How Do Vegan Alternatives Impact Your Grocery Bill?

Times are tough nowadays. Food prices are skyrocketing, so changing your diet or being more environmentally friendly may be the last thing on your mind. But what if I told you that adding a few vegan alternatives to your weekly shop may save you money alongside helping the earth? Stay tuned as I explain more in this article.

Oxford University researchers have said in countries such as the UK, USA and Australia, adopting a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diet could slash your food bill by up to one-third. The research compared the cost of seven eco-friendly diets to the typical diet across 150 countries, using data from the World Bank’s international comparison program. For those who like a nice steak now and then, flexitarian diets with lower meat and dairy cost up to 14% less. 

Price Comparison

According to Statista, Tesco is the UK’s most popular of the big four supermarkets. So, in this article, I’ll compare the prices of meat products and meat alternatives within Tesco supermarkets. The big four supermarkets price their goods competitively, so the prices will likely be similar. 

Verdict

As you can see, vegan alternatives are generally cheaper, other than ham and milk, which are still cheaper on the non-vegan side. Some products, such as vegan fish finger alternatives, even have more in the box. Vegan alternatives also last longer before they go bad, which may help lower household wastage. 

It must be noted that vegan meat alternatives are often lower in saturated fats and cholesterol than meat, which may be a big positive for health-conscious budget shoppers. For information on that regard, check out our tips for saving with healthy eating. I am a vegetarian, but I understand it isn’t for everyone. Still, you don’t have to cut out meat completely. Instead, switch one or two things out to save some money every week and even aid your family's health while helping the planet; it’s a win-win.

If I were to recommend which to switch, it would be Richmond Meat Free Sausages and Birds Eye Green Cuisine Fishless Fingers. Aside from being cheaper and healthier than their meat alternatives, they taste amazing and don’t have the little things like gristle and bones that often appear in meat dishes. For more tips & tricks on saving with your vegan groceries, check out our guide to which supermarket has the cheapest vegan shop or for budget-conscious parents, learn how to save with kids' lunch boxes.