Hi all, I've started to change over things in my food cupboard and fridge but I'm really struggling with alternatives and the cost of them. I can find vegan mayo/cheese/chocolate etc in my local tesco but they are so much more expensive. I'm on such a tight budget and am finding this a bit disheartening. Please someone help with some advice or ideas. tia
Starting to transition.. please help with alternatives
- Thread starter Jenjen
- Start date
you can buy all these 'alternatives', but it really is an expensive way to go ihmo & not the ideal way.
E.G.
vegan cheese. it's not cheese, it's massively expensive & of dubious nutrition. The last pack i bought was (i think) solidified coconut oil & flavourings. What good is that? OK once in a while as a 'treat' (?) i suppose.
Much better to avoid most of these highly manufactured substitiues & find different things to eat or different ways of cooking.
As an example, marmite & onions together taste very much like cheese. If you're cooking a dish that would normally require cheese, try find a similar recipe that uses simple substitutes such as the marmite/onion combo rather than expensive fake cheese.
instead of expensive special vegan chocolate, buy a peanut bar instead.
instead of vegan mayo (!), i believe some of the cheap salad creams are vegan. Not sure, but if not, why not just give up using mayo. What's it for, anyway ?? Does anybody know?
I think there's 2 ways to go:
1. eat things that are vegan anyway & ditch the non-vegan.... there's just loads and loads of vegan food out there
or
2. buy all the vegan alternatives to non-vegan stuff. - pay twice as much for massively processed junk. half of it doesn't even taste nice.
E.G.
vegan cheese. it's not cheese, it's massively expensive & of dubious nutrition. The last pack i bought was (i think) solidified coconut oil & flavourings. What good is that? OK once in a while as a 'treat' (?) i suppose.
Much better to avoid most of these highly manufactured substitiues & find different things to eat or different ways of cooking.
As an example, marmite & onions together taste very much like cheese. If you're cooking a dish that would normally require cheese, try find a similar recipe that uses simple substitutes such as the marmite/onion combo rather than expensive fake cheese.
instead of expensive special vegan chocolate, buy a peanut bar instead.
instead of vegan mayo (!), i believe some of the cheap salad creams are vegan. Not sure, but if not, why not just give up using mayo. What's it for, anyway ?? Does anybody know?
I think there's 2 ways to go:
1. eat things that are vegan anyway & ditch the non-vegan.... there's just loads and loads of vegan food out there
or
2. buy all the vegan alternatives to non-vegan stuff. - pay twice as much for massively processed junk. half of it doesn't even taste nice.
Thank you for your insight. I suppose it's such a habitual thing that I need to crack. For example I often have cheese/pickle or cheese/mayo/hot sauce sandwiches which i don't mind giving up I just need to find something to replace it whether it's a different sandwich or something else. I do like mayo with chips though!! So it's not like I'd have it everyday. Chocolate though it's my weakness so I don't feel I could go without. I've tried Moo free which I really like but again is so expensive. I'm just being realistic as chocolate is something that I would definitely need to find a close match to as I think of I was to give it up as a daily treat I would fail just being honest
Hello and welcome to the forum, Jenjen.
I understand your problem. I agree totally with mikek, except on the mayo thing *haha*. Many vegan products are way over-priced just because it's vegan. It seems most unfair, but the fact is most all store bought vegan stuff can be homemade. In fact some will taste even better.
I do a lot of cooking. I loved cooking before going plant-based, and I love it even more now. It was just a bit of a learning curve to learn all new recipes, basically. I'm still learning!
I use vegan mayo, myself. It does have a few uses. I make coleslaw dressing with mayo. Several other salad dressings, dips, etc. Mayo is useful in my kitchen. It is easy to make a homemade vegan version, but for the amount I use, I just buy it.
Some products do go on sale. I will buy the odd vegan product for a treat, like Gardein stuff. Yum! There are also some half decent vegan cheeses that work with pizza. It's my one true vice, pizza. I do understand that these are all considered processed foods. So I do eat them in moderation. I might have a pizza once a month now.
My best friend has been YouTube for ideas, recipes, and even information about plant-based living in general. There are some great YouTube channels out there. Just try a search on YT for "vegan meat alternatives" and see what comes up.
I understand your problem. I agree totally with mikek, except on the mayo thing *haha*. Many vegan products are way over-priced just because it's vegan. It seems most unfair, but the fact is most all store bought vegan stuff can be homemade. In fact some will taste even better.
I do a lot of cooking. I loved cooking before going plant-based, and I love it even more now. It was just a bit of a learning curve to learn all new recipes, basically. I'm still learning!
I use vegan mayo, myself. It does have a few uses. I make coleslaw dressing with mayo. Several other salad dressings, dips, etc. Mayo is useful in my kitchen. It is easy to make a homemade vegan version, but for the amount I use, I just buy it.
Some products do go on sale. I will buy the odd vegan product for a treat, like Gardein stuff. Yum! There are also some half decent vegan cheeses that work with pizza. It's my one true vice, pizza. I do understand that these are all considered processed foods. So I do eat them in moderation. I might have a pizza once a month now.
My best friend has been YouTube for ideas, recipes, and even information about plant-based living in general. There are some great YouTube channels out there. Just try a search on YT for "vegan meat alternatives" and see what comes up.
A lot of dark chocolate is "accidentally" vegan. Sounds like you're in the UK so check out Scottish youtuber NaturallyStefanie - she has loads of videos called Accidentally vegan with sweets, chocolates, biscuits etc. from main brands that you can find in Tescos, that all happen to be vegan. I very seldom pay extra for chocolate that is marketed as vegan, but instead just buy dark chocolate in the grocery store and check the ingredients first to make sure they are vegan.
As for vegan cheese I have one kind I do like, and it is expensive, but I only have it once a month or so. I decided when I changed my lifestyle to a vegan one that I would just skip stuff like that (most of the time), not only because of the cost but also because it's all empty calories. There is so much out there that is natural, vegan and actually full of nutrients... so I prefer that over pretend cheese. It's just a habit to have cheese on things.
As for vegan cheese I have one kind I do like, and it is expensive, but I only have it once a month or so. I decided when I changed my lifestyle to a vegan one that I would just skip stuff like that (most of the time), not only because of the cost but also because it's all empty calories. There is so much out there that is natural, vegan and actually full of nutrients... so I prefer that over pretend cheese. It's just a habit to have cheese on things.
Hi! I just joined the forum and started officially vegan on March 1st. I haven't had a desire for a fake cheese or other dairy. I love hummus as a topping. Have you tried that? There are many varieties at my store.
I eat lots of pasta, lots of fruit, oatmeal, veggie wraps, rice and beans, potato chips, PB&J, granola bars and nuts. There really is a lot of variety there.
Good luck!
I eat lots of pasta, lots of fruit, oatmeal, veggie wraps, rice and beans, potato chips, PB&J, granola bars and nuts. There really is a lot of variety there.
Good luck!
