’s already on hand. Challenging yourself to try and use everything up is a great way to save money and stick to a zero-waste mindset. 

That half-bag of rice and random can of chickpeas in your cupboard? They could be the makings of a delicious fried rice or hearty curry. Those stray veggies in the crisper would be perfect for a ‘leftover’ veggie stir-fry. Cooking this way is both thrifty and fun, helping you stretch your budget and sparking a bit of creativity in the kitchen.

12. Download these apps to save money on groceries & meals out

There are a few budget-friendly apps that can make a big difference, whether you’re hitting the supermarket or planning a delicious meal out.

WiseList lets you quickly compare prices across Coles, Woolworths, and ALDI so you can spot the best deals before your grocery run. (ALDI often comes out on top, but it’s worth noting that some staples like tofu, coconut milk, spices, and rice are usually even cheaper at local Asian or Indian grocers.) 

As for dining options, EatClub and First Table can both help you enjoy a meal out without overspending. EatClub offers last-minute discounts at restaurants with spare tables, while First Table rewards early birds for booking the first sitting of the night. 

A few strategic taps here and there can help you save money on both your weekly shop and your next vegan dinner adventure.

13. Make a meal plan (& stick to it)

A little bit of meal planning goes a long way toward saving money on a plant-based diet. When you set aside time to decide what you’ll eat for the week, it’s much easier to know exactly what to buy – and it helps you avoid those tempting impulse purchases at the store. 

Planning ahead also means you can keep track of what’s already in your kitchen, and what you need to use up, so nothing goes to waste and your food budget stretches further. 

Feeling stuck for ideas? There are plenty of free meal plans and handy meal-planning apps available to help you get started and take the stress out of deciding what to cook.

14. When tempted by takeout, recreate it yourself at home

One of the most effective “how to save money” hacks is also one of the most frustrating – cutting out the take-out! Next time you find yourself hankering for your favourite vegan takeaway, take a moment to ask yourself: What’s the laziest way I could make something like this at home? You’ll probably find it’s easier (and way cheaper) than you think.

Maybe you’re craving a veggie-packed stir-fry with saucy noodles, a cheesy burrito bowl with vegan mince, a loaded plant-based burger, or a comforting curry. Whatever you’re craving, there’s almost always a quick DIY version that will hit the same spot.

And here’s the best bit: This fun little challenge totally justifies picking up a couple of pricier vegan treats like plant-based meat or cheese if you need them – because you’ll get multiple portions out of them instead of just one expensive takeaway meal.

If you always get the same thing when you order takeaway, that makes things even easier! Keep the key ingredients for it on hand, and you’ll be all set to create your low-effort version at home whenever hunger strikes. 

Order a free veg starter kit to get some handy discounts 🛒✨

Want more tips on how to save money on a vegan diet? Not only is our veg starter kit full of affordable meal ideas, information, and cooking tips, but it also comes with a whole range of discounts that you can use when buying plant-based food and lifestyle products.

And did we mention it’s completely free?! Order your kit today, and we’ll mail it to you, coupon codes and all.

We’re all about helping people discover how delicious and fulfilling plant-based eating can be – and if we can help you save some serious money in the process, even better!