Contact Us

Check out our FAQ list on this page! Don’t see your question, feel free to shoot me an e-mail! I promise that I’ll see your email, but due to the high volume of mail I receive, I may not be able to respond to everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is plant-based?

On this site, we use it to describe a diet that revolves around eating vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruits, but with no animal products.

Why should I eat plant-based?

If you want to save money, be healthy, help the planet, and save animals, all at the same time, plant-based eating is for you!

What if I can’t eat plant-based all the time?

Don’t worry! It’s not all-or-nothing. Pat yourself on the back for making better choices, one meal at a time.

What about flour, salt, oil, and sugar?

Plant Based on a Budget is often the first stop for people who are newly interested in vegan eating. The recipes and meal plans on this site don’t use any animal ingredients and are mostly comprised of whole foods (foods that are close to their natural state). But this site is designed to make plant-based eating familiar and flavorful in order to make the transition as easy and welcoming as possible for newcomers.

Do I need to start shopping at new stores?

Nope. You can still shop at the same grocery store. You can buy fresh/frozen/canned produce, beans, pasta, rice, oatmeal, cereal, and so much more! Check out the recipes and meal plans to find out how just how easy it is.

I’m interested in plant-based eating; where do I start? 

Check out our free meal plans, and our super high-quality meal plans. There you’ll get a sense for what to buy, how to prep your food, how to cook, and how to save money. You can also check out my book, The Super Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite recipes on Plant Based on a Budget:

 What about vegan replacements like plant-based meats, cheese, and eggs?

If you’re trying to save money, I say skip ’em. I usually buy store-brand almond milk and that’s about it. That said, if you have the cash and want to replace the animal products you use, here are my recommendations:

Almond Breeze non-dairy milk (dairy section), Ripple non-dairy milk (sold at Target), Earth Balance Buttery Spread, Just Mayo, Silk soy yogurts, Beyond Burgers (sold in the ground meat aisle at Safeway and elsewhere), Soyrizo (cheap at Trader Joe’s), Tofurky sausages and deli slices (usually near the produce aisle or natural foods section), Gardein crispy chick’n nuggets (frozen section), Beyond Meat beefy crumbles (frozen section), Amy’s frozen non-dairy mac n cheese, Earth Balance box mac n cheese.

If you’re looking for your “favorites,” visit this page. If you’re looking for your meal plans, visit this page. If you have questions about nutrition, please check out NutritionFacts.org or check out the book How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger. Looking for more resources, visit this page. If you don’t see your question answered, you can shoot me an e-mail: toni [at] plantbasedonabudget [dot] com