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good, cheap, veggie options.

post #1 of 10
3/30/12 at 5:45pm
Thread Starter 
I have been a vegetarian since last April (so almost a year now). I have a little bit of an idea of some of the protien type things, : peanut butter, meatless "chicken" strips, veggie chicken burgers, garden veggie burgers (I think cheese, and milk and stuff). I have found out the shock that yogurt has gelatin in it, sadly. What I usually end up eating is maccaroni and cheese, perogies, noodles, bagels, cream cheese, bananas, yogurt (now gelatin free), milk with cereal sometimes, granola bars, pudding cups, peanut butter honey sandwiches, i used to eat trail mix, but have not been lately. I know that I need to get more protien because of low iron problems, and I would love to be able to have some different options. Anyone have any good ideas for a cheap university student?
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post #2 of 10
4/11/12 at 8:31am
Most processed meat substitutes are pretty expensive and honestly not that great for you. Tofu and Tempeh are generally cheaper and have a good iron content. Most beans have some iron in them too. If you are in university canned beans are the way to go although they are even cheaper to by dried and in bulk. But a can of beans can probably give you a couple of servings for a fraction of the price of veggie burgers.
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post #3 of 10
4/11/12 at 9:50am
Beans are cheap! and they are amazing for health!
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post #4 of 10
4/11/12 at 10:50am
I wouldn't be surprised you have low iron. Where in the world are the green veggies in your diet?
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post #5 of 10
4/11/12 at 4:09pm
You haven't listed any veggies, or fruit! Get hold of them before they get pitched for cheap!
Fat free refried beans are vegan, cheap, full of protein and can be had as a dip with salsa, sandwich/wrap spread, or thinned even more with salsa, whole beans, and other veggies for chili.
Garbanzos. Rinse and eat right from can. Mash them up with mayo (veganaise), and whatever you'd use in an egg or tuna salad. Add to ramen noodles for xtra protein.
Quinoa. This is a seed packed with complete protein, and a good source of iron

Here's a good link:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm
Keep in mind some of the servings listed for values may be a bit skewed- like a cup of cooked quinoa- I don't think I would eat more then a half cup myself.
And often comparisons are made based on calories rather than weight, so yes, broccoli has more than beef, but has so many fewer calories you have to eat a lot to equal.

You should get your iron level checked. If you're female a multi vitamin with iron may be a good idea.

Eat more kale!
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post #6 of 10
4/17/12 at 9:44am
You definitely need more fruits and veggies in your diet. Beans too.

I like this recipe and I add frozen veggies to it: http://www.food.com/recipe/bbq-black...nd-rice-220778

Mock Tuna (you can use on a sandwich or on a salad): http://www.food.com/recipe/mock-tuna...ea-salad-87187

Snobby Joes: http://low-cholesterol.food.com/reci...by-joes-319866


When I have the Mock Tuna as a sandwich, I serve it with fresh fruit and a salad. With the snobby joes, I usually have a salad.
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post #7 of 10
4/19/12 at 2:14pm
Lentils for protein! Just as versatile as beans and over here in the uk, I sometimes find them cheaper than beans when you buy bulk from ethnic shops, typically Indian stores (sometimes its really handy growing up in east London - 10kg of red lentils for £3, uh yes please?)
"The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." - Charles Darwin
http://leighonamission.wordress.com
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"The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." - Charles Darwin
http://leighonamission.wordress.com
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post #8 of 10
4/19/12 at 6:21pm
Beans! Dry are the cheapest but canned are still pretty cheap.
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post #9 of 10
4/20/12 at 4:50pm
Processed foods are not the way to go for cheap food. I like beans and rice that you can make with a crockpot and rice cooker. You can do a thousand variations from white bean stew, to minestrone, to black bean and rice fajita bowls, to baked beans, to navy bean soup, to veggie chili, to soft tacos. I also make a lot of roasted veggie and quinoa salad. Pasta and sauce is cheap. I found a recipe for one that is made with a few ingredients and is creamy with the addition of ground cashews. It only costs a few bucks to make a ton. I frequently make a fried brown rice with tofu and chopped veggies. Stir fries are easy as well. Hummus, red pepper, and cucumber piled in a tortilla are a nice quick lunch. You can also make a mock tuna salad out of chick peas and a couple of other things. Bananas, apples,and carrots are cheap fruits and veggies to eat. I also have a couple of staple salads I make that have plenty of protein and nuts.
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post #10 of 10
4/20/12 at 11:52pm
Everyone is right about beans. Black beans especially are a good source of iron. I use them in place of meat in tacos & enchiladas. You can easily cook dried beans overnight in a crockpot, and for the dollar, get 3 to 6 cans worth (1 bag of dried instead of the cans). All you have to do is add enough water to cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (10 to 12 for chickpeas, though). However, if you're in a dorm, this may be a problem as far as having an appliance with a heating element and storage of the beans. If you have an apartment, you can store them in Ziploc containers in the freezer. Cooking them yourself eliminates salt and some of the cost.
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