Welcome toThrifty. A weekly column where assistant nutrition editor and registered dietitian, Jessica Ball, keeps it real on how to grocery shop on a budget, make healthy meals for one or two, and make earth-friendly choices without overhauling your entire life.
7 Plant-Based Foods You Should Be Making, Not Buying
Instead of buying them, try making these plant-based staples at home. They are lower cost, easily customizable and healthier than what you can find at the store.
1. Hummus & Dips
One super easy go-to food I always make from scratch ishummus. It comes together with pantry staples like chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini and garlic. When you make your own hummus, it is easy to add any herbs, vegetables or aromatics for flavoring. This way you can add flavor while keeping sodium in check and also avoid any flavor additives used in some store-bought versions.
Beyond hummus, there are plenty of plant-based dips like thisButternut Squash Queso Fundidothat are perfect for snacking or adding to a sandwich, wrap or bowl. Condiments can help take the flavor of your meal up a notch. Make your own using whole foods to boost your nutrition and save you money.
2. Non-Dairy Milk
3. Seitan
TikTok has spoken with the latest trend about how tomake your own seitan from scratch. If you are not familiar, seitan is a combination of wheat gluten, which is the protein found in wheat, and water. This makes it a naturally high-protein and soy-free vegan substitute for meat that has a similar texture and mouthfeel. It is packed with nutrients and goes great in everything but it can be expensive to buy. Making your own is easy and saves you money.
4. Salad Dressing
5. Nut Butters
While certain types of peanut butter are inexpensive pantry classics, opting for something natural or a different nut can make the price go up. Contrary to what you may think,making your own nut butteris easy and cost-effective. All you need is a food processor, and you can grind the nuts until they release their natural oil and turn into nut butter. When you make your own, you can also add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to meet your preference.
6. Energy Bars and Balls
To always have a healthy snack ready on the go, try making your own energy bars and energy balls. We have several energy ball recipes, likeCaramel Delight Energy Balls(yep, like the Girl Scout Cookie!) andPeanut Butter Energy Balls, to make your snack something worth looking forward to. When you make your own, you use all whole-food ingredients to make a healthier take on pre-packaged granola bars or treats for a lower cost. With a little planning, it is easy and affordable to have healthy, plant-based snacks at home.
7. Bread
I’m not just talking aboutsourdoughwhen I say that homemade bread comes together with simple pantry ingredients for amazing results. Many breads use only flour, yeast and water, making their ingredients super affordable. Though it can take a little know-how, recipes like ourNo-Knead Refrigerator Breadcome together easily and relatively quickly so you can have delicious and healthy homemade bread on a budget.
The Bottom Line
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