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    Home » Meal Plans

    Weekly Vegan Meal Plan for Two under $50 (Week 2)

    Published: Jan 6, 2023 · Modified: Jan 29, 2023 by Nicolette · This post may contain affiliate links. By browsing this website, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use.

    In this week’s Vegan Meal Plan for Two, I spent $47.75 to purchase everything I’d need to cook 5 vegan dinners, bake Almond Flour Banana Muffins for breakfast, plus make 2 freezer meals for future dinners. Read on to see what I make, where I shopped and what I had to purchase.

    Collage of 4 dinner recipes.

    Meal Planning FAQs

    Why weekly meal planning?

    Last year, in 2022, we spent much more on food than we would have liked. We could blame it on inflation, busy work schedules, moving, sickness, stress, etc., but the truth is we got lazy and unorganized. It was not a priority. Eating out when you’re tired and want a break is SO easy, but it adds up to hundreds, if not thousands of unnecessary spending every month.

    So this year I am sharing the amount I spend every week on groceries to help me stay on track and hopefully inspire you to do the same!

    What are you saving money for?

    Our 2023 goal is to keep our food expenses (including restaurants and coffee out!) under $500 a month.

    By the end of the month, if I am still under budget, I will stock up on our Vegan Pantry Staples at bulk prices to help us save even more money throughout the year.

    Our savings will go towards paying down our mortgage. We have a personal goal of being mortgage-free by 40! What would you do with that extra money back in your pocket this year?

    Does sticking to a grocery budget really make a difference?

    The short answer: OH MY GOODNESS, YES!

    The long answer: In 2016, I graduated from a private university with $70,000 in student loan debt. I didn’t realize just how much money I had borrowed until I graduated and received notice that my minimum payment would be over $1,000 a month (not including interest!).

    It felt like my options in life became non-existent because every penny I made had to go to debt and bills. I immediately started researching how to get out of debt FAST.

    The #1 thing that always came up was weekly meal planning and being frugal at the grocery store. We can’t easily change the amount we owe on fixed expenses like our rent, mortgage, car, etc, but we have a LOT of control over what we spend at the grocery store every week.

    To this day, I attribute my ability to pay off my $70,000 of student loan debt in just 27 months to shopping smart at the grocery store every week. It doesn’t feel like it, but small savings every week add up to a LOT OF MONEY over time.

    Even with rising grocery prices and inflation, the cheapest way to feed your family every week is by eating at home and meal planning intentionally.

    You’ll be surprised how much you can make a difference in your finances just by taking 30 minutes or so to plan ahead each week and shop smart.

    What is the Home-Cooked Roots Meal Planning Method?

    If you’re new, check out my post, Vegan Meal Planning for the Week Made Easy. In a nutshell, I follow this meal planning formula:

    Sunday – Slow Cooker
    Monday – Make Two and Freeze 1
    Tuesday – Something that takes 20 minutes or less to prep
    Wednesday – Slow Cooker
    Thursday – Leftovers
    Friday – Freezer Meal (something I previously made and froze)
    Saturday – Free Choice (cook, eat out, or leftovers)

    This gives me structure to help me plan quickly, but still gives me flexibility to make foods and flavors that sound good. We also always eat leftovers for lunch.

    Again, check out the Vegan Meal Planning for the Week Made Easy post for in-depth details to help you make this system work for you.

    How do I cut down my grocery bill?

    First, choose recipes based on what’s already in your pantry! The goal is to have your pantry list be longer than your grocery list. This means you meal plan by shopping your pantry, fridge, and freezer first to prevent food waste, save money, and shop with intention.

    Second, sign up for cash back apps like Ibotta. They regularly offer cash back on products you’re likely already purchasing every week. I earn about $50 cash back every month without even trying! Sign up with my code WVSUIJG to earn $10 cash back on your first receipt submission!

    picture of food on a tablet
    TAKE MY FREE GROCERY SAVINGS CHALLENGE!

    Go from feeling defeated by never ending grocery inflation to saving hundreds of dollars every month in just 30 days.

    This Week’s Dinners

    Slow Cook Sunday:
    Slow Cooker Peanut Stew

    This stew by Girl on the Bloor is an African-inspired recipe made with chickpea and sweet potatoes. Serve over basmati rice with cilantro and Air Fryer Green Beans.

    Get the recipe

    Make 2 Monday:
    Vegan Red Lentil Curry

    This Vegan Red Lentil Curry is the perfect weeknight dinner – it’s creamy & indulgent, but made with wholesome vegan ingredients. Serve with Vegan Naan!

    Get the recipe
    Pot with plants design that says Early Access Premium Recipe

    20 Minute Tuesday:
    Sofritas

    These Sofritas are a copycat Chipotle recipe. They’re a delicious addition to any taco, burrito, or vegan burrito bowl.
    ⭐️ Premium recipe

    Get the recipe
    Bowl of taco soup garnished with sour cream, cheese and cilantro.

    Slow Cook Wednesday:
    Vegan Taco Soup

    This soup is a quick & easy weeknight recipe made from simple pantry staples. It’s rich in flavor, high in protein, and easy to customize!

