Yes, you read the title correctly. I spent $20 (USD) at the Dollar Tree and ate vegan for a full week. For those who don’t know, the Dollar Tree is a true dollar store. Meaning, everything in the store is $1 (USD) or less. My friend Korenn Rachelle wanted to dispel the myth that eating vegan is expensive. We did a collab video on our YouTube channels. You can find Korenn’s video here and my video here. I had some really great meals this week. Let me show you three.
For $1 (USD) I found a bag of frozen fruit made for smoothies. The bag contained bananas, strawberries and blueberries. I added a splash of milk and a dash of turmeric (not from Dollar Tree). Each only adding pennies to the cost. I placed all ingredients into my blender and whipped it up. I poured it in a bowl and topped it with coconut shreds, hemp seeds and gogi berries (not from Dollar Tree). Because these items are a bit more expensive I will give this breakfast a total cost of $1.50 (USD).
I got a pound of white rice from the Dollar Tree. I cooked one cup in water with no other seasonings. Once cooked, I “fried” a half cup in a teaspoon of sesame oil (not from Dollar Tree). To that pot I added a dash each of turmeric, garlic powder, chili powder and Bragg’s Amino Acids (not from Dollar Tree). I added 1/4 cup of mixed veggies that I got from the Dollar Tree. I topped it all with Sriracha (not from Dollar Tree). I will assign a $1.25 (USD) value to this meal.
OMG!! This is my favorite creation from this week. I took a few flour tortillas that I got from the Dollar Tree. Spread some vegan butter on top (not from Dollar Tree). In a small bowl I mixed apple pie spice, coconut sugar and cinnamon (not from Dollar Tree). Sprinkled it on top of the tortillas and cut them into chips. I think it is important to cut them before baking them. Once cut, bake them for 12 mins in a 300 degree fahrenheit oven. This is so delicious!!! This snack was made for $1 (USD).
Eating vegan does not have to be hard or expensive. Just use your imagination and the possibilities are endless. You will do good for your body, the animals and the planet.
xoxo,
Blackberry’s Mom
