I'm vegan and I spend about $175 a month on groceries - here's exactly what I buy

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Trader Joe's — weekly: $31.44

Trader Joe's — weekly: $31.44

I love Trader Joe’s — there are plenty of vegan options (read: delicious junk food that’s conveniently marked as vegan, like cookies and vegetable panang curry), their store-brand products are solid, and the produce is usually high quality. I’ll occasionally treat myself to a new-to-me vegan item, but for the most part I stick to my staple foods:

  • Canned garbanzo beans — $3.16
  • Tofu — $5.37
  • Canned corn – $1.78
  • Spinach — $1.99
  • Sweet potatoes – $3.67
  • Avocados — $2.99 (Note: I won’t buy these when the costs is more than $1.50 per avocado)
  • Bananas — $1.33
  • Fuji apples — $4.67
  • Cucumbers — $1.49
  • Grape tomatoes — $2.49
  • Cauliflower — $2.50
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Trader Joe’s — monthly: $13.44 (or more)

Trader Joe’s — monthly: $13.44 (or more)

There are also some items I buy at Trader Joe's only about once a month.

  • Vegan tikka masala — $3.69
  • Bell peppers — $1.99
  • Pasta — $1.29
  • Marinara sauce — $1.79
  • Marinated artichoke hearts — $2.69
  • Peanut butter — $1.99
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Safeway — every other week: $10.61

Safeway — every other week: $10.61

For some reason, Trader Joe’s doesn’t have cheap staples. I can’t justify buying small amounts of organic rice when I so frequently use it, so I usually go to the local Safeway to stock up on those. Lucky for me, it’s on my way home from Trader Joe’s, so I can easily pick up a few items:

  • Rice — $4.12
  • Cracked wheat sourdough — $2.99
  • Almond milk — $3.50