    Get the recipe
    Pot with plants design.

    If it’s Thursdays:
    if it’s in the fridge, it’s for dinner.

    This is leftovers day in our house. You can either eat leftovers from recipes earlier in the week or make yourself something with what we have.

    BBQ tempeh strips being brushed with BBQ sauce.

    Freezer Friday:
    Vegan BBQ Tempeh

    This sweet & smoky BBQ tempeh is marinaded, then baked until tender. Delicious served as BBQ sandwiches!

    Get the recipe

    You Pick Saturday:
    Vegan Burritos

    These burritos by Vegan Heaven are stuffed with brown rice, black beans, corn, vegan sour cream, and guacamole. It’s super easy to make & perfect for the whole family.

    Get the recipe

    Breakfast

    Pot with plants design that says Early Access Premium Recipe.

    ⭐️ Premium recipe
    Almond Flour Banana Muffins

    I don’t always meal prep for breakfast, but this week I wanted to make my new Almond Flour Banana Muffins. Join Home-Cooked Roots Premium and give the recipe a try for breakfast this week!

    Get the recipe

    My Weekly Spending Breakdown

    I purchased everything from Walmart Grocery Pickup. For reference, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. These groceries may cost more or less for you based on your area.

    I also ALWAYS check Ibotta for deals on what I need before shopping.

    What I Already Had:

    Produce (Fresh or Frozen)
    Garlic
    Sweet potatoes
    Lemon
    Limes
    Green onions
    Shallots

    Fridge/Freezer
    Spinach (freezer)
    Green beans (freezer)
    Vegan cream cheese (I’m making my own from scratch this week!)
    Sour cream

    Shelf Stable
    Avocado Oil
    Vegetable broth
    Peanut butter
    Chickpeas
    Chopped peanuts
    Rice
    Red lentils
    Full-fat coconut milk
    Almond butter
    Rice vinegar
    Coconut sugar
    Pinto beans
    Black beans
    Kidney beans
    Salsa
    Tamari/soy sauce
    Maple syrup
    Liquid smoke

    Spices
    Curry powder
    Cumin
    Chili powder
    Salt
    Turmeric
    Coriander
    Garam masala
    Black pepper
    Paprika
    Garlic powder
    Oregano
    Taco seasoning
    Nutritional yeast

    What I Bought:

    For Dinners
    Avocados ($3.38)
    Grande burrito flour tortillas, 8 count ($3.88)
    Organic romaine lettuce hearts, 3 pack ($3.46)
    4 oz. can diced green chiles ($0.78)
    15 oz. can organic lentils ($1.16)
    2 (15 oz.) cans organic corn ($3.16)
    14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.88)
    6 oz. organic tomato paste ($0.96)
    Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce ($1.58)
    Fresh poblano pepper ($0.20)
    Red onion ($0.78)
    Organic super firm tofu ($2.98)
    4 serrano peppers ($1.58)
    Fresh ginger ($0.90)
    Cilantro ($0.88)
    Bell pepper ($1.38)
    2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes ($2.72)
    3 lbs yellow onions ($1.58)

    For Breakfast and Snacks
    Bananas ($1.70)
    Dave’s Killer Bread ($5.98)
    36 oz Organic coconut flour ($7.83)


    Total Spent: $47.75

    Back stock Purchases:

    Cashews ($18.00)

    Eating Out:

    This week we went to a friend’s house for a potluck and purchased $21.72 groceries to make sides and appetizers to bring with us.

    Total Spent this Month:


    Groceries: $106.26
    Back stock: $46.96
    Eating Out: $99.83

    Total: $253.05

    See you next week for next week’s meal plan! Comment below with what you’re cooking this week!

    More Meal Planning Resources You May Find Helpful

    • Freezer Inventory Printables
      Free Printable Freezer Inventory Sheets
    • Bowl of green lentils with spoon.
      How to Cook Lentils in Rice Cooker
    • Collage of 4 meals.
      50+ Best Cheap Vegan Meals
    • Freezer February challenge.
      Freezer February – Money Saving Challenge!
    « Almond Flour Banana Muffins
    Instant Pot “Baked” Potatoes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judy Gulliver

      January 06, 2023 at 10:45 am

      Following you on this. We keep our food purchases within a budget, but I’m always looking for new ways to achieve that goal. We’re retired (20+ years), and have been plant-based for almost 8 years. Conquered some pain problems and both of us feel so good.
      I create a weekly menu plan on Monday. Tuesday I check our food stock and make out a grocery list. Wednesday I doublecheck Monday’s and Tuesday’s work so we can shop on Thursday. I primarily shop the produce and bulk, with my husband being the expert on canned, packaged and cold/frozen items. We’re in and out within 30 minutes, sticking to the list! I see several items on your list this week which will be on mine next!! Thanks so much.

      Reply
      • Nicolette

        January 15, 2023 at 4:24 pm

        Thank you, Judy! Your meal planning ways sound great and very smart! Sticking to the list is key.

        Reply

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