This page is intended to serve as a simple example of how an inexpensive, plant based day of eating can meet recommended macro and micro nutrient needs. The foods included are ordinary grocery store staples chosen for their affordability, nutritional value, and accessibility, not because they are the only foods that work.

With a little planning, shopping around, and buying in bulk where practical, it is entirely possible to create an even less expensive nutritionally complete plant based diet than the one shown here. Food prices vary by region, store, and season, so this example should be viewed as a general concept and example rather than a fixed meal plan. The goal is simply to demonstrate that meeting nutritional requirements on a plant based diet does not require expensive specialty foods or supplements beyond common recommendations such as vitamin B12 (and vitamin D for those with limited sun exposure), which ultimately come out to a few cents per day - e.g., supplementing B12 costs about ~$0.02–0.05/day. Use this example as a starting point and adapt it to your own budget, food preferences, and local grocery options.