Very cheap vegetarian diet?

Eating vegetarian is generally cheaper than eating meat. The trap that many veg*s fall into is consuming large quantities of what I refer to as "designer" foods such as soy milk, burgers, and other processed soy/plant analogs. These foods are industry made and very expensive, hence the impression that eating veg*n is so costly.

If you stick with whole food, you will only save money. This includes fresh produce. If you have a produce market or store like Food 4 Less or Ultra Foods in your area, then there are bargains to be had on a daily basis. Cabbage is about as cheap a food source as you can find, even when it's not on sale. Green onions, parsley, cilantro, hot peppers, yellow onions, cauliflower, greens (collard, mustard, turnip), leaf lettuce, and many more are very reasonably priced. Frozen vegetables are superior to canned in most cases, and are not any more expensive. You can also find produce specials on items that aren't so fresh, oftentimes at half the price of the fresher items.

Whole dried legumes are dirt cheap. The cheapest meat I've seen recently was ground beef on sale for $0.99 / lb., while lentils normally are around $0.75 / lb. Whole grain wheat, brown rice, and pasta are all inexpensive. Olive oil isn't cheap, but a little can go a long way.

Preparing these foods doesn't need to be complicated. Always soak legumes and whole grains, preferably overnight to render them more digestible. Drain and cook thoroughly with ample water. Try refried bean tacos for a nice supper. Saute onions in some oil, add minced jalapeno peppers, season with salt and pepper. Add beans (pinto or black) and cook a while, smashing them with the back of a spoon or with a potato masher. Add water or vegetable stock for a smoother consistency. Warm some corn tortillas in a pan. Add beans to tortillas and top with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, optional sour cream or cheese, hot sauce, salsa, or whatever else you prefer. Serve with rice on the side if you wish.

There are many more options available. You should check out a vegetarian cookbook and other cookbooks at the library for more ideas. Many non-veg cookbooks have meat ingredients that can either be easily replaced or omitted. Definitely practice your cooking skills, even if you don't know how. A good, sharp knife is one of the most versatile cooking tools you have - learn to use it if you don't already have the skills. You might consider making your own bread or other foods such as sauerkraut, pickles, even yogurt or cheese.

Two other inexpensive practices to consider are gardening and foraging. Most people have a small plot of land they can devote to gardening, or know someone who does. Get a book from the library, join a local garden club, buy some seeds and get started. You can even save some seeds from the store produce you eat and plant them if you are adventurous.

Foraging involves collecting wild plants and fungi. Ask around your community or keep your eyes open for mushroom hunting groups - in Illinois (Chicago) we have the Illinois Mycological Association that sponsors morel mushroom hunts for their members. Other locals might collect plants and could be willing to share their knowledge. The library and web are other resources. There are a diverse selection of edible (and poisonous!) flora in just about any area you might live in the world. I have dandelions, garlic mustard, wood sorrel, ground cherries, and purslane growing wild on my own property. The nearby parks have stinging nettles, black walnuts, apples, raspberries, may apples, puffball mushrooms, winter cress, and many more that are free for the taking. Of course you must follow some precautions and educate yourself before setting out on a foraging adventure. You must be absolutely positive of your identification. Even so, eat new foods a little at a time to ensure that you don't have an allergy or sensitivity. Don't collect plants that are endangered and be sure that you can do so legally. Of course with plants like dandelions or garlic mustard (invasive), that is never a problem, and they are very nutritious and abundant. Forage will likely only ever make up a small portion of your diet, but a valuable portion it is. I look at them as supplements. Good luck at any rate.

I didn't become a vegetarian to lose weight or change my body, I became one because I don't believe livestock are treated ethically and I can't afford to buy organic and real free range meat all the time. So my body has not changed too much..but hopefully I can help some. 1. I am never one for good body image. I feel like my body is healthier though. 2. At first I went veg. the wrong way, mostly frozen dinners or not eating right. So my energy levels were not good. Once I ate more balanced and fresh, my energy has been good. Also my sleeping is better, I used to not be able to fall asleep good or stay asleep. 3. Ahh the weight question! Luckily I'm the same weight though:P 4. Honestly it is the same. I get a ton of exercise from my dogs. I just have to make sure I eat enough soy protein so I don't lose muscle. If vegetarians and vegans do not eat enough proteins, they actually gain fat and lose muscle. Their bodies will become flabby.

Congratulations on trying to become a vegetarian.

First of all as others have said too I don't think vegetarian diet is expensive. However I try to be as cheap as possible but some stuff (if you really like the dish) are worth to pay a bit extra as they last long.

1- for recipe: try potato and Cheddar cheese dish. try to convince your parents to buy Cheddar chunks as it makes a difference. slice potatoes (no need to skin if you don't want to) mix some garlic powder, hot water, flour and Cheddar cheese and some salt, pour that on top and leave it in the oven 325 for 45 minutes. broil for tops to get golden. this can be a simple yummy side dish.

you can also make an easy mashed potatos. peel and cut potatoes to chunk. cook with some water for half hour, leave very little of it's water and blend potatos and water with a hand mixer. Add butter if you like. and any amount of salt you like. if you have access to sour cream or milk add that too.

2- general advice:

a) fruits and nuts (toasted pumkin seeds are an excellent source) in the mornings are excellent.

b) if you are too worried, for now get a box of multivitamins and try one a day.

c) try taking an orange a day after your meal. it boosts immune system and is good for digestion.

d) try to use whole wheat way more often than white.

e) cooked beans and soy are handy and mix well with rice as a side dish. to take the smell of soy put fresh garlic and soak them with water. then to take away the sweetness use apple cider (or any) vinegar and a spoon of sugar and some salt in the water which is being soaked. try to rinse the water away and leave in a basket overnight. also warm up soy before adding oil or butter because it takes less oil that way.

f) nutmeg powder is a good spice to add while frying for stews in general.

g) You do need tomatoes paste handy but always add cheese when cooking pasta as too much tomatoes and bell peppers take the calcium out of your body I have heard. a box of parmesan (make sure no rennet) powder can last you for so long on your pasta eventhough may seem expensive at first.

h) Hummus is an excellent and filling dish for vegetarians. but I suggest to start buy them already made off the shelf where they sell fresh dips. it keeps you for hours and has lots of protein. It is basically chickpeas (use can) and tahini ( which is a sesame paste)

i) use a few drops of sesame oil on your salads if you like that homely oriental taste.

Good luck.

I like how "prepackaged sliced cheese" fits in your definition of "somewhat healthy."

Vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, and legumes are all extremely cheap and found in long-lasting forms like frozen and dried. Ditch the canned: that stuff is loaded with sodium and boiled all to hell.

I have no idea what food you like...if you gave me an idea via email, I could help you with recipes. Since there are literally THOUSANDS of recipes out there, it'd be kinda...well...time consuming to type them out for you just because you don't want to use a faster connection at your local library to search Google.

Tater tots and potato chips, maybe some occasional iceberg lettuce

Maybe this can help you:

http://www.easyvegetarianmeals.info/