Did going vegan for a month save me money?

As a meat-eater, I've never been convinced that going vegan would be achievable, but in the quest to save some cash, I gave it a go.

By Laura Wingrove

In recent years, the number of people challenging themselves to eat only plants throughout January has massively increased. In fact, more than 600,000 people participated in Veganuary in 2022 – that’s three times the number that gave it a go in 2018.

Part of the draw for many is the idea of cutting back on grocery spend (not to mention steering away from rich, heavy foods) after overdoing it throughout the festive season. And there’s sound logic there. A study by Oxford University found that people who follow a vegan diet could cut their food costs by up to one third.

Like many people in the UK looking to save money as grocery prices rise, my usual diet of meat and fish has changed over the last couple of years. I’ve found myself cooking more vegetable-based dishes in an effort to make my food budget go as far as possible.

So, could making the full switch be that much harder, and might I save more money going fully vegan? I put myself to the test.

Planning the month ahead

Having done a fair few foodie experiments in my time, I know preparation is key to success. I needed to find recipes and buy all the ingredients in advance so that I could stay on top of my budget and not spend loads of extra time shopping and cooking. I’d also have to convince my partner to join me on this journey so we wouldn’t be doubling up on budgets and effort. As a former veggie, he was all in – thank goodness.

While saving money was my key motivation, it was important to consider nutrition, too. I wanted to ensure I was eating balanced meals and getting enough micronutrients onboard – think vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, zinc, iodine and calcium – as well as protein. These are things that people with a vegan diet can often find themselves deficient in.

Trying to find innovative ways to use economical and nutritionally dense ingredients like chickpeas, lentils and beans (without eating curry and stew every day) took a lot of research. Once I had some ideas, I planned what breakfast, lunch and dinner might look like and left space for eating out or takeaways (I know myself too well).

I then totted up what the cost of the shop would be for the first week. I was pleasantly surprised – it came in at just £40 for the two of us. It normally ranges from £50 to £70.

What the menu looked like

Below is a sample of what I cooked and ate. I used vegan and non-vegan recipes, swapping ingredients when necessary – for example, dairy butter for vegan butter and meat sausages for plant-based ones.

As is often the case, I started out with a surge of excitement. I batch cooked with glee and poured over the recipes I’d collected, looking for ways I could tailor them to my tastes. I even woke up early to experiment with breakfast – a meal which I often skip altogether.

I was rewarded with some real hits. A butternut squash ‘mac and cheese’ impressed – albeit without really resembling mac and cheese. The creamy pasta sauce was made by blending cashews, roasted butternut squash, spices and stock, and took no time at all to put together. Healthy, filling and quite cheap, it ticked a lot of boxes.

But the mushroom and ale pie has to take the top spot. I made it as a Sunday roast alternative and it was very well received by both meat and veggie eaters. I served it with roasties and vegan gravy and it didn’t feel like I was missing out at all.

Recipes such as the pea soup, homemade baked beans and slow cooker beans were big, nutritionally dense hits too, and were happily simple to make.

Issues I encountered

There were fails along the way. My most important learning? Not all plant milks are made equal. I used them in coffee and tea, and two different types went lumpy when I poured them in (way to ruin a cuppa). I did find several that worked though – look out for varieties labelled ‘barista style.’

It was also tempting to try out the likes of plant-based ‘meats’ – there is such a huge range of vegan versions of everyday food products out there, and their clever marketing can really pull you in. Inevitably though, a tin of straight up lentils is always going to be cheaper than a veggie ‘steak’ – and often healthier too, as many of those pre-made vegan products are ultra-processed.

One of the hardest parts of the experience was being invited over to friends and family for food. The thought of forcing others to eat what I was eating or spend money on ingredients they wouldn’t usually buy to suit my ‘rules’ felt, to me, a bit unreasonable.

So, instead, I’d offer to cook for them, arrange to meet at a restaurant I knew had good meat and vegan options, or even order a takeaway. This felt less prescriptive and demanding. That said, if I decided to go vegan full-time this wouldn’t really be that financially sustainable.

Talking of eating out, I do love the occasional wine or beer and, of course, not all alcohol is vegan. I’d stand at bars, quickly searching online to see if the drink I was about to order was vegan. Finding wine that was fair game wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. It was expensive, too. Safe to say, I ordered quite a few lime and sodas.

Did I feel I missed out?

There wasn’t a particular food I missed, more so experiences. For example, on the way to work, there’s a café that my boyfriend and I frequently treat ourselves to a bacon sarnie at. But it doesn’t do vegan options.

Likewise, I love going for a Sunday roast at the local pub – but the unimaginative nut roast option just didn’t have the same appeal for this crackling-loving gal.

Something I hadn’t really considered at the start of the experiment was that my kryptonite is crusty bread and layers of salty butter. Restaurant bread baskets are demolished and cosy evenings in often feature stacks of bread and butter with a side of soup. I love it. Sadly, vegan butter doesn’t cut it for me. Although fantastic for baking (take a bow, free-from product developers and brands), the taste of plant-based butter is no match for the super creamy dairy stuff.

Full-time vegan?

Trying a vegan diet exposed me to different cuisines and creative recipes. The challenge got me cooking new dishes from the stacks of books I’ve received as birthday and Christmas presents over the years, too.

As for the all-important question of grocery spend, including my food shop, eating out and drinks, I spent around £40 to £60 a week – and that included me hosting more so other people didn’t have to make vegan food just for me. That’s a saving of £10 to £20 a week, meaning that if I followed a vegan diet permanently it would save me hundreds each year.

Still, I won’t be going fully vegan. I’ll have meat on occasion and there’s no way I’d be able to stop the pub roast lunch, but I’m keen to explore a more plant-centric style of eating – especially if I have some extra cash in my back pocket as a result.

Originally published January 2024