I’ve been following a vegan diet for many years. Suddenly, over the last six months, there seems to be a lot more interest in a plant-based/ vegan diet.  Friends are asking me how to follow a vegan diet, why to do it, and how do I feel now that I’m doing it.  Newbie or “maybe” vegans often ask me, “How do you get enough protein?”  To answer that question, I wrote a whole post about vegan protein sources for the Yummy Plants community. If you or your friends are interested in more information on veggie protein sources please check out a post I wrote on the topic. Today's post will answer a common question: “Isn’t it more expensive to follow a vegan diet?” It’s a pleasure to answer concerned gazes with a large smile and a big “Nope!”  For those of us who occasionally indulge in vegan caramel and vegan processed snacks, we know these items are pricey. But that’s the key: Although vegan processed foods like candy bars, crackers/ chips, and chocolate dipped goodies are more expensive than their non-vegan counterparts, these items are sometimes foods, not part of our regular mealtime routines. (Think back to Cookie Monster and his “sometimes food.”)  Most of the time we vegans  are eating quinoa, lentils, millet, beans, peas, or tofu, all of which are inexpensive sources of protein. If we follow grandma’s advice and stick to the fresh fruits and veggies (or even frozen ones), we will actually be saving money on our food bill. Here are some tips to keep the grocery bill grocery bills low and reasonable:

• Eat seasonally: buy produce that is in-season to get the best prices.
• Shop the fresh fruits and veggies aisle for the majority of the purchases. 

• Use lentils, quinoa, beans, peas, and tofu as protein sources. Kamut, einkorn, and spelt are good options too!

• Keep processed foods to a minimum – enjoy as a treat, not a staple.