By NISHANT KULKARNI
What do students love? Saving money and eating out – and that doesn't always seem possible if you're on a vegan diet
But with the right tips and tricks, it can be cheap and save you time.
Vegan diets are often high in fruits, vegetables, legumes and complex carbohydrates and are known to be healthy as they reduce the risks of cardiovascular and ischemic heart diseases (where there is a restriction in blood supply to vessels).
Monash student Tanya Noorani says she became vegan last year, primarily for ethical reasons.
Ms Noorani recommends buying frozen produce as a strategic way to save money. “Why buy fresh spinach for smoothies or lasagna, when you can buy frozen?” she says. Frozen veggies can be considerably cheaper than fresh vegetables. You can buy 1kg of Birds Eye Country Harvest Mixed Vegetables for $5 at Woolworths.
Ms Noorani says she spends roughly $50 per week on groceries, which includes treat foods and non-food items such as detergent and soap.
“I tend to shop seasonally [for] vegetables ... for example broccoli, leek and potato are more seasonally available at the moment, and therefore cheaper. I’ll make sure the bulk of my meals include some of these vegetables.”
A 2017 study conducted by the U.S National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health found that eating more whole foods is best for improving health and preventing disease. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and legumes retain their fibre and nourish the body with beneficial phytochemicals and nutrients that are often removed in processed foods.
“If you look at the app MyFitnessPal or even the Samsung Health App, you have the ability to log in foods … [it tells you] the macronutrient breakdown and the amount of vitamins and minerals in the food you’re consuming,” Ms Noorani says.
Monash Vegan Society member Ricarrdo Alder estimated a grocery spend of $50 per week as well. Mr Alder has avoided all animal-based products since he was in high school.
“Being vegan can be expensive if you want to buy extra stuff like vegan ice cream,” he says.
According to Mr Alder, a plant-based diet is not only nutritious, but can also be inexpensive. His weekly diet includes four blocks of tofu, frozen veggies and rice. His remaining grocery money goes towards fresh fruits and vegetables.
“These days, almost all restaurants have a cheap vegan option. This includes falafels, chips, guzman, anything else that you like,” Mr Alder says.
Mr Alder also recommends Wholefoods at Monash University Clayton campus. In his opinion, it’s the best place to eat out for students.
Wholefoods operations coordinator Brett Mclatchie says it’s cheaper to be vegan if you shop at the right places.
“The whole point of this restaurant is to give everyone food including vegans and vegetarians,” he says.
Wholefoods charges $3 for dal rice and $6.20 for curry with rice. These are the two best-selling items on the menu for vegans.
“If you volunteer with Monash Students Association, you can get free food vouchers for a meal and a soft drink,” Mr Mclatchie says.
This is one of the cheapest ways students can score free vegan food.
Pracana Thahonvanich is the restaurant owner of River Kwai, located in Clayton South. It serves up hearty portions of Thai and Burmese dishes. In her opinion, the tastiest items on the menu are the vegan stir-fry and the vegan curry. Both cost $15 take away.
“Vegan options help [my] business by getting more customers. It also requires less money ... as meat usually costs more,” Ms Thahonvanich says.
Vegan cuisine is prolific in Melbourne. New restaurants catering to this dietary requirement spring up every week.
A poll run on Facebook group Friendly Vegans in Melbourne found these five restaurants are popular choices among Melbopurne's vegans.
Popular vegan restaurants in Melbourne Smith and Daughters, 175 Brunswick St, FitzroyVeggie Bar, 380 Brunswick St, FitzroyThe Cornish Arms, 163A Sydney Rd, BrunswickRed Sparrow, 406 Smith St, CollingwoodShop 225 Pizzeria, 225 Melville Rd, Pascoe Vale South