Switching to a vegan diet can significantly reduce your grocery bill

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, giving up meat and dairy products can help lower your grocery bill. A study published in JAMA Network Open found that consumers could potentially save $500 per year by choosing a vegan lifestyle. Scientists say you can reduce your food costs by 16% by eliminating dairy and meat from your diet. "We knew that a vegan diet significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, and now we have evidence that opting for beans instead of beef also leads to significant savings in food costs," said Hana Kahleova of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. For the analysis, a group of individuals was divided into two groups, one eating a low-fat vegan diet while the other made no changes. To determine food costs, the dietary habits of the two individuals were compared with food price data from the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan. Vegan shoppers could save 16% ($1.51 per day), while the other group saw no significant changes in their spending. Researchers highlighted meat ($1.77 per day) and dairy products ($0.74 per day) as the most expensive items, while giving up eggs also leads to savings. Although vegans spend more on vegetables, about $1.03 per day, they save more money by avoiding animal products.