Just over the last week or so I have been asked twice about the cost of being vegan. Over the last few years, I have been asked innumerable times “Isn’t it expensive to be vegan?” Being the fucking smartass that my dad raised me to be, I usually answer back something like “Isn’t a triple bypass expensive?”
But what it really comes down to is, no. Being vegan is not expensive. There are things associated with being vegan that can be expensive, like eating out, buying prepacked vegan meals and buying organic produce at farmers markets. Yes, those things can be expensive. But you know what is not expensive? Rice. Beans. Most of the world subsists on these completely. What else is not expensive? Carrots. Lettuce. Tofu is significantly cheaper per pound than meat.
Learning how to cook is one of the best things you can do for yourself, for your wallet, for the earth. You can make a healthful meal at home to take with you to work or school that costs significantly less than it would cost to eat out. Not only that, but bringing meals from home in reusable tupperware rather than disposable to-go or delivery meals lowers your carbon footprint. It’s like giving mother earth a hug.
You do begin to see a rising cost when you start shopping for organic produce and vegan “meats,” but there are ways to shop smart and to stretch your budget (I will talk about this in a later blog). I think the real cost for many people is not the actually financial cost that comes with being vegan, but the social cost. Once able to enjoy the late night chili cheese nacho runs with your friends, now afraid to sit out, alone, with a stick of celery, assuring everyone you much rather prefer this over the pile of nachos. There is fear of being ostracized for being different, and feeling left out of certain events, places, whatever. That I understand, and to those people I say, confidence is everything, but if you are not ready to face the world armed with carrot sticks and hummus, then consider your other options, like being vegetarian. You can still enjoy pizza and nachos and In-N-Out grilled cheese with the rest of the gang, and make a positive impact in your world.
Another thing to consider is where you are spending your money, and put a real value on it. How much do you spend on your television bill every month? New clothes and shoes? Movies? Is it worth it? Can you put a value on your health and the health of the planet?
