Save Money on Food with Meatless Mondays with Easy Recipes

There are things you can do so you are saving money on groceries. One of the easiest things you can do is have a meatless Monday! It is also really good for your health!

a veggie burger with cold slaw on a brown paper with text that says save money on food with meatless monday

Meat-free meals are one of my favorite changes that we have made in the last few years. A couple of years ago we were discussing ways to be healthier. We have a strong belief in healthy living being more than just fruits and veg. It is eating meat sparingly and eating other things that will bring you the nutrients. I felt better and my body was working better.

What we didn’t realize was the huge bonus to our no meat night choice… The money we saved! Taking out a day or 2 of meat made our grocery budget drop more than I thought it would

How to save money on groceries

How can I save a lot of money on groceries?

There are so many ways you can save money on groceries. The most important thing is choosing what works for you and your family. One family may pick couponing as a way to cut their budget, but that may not work well for another family.

One of the best ways to save money is to cut back on the things that cost the most and can be easily replaced with less expensive options. This is why a great way to save a lot of money on groceries is to have a meatless Monday.

Does eating less meat save money?

Meat is one of the most expensive items at the grocery store. It is also the easiest to replace in some recipes. So when you are eating less meat, you are freeing up that money for other things. Meatless Monday also helps to stretch the meat you do have, this also frees up money because it means you don’t buy expensive meat as often.

Are meatless meals cheaper?

1 lb of dry beans can cost you less than $1.00. 1 lb of meat usually costs you around $3-$7 on sale. That 1 lb of beans can feed 5-6 people. That 1 lb of meat would probably feed 2-4 people, depending on the meat. This makes a huge difference in cost.

Now I am not saying you should replace every meal with beans (not that that is a bad idea if your family chooses to). All I am saying is that meat is not necessary every night to be healthy or to get the vitamins you need. I think this is a big problem in America. We think meat must be eaten every day to be healthy. But the truth is that yes, meat is needed to an extent, but for the most part, there are lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes that could take the place of that meat and get us every vitamin we need.

How to start having a meatless Monday dinner

The benefits of Meatless Monday

There are so many benefits to having a meatless Monday. There are health benefits and financial benefits. Both will help you to live a healthy happier life.

The health benefits of having a meatless meal are that your body will be getting more fiber and more veggies. This gives your body more vitamins and it helps with your digestion. This will help your body to run better and help your body to absorb more nutrients.

The financial benefits are due to the fact that meat is the most expensive item you buy at the grocery store. Most Americans have meat 2-3 times a day. When you are having meat that much the cost really adds up! By taking a day to have a meat-free day, you are saving all that money in your bank account!!

Who doesn’t like to increase their bank account and benefit their health at the same time?!?

How do you make a meatless meal?

Making a meal meatless can be as easy or as hard as you want. You can use one of the meat substitutes and use the same recipes you always use or start with some new recipes. But if you have a family that you are cooking for and you have a meat and potatoes kind of family, the transition can be tough and take time.

What are the options do you have to make it an easier transition for your family to give up meat now and again? Start with 1 night a week on Monday and tell your family you are going to have “Meatless Monday!” Plan on having a re-fried bean meal like bean and cheese burritos, or Mexican lasagna (with beans, not meat). Do it consistently for a month then add in another day if you want to keep taking out more of the meat nights. We try to do 2 meat-free nights a week, but you can decide to do more or less.

Another way you can transition is to just make the leap. Talk with your family. Talk about health and how meals can be really tasty and meat-free. Then show them the meatless meal options they have. Eggs, lentils, and soy are all good replacement proteins for meat. It is all up to you and what your family likes. After you have talked with them, make the leap. This may be hard for some but stick to it and they will see that the meals will still be good and will probably like the change.

What can I make for dinner without meat?

There are so many options for meatless meals. especially now that there are lots of prefixed vegan meals you can buy. But if you are new to eating no meat, it can be a hard transition. So here are some options you can make that will be easy for your family to eat without a fight.