Fast affordable vegan plant based meals for a day
Plant based vegan meals can be healthy, easy and inexpensive. You can make and enjoy abundant meals. Here are some classics.
This post was updated to include affiliate links to recommended products and affiliate advertisements.
Note: the following ideas are personal opinion based on subjective experience. This is not dietary or medical advice.
Breakfast - porridge / oat meal / cooked oats
This dish goes by a few names. Porridge (or oatmeal) is a very cost effective breakfast. A bag of oats can often cost a dollar or less. Organic oats are still relatively cheap, considering they can serve many portions.
Porridge (or oatmeal) is one of the best breakfasts. Image: iStock, edited.
NutritionFacts lists the health benefits of oatmeal porridge. It may help arterial function and lower cholesterol levels. This high-fibre food will give that filled up feeling. That can actually contribute to weight loss. NutritionFacts also mentions, "To date, the best studies have revealed that fiber seems to protect against the risk of stroke." Got spare oats leftover after breakfast? Keep oats (dry or frozen) to ease itchy or irritated skin. Ok. Now we know why oats are awesome for our health. Let's get back to planning that breakfast.
I like to add chia seeds during the cooking process for my porridge. I also usually flavour it in that stage. My usual flavours are either berry (mixed or not) or apple and cinnamon.
An oats based breaky can become more balanced with toppings. This is something I did not usually do when growing up. I just remember putting a natural sweetener on my porridge when occasionally eating it in childhood. Now I understand how to amplify the nourishment, texture and colour. Toppings could include chopped nuts, pieces of fruit, a scattering of dried fruit, coconut or seeds.
Lunch - burrito bowl
A burrito bowl ticks the boxes for an ideal meal at any time. It is worth a try for lunch. A cold version can be made ahead. When there is time, some hot ingredients can feel nourishing to get through the day.
A veggie-filled vegan plant based burrito bowl is a great way to revive in the midday. Image: iStock, edited.
If you find a natural tortilla wrap, go ahead and wrap up those ingredients. If you don't have tortillas or want a larger serve of food, get this meal into a bowl. I usually eat a burrito in a bowl when I can't find natural tortillas without additives.
Burrito is fine to bring for work or on the go. Put the contents into a jar that can seal up well. I would take the precaution of storing this meal in an insulated lunch bag and maybe with ice bricks. Even better, refrigerate it when possible.
Ok. Here are the basic affordable burrito ingredients. These can be bought in bulk to really save. If making this meal to eat later, allow any hot ingredients to cool before including them with cold fresh foods.
Make your own seasoning. We keep a DIY taco seasoning in the kitchen. It can flavour any Mexican foods. This saves time and avoids packaging. It also may be tastier and healthier than store-bought versions.
Get some fresh or frozen corn. It could be charred on a pan, served fresh raw or defrosted. Maybe even mash it?
Choose beans - preferably black beans, pinto beans or maybe red kidney beans. These can be canned or you can soak and boil dry beans. DIY cooked beans are easier than expected. If using canned beans, rinse them a lot. If you have a few more minutes, make your own refried beans. I sometimes get beans from a prepped Mexican chilli batch and use a slotted spoon to avoid runny sauce. This is a quick flavoured addition to the burrito.
Cook some rice. Save on the cost by buying a large bulk bag of rice. These are found at Asian stores or some supermarkets. Gain more fibre by eating brown rice. Alternatively, white rice may be cheaper. When possible, find organic rice. Cook whichever rice you prefer. This can be prepped even a couple of days ahead.
Tomato could be added into a burrito simply plain or in a homemade salsa. Tomatoes can be cheap when finding a good deal, growing your own or using some canned varieties. Just use tinned tomato in moderation in a burrito because it will be quite saucy. Also look for a BPA-free can of organic tomatoes if it's accessible.
Spinach is a relatively affordable way to add leafy greens to the meal. Salad greens can be refreshing too.
Try using onion raw or cooked. This budget ingredient is a staple for flavouring. If capsicum is a good deal, sauté it with onion. Or have the capsicum raw in tiny pieces or thin strips.
Splurge ingredients can bring a burrito bowl to the next level. They may still be cheap compared to takeaway or when some products become a marked down bargain. Maybe the meal is so cheap, you don't mind adding a few pricier options anyway.
Jackfruit could be pulled and then cooked in a Mexican seasoning on the frying pan (even without oil if preferred). Try flavoured jackfruit on its own or mixed with other cooked ingredients.
Avocado is such a favourite for Mexican food. If you're not on a low-fat diet, top the dish with some pieces or slices of avocado. Make a guacamole with onion, lime and maybe tomato. I just mash my guac with a fork. It's pretty quick. There are lots of ways to make guacamole.
Kale or other leafy greens can be added when they are available. Some say leafy greens should be included with almost every meal. I would sauté the kale with some cooked ingredients, oil-free. Alternatively, massage and finely chop kale leaves. Do what feels right.
Does coriander taste good with Mexican food? It depends on who you ask. That or parsley could add freshness.
This list is definitely not exhaustive. There are many ways to make a burrito or a bowl. It definitely can be made to feed many on a budget. This is most likely to become a large batch to meal-prep.
Tip - store leftover components and ingredients separately. They can then be used for other dishes at another time.
Dinner - bean burgers with sides
Bean burgers! This is better for dinner because it needs to be heated on the pan or in the oven. The burger patty mix is relatively simple. If you need to save even more time, prepare the uncooked patties in advance and then freeze them.
There are diverse ways to make a veggie burger. Mine was probably inspired by a few online recipes. I usually eyeball the quantities for black beans, oats (blended oat flour or quick oats), finely chopped cooked onion, smoked paprika and garlic powder. I get this all in a bowl and just smoosh the mix with a fork or my hands. Charming, isn't it? Then just make burger shapes. The burgers might fry on the pan without oil but the pan should be very clean as the burgers may stick. Alternatively, put them on a baking tray with a silicone sheet to avoid sticking and then cook them in the oven. Check these occasionally because they could go very crispy. Don't worry. Although a veg burger should be watched and timed closely, it's otherwise quite simple.
Burger fillings and sauces are as important as the veggie patties. I will list a bunch of foods here to give an example. But let's be real. Everyone knows what goes on a burger. Almost anything. Mix-and-match some of these ingredients: mustard, tomato sauce (ketchup) barbecue sauce (vegan of course), leafy greens, onion (cooked or raw), tomato slices, avocado, hummus, cashew cheese (if a diet allows), fermented vegetables and so on. Maybe have something totally different. You know this part of assembling a burger.
Sides are important for those of us who like to eat a lot. If you just need a short preparation time but can wait for something to bake, make some chips in the oven from whole potatoes or sweet potatoes. For something even faster, make a salad at the time or in the hours prior.
Invent your own inexpensive meals
Plant based whole food meals are a very affordable way to eat vegan food or just get more plants in your day. With enough basic vegan plant based ingredients in the kitchen, you can experiment to make your own wholesome meals. These were a few cheap easy meal ideas to get through the day.
More articles about food:
