Nobody likes spending more than they need to, which is why one of the main arguments for avoiding a vegan diet is how expensive it can be - This is completely understandable...

You walk into the supermarket and you load up your trolly with substitutes for all of your favourite foods and before you know it, you’re paying almost twice the amount than what everyone else seems to be spending.

It’s no secret that supermarket substitutes are not cheap. Veganism has only started to see a dramatic rise in popularity in the past couple of years. This lack of demand up until recently has meant that substitutes need to be priced higher for the companies that make them to have a suitable profit margin.

However, it is extremely possible to shop affordably as a vegan. There are a number of different strategies that you can start using today that will dramatically reduce your weekly spend and could perhaps even taste better than your original basket would have done.

Meal Planning

Meal planning is one of those tasks that many people swear by despite how long-winding it may be. While it can seem tedious at first, developing this habit can keep the expensive items out of your basket while also preparing you for a week’s worth of delicious meals.

Planning your meals gives you the opportunity to think through how you can make your own substitutes without paying the premium for ready-made items. By preparing them yourself, you can enjoy fresh food in a proportion that works for you, that also tastes exceptional.

Not only this, but this kind of forward thinking will allow you to make budgeting decisions in advance. By having everything laid out in front of you, you can determine what the costly items in your basket are and how you can work around them.

It’s something that you eventually get the hang of and actually becomes pretty exciting when you start to discover different meals and flavours that work together. If you’re looking to get started with meal planning - why not try plantbasedonabudget.com’s 1-week meal plan? All for under $25.

Buying In Bulk

Buying fresh is great where you can, but buying your veggies in bulk isn’t a very cost-effective method of budgeting. There are a number of staples that you can purchase, however, that have a much longer shelf life and can save you time and money in the long run.

Rice is one of those great staples. 1kg of rice can see you through a number of meals in a number of different ways. As a big fan of curry, I always make sure my cupboards are stocked with rice but it works great for a quick go-to snack as well.

Pasta is another great staple and a firm favourite among many. Vegan mince can be very affordable depending on where you shop and can make a great addition to a pasta dish. You could also compliment it with mushrooms, sweetcorn, beans and other ingredients based on your preference. If you are prepared to make your own sauce, you may be able to save some pennies here too.

Not only that, but there are a huge number of tinned goods that have an almost indefinite shelf-life. Chickpeas, beans, lentils, vegetables, the list goes on. Having these in the cupboard means you always have a meal to go to. You should try our Chingri Malai curry. Bursting with zesty flavours and comprising but a few staples, it’s the perfect example of how to eat well on a budget.

Keep Your Spice Rack Topped Up

An interesting vegan diet is predisposed by what you keep in your spice rack. Each jar has the potential to give anything in your cupboards a whole new dimension of flavour.

It takes practice to know which flavours work with which foods but by keeping a well-stocked spice rack, you will find that you depend less and less on shop bought substitutes and find more confidence in your own abilities to cook vegan food that tastes great.

Here are some great flavours to get your spice rack started:

• Cumin

• Paprika

• Basil

• Harrissa

• Kaffir Lime Leaves

• Cinnamon

• Oregano

• Coriander / Cilantro

Some you will find go with anything! (I’m talking about paprika obviously). However, Harrissa can give your curries a subtle kick of heat, basil can give your pasta dish an authentic, fresh taste. Cumin can give your curries a delicious earthy flavour. It’s all down to you to experiment. You’ll soon find a knack for flavours.

Make Your Own Substitutes

There is absolutely no point paying a premium on a granola bar. For a small investment of your time, you could make your own granola bars in bulk tailored perfectly to your preference.

The same is true for a whole host of other premium products. Seitan is a popular meat replacement that many vegans and vegetarians can prepare at home using vital wheat gluten, garbanzo flour and water (and a few preferencial spices).

The most difficult one, which explains why it costs so much in the supermarkets, is vegan cheese. In most cases, it doesn’t live up to expectations. However, cheesemaking is an artform and if you are willing to invest the time and energy into making a great, dairy-free cheese, it will not disappoint.

I fully intend to have a walkthrough of the cheesemaking process on the website in the coming months. Make sure to sign up to our newsletter to be notified when this becomes available!

Avoid the Word ‘Vegan’ (accidentally vegan foods)

As soon as something is labelled as ‘vegan’ the price seems to double. These brands are working in a niche market, and as i've said above, they need to work at higher prices to make money.

Luckily for all us vegans  -especially the junk food vegans out there- you can find a multitude of vegan products at your local supermarket for the same prices you’ve always paid. ‘Accidentally Vegan’ foods are a great way to save money.

There are hundreds of accidentally vegan foods varying from instant noodles to party rings, you just need to know what you’re looking for! Make sure you’re clued up about the additives and flavours containing animal products and you’ll soon be saving money while enjoying the same products you always have.

Conclusion

There are four easy ways that you can reduce the cost of your vegan shopping basket:

1. Meal Planning
   Knowing in advance what you intend to eat for the week can help you to come up with delicious meals without the need to depend on pricey substitutes.

2. Buying In Bulk
   Paying more in the short term can save you money in the long-term. Bulk buying discounts let you stock up on your much needed staples so you only need to focus on spending money on your fresh ingredients.

3. Keep Your Spice Rack Topped Up
   A range of flavours will help you to move away from the expensive produce as you become more dependent on your culinary expertise. You don’t need to pay a lot of money to have great tasting food!

4. Make Your Own Substitutes
   There’s no need to pay a premium when you can make your own substitutes for less. There are a number of recipes available for substitute meats, vegan cheeses and other goodies.

All in all, I regularly find that my shopping basket for the week comes to between £20-£30. If you break that down into what it costs per meal, going by the top end of the spectrum, it’s costing me about £1.43 a meal on average. Not bad at all…

The truth of the matter is, is that depending on where you shop and how you shop, there is little to no difference in the financial cost of vegan diet to a omnivorous diet. A vegan diet has been made to look expensive simply because of the lack of demand and supply of plant-based alternatives.

What’s your opinion on the matter? Do you have any shopping habits that have helped you save on your weekly rounds? We’d love to hear what you think in the comments section below. 

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Written by Jack Ricketts
-Him-Bivore
Marketing has always been my career focus. I am striving to promote a plant-based lifestyle to the masses through positive campaigns and sharing the benefits of veganism. The animals, and the planet, need us more than ever to make a change. 
You can find me on Instagram

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Takeaway pizza chain Papa John's released a vegan menu today (28th January 2019) after persistent public demand and a petition with nearly 30,000 signatures urging the brand to offer vegan alternatives.

The company released not only one vegan option, but three vegan pizza options: 

• Vegan Sheese and Tomato
• Garden Party with Sheese 
• Hot Pepper Passion with Vegan Sheese

Papa John's have also released their immensely popular marmite and cheese scrolls as now being available as a vegan option. The company has now joined other major fast food outlets such as Pizza Hut, Zizzi and Pizza Express by keeping up with consumer demand for more plant-based foods. Papa John's have made a large step by immediately releasing the vegan options at all of its stores nationwide.

Managing Director at Papa John's, Liz Williams, has said “we worked closely with PETA who helped us develop the recipes and find the best vegan products, so we expect the new additions will be a huge hit” 

It seems Ms William’s and others at Papa John's still managed to underestimate the vegan demand, with the new options selling out at many stores! One vegan from Eastbourne called their local store to order the new pizza for him and his wife, but the chain had sold out by lunchtime. They were told ‘they had run out... they had ordered two boxes and had run out already as the demand was so high, but it should be back in on Wednesday.’ 

There’s a bittersweet feeling among vegans this evening, with everyone enthusiastic about the latest vegan additions selling so well, but many customers still eager to get their hands on one of the new pizzas! 

Have you tried any of the new vegan options yet? Let us know in the comments below! 

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Written by Amy Northwood
Her-Bivore
My passion for food and conservation has led me to where I am now! My aim is to show people that veganism can be diverse, tasty and adapted to fit every lifestyle and budget!
You can find me on Instagram

Vegan Activist Takes on Piers Morgan In New Campaign ‘What Is Piers Defending?’

Lead vegan advocate Joey Carbstrong has been seen many times on talk shows, news debates, Facebook and YouTube taking part in in-depth debates with some big names, but his recent debates with Piers Morgan have, by far, taken the spotlight as the most intense.

Piers has been seen many times on Good Morning Britain, a popular British TV show, and can be seen comparing vegans to terrorists in a recent heated debate about dairy. In the same debate, Piers Morgan can also be seen arguing that ‘plants have feelings’ and making personal attacks on Joey’s personal past, an attack which even shocks celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson who was appearing on the show to debate against veganism who can be heard in the interview saying, “everybody makes mistakes, he’s changed.” And “Piers leave him alone!”.

After many similar debates against Piers, Joey has launched a new campaign questioning ‘What is Piers Defending?’. The purpose of this campaign is to draw light to the facts of veganism and challenge the in-depth ideas of exactly what Piers Morgan is arguing for. Joey’s new website WhatIsPiersDefending.com covers aspects of environmental impacts of the meat and dairy industry, the way in which animals are treated and slaughtered, along with information regarding the impact of meat and dairy on health.

