Grocery Haul

I always get excited when I'm up and at the grocery store before the crowd.

Since we're not completely out of food at home, I was determined to spend no more than $100 on this trip.

What I picked up...

Black rice (1st time trying it), kale, tomatoes, garlic, lemon, onion, peanut butter, bread, rice flour, boxed waffle, slider buns, TVP, Vegenaise, Earth Balance vegan margarine, avocado, soy yogurt, apples, tamari soy sauce, canned kidney, garbanzo & pinto beans & tomatoes, salt, 6 red bell peppers, frozen corn, fresh basil, cilantro & parsley,  bananas, chick'n flavored bouillon cubes, rice flour, grits, sun-dried tomatoes and lettuce.

My total was $106. I'll take it!

I could've easily maintained my $100 goal, if I didn't throw in that last minute bag of fries (#thesekids love them), vegetable broth, peanut butter and Thai Kitchen's instant rice noodle soup.  When I wander away from the grocery list, it never fails that the bills goes higher. Duh! lol

This grocery haul should last us about 5 days.

What's on the menu?

I'm making buffalo chickpea nuggets (will actually make a BBQ version for the kids), veggie burgers, bean chili, falafel sliders, polenta squares, green juice, pancakes and tacos.

What's on your menu?

6 Ways to Eat Vegan on a Budget

People often complain to me about how expensive vegan eating is.  I agree this way of eating isn't cheap but you do get what you pay for.  

Here are some tips to help reduce your grocery bill:

*Don't buy produce in bulk- I know this isn't popular advice, but in my experience, we waste money buying produce in bulk because we don't usually eat it fast enough. It’s best to buy only what you need.

*Shop store brand- With many of the store brands being comparable to national ones, you can save a little money there.  Also, many grocery stores are now offering store brand organics at a reduced price.

*Don't purchase pre-cut fruit and vegetables- Why pay the premium price for something you can easily do yourself? 

*Plan Plan Plan!  Make sure to bring a well-planned grocery list to avoid impulsive purchases. Check out my list of tips to help you plan your menu.

*Avoid pre-packaged or frozen vegan entrees- These foods are super expensive. Your money would stretch much further by making simple meals from scratch.

I talk more about that here....

You don't have to buy organic- If feeling like you have to purchase all organic produce, nuts, and seeds is preventing you from transitioning to vegan eating, don't let it.  

Here's a list from Environmental Working Group of the fruits and vegetables sprayed the most and least with pesticides.  If money is tight, buy only the "dirty dozen" produce organic.

Thanks for reading!

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My Struggle with Transitioning My Kids to Vegan Eating

I struggle a lot with whether or not I should be more proactive in ensuring that my kids eat only vegan meals, even though we eat a lot better as a family than we did just two short years ago.  Like I mentioned in a previous post, it's routine for my boys to eat a vegan diet at home, but when I send them out into the world, that's a different story.

My two oldest sons spend about two weekends a month (and holidays) in Maryland with their dad, who is not a vegan/vegetarian.  They have an awesome dad, and enjoy their visits, but often return home vomiting or complaining about stomach aches since eating on those visits is very different.  My kids don't eat meat or much fast food here, so their little bodies go into shock when those foods are reintroduced. 

The logical response may be to pack their food for the weekend, but I know in the long run this biweekly task isn't very realistic (at least 8 meals and snacks would need to be packed).  Or, I could ask their dad to not give them any dairy, eggs, or meat, but that may be overwhelming being that he isn't a vegan. Also, since I refuse to allow anyone to tell me what to feed my kids, I owe him the same respect as their father. 

I know my children weren't born into a vegan household, but that still isn't an excuse for me not to teach them about food as I learn. One of the major reasons a vegan lifestyle is important for our family is for health reasons, but there are a few other concerns I have that cause me to battle myself about them consuming animal products.

Some of those ethical reasons are:

Knowing that much of the grain production in this country is being given to cattle raised for food opposed to starving humans is unsettling to me.

Knowing that nearly 70% of deforested land in the Amazon is exploited for grazing, resulting in destruction of fragile ecosystems and excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is unsettling to me. Source

Knowing that diseased animals are being exploited and forced to live in tight quarters to line the pockets of food companies in bed with the government is unsettling to me.

I wish I could write this with a clear solution for other families that may be going through this very thing, but as of now, I don't have any solid answers.  

I guess the point of this post is to show that everything isn't always perfect when adapting to this way of eating; especially when you're a blended family.

Thanks for reading! Any suggestions or feedback is greatly appreciated.  Leave a comment below or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.

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Veganize it: Cheese Grits

Veganize it: Taking a popular food or recipe and making it vegan

People often ask how I adhere to a vegan diet ALL the  time.  It's all about changing your mindset. Every time I approach my meal planning, I think about what I CAN eat, never what I can't. 

Also, most of the time it's very easy to make simple modifications.  Case in point, cheese grits. 

Simon came home from his dad's house a few weeks ago and asked for cheese grits.  He said he heard someone on TV talking about it and wanted to know how they taste.  We eat grits often but usually with a little vegan margarine and all-season salt.

With one simple modification, he enjoyed a bowl of cheesy grits.

Prepare grits on the stove top like normal and stir in desired amount of vegan cheese. 

I used the Follow Your Heart brand

Yummy!

Challenge me to veganize your favorite dish! Leave a comment below or connect with me on Twitter.