8 plant-based swaps that save you $100 a month

Cutting grocery bills doesn’t have to mean eating less—it can mean eating smarter.

Below are eight swaps that keep the flavor (and the protein) but drop the animal products and roughly $100 from a typical monthly food budget.

Short, actionable, and backed by real price data, each idea shows how simple choices add up fast.

1. Beans for beef

“A serving of green beans cost a measly 11 cents,” nutrition scholar Marion Nestle once wrote, marveling at USDA price tables.

Hard numbers today still echo her point: dried beans average $1.67 /lb while ground beef sits at $5.80 /lb.

Swap two pounds of beef a week in chili or tacos for equal-weight pinto or black beans, and you pocket about $34 a month—without losing fiber or protein.

Personal note. I started doing this on Monday night burrito bowls. Nobody complained; everyone just asked for more salsa.

2. DIY oat milk for dairy

“Oat milk has a powerful nutrient profile that will nourish and satisfy,” notes dietitian Valerie Agyeman.

If you blend rolled oats yourself (½ cup oats + 4 cups water) a quart costs roughly $0.64: rolled oats from Costco run about $1.00 /lb. 

Compare that to whole cow’s milk at $4.02 /gal—or $1.01 /qt.

For a household that goes through a gallon a week, homemade oat milk saves $15 a month. Bonus: zero cartons to recycle.

3. Lentils in pasta sauce

Question: what happens when you trade 1 lb of ground meat in Sunday Bolognese for 1 lb of brown lentils?

Answer: you shave about $17 a month (same price gap as beans vs. beef) and gain gut-friendly fiber.

The texture is so close that my skeptical travel buddy in Bologna never noticed—until I told him.

4. Tofu instead of chicken breast

Chicken breast averages $4.22 /lb right now.

Organic tofu at mass retailers hovers near $3.34 /lb (a 14-oz block for $2.92).

Harvard’s Nutrition Source reminds us that plant proteins are “generally more affordable than meats and fish.”

Swap two one-pound portions a week and bank $15 a month—plus a shot of calcium and zero salmonella worries.

5. Chickpea flour for eggs in baking

Ever whisked 3 Tbsp chickpea flour with 3 Tbsp water? The foamy mix behaves like one egg in pancakes or muffins.

• Eggs: $4.55 /dozen → $0.38 each. 

• Chickpea flour: $1.36 /lb → $0.09 per “egg.” 

Replace six eggs a week and you’re up $7 a month. No cholesterol, no cracked shells.

6. Homemade hummus over deli meat

I’ve mentioned this before, but my quick work-lunch fix is a hummus-packed pita instead of a turkey sandwich.

• One cup of dried chickpeas → 2 cups cooked hummus base for about $0.85.

• Eight ounces of sliced turkey easily tops $5.00.

Make that trade three times a week and another $17 a month stays in your wallet—while your sodium count plummets.

7. Frozen veg for out-of-season produce

USDA retail scans show a 12-oz steam-ready bag of mixed vegetables at $1.08 (≈ $1.44 /lb). 

Fresh broccoli in May averages $1.70 /lb—and that’s before half a head wilts in the crisper. 

Using two frozen bags instead of tossing spoiled fresh veg saves roughly $10 a month in both price and waste.

8. Stovetop popcorn for potato chips

A 16-oz bag of chips costs $6.73. 

Store-brand popcorn kernels ring up near $2.13 /lb.

Pop two pounds a month in a covered pot, skip three large chip bags, and net $9 in savings—plus whole-grain fiber for movie night.

The bottom line

Stack the math and the monthly tally hits about $103 without extreme couponing or coupon binders—just eight conscious swaps.

Plant-based eating isn’t only about ethics or climate; it’s also a straight-line path to keeping more cash for things you actually value.

Try one switch this week. Your budget (and maybe your arteries) will thank you.