Buying Special Vegetarian Foods is Expensive :(

While I was grocery shopping with my mom yesterday, I wanted to see if my store carried any of those vegetarian meats. And they did, except the stuff was expensive! Like, a pack of hot dog sausages usually cost $1-2, but the veggie kinds were $4-6. I think I'll just stick with vegetables and fruit :(

You're right, fake-meat products are very expensive. Even soymilk is slightly more expensive than the milk from the udder of a different species.

But you need more than vegetables and fruit to have a balanced diet. Make sure youre eating plenty of whole grains, and for protein, I'd recommend peanut butter (or other nut butters, or just whole nuts/seeds), and beans/legumes (black beans, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, theres lots of options!). Beans are very inexpensive and very versatile - eat them plain, mix them with a light vinaigrette and some chopped veggies for a salad, use them in soups, stews, chilis, dips, spreads, burritos, etc!

Then eat meat, simple as that lol.

imtkain - you posted a similar sentiment in the "May We Suggest" thread on this section.

Why would you come into a VEGETARIAN section of the forum, and discourage individuals from their choice to give up meat not because we want to, but because we believe it will make the world a better place?

Original Post by imtkain:

Then eat meat, simple as that lol.

Haha, nice ;] I get where that's coming from, but it's different when you're a vegetarian, especially if you are for ethical reasons. I never understood it before I went veg, either, but there can be something repulsive and strange about eating something that was alive only a few days ago... =X

It is kind of expensive, but I buy the soy crumbles and I use less then I would if I were using meat.  I use it in chili, tacos, sphagetti sauce etc.

I've found a lot of the lunch meat to be pretty reasonable.  I can get a pack of Smart Life Balogna for $2.29 and my daughter loves it.  They also have veggie salami, turkey, pastrami, and who knows what else.  That's actually cheaper than when I used to buy lunchmeat turkey and ham from the deli (I think I usually paid about $4 for 3/4 lb of it, but its been a few years).  For cheaper hamburger type crumbles you can use TVP.  It's about $1.50/lb and lasts forever.  And when Boca and Morningstar are on sale, I can usually get a box for about $3.00.  3 bucks for 4 burgers is a pretty good deal, I think.  A lb of lean hamburger runs about $5.00/lb now, doesn't it?

 

Why do you need processed foods at all?  You can get all the protein you need from legumes like lentils and beans and tofu, combined with whole grains.  You can get all the vitamins you need from fresh vegetables and fruits.  If you don't want to eat meat, why would you eat something pretending to be meat?

I do agree with go_lucky about TVP - it's cheap and it can add texture to meals, but it's not an essential food.

its so expensive in ireland its not even funny. but i find those 'processed' fake meats handy for on the go snacky situations. i do heavy lifting so extra protein never hurts for me. to get enough veg protein my meals usually consist of the following (this is a good day by the way):

breakfast (at work) - oats, some sprouted flax seeds & chopped apple

lunch - tabouli, roasted veggies & sunflower seeds

snack - carrots with hummous

pre-workout snack - banana & peanut butter (mmm so good)

post-workout snack - protein powder (not a good example, but its just when i do a heavy lifting session)

dinner - pasta, veggies & beans in tomato sauce

as you can see i try to get in complete proteins just about every meal, along with a fruit or veggie

but to be fair, the ingredients for real meat (i guess you can call it meat) hot dogs, well..., its usually left over 'stuff' so of course it is going to be cheaper.

TOFU TOFU TOFU it is super cheap, well here it is anyway. You can crumble it and add abit of soy sauce and cumin and tumeric and add some veggies to it for a tofu scramble for breakfast. Bake it into cassarols at night, and grill it with some marainade for a quick sandwhich. It is so veristile and much cheaper then fake meat. Soft is good for smoothies, and extra frim for makeing the scramble for breakfast, cassaroles, and grilling. And I find it makes me abit less Gasy then tons of beans but that is my opinon on it.

I'm with kimlanier - tofu is so cheap. I know a lot of people are freaking out over whether it's "toxic", but for goodness sakes, have you seen what eating fried chicken can do to a body? Beans are also great. They are protein and fiber packed and can easily help you clear a room of people you don't like. There is also seitan - texturized vegetable protein - that you can make at home.

Also, keep in mind why some of those meat products are so cheap. Do you really want to be eatting $1 packages of hotdogs? 

A highly processed veg diet is probably going to be more expensive than an equivilent meat diet, but if you stick to the good stuff it ends up being much cheaper.  Fake meats ought to be considered an occasional treat or replacement, though they can help the transition to a veg diet.  Think of this as an example of healthier foods also being the cheaper option!

So you have made the choice to be a vegetarian.  Why would you want to even "Fake yourself out" with a processed look alike to meat?  Would this not make you brain think you are eating meat?  Why give your brain the opportunity?  Since I have made the switch, I have found that there are so many options for healthy choices that I get to eat and I look forward to trying it all. Don't look at it as what you have lost (and are trying to have)... look at it as an opportunity to try so many new things (that won't make you sick).

I'm not a veg myself, but I do enjoy high-quality vegetarian foods as a part of my overall diet. I've found that regular grocery stores (and Whole Foods, for that matter) are very pricey when it comes to soy "meats" - and half the time, they don't taste very good (especially not for the $ you pay). But, if you have a Trader Joe's in your vicinity, I'd suggest checking them out. They're prices are lower overall, and they have some very good tasting, good quality vegetarian foods. They even carry some of the Morning Star stuff for about $1-$2+ less than a regular grocery store. Also, if you have any Asian markets near you, they're fantastic places to stock up on tofu items and other veg stuff - usually at MUCH lower prices than regular grocery stores. Good luck!

Original Post by bonjourlaure:

Original Post by imtkain:

Then eat meat, simple as that lol.

...but there can be something repulsive and strange about eating something that was alive only a few days ago... =X

 Or something which was alive weeks and months ago for those who eat processed and fast foods!  Yuck!!

I second checking at a place like Trader Joes...their Gimme Lean "sausage" is $1.60 cheaper than at Wal-mart.  Also, try buying bulk.  The best place for Boca Burgers is Sam's club...very good value.  Also...TVP works wonders as suggested above.  That's what we're having for dinner tonight (mixed in with Hamburger-less Helper!)

Maybe you could cut down on portions a little? A package of boca burgers, fake dogs, etc. usually lasts me over a week because I eat one at a time, every few days, you know?

Original Post by saintlymama:

I second checking at a place like Trader Joes...their Gimme Lean "sausage" is $1.60 cheaper than at Wal-mart. Also, try buying bulk. The best place for Boca Burgers is Sam's club...very good value. Also...TVP works wonders as suggested above. That's what we're having for dinner tonight (mixed in with Hamburger-less Helper!)

actually i remember gimme lean burger & sausage. my mother used to make some delicious burgers out of that with some veggies (like finely chopped chillis, peppers, onions) & spices (not sure which kind but the kind with some kick) mixed in. adding the veggies & beans stretched it to, she did it with such loving care too. mmm, i gonna ask her to make me some when i go back to the states. they were good bbq'ed as well.