Okay real talk — right now in my messy kitchen in the United States in early 2026 I’m staring at a bag of $0.89 lentils that somehow became the backbone of like 60% of our dinners and I’m low-key proud but also kind of embarrassed how long it took me to figure this budget-friendly plant-based grocery list thing out.
We didn’t go vegan overnight or anything dramatic. It started because formula for the baby got stupid expensive, then milk prices did their thing, then I had one too many “why is everything animal-based so much cheaper?!” meltdowns in the dairy aisle at Kroger. So yeah… slowly, grumpily, we started shifting toward more plant-based meals. Not 100% clean perfect influencer vibes — more like “I accidentally made bean tacos three nights in a row and nobody died” energy.
Staples That Keep Us Under $100/Week (Most Weeks… Sometimes) Budget-Friendly Plant
Here’s what’s consistently on my budget-friendly plant-based grocery list right now. Prices are rough averages from Aldi / Walmart / Trader Joe’s in my area spring 2026 — your mileage may vary like crazy depending on where you live.
- Dry lentils (green or brown) — $0.89–$1.29/lb → I make a giant pot every Sunday
- Black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas — canned when I’m lazy, dry when I remember to soak
- Rice (jasmine or brown) — 10 lb bag for like $8–10
- Oats (old-fashioned) — $3–4 for the huge canister
- Frozen mixed veggies & frozen spinach — way cheaper than fresh most of the time
- Bananas (always), apples (when they’re on sale), whatever citrus is cheapest
- Potatoes & sweet potatoes — dirt cheap calories
- Cabbage — seriously underrated, lasts forever in the crisper
- Carrots — buy the big ugly bag
- Onions & garlic — non-negotiable
- Peanut butter (store brand, no sugar added) — $2.49 for the big jar
- Nutritional yeast — splurge item but lasts months
- Spices — cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika — buy in bulk if you can
Pro tip I learned the hard way: if you see dried beans or lentils under $1.50/lb, buy two bags. You will use them. You will thank past-you.
Quick Wins That Actually Taste Good (Kid-Approved… Mostly) Budget-Friendly Plant
I’m not gonna pretend my kids are thrilled about everything. There was literal crying over kale chips once. But these have decent hit rates:
- Lentil sloppy joes (use the dry lentils + canned tomato sauce + way too much chili powder)
- Peanut butter banana oatmeal (breakfast for dinner when we’re broke)
- Bean & rice burrito bowls with whatever sad veggies are left
- Roasted potato + frozen veggie sheet pan situation with whatever spices I grab first
- Chickpea “tuna” salad (mash chickpeas + mayo + pickle relish — tastes better than it sounds)
For more ideas that aren’t just my chaotic experiments, I really like the budget breakdowns over at Budget Bytes – Vegan Category — Beth is way more organized than I’ll ever be.
Things I Wasted Money On (So You Don’t Have To) Budget-Friendly Plant
- Fancy pre-chopped butternut squash → $6 for like 12 ounces… never again
- $7 vegan cheese shreds → tastes like sadness and disappointment
- Individual packs of plant-based yogurt → the large tubs are half the price per ounce
- Meat substitutes every single week → we do them maybe once a month now as a treat
Where I’m At Right Now (Honest Messy Update) Budget-Friendly Plant
Tonight’s dinner is probably going to be rice, black beans, frozen peppers & onions, and too much hot sauce because I forgot to buy tomatoes. Again. My grocery list is scribbled on the back of an old electric bill, there’s beet juice permanently staining my cutting board, and my 4-year-old just asked if we’re “poor now” because we don’t buy the blue Gatorade anymore.
But… we’re eating. We’re not starving. The grocery bill is noticeably smaller. My husband said last week “this actually doesn’t suck” which is basically a love letter in our house.
So yeah — if you’re trying to figure out a budget-friendly plant-based grocery list for your family and you feel like a hot mess doing it, hi, same. You’re not alone.
What’s the one plant-based staple you can’t live without right now? Drop it in the comments — I’m always looking for new cheap ideas because lord knows I need them.
(And yes I’m aware this post kind of devolved into chaos at the end… welcome to my life.) 😅