The website features video footage of UK farm practises, displaying the ‘horrific systematic torture abuse and murder’ of animals, along with YouTube videos from fellow activists and a link to the 22-day vegan challenge, with the overall question of ‘What Do You Defend?’

What do you think about Joey’s new campaign? Get involved in the comment section below!

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Written by Amy Northwood
Her-Bivore
My passion for food and conservation has led me to where I am now! My aim is to show people that veganism can be diverse, tasty and adapted to fit every lifestyle and budget!
You can find me on Instagram

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Hot Cross Buns

Make the most of your Easter by filling the house with mouth watering smells of mixed spice, bringing together the homely scents of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in this (almost) traditional hot cross bun recipe. I’ve tried to keep the recipe as traditional as possible, but of course with a few vegan twists.

These sticky glazed classics are sure to be a big hit, so despite being a bit time consuming, they’re worth the time and effort to make!

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Recipe

Total Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 600g strong white flour
• 2 tbsp ground mixed spice
• 45g vegan margarine
• 150g golden caster sugar
• Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
• 2 tsp fast acting yeast
• 275ml almond milk
• 125g mixed dried fruit
• 2 tbsp apple sauce

For the crosses:

• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp cold water
• golden syrup

Method:

1. Sieve your flour into a large bowl, then add your mixed spice and margarine. Using your hands, rub together until it forms fine breadcrumbs. Add your caster sugar, lemon zest and fast acting yeast. Mix together.
   
   
2. Add your apple sauce and almond milk, then combine until all mixed together. Add the dried mixed fruits into the bowl and work in using your hands.
   
   
3. On a floured surface, knead your dough for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as you need to.
   
   
4. Shape your mix into a ball, and lightly grease a clean mixing bowl with a bit of vegan margarine, then plonk your ball of dough in and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave somewhere warm to prove for 1 hour.
   
   
5. After one hour, remove from the bowl and knock back by kneading for one minute, then place back into the bowl and re-cover with the tea towel. Leave in a warm place to prove for a further 30 minutes.
   
   
6. After this, remove from the bowl and cut your dough in half, then each half into half, then cut each of the 4 sections into three, so you’ll have 12 in total. Shape these into balls and then flatten slightly between the palms of your hands. Place onto baking trays, leaving a small gap between each ball. Cling film loosely but ensuring the edges where the cling film meets the tray are sealed so no air can get in or out. Leave these for a final 30 minutes to prove. Preheat your oven to 230c
   
   
7. Remove the clingfilm and mix your topping flour and water together to form a paste, then pipe the crosses onto the buns with it. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.
   
   
8. When you remove them from the oven, you want to use a pastry brush to spread syrup onto each bun as soon as possible.
   
   
9. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer onto a cool rack!

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These hot cross buns are perfect to enjoy as they are, or when cooled you can cut in half, grill to toast and spread some vegan margarine on them!

How did it go? Let us know! Share your foodie makes with us in instagram with #HBivore. 

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Written by Amy Northwood
Her-Bivore
My passion for food and conservation has led me to where I am now! My aim is to show people that veganism can be diverse, tasty and adapted to fit every lifestyle and budget!
You can find me on Instagram

Ah the question so widely asked of vegans on a daily basis. “Where do you get your protein from?”

Despite such widespread concern for our dietary choices. I’m willing to bet you’ve never heard of a vegan that has died from protein deficiency?

In addition to the previous point, I would be surprised if you have ever heard of rhinos, gorillas, elephants etc. supplementing their diets with meat for fear of withering away.

It is possible to obtain all the protein you need to live healthily and happily on a plant-based diet. Here are just a few ways you can hit your protein intake for the day.

Natural Sources of Protein

Lentils

Any type of lentil; red, split, green, puy or otherwise is loaded with protein. Per 100g of lentils you can expect to consume around 8-9g of protein. They make for a seriously good curry too!

Beans

The staple of the student diet and yet incredibly nutritious. When you crack open your next tin of baked beans, you can expect around 5g of protein. Other types of beans such as pinto, or black-eyed etc are also great and contain around 7-10g of protein per 100g.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are one of my favourites. Mainly because it helps me to justify the amount of hummus I eat. There is 7g of protein per 100g of chickpeas so don’t ever let anyone put you down for your love of hummus.

