16 Brilliant Ways People Figured Out How To Be Meat-Free

    Whether you're trying to save money, or simply need some some vegetarian food inspiration, these tips will revitalize your cooking routine.

    Michelle No
    by Michelle No

    BuzzFeed Staff

    If you're transitioning to a vegetarian diet, it might be tempting to spend your money on alternative meats and organic produce, and go broke in the process. We recently asked vegetarians from the BuzzFeed Community how they maintain their meat-free diets on a budget. Here are some of their best responses:

    1. Get creative with pizza.

    vikkic4e8a9638b

    "If you don't want to mess around making your own dough, they have frozen dough balls at Walmart that don't cost much. Since it's late summer now, you can just add some garden tomatoes, zucchini, or peppers. It's heaven! Top it with garlic, salt, and pepper, some nutritional yeast or a drizzle of olive oil, and you're SET!"

    —vikkic4e8a9638b

    2. Start your mornings with overnight oats.

    tasty.co

    "In the mornings, I eat overnight oats. Oatmeal is very cheap, especially in bulk, and skim milk is high in protein. Just add half a cup of fruit along with a teaspoon of cinnamon to this mix and soak overnight."

    —kohnegirl

    Find our recipe for banana bread overnight oats here.

    3. Don't rely on packaged meat replacements.

    shop.pacificfoods.com

    "Eating vegetarian is cheap unless you lean heavily on packaged meat replacements. Don’t. Make fresh food and if you really want to recreate meat, do it yourself with tofu, jackfruit, or mushrooms."

    —Masugahau

    "Think of fake meat products as a fun sometimes extra and focus on finding meals that incorporate more affordable, vegetarian protein sources you enjoy—legumes, eggs, greek yogurt, tofu, etc. I honestly build most of my meals around these ingredients and then I’ll buy one fake meat product every week or so."

    —cb27

    4. Learn to cook with cheap protein alternatives.

    5. ...Or shop Trader Joe's' selection of affordable meat-free proteins.

    traderjoes.com

    "Trader Joe's offers a ton of frozen meat substitutes (meatless meatballs, mandarin orange morsels, meatless ground beef, smart dogs). With these frozen alternatives, I can make my usual dishes without the traditional proteins. AND my groceries stay the same in price."

    —ashleyn4ab9789be

    6. Cook with soy chorizo, which is usually inexpensive and carried by Walmart.

    caciqueinc.com

    "I love soy chorizo (less than $2 at Walmart!) and use it for tacos, stuffed peppers, or just eat it with rice."

    —jessc414327d83

    7. Meal prep one nutrition-filled dish to use in all your dinners throughout the week.

    tasty.co

    "Given my ever-changing schedule, I usually make one staple food for the week and just change how I eat it. For example, I make a large dish of baked fajita veg, and then use it in tacos, wraps, rice bowls, and whatever else I can think of."

    —laceyg413aac175

    Check out our recipe for portobello fajita bowl meal prep here.

    8. Make sauces to marinate your vegetables and protein in.

    tasty.co

    "I make different sauces (teriyaki, peanut, orange, etc) and use them to marinate protein or pour them on top of my dish."

    —dominiquem499dbf352

    Check out our recipe for a sweet teriyaki marinade here.

    9. Buy frozen vegetables, which are often more affordable and just as nutritious as fresh vegetables.

    10. Two words: Taco. Bell.

    11. When dining out, opt for Asian or Mexican cuisine, which have more vegetarian options than average.

    12. ...Or simply make a meal out of sides.

    13. Buy beans in bulk.

    Chamillewhite / Getty Images

    "Dried beans are significantly cheaper than canned, cooked beans. To prepare them, pop them in the slow cooker overnight, or soak them during the day and cook for about 1.5 hours, and they'll be good to go."

    —Sn6

    14. Memorize a few quick meals, like upgraded ramen or vegetarian pasta bolognese.

    15. If you have any vegetables that are on their way out, repurpose them for soup.

    Mphillips007 / Getty Images

    "I love making soup — it's healthy and delicious with bread and/or salad. Making it is easy too: I usually round up all the random veggies I have, roast them in the oven till charred, and add to stock, sometimes with a can of beans or chickpeas. Then I'll puree the batch and add spices and salt and pepper. It's super economical and tasty."

    —m4f4e0d3f7

    16. Try cooking other types of cuisines, which might lean less on animal-based protein.

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    Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.