One of the best ways to slash a significant amount of money off the grocery bill is to go vegetarian. Meat, by definition, is a value added process that converts grass and (mostly) grain into animal protein. Although these meat products are heavily subsidized (in the USA, at least), the price still remains high. One pound of ground red meat can go for $2.50 a pound, or roughly 1000 calories. That same $2.50 could buy two and a half pound of dry beans, or 1500 calories. It's a mere bonus that beans fix nitrogen into the soil and are actually beneficial for soil health, where as industrial meat production is generally the worst kind of bad for soil health.
Vegetarians can feel cash strapped at the grocery store, too. There are some simple tips you can take to start saving money on your food - you'll end up eating healthier, too!
Start Cooking More
By cooking almost all your own meals, you will immediately begin to start saving money. This means cooking all three meals of the day. It's easy to go out for lunch almost every day, but by doing so you'll be dropping at least $5 for a subpar meal, and it's probably unhealthy to boot. A nicer meal will run you $10 - $8 but, again, it probably does your body no good, and the costs will start to add up quickly. Try eating a simple breakfast - fruit, toast, yogurt - and preparing more significant lunches and dinners to eat. There are plenty of easy foods to slap together that are completely healthy and easy to make.
Buy Whole Foods
Rather than subsisting off of processed foods - also a value added process - like frozen dinners, fake meats, and snack foods, it's better to purchase whole vegetarian foods. Buying whole grains and beans in bulk is one of the best places to get the most calories per dollar - and they're great for your health. Quinoa, brown rice, millet, whole grain pasta, black beans, pinto beans, and garbanzo beans, among others, are all great foods to buy. Also stock up on fresh vegetables at the store. An organic head of lettuce might run you $2, but that can easily provide the foundation of 4-5 salads, more than covering its cost. Also consider buying lots of fruits that have a long shelf life, like bananas, apples, oranges, and kiwis. These make for great snacks throughout the day, taking the place of expensive snack bars that quickly eat up a food budget.
Buy In Bulk
Head over to Costco and buy food you can store in large amounts. Some items that are expensive to get at the health food store are much cheaper at wholesale food stores, such as coffee, maple syrup, honey, grains, beans, and frozen vegetables. There are all sorts of vegetarian food here to stock up on here.
Grow Your Own
Growing your own fruits and vegetables is marginally cheaper - once you take into consideration all the tools, seeds, amendments, and labor - but if you're looking to save money over the long term, this is the way to go. Once you get a garden up and going, it will give for a long time to come, given it's taken care of properly. A single 30' x 30' garden is more than enough space to provide a family of four with all the vegetables they need throughout the year, and probably a bumper crop of some items to pawn off on neighbors. Not only will you save plenty of cash, your vegetables will be fresher and more nutritious, you'll get to experience the joys of working outdoors, and you'll increase your knowledge and autonomy.
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