Quinoa

Okay, a bit fancy perhaps but it’s only fancy because of how incredibly healthy it is. While you only get around 4g of protein for every 100g of cooked quinoa. It is a complete protein meaning you get all 22 of the essential amino acids you need in your diet.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are fantastic. Some make a great standalone snack, others make for a great supplement that you wouldn’t even notice. In a lot of cases, you can expect between 3-5g of protein per tablespoon. One of our particular favourites is Chia Seeds for their range of health benefits. You can even use them as an egg replacement!

Oats

Oats are respected as a wonderful carbohydrate to include in your diet, but did you know that per 100g of oats, 10% (10g) of that is protein? What better way to start your day! I usually have a bowl of porridge with almond milk and dried fruits in the morning but there are so many options to try.

Vegetables

Yep, vegetables have protein too. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Spinach as well as many others have between 1.5-2g of protein per 80g but we don’t tend to hear about that! (More on that later).

Brown and Wild Rice

per 100g of rice you can expect 4g of protein. If you’re on a budget, rice is perfect for slow release energy, fibre and protein. Making it a favourite among gym goers and meal preppers everywhere.

Other Sources of Protein

Seitan

Seitan is made from gluten, so if you are on a gluten-free diet this certainly doesn’t count. If you’re not, this delicious ingredient is packing 25g of protein per 100g. That’s huge! Not only that, but it’s also a great source of selenium, iron, calcium and phosphorous. (It makes for a great vegan kebab!)

Tofu

Made from soybeans and as previously mentioned in this post… beans are great for protein. Again, you can find all the essential amino acids you need in tofu. Typically containing around 10-19g of protein per 100g, you won’t be dying of protein deficiency any time soon. Most complain it’s quite bland - Try drying it out, coating it in cornstarch and adding any mix of flavours to it before frying it off and tell me if you change your mind.

Nutritional Yeast

We LOVE nutritional yeast and as the name suggests - it certainly is nutritional. If you get fortified nutritional yeast, there is 14g of protein per ounce, as well as fibre, magnesium, copper, zinc and a whole array of B-Vitamins including vitamin B12 which we covered in an earlier blog post. Did I mention it tastes like cheese?

Soy Milk

While plenty of other plant-based milks contain protein too, soy milk really goes the extra mile with 7g of protein per cup. I tend to mix mine with a plant-based protein powder to significantly up my protein intake so there are plenty of options here to hit your goals.

Why Do We Need Protein?

Protein is essential in muscle repair and growth. Your skin, hair, muscles and organs all require protein to maintain themselves. Especially if you are exercising.

The main difference between meat protein and plant-based protein is the type you are consuming. They are divided into two different categories. Complete and incomplete. This is in relation to the amino acids contained in the protein. On a plant-based diet, it is harder to find complete proteins, but as previously mentioned; seitan, tofu, nutritional yeast and other sources do contain all the amino acids you need to sustain yourself.

So Why Is It Assumed Vegans Don’t Get Enough Protein?

You may remember, back in the day when you were learning about nutrition, a certain pie chart that depicted what was accepted as a ‘healthy’ diet:

As you can see, the main sources of protein we were educated to believe were healthy consisted of meat, fish and dairy primarily (and nuts in this case).

The meat and dairy industries hold a lot of sway over how dietary benefits are marketed to us and while they do contain protein, this pie chart also fails to mention the cholesterol and unhealthy fats that come as part of this ‘healthy diet’.

The fact that we believe that meat and dairy are the only sources of protein available to us is a matter of how they have been marketed. We have grown up believing that they are the only reliable source that will sustain us when this is simply not the case.

 

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I hope this post has highlighted to you that there are more sustainable and healthy ways of reaching your protein intake. As a vegan, I am currently training at the gym and consuming around 140g of protein each day to hit my goals. While I am far from where I aim to be, I have made tenfold the amount of progress than when I was training on a meat diet, mindlessly consuming meat and dairy because that’s where I was told to find my protein.

Now, I am far more conscious of my eating decisions and am finally starting to reap the benefits of a more healthy and sustainable diet choice.

there are a number of vegan bodybuilders who have hit their goals and are showcasing that you don’t need meat to get those ‘gains’. You can find inspiration on the Instagram hashtag #veganfitness

Are you benefitting from a vegan diet? We’d love to hear your stories! Share your journey with us on the hashtag #HBivore

Follow us on Facebook and like us on Instagram to keep up to date with our latest recipes, news and content!

Written by Jack Ricketts
-Him-Bivore
Marketing has always been my career focus. I am striving to promote a plant-based lifestyle to the masses through positive campaigns and sharing the benefits of veganism. The animals, and the planet, need us more than ever to make a change. 
You can find me on Instagram