Plant-Based Kids: How to Raise Your Vegan Family on a Budget! by Nicole Joli Tirado

Raising plant-based kids on a budget is possible! DIY and plan food, not meals, for two to three days at a time. My daughter, Phoenix, can be picky, so I prepare dishes not meals. By doing so, I can mix and match foods according to what she feels like eating while ensuring she gets all the nutrition she needs. I prepare food on Sundays and Wednesdays. Here's a sample of my standard shopping list:

• half bag of green lentils ($1.50)
• bunch of kale ($3)
• bunch of beets ($1.50)
• head of cauliflower for rice ($3)
• purple or sweet potatoes, to be steamed ($3.98)
• spinach, to be sautéed ($4)
• a pot of black rice or quinoa ($5)
• a pot of sweet potato and carrot curry ($8)
• green juice (celery, green apples and cucumbers) and orange juice

That covers lunch and dinner for the week at an average cost of $2.85 per meal. You’ll quadruple your money – the time invested is worth it. A favorite for most kids:

• Pasta and pizza sauce: Cost for 4 cups of sauce is about $8. That’s about half the cost of two jars of store-bought sauce.
• Dessert: Blend fruit and almond milk. To fill a mold for six ice pop molds costs about $1.16, that’s $0.19 per ice pop.

Parenting plant-based toddlers on a budget without coupons just takes a little extra time, the right tools and lots of DIY.