Vegans. What do you suggest to poor people who want to be Vegans?

Question

Whose income is under $2,000 monthly (ahem, before bills are paid). And who can't afford to go buying $10 boxes of quinoa and wild rice and spirulina and organic produce in the $50 range each week. What do you suggest to them?

@answers 1-3 so far...LOL. How inadequate. Rice, corn and lentils. Ummmkay. How complete.

Dear drama...Been to my share of "third world countries" dear, and those folks are opportunistic when it comes to eating. They are too poor to be labelling themselves vegans and holding banners of moral superiority above everyone else. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Korean Buddhist peasants will kill a cow and split it among the village. Seen that while in Pusan. Anymore words of wisdom, oh omniscient one??

Answer 1

Stick to large sacks of beans and drink water.

Answer 2

Cook.

The "vegetarian food" that is expensive is the processed fake meats, animal product substitutes, or frozen-dinner stuff, which you don't need anyway. If you just buy raw ingredients from the store like dehydrated beans (not canned), produce from the produce sections, plain rice, plain pasta, it's really cheap to be vegetarian.

You can buy a huge bag of rice or a bag of beans for a couple bucks, a bag of apples or a bunch of bananas also only costs a few dollars, and bread is usually inexpensive. Most raw nuts are kind of expensive, but peanut butter isn't. Frozen vegetables are great too. I can get 10oz of frozen chopped spinach for 75 cents. These are just a few examples.

Admittedly there are some exotic foods like quinoa and starfruit that are expensive, but you don't need those as a vegetarian... lots of us eat exotic food just for more variety as far as flavor. But if my cash is tight in a particular month I can eat for a whole week on about $20. The food might not taste magnificent, but I get my nutrients.

Organic foods are also not mandated by a vegetarian or vegan diet. I only buy organic foods when I think they are actually healthier than their non-organic counterpart by noticing a nutritional difference on the label. That's just my choice, though, and has nothing to do with me being a vegetarian.

Meat products tend to be more expensive, actually. Except for the lowest quality stuff (like ground beef), which you shouldn't be eating too much of anyway. And that's even after they've been subsidized.

PS: What I've said here only applies to people in the USA and other 1st world countries. Poor people in third world countries requires a whole different answer.

Answer 3

Wow, I couldn't afford quinoa or wild rice if it was $10 a box!

Of course someone with a limited income can be vegan- it isn't only for rich people. Just avoid buying highly processed foods and organic produce from conventional grocery stores. My monthly income isn't much more than what you mentioned, but it isn't difficult for me to eat vegan. I buy things like beans and lentils in bulk, and buy produce that's in season.

BTW- the answers provided by the first 3 people were very good suggestions, and quite adequate!

Answer 4

i know you are determined to give a sarcastic retort to every answer because you just want to push your agenda.
if you really wanted to learn science, you would not have this attitude. i don't know what spirulina, organic produce and wild rice have to do with veganism. omni's buy organic produce too. i am a vegetarian and i do not (at least not intentionally).

All you need to be healthy, for the rest of your life, is

whole grains (at least two)
legumes (at least two)
nuts (at least two, not counting peanuts and soy nuts which are legumes). Almonds and walnuts, or almonds and pine nuts, are a good choice.
a range of vegetables and fruits, the more the better, including high calcium veggies like okra and broccoli
spices, salt, seasonings, and two oils - one monounsaturated, like olive, and one saturated, like palm or coconut. Yes, the body needs a small amount of saturated fats.

and finally, the ONLY 'artificial' item on this list - a B12 fortified product.
Are we near $250 yet? I doubt it.

by the way, the majority of poor people around the world ARE mostly vegan or at least vegetarian. they may eat meat from time to time, but it's usually too expensive. why don't you do some travelling hun. it will broaden your views. i have been to third world countries and they eat a fraction of the meat you do. how do i put this nicely. you have your head up ya @ss if you think meat is cheap.

Answer 5

I suggest that they buy food in larger masses. Instead of going to the supermarket to buy a 3 pound bag of rice for $5, cut out the middle man, go to the farmers market and buy a 10 pound bag for the same price. The same goes for any other grain, legume or vegetable. This is what I do (I'm not even poor, I could easily afford to just go to the supermarket) and you save a lot of money and time because you have to make less frequent visits to the store to buy food. I live in the city and I'll be honest, it's atleast an hour drive to the farmers markets, but it's worth the drive.

Answer 6

I don't eat meat or dairy but I do eat Fish & Seafood so I am not a vegan. However, I need to watch my spending as well, so I don't have fish/seafood often. I eat mostly beans, avacado's, lots of veges, pasta, salads & peanut butter. Of course it is healthier to eat brown rice, wheat pasta & organic food but it costs more. I needed to reduce my cholesterol which is the main reason I cut out the meat & dairy. It has been about 3 months and I lost 19lbs so far. I haven't had my cholesteral retested, yet. I feel really good. It is somewhat hard because I prepare all of the meals for my husband and 2 small children. They all eat meat & dairy. It can be done and you find ways to become creative and enjoy your meals without spending too much. Go for it , it feels good.

Answer 7

Rice, beans and veges will get you through. Vegans shouldn't be buying organic produce anyways because that's the produce that's fertilized with the rendered animal parts. When the choice is between chemicals and rendered animal parts, a vegans choice is clear.

While a vegan diet has some variety, it is quite limited compared to other diets. If you wish to eat a vegan diet on a tight budget, you kinda have to do what you have to do to get by. Rice, beans and in-season non-organic veges, using supplements if necessary.

Answer 8

Ironically, many people from third world countries who produce such "cheap" foods cannot afford them as they are being exported at a higher price to the US and other first world western nations. Yes plant seeds are cheap, but land in which to plant them is not Nor is it available. (ever tried planting corn in your 3rd floor ghetto/urban apartment? How about in desert sand? It simply won't work). Majority of the world's population have very little choices when it comes to food. It is not a question of "What should I choose to eat today?" The question is of "will I even eat today??" If that happens to be meat then so be it. These people need food poeriod! Not a lecture on the virtues of vegetarianism or the evils animal farming.

Answer 9

well thats about my income ( ahem, yes before bills) and im a vegan...im sorry but a roast goes for about $60 and steak in the store is about 8-12$. so i dont know where u found the myth about veganism being expensive. im not deficient in anything according to my doctor and blood tests and i dont take a single supplement, not even a multivitamin. vegetables are way cheaper then processed meat & since when is wild rice $10...u need to switch stores.

Answer 10

When it is all said and done, people who eat a healthy diet rich in grains, vegetables, and fresh fruits, will on average spend 25% less on their grocery bill due to the fact that their body is not constantly craving more food due to defficiencies caused by fatty meats, fried foods and junk. I have an income of $1850 per month before bills, four growing boys with large appetites and spend an average of $125 wekly on food for all of us. We eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, brown rice, beans and lentils on our budget. Start cutting back on things in the house for extra money like lowering the cell phone minutes, minimum or no cable, turn off lights if any light is coming through the windows, turn that thermostat to 70F, put plastic over the windows to prevent cool air from coming in and making the heater work harder, you can get those outlet covers in the kids section of major retail stores and they will block cool air from coming through the outlets. There are lots of things you can do to lessen your burden if you just look around.

Answer 11

Peanut butter is a cheap source of protein, as are beans. Also, you don't have to buy everything organic either (which to my knowledge doesn't come under the umbrella of vegan). So you need to make some decisions about your health. Would you rather starve but eat only organic food or eat enough even if it is not all organic?