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Daynesh, known for running his YouTube channel, recently shared a video on 10 money saving vegan food hacks. These practical tips are designed to help you stretch your grocery budget without sacrificing nutrition or flavor. In the video, He explains how going vegan definitely doesn’t have to be expensive – especially when you focus on whole foods, plan ahead, and skip overpriced alternatives.
Daynesh shares how he used to think plant-based eating would cost more, but changed his mind after adopting these strategies. “I found these easy hacks that now save me thousands each year, making eating plant-based even cheaper than when I ate meat,” he said. The video walks through smart storage tricks, low-cost staples, and ways to reduce waste. These vegan food hacks work for beginners and longtime vegans alike.
Read more: This Creamy Vegan Cacio E Pepe Comes Together In Minutes
If you’re looking for ways to eat healthy, cook more, and spend less, here are 10 hacks to help you get started.
1. Keep greens fresh longer
Greens go bad fast, but they don’t have to. “They start developing moisture, and moisture isn’t good for keeping anything fresh,” Daynesh explains. His trick? Add a paper towel to the container after opening. “This paper towel will absorb the moisture and keep your greens fresh for much longer.”
2. Avoid expensive vegan products
Many plant-based alternatives are overpriced like vegan meats and items like Nutella. “Vegan products have come a long way… but they’re all considered specialty products and they’re going to charge you as such,” Daynesh says.
He recommends building meals around cheap, versatile staples like potatoes, oats, lentils, pasta, and bananas. “Vegans were thriving long before these [fake meats] hit the shelves.”
3. Eat canned beans
Canned beans are one of the cheapest, most convenient sources of protein and fiber. “You can sometimes find them for less than a dollar for an entire can,” Daynesh says. They’re shelf-stable, easy to use, and can be added to pasta, salads, and curries in seconds.
4. Buy dried beans
Canned beans are cheap, but dried ones are even cheaper. “There’s really nothing that is quite as good of a deal as dried legumes,” says Daynesh. Lentils, chickpeas, and beans cost a fraction of the price in dried form, and they store for months without spoiling.
The only downside? You have to cook them – but there’s a hack for that too.
5. Cook them in an Instant Pot
Cooking dried beans doesn’t have to be hard. “This next hack eliminates almost all of those problems,” Daynesh says. “The trick is to buy an Instant Pot.”
He recommends the average-sized model and says it pays for itself fast. “You can cook these beans from dried in about an hour or so. But that’s not even the best part. You can just set it and forget it.”
It also works for cooking grains like quinoa, barley, and rice – another win for cheap, nutritious bulk foods.
6. Buy in bulk
Buying dried staples in bulk can save a ton. “You don’t need a family of four to take advantage of Costco sizes,” Daynesh says. He shows a 25-kilo bag of oats as an example. If it’s something you eat often, bulk shopping cuts down on price and packaging.
Plus, it looks good. “It also gives you the chance to have those fancy picture perfect glass jars,” he jokes.
7. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables
Fresh produce spoils fast. Frozen doesn’t. “This hack doesn’t only save you money, but it’ll also make your produce even more nutritious,” Daynesh says.
Frozen fruits are often picked and packed at peak ripeness, preserving nutrients better than fresh versions that sit on shelves. “It’s around 40 percent cheaper to buy frozen,” he notes, using blueberries as an example.
Find the video here
8. Eat out less or eat smart
Eating out can be pricey – especially with vegan markups. “There’s always a vegan fee,” Daynesh says. To avoid that, he recommends looking for cuisines that already have vegan dishes, like Indian, Thai, and Middle Eastern. “They just happen to be vegan,” he says, “and you might even end up paying less.”
Of course, the ultimate tip is to eat out less. And the next hack makes that easier.
9. Meal prep with what you bulk buy
Meal prepping helps you avoid takeout and reduce waste. “It’s the perfect way to get the most out of an Instant Pot and bulk buying dried legumes and whole grains,” Daynesh says.
You don’t have to prep everything. Even just prepping lunch or dinner a few times a week makes a big difference, and helps you stick to your budget.
10. Make your own flatbread
Store-bought bread can be pricey. Flatbread made from lentils isn’t. “All you have to do is soak the lentils, blend them with the salt and water, and heat it in a pan for flatbread. It’s that easy.”
It’s high in protein and fiber, and you can make a week’s worth for a fraction of the price.
You can find more money saving vegan food hacks and videos on the daynesh YouTube Channel.
Read more: Vegan Comfort Food Recipes That Never Fail
