Top 10 Reasons to Eat More Plants - #2 Beans are Cheaper than Meat

in , ,
 
Beans Are Cheaper Than Meat2.jpg
 

A pretty solid misconception about plant-based eating is that it’s super expensive. Sure, it can be if perhaps you load up on specialty products and pricier “super foods” and only shop at health food stores. But when you reflect on what your cart currently looks like at the grocery store with the cost of keeping stocked on meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs, eating plant-based can actually oftentimes pretty solidly save you money.

Eating plant-based has never seemed to be the source of an unusually high grocery bill for me. Admittedly though, it’s been several years since I included animal-based products in my shopping list and my family has grown since going plant-based. I did a bit of consumer sleuthing at a local Trader Joe’s and Vons to see how switching from animal-based to plant-based proteins really compares, particularly at more mainstream stores.

Here’s what I found, friends:

Trader Joe's at Milpas Canned Beans Display

Trader Joe's at Milpas Canned Beans Display

  • Animal Proteins:  $1.99 - $16.99/lb (approximately)
    Vons meats (from non-organic, value-pack chicken all the way up to grass-fed beef and seafood) in general seemed to range between $1.99/lb to around $16.99 lb. At Trader Joe’s, their animal-based variety ranged from $3.49/lb - $14.99/lb. Specialty animal proteins like organic or antibiotic free started at around $3.49/lb at both stores.
  • Plant Based Proteins:  $0.82 - $11.98/lb (approximately)
    On the other hand, canned beans at Trader Joe’s ranged from $.79 to $.99 for 15.5 oz cans (depending on whether the beans were organic). If you want to compare exact pound for pound, this is approximately $.82 to $1.02 per pound. Vons’ beans varied between $.99 for a 15.5 oz can for non-organic, club special pricing, and up to $1.99 for same size but organic. And these amounts could even go down if you choose to buy dried beans and soak them yourself. Tofu ranged from $1.49 - $1.99 for just under one pound and tempeh came to $3.98 for a total of one pound (two packs). If you want to compare more “meaty” alternatives, vegan Italian sausages were both $3.98/lb whether Tofurky or the Trader Joe’s brand (although sold in slightly smaller quantities). Vons carried a Tofurky Kielbasa vegan sausage that was slightly higher at $5.14/lb (also sold in slightly smaller quantities) and the Beyond Meat “The Beyond Burger” Plant-Based Burger Patties were the priciest at $11.98/lb (sold in 8 oz packages).

Cost of a plant-based diet can seem like a deterrent before you go for it, but it really depends on what your habits are now and what choices you make. In general, though, switching to bean based proteins should save you money. So great! This handy-dandy chart from the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine also takes a look at the difference between eating beans versus beef and goes a step further to demonstrate how nutritionally they compare.

Just to reiterate, this is purely my own consumer research, on this given day in time, but the healthiest plant-based proteins, those that I eat most regularly – beans, tofu, and tempeh - are all on the lower end of the pricing (but not quality!) scale and generally cheaper than most of the animal-based proteins. You can absolutely keep your grocery bill stable or see it lower eating more plant-based. Putting beans in your enchiladas or mushed into a homemade burger, scrambling your tofu or tossing it in your stir fry, roasting your chickpeas, grilling up some tempeh for your sandwich, or making your bacon from tempeh all bring health benefits and can also keep your pocket book happy. So load up on protein from plants!

And while the meat to bean transition is the primary focus here, it's important to keep in mind that protein is in soooo many plant foods! It's everywhere! If you're eating a calorically appropriate diet with a variety of plant-based foods, protein should not be an issue. And make your protein choices work harder for you. Rather than thinking about how your protein can get you protein, think about how your protein can also get you fiber and a host of other vitamins and nutrients. By increasing the efficiency and nutrient density of your food choices through plant-based proteins, you benefit from a range of health (and cost saving!) perks and don't have to worry about things you don't need like added cholesterol. I love this article by Plant-Based Dietician Julieanna Heaver that outlines why you need not fret about protein on a plant-based diet with ideas for thinking more broadly about protein sources, like broccoli, oats, pasta, brown rice, and more:

5 Reasons You Can Stop Pursuing Protein and Start Focusing on Food 
by Julieanna Heaver

HEALTHY YOU FACT: 

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BODY PRODUCES ALL THE CHOLESTEROL YOU NEED? YOU ACTUALLY DON'T NEED DIETARY CHOLESTEROL FROM ANIMAL-BASED PROTEINS IN YOUR DIET, WHICH CAN SEND YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS INTO OVERDRIVE.
 
KEEP YOUR PROTEIN WHOLE FOOD, 
PLANT-BASED FOR HEALTHIER FATS WITHOUT THE DIETARY CHOLESTEROL!

Hungry for more grocery tips? Keep an eye out for an upcoming post with a few more ideas for mindful grocery shopping to help keep your wallet happy while transitioning to more plant-centered eating!