Going Vegan On A Budget
By: Christine Coomans
Tags: Climate, South Africa, Environment, Food, Vegan

Going Vegan On A Budget

Every Day As A Vegan You WILL Save Infographic

Have you ever considered going vegan full-time, or attempted a Meatless Monday and found yourself making an over-complicated recipe from Pinterest that just made you feel overwhelmed or disappointed, or doubting on how you can ever leave cheese and bacon for good?

Well, if so, you are not alone. In fact, before I went fully-vegan, I was a vegetarian for a year — and yearned for advice on how to leave cheesy pizzas and veggie-filled omelets behind. It was only hard to go vegan because I made it hard on myself.

Before we get into the best products for going vegan, let me just put this out: you are going to make mistakes, and it’s okay. Initially, don’t try too hard to follow strict, healthy meals — just eat what you want, and what you enjoy, as long as it is VEGAN!

Tips for a vegan beginner:

Always check the label. Be on the lookout for gelatin, milk & milk powder, egg, whey, honey, beeswax, casein, lactose, collagen, elastin, keratin, aspic, lard/tallow, shellac, propolis, vitamin D3, albumen, isinglass, cod liver oil, and pepsin.

Follow recipes, but make it easier for yourself by finding substitutes that you like. If you don’t like nutritional yeast, then rather use miso paste. You get it.

Google is your best friend. Don’t know something, and have no vegan friends to turn to yet? Google Google Google.

Remember to constantly praise yourself for reaching vegan milestones. Whether it’s one week, one month, or one year — good job you!

Buy what you can afford. If you cannot afford tofu, then rather buy veggies or canned peas (my favorite is chickpeas).

Vegan Products By Category:

To make it easier, I’m going to categorize our vegan products and list their associated prices (as of 2020) in the categories of Meat, Dairy & Egg and Vegan Desserts. Note that these are only vegan substitutes, and to view the whole list of vegan products available in South Africa, please feel free to go here.

1. Meat Alternatives

To download and view the PDF version of this list, go to:

https://1drv.ms/w/s!AnpgqNx1uNnV9XDkzgIvXgRB0oQN?e=E0m3f1

List of Meat Alternatives for Vegans

2. Dairy and Egg Alternatives

To download and view the PDF version of this list, go to:

https://1drv.ms/w/s!AnpgqNx1uNnV9XTlpFNuzAP4le9G?e=PRbo43

PS: I forgot to add butter, but you can find vegan butter at any store.

List of Dairy and Egg Alternatives for Vegans

2. Vegan Desserts, Snacks, Drinks and Candies.

To download and view the PDF version of this list, go to:

https://1drv.ms/w/s!AnpgqNx1uNnV9Xg8yn2esXlfS9ob?e=GDZ7WK

I forgot that PnP and Woolworths sell Sorbets and Dairy-free Ice Cream, if you ever want an icy dessert in the summer.

List of Dessert, Candy, Drink Alternatives for Vegans

Just One Last Thing Before You Go

So this list has been very brief, but perfect for beginners who want to go vegan. I just want to mention that these are just alternatives, and the best and most budget-friendly vegan products are basic, everyday, raw ingredients. Let me break it up into a short list:

Vegetables such as carrots, onions, garlic, green beans, pumpkin, cauliflower, spinach, etc.

Pastas, Rice and Maize Meal.

Canned Goods such as canned veggies, beans, chickpeas, peas.

Fruit, Seeds and Nuts.

Spices!!!

And potatoes, and lots of it.

In the end, the best thing to do is to just substitute your meat and dairy with vegetables and legumes. It’s healthy, filling and let’s not forget, tasty as heck. Here’s a few examples of go-to weekday meals that I make without using vegan alternatives:

Chickpea curry with coconut milk.

Avocado Pesto Pasta with oven-roasted cherry tomatoes.

Biryani with potatoes, corn and carrots. (PnP has a lovely Biryani spice mix and kit if you’re feeling lazy)

Shepherds Pie made with mashed potatoes and soya mince. I add canned veggies to my mince. You can also use lentils instead of soya mince.

Homemade Vetkoek with soya mince.

Toasted bread with avocado, hummus, and fried tomatoes and mushrooms. You can make a beautiful hummus at home using chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, garlic, cumin powder and olive oil.

Vegetable stew. I use Ina Paarman’s veggie stock and Knorrox Beef Cubes.

Soups. Add whatever you want — the possibilities are endless.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes with Rice & Gravy.

Smash & Bangers.

Vegan Burger with chips and a cheese sauce (or Spurs BBQ sauce).

Mushroom Stroganoffs.

And many, many more . . .

I hope that this list and suggestions have been helpful. In the beginning, I was extremely worried about being judged for messing up — by both vegans and meat-eaters, but in reality, its a journey and you should take it day by day. Also, if you ever do, stop worrying about protein and calcium deficiency with veganism because you won’t ever be in a deficit with all types of vegetables and legumes available to you. Also, going vegan is a great way to lower your impact on the environment.

Remember that veganism is all about trial and error.

No, I'm not saying you should only be vegan sometimes when it suites you. No, you need to be consistent. I’m saying, even if this one meal is a total mess — TRY AGAIN. Next time, use a spice that you think would taste better, or add a new vegetable. Try a different method. Just try something new like it’s an adventure.

I’ve tried many online recipes that tasted like complete garbage (okay, it wasn’t that bad), but then I found magnificent ones that I’ve adopted as my own by finding new ways to make it. You can do this. And to end off this post, I’d like to share a few facts about veganism, to give you extra motivation:

(Thank you to Vegan Outreach, Mercy For Animals, and Lun-haw Vegan Café for the infographics below).