In an era of post-pandemic grocery inflation, one BC couple is sharing how careful planning and sticking to a plant-based diet lets them keep their food bill under $450 per month.
Carrie Wheeler and her partner Jaman live on the Southern Gulf Islands and do most of their produce shopping locally from the farmers’ market, farm stands, and island grocers. Once a month, they take the ferry to Vancouver Island for staples from Save On Foods, Superstore, and specialty items like nori, wakame, and rice noodles.
The couple typically spends $400 to $450 per month on food for themselves, plus another $80 on food for their German shepherd and $30 in ferry fees.
“We are vegan so most of our protein sources are naturally much less expensive than animal-based proteins. Beans, lentils, peas, seitan, tofu, tempeh — cheap!” Wheeler told Daily Hive.
They’re grateful for enough pantry space to store their dry goods, since buying items on sale is a big part of their strategy.
The other major money-saver is cooking the majority of their meals at home.
“Processed foods can be convenient and fun once in a while, but they’re so much more expensive (and less healthy) than the raw ingredients. Dinner doesn’t need to be fancy to be delicious and nutritious,” she said.
Carrie Wheeler/Submitted
She gets recipe inspiration from all over the world, with creations including Indian-style curry, Thai coconut soup, black bean tacos, ramen, and mezze platters with hummus, tabouleh, and falafel.
“Many of these dishes are surprisingly easy to make from scratch,” she said.
But even when inspiration doesn’t strike, she’s fine whipping up simple pasta with tomato sauce.
Batch cooking is key to saving money, too. Their freezer is often full of soups, stews, chili, and lentil curry for heating up during busy days.
The couple shares their plant-based creations on Instagram, always looking for ways to make food affordable and delicious.
“Get comfortable experimenting in the kitchen! It saves a lot of money and also saves on time in the long run.”
Do you think you could keep your grocery budget to only $450 per month for two people? Let us know in the comments.