Common Misconceptions
About Veganism
Veganism is so Expensive!
One of the most common things weI hear from people during outreach is that veganism is too expensive, or that it’s a luxury of the middle-classes.
Well, this just isn’t true.
What is true is that times are hard. We get it. And we know they’re getting even harder. But, you know, vegetables, fruit and grains are by far the cheapest food items you can buy in the supermarket.
Poorer countries like India, for example, thrive on a largely vegetarian diet, because it’s the cheapest way to live. Additionally, many charities that send food aid overseas, choose to send or make vegetable and grain-based goods – not for ethical, animal rights reasons, but simply because it’s the most inexpensive way of doing things.
That’s all well and good, you might say, but you don’t want to live on fruit, vegetables and grains for the rest of your life. Well, the good news is, veganism doesn’t mean living on salads – which is another misconception that we’ll get to later!
Below, you’ll find a vegan weekly budget shop of £30 at Tesco’s for a single student, as well as a £50 budget shop for a family of four.
There’s also a week’s worth of breakfast, dinner and evening meal suggestions that are inexpensive, nutritious and comforting. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see that a lot of your essentials and favourites are still included – because being vegan doesn’t mean giving up the food you love, just swapping cruelty for cruelty-free.
All food prices correct as of June 2022
Note: we are not being sponsored by Tesco in any way, it is just our regular supermarket.
Single Student £30 Weekly Shop
Coming Soon
Family of Four £50 Weekly Shop
Wicked Kitchen Crumbed Ham £2.50
Rosedene Farms Gala Apples 6 Pack 90p
4 Loose Bananas 56p
Tofoo Scrambled Tofu £2.85
Violife Epic Mature Block x 2 £5.50
Nightingale Farms Cherry Tomatoes 50p
5 Fru Crew Sneaky Strawberry Bars £2.00
W. H. Nevill’s Wholemeal Bread 800g x 2 72p
Stockwell and Co. Wheat Biscuit Cereals x 24 74p
Tesco Hearty Food Co. Spaghetti 500g 23p
Grower’s Harvest Porridge Oats 1kg 75p
Tesco Beef Gravy Granules 80p
Tesco Plant Chef Lentil and Pepper Soup x 2 £1.00
Tesco Bolognese Sauce 80p
Tesco Imperfect Potatoes 2.5kg 89p
Baking Potatoes x 4 45p
Stockwell and Co. Beans in Tomato Sauce x 4 88p
12 Meat Free Beef Oxos £1.45
Tesco Carrots 1 kg 45p
Broccoli and Cauliflower Floret Mix 900g 80p
Redmere Farms Brown Onions 1kg 49p
Iceberg Lettuce 53p
Tesco Plant Chef Herby Bangers x 6 £1.35
Tesco Plant Chef 8 Meat Free Burgers £1.75
Vitalite Spread £2.00
Grower’s Harvest Peas in Water 21p
Tesco Plant Chef Beef Style Pieces £1.75
Tesco Taco Kit £1.95
Tesco Wholemeal Batch Rolls x 6 49p
Tesco Straight to Wok Medium Noodles £1.00
Tesco Chow Mein Stir Fry Sauce 50p
Tesco Large Stir Fry Pack 90p
Grower’s Harvest Soy Milk 1ltr x 5 £2.75
Stockwell and Co. Orange Squash 55p
Plant Chef Meat Free Mince x 2 £3.50
Stockwell and Co. Teabags 55p
Stockwell and Co Instant Coffee 85p
Elmlea Plant Double Cream £1.10
Tesco Cream Crackers 39p
Tesco Garlic 25p
Tesco Plant Chef Mayonnaise 44p
Hearty Food Co. Tomato Pasta Sauce 39p
Tesco 6 Wholemeal Pitta Bread 50p
Hearty Food Co. Tomato and Onion Pasta x 2 68p
Tesco Growing Cress 35p
= £49.99
Family Breakfast Suggestions
Monday: Porridge (and 1/2 banana for the children, sliced.)
Tuesday: Wheat Biscuits and Milk
Wednesday: Toast
Thursday: Porridge (and 1/2 banana for the children, sliced)
Friday: Wheat Biscuits and Milk
Saturday: Porridge
Sunday: Toast
Lunch for Adults Suggestions:
Monday: Lentil and Pepper Soup with Bread / Carrot Sticks
Tuesday: Leftover Stir Fry / Apple
Wednesday: ‘Cheese’ and Tomato Sandwich / Crackers
Thursday: Tomato and Onion Pasta / Apple
Friday: Salad Sandwich / Crackers
Saturday: Homemade Pitta Pizzas
Sunday: 1/2 Tin of Beans on Toast
Lunch for Children Suggestions: * = Pack lunches
*Monday: ‘Ham’ Sandwich / Banana / Fru Bar
*Tuesday: ‘Cheese’ and Tomato Sandwich / Carrot Sticks / Banana
*Wednesday: Smashed Tofoo and Cress Sandwich / Crackers / Fru Bar
*Thursday: ‘Ham’ and ‘Cheese’ Sandwich / Apple Slices
*Friday: ‘Cheese’ and Onion Sandwich / Fru Bar / Crackers
Saturday: Homemade Pitta Pizza
Sunday: ‘Cheese’, Tomato and Onion on Toast
Family Evening Meal Suggestions
Monday: Veggie Stir Fry
Stir Fry Pack / Straight to Wok Noodles / Chow Mein Sauce / Meat Free Oxo Cubes
Tuesday: Bolognese
Plant Mince / Bolognese Sauce / Spaghetti / Onion / Carrot / Garlic
Wednesday: Tacos
Taco Kit / Plant Mince / Lettuce / Tomato / Violife Epic Mature ‘Cheese’
Thursday: Baked Potatoes, Beans and ‘Cheese’
Baking Potatoes / Beans / Butter / Violife Epic Mature ‘Cheese’
Friday: Burgers and Fries
Plant Chef Burgers / Bread Buns / Lettuce / Tomato / Onion / Cheese / Potatoes / Mayo
Saturday: ‘Beef’ Stew
Plant Chef Beef Pieces / Carrot / Garlic / Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets / Meat Free Oxo Cubes / Potatoes
Sunday: Sunday Lunch
Plant Chef Herby Bangers / Potatoes / Elmlea Plant Cream / Butter / Cauliflower and Broccoli Florets / Peas / Gravy Granules / Meat Free Oxo Cubes
***Other Meal Ideas***