Cheap Vegan Meal Plan for Ireland (Under €40/Week)

Key Budget Principles

• Buy dried, not canned: Dried beans and lentils cost 1/5th the price of canned.
• Shop Aldi & Lidl: Significantly cheaper than Tesco or Dunnes for essentials.
• Batch cook: Make large portions once, eat multiple times.
• Buy in season: Spring/summer vegetables cost half as much.
• Skip branded items: Supermarket own-brand is identical quality at 40% less.

Weekly Shopping List

Weekly Fresh & Perishable Items (€35–€39 per week)

Vegetables (choose 6–8 seasonal items):

• Potatoes (2kg bag) — €1.50
• Onions (2kg bag) — €1.20
• Carrots (1kg bag) — €0.80
• Cabbage (1 head) — €0.70
• Broccoli (2 heads) — €2.00
• Spinach (200g bag) — €1.50
• Tomatoes (6 pack) — €2.00
• Mushrooms (200g) — €1.50
• Lettuce (1 head) — €0.80
• Garlic (1 bulb) — €0.40
• Ginger (small piece) — €0.60

Vegetables subtotal: €13.00

Proteins:

• Tofu (2 blocks, 500g total) — €3.00
• Tin of chickpeas (1 tin, if not using dried) — €0.80

Proteins subtotal: €3.80

Fruit:

• Bananas (6) — €1.20
• Apples (4) — €1.60
• Oranges (4) — €1.80

Fruit subtotal: €4.60

Pantry & Condiments:

• Soy sauce (if needed) — €1.50
• Coconut milk (1 tin) — €1.20
• Plant milk (1L) — €1.50

Pantry subtotal: €4.20

Bread & Grains:

• Bread (1 loaf) — €1.20
• Whole grain bread (if available) — €1.50

Bread subtotal: €2.70

Weekly Total: €28.30

Including initial staples (prorated): €37.65

Note: Prices vary slightly between regions. Shopping at Aldi typically hits this target; Lidl is similar. Dunnes will exceed it by 25–30%.

7-Day Meal Plan

Monday

Breakfast: Porridge with banana and peanut butter (oats, plant milk, banana, 1 tbsp peanut butter)

Lunch: Red lentil curry (batch cooked; see recipe below)

Dinner: Tofu stir-fry with brown rice (tofu, broccoli, carrots, soy sauce, garlic, ginger over rice)

Snacks: Apple, banana with peanut butter

Tuesday

Breakfast: Toast with peanut butter and sliced tomato

Lunch: Red lentil curry (leftover)

Dinner: Pasta with tomato & chickpea sauce (batch cooked; tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, garlic, onion, herbs)

Snacks: Orange, carrot sticks with hummus

Wednesday

Breakfast: Porridge with apple compote (cooked apples with cinnamon)

Lunch: Pasta with tomato & chickpea sauce (leftover)

Dinner: Bean chilli with rice (kidney beans, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin—batch cooked)

Snacks: Banana, apple

Thursday

Breakfast: Toast with hummus and spinach

Lunch: Bean chilli with rice (leftover)

Dinner: Lentil & vegetable soup (brown lentils, potatoes, carrots, onion, spinach—batch cooked)

Snacks: Orange, banana

Friday

Breakfast: Porridge with banana and berries (frozen if needed)

Lunch: Lentil & vegetable soup (leftover)

Dinner: Baked potato with tofu scramble (tofu, turmeric, spinach, mushrooms) and side salad

Snacks: Apple, carrot sticks

Saturday

Breakfast: Toast with peanut butter

Lunch: Leftover tofu scramble with toast

Dinner: Chickpea curry with rice (coconut milk, chickpeas, spinach, onion, garlic, ginger)

Snacks: Banana, orange

Sunday

Breakfast: Porridge with apple and peanut butter

Lunch: Chickpea curry with rice (leftover)

Dinner: Vegetable stir-fry with tofu & noodles or rice (whatever's on hand)

Snacks: Apple, banana

Key Batch Recipes (Make Sundays)

Red Lentil Curry (2 servings per day for 3 days)

Ingredients (makes 6 servings):

• 250g dried red lentils (or 600g cooked)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 tin coconut milk (400ml)
• 2 tins tomatoes (800g total)
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 tsp curry powder
• Salt & pepper

Method: Sauté onion, garlic, ginger for 3 minutes. Add curry powder. Add lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, carrots. Simmer 25 minutes until lentils break down. Season. Divide into 6 portions; refrigerate 3, freeze 3.

Cost: €4.50

Pasta with Tomato & Chickpea Sauce (2 servings × 2 days)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• 250g dried chickpeas (or 2 tins)
• 2 tins tomatoes (800g)
• 1 large onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt & pepper

Method: Sauté onion & garlic. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, oregano. Simmer 20 minutes. Freeze in portions. Heat and serve over pasta.

Cost: €3.20

Bean Chilli (2 servings × 2 days)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• 250g dried kidney beans (or 2 tins)
• 2 tins tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt & pepper

Method: Sauté onion & garlic. Add tomatoes, beans, spices. Simmer 25 minutes. Freeze half. Serve with rice.

Cost: €3.00

Lentil & Vegetable Soup (2 servings × 2 days)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• 200g dried brown lentils
• 2 large potatoes, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 large onion
• 200g spinach
• 1L vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & pepper

Method: Sauté onion. Add stock, lentils, potatoes, carrots. Simmer 30 minutes until tender. Stir in spinach. Freeze portions.

Cost: €2.80

Chickpea Curry (1–2 servings)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• 400g cooked chickpeas
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 2 tins tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 200g spinach
• 2 tsp curry powder
• Salt & pepper

Method: Sauté onion, garlic, ginger. Add curry powder, tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir in spinach. Serve with rice.

Cost: €3.50

Total Batch Cooking Cost: €17.00 (makes 22+ servings)

Cost Breakdown Summary

Plus staples cost (€18) amortized monthly = €4.50/week = €40.20/week total. Prices vary ±5% by location.

Batch Cooking & Storage Tips

Storage Guidelines

• Fridge: 3–4 days maximum for cooked meals
• Freezer: Up to 3 months for most curries, soups, chilli
• Container tips: Use flat containers to save freezer space. Label with date.
• Thawing: Move to fridge night before, or microwave 5–7 minutes

Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

• Cook porridge in large batches; reheat with plant milk
• Make peanut butter toast the night before
• Keep fruit washed and ready to eat

Money-Saving Tips

Where to Buy in Ireland

Adapting the Plan

For 2 people: Roughly double quantities. Batch cooking becomes even more cost-effective. Weekly budget: €70–€75.

For families: Add eggs to staples (non-vegan). Use identical batch cooking approach. Budget increases minimally.

For higher protein needs: Add tofu or tempeh to every meal. Increase nuts/seeds. Weekly budget increases by €5–€8.

Allergies/substitutions: Soy-free? Use more beans and legumes (same cost). Nut-free? Use seeds. Gluten-free? Switch to rice, potatoes, corn (slightly more expensive).

Health Notes

This plan provides 2,000–2,400 kcal daily, 50–70g protein, and balanced macronutrients. Includes iron from legumes, calcium from leafy greens, and omega-3s from seeds. Consider a B12 supplement (€3–€5 monthly) if not consuming fortified plant milk regularly.