I have pondered on turning into a vegetarian many times. I love fruits and vegetables and can eat them all day long. Sadly, I love meat as well, especially chicken and beef. And even though I don't consume meat as much as vegetables, I still cannot let go of eating them for now. I can understand the benefits though when it comes to our health and finances. And that has really encouraged me to eat more vegetables than meat during the past few years. But whenever someone offers me some street food with meat in it, I just cannot resist. Actually, we also have our little garden of fruits and vegetables here which includes:MangoesAtisMalunggay or MoringaPapayaTomatoesCalamansi And we actually harvest these produce whenever we need them. That is, if our neighbours didn't beat us to it, lol. It's fun and can save you money in the long run. Mangoes are very delicious when grown organically. We use tomatoes in almost every dish as well which is quite handy when you have a plant of it.
Yes, it bothers me too.. the militants drown out the message and push a lot of people away. Just try to remember what they see now that they know where their food came from; it's horrible. It saddens and infuriates me too and it's frustrating when people don't make the connection, but what the militants have to remember is that they were on the other side of the fence once as well and being beaten over the head with it may pale in comparison to what the animals are going through or our own bodies, but it's not the best way to open people's eyes. Especially if they didn't ask for it.
Yes, it is a lot cheaper to go without meat, as a diet of mainly vegetables and starch products is cheap. I have hardly eaten any meat for the past 4 years for this reason, and I know that it is something that I don't regret thanks to the sheer amount of money that I have been able to save just from doing this. You do however need to make sure that you're still getting all of the nutrients that you need from the major food groups.
@Jani....if you can pull it off, it's certainly worth a go! I mean, not only will you save some pennies, you'll probably find that your health will improve. But for me personally, as a meat lover, it would be an uphill battle! I just can't imagine cutting out meat altogether. I can maybe cut back. Imagine going to a bbq and sticking to vegetables only LOL Well, I can only wish you well in your endeavour @Noreht...I too have come across preachy types (again not on this forum) who seem to think it's ok to climb on their high horse and lecture me about my love of meat. I have no problem with people's lifestyle choices, as long as they're mature enough to respect mine too
For me, I haven't considered vegetarianism yet since I love meat so much, so I don't think that diet is something that I would follow in this lifetime, lol even if it will save me some money in the long run.
I prefer vegetables and fruit. I do eat a lot of beans because I really like beans. It is not as much about saving money as much as it is better for my body, I have never really eaten very much meat.
Being a vegetarian does not have a bearing on your savings. In fact, most people adopting the healthy lifestyle tend to spend more than people who still eat meat and carbs once in a while. High-end vegetables are just as costly as meat products. Fruits are likewise expensive. Money management and controlling your spending will save you money. However, health-wise, it pays to eat vegetables and fruits regularly because they are great sources of fiber.
Very true and they are actually hurting the true message of veganism. I respect your choices @JosieP and commend you for sticking with them in a society where it is not always the most popular one. Our views on eating meat might differ but that does not mean we can not get along on a human level. I do agree that having your own garden will save you money, but I want to add that rearing your own meat will have the same effect. It might be more improbable to have your own livestock, but it might save just as much as growing your own veggies.
I've thought of it but never got round to executing my plan to switch to being a vegetarian. It's hard for most people especially if you don't live alone. Your family has to be on board with your plan and as it's hard to convince someone who likes meat to stop eating meat so you can save money, I believe it's better instead to cut down meat consumption. That way everyone would be happy and you'll save some money anyway.
I am a vegetarian by default and only eat meat when in the company of people who have an appetite for it. What I find easier to consume is sour which confers the benefits of meat as well as other bone minerals. Actually vegetarianism is cheaper and healthier as you don't partake of the toxic byproducts of meat digestion. I think a balanced approach is better since plant products also become expensive during off season periods.
This is a great information. I never knew we can save money by being vegetarian. I eat meat every Sunday and only Sundays. I have been a vegetarian a year back but couldn't resist it. Also it is my doctor's advice to add meat into my diet. But now I will think about it. Thanks for the info.
I am a vegetarian and the only animal products I consume are butter milk and yogurt. I totally agree with OP that vegetarianism can save a lot of money if you can grow a major part of your daily needs. But at the same time harmful pesticides being used is still a major threat to vegetarians. If we have a kitchen garden we can get rid of this issue too. Earlier I was a non-veg around 10 years back or so. I was diagnosed with high BP and Cholesterol but I could defeat them by turning into a vegetarian lifestyle. Since then my BP and Cholesterol levels have always been healthy. So I saved not only on meat but also on hospital bills. The most important fact is that we can have a more active style free of diseases. Hats of to the doctor who explained me the benefits of being a vegetarian.
The financial economy may even happen, but I've tried to be a vegetarian once (actually I tried a trial period) and the result was lousy because I couldn't resist even the first week of the challenge. It's something very difficult for those who are already used to another type of food completely different. A food re-education is essential before you can actually get used to it.
I am a vegetarian and I save a lot compared to my counter parts who are insanely non veg. Said insanely as they can't go a day without meat. That said, it won't make you poor eating non veg once in a while if you can afford it. I have absolutely no health issues related to being a vegetarian. Infact, I have so many veg recipes options that I won't be able to taste them all in my entire lifetime. You can make about 300 different dishes from only potatoes! Imagine all the veggies that are at my disposal.
What is a calamansi? seeing an ingredient you wont see on groceries and it looks hard to find in wallmart. Foreign ingridients doesnt sound saving money for me. They might be cheap for your country but they are expensive in the US. Vegatarianism is far from saving money because Vegan food essentials like Nutritional Yeast,Tempeh,tamari.Spirulina and flax seeds are expensive.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to turn vegan for saving money on food. First is the taste because being vegetarian is like depriving yourself of good food like steak, pork chop, fried chicken and other delectable meat dishes. My policy in life is to enjoy every bit of it so I would only turn vegetarian if my health requires it. But for now, I would rather spend money on good food and enjoy eating than saving money and making do with food that doesn’t taste good.
@Alexandoy I think it depends on your taste. I have been a vegetarian (not a vegan) for ten years now and now I am no more tempted to eat non-veg. But most of my family members are non-veg. I think veg diet in rich in many delicious food items. I also love cooking and it is like one of my passions. I would only eat meat it is essential for my survival. But for now I am very healthy and free of any diseases. I haven't seen doctors for years now and do no spend anything on medicines. In fact as I said earlier vegetarianism helped me fight diseases.
My hubby and I wants to eat vegetables instead of meat since they are healthier however in our place, vegetables are way more expensive than meat that's why instead of buying pure vegetables, we tend to shop more meat than vegetables since we are on a tight budget. Growing plants in our front yard is one of the things that I'm planning to do in order to have vegetables of our own, that way we could save a lot
While being a vegetarian can save money (in that fish, poultry, and meat are more expensive) you should also consider your health. I know people will some illnesses can't be vegetarian or it would affect their health, so with all diets you must take care and get information first. Being a vegetarian does require some planning, especially in regards to protein and to ensure you have some at each meal. I tend to drink fruit juices too which ups my intake of vitamins, and also vegetable soups.
I am a vegetarian for ast 14 years and I feel that I am missing nothing. I am almost the same weight what I used to be when I ate non-vegetarian food and to my surprise I am feeling way healthier. Yes, I agree it saves you lot of monies on meat which is costlier than vegetables.
