Wondering whether or not your proposed switch to a plant-based bodybuilding diet is going to cost your bank account? If so, you’re not alone. Many people who have just transitioned to a vegan diet or are thinking about it are concerned it’s going to be more expensive than a standard omnivorous diet. But is this true? Is vegan bodybuilding expensive?
When comparing traditional vegan bodybuilding foods to traditional animal-based bodybuilding foods, the vegan ones are almost uniformly less expensive (with the exception of tofu):
| Vegan | Non Vegan |
|---|---|
| Dried Lentils: $2.49 per lb | Ground Beef: $5.99 per lb |
| Black Beans: $1.99 per lb | Chicken Breast: $3.49 per lb |
| Tofu: $5.99 per 1.5 lbs | Eggs: $3.49 per 1.5 lbs |
| Tempeh: $7.38 per lb | Bacon: $7.49 per lb |
In order to fully answer the question, is vegan bodybuilding expensive, we must take a closer look at the facts.
But first, check out YouTube vegan bodybuilder Brian Turner’s take on the situation:
Vegan Bodybuilding Diet Facts
Let’s compare the cost of an equivalent amount of vegan meat, dairy, and egg replacements with their non-vegan counterpart. And then we’ll look at some more “basic” vegan bodybuilding foods:
Vegan vs Nonvegan Food Cost Per Unit
| Ground Beef | Beyond Beef | Whole Milk | Almond Milk | Eggs | Just Egg | Greek Yogurt | Coconut Based Yogurt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 /lb | $9.99 /lb | $4.29 /lb | $7.98 /lb | $3.49 /lb | $11.99 /1.5 lb (dozen) | $3.00 /lb | $4.39 /lb |
As we can see here, vegan ground beef is $4 more than regular ground beef, almond milk is $3.70 more than whole milk, vegan yogurt is $1.39 more than cow’s milk yogurt, and vegan Just Egg is a whopping $8.50 more than regular eggs.
Now let’s see what happens when we compare some animal-based bodybuilding foods to some core, basic vegan bodybuilding foods:
| Ground Beef | Dried Lentils | Chicken Breast | Black Beans | Eggs | Tofu | Bacon | Tempeh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 /lb | $2.49 /lb | $3.49 /lb | $1.99 /lb | $3.49 /dozen | $5.99 /1.5 lb (dozen) | $7.49 /lb | $7.38 /lb |
With the exception of tofu, which is $2.50 more than eggs, and tempeh, which is the same cost as bacon, all of the vegan products are less expensive than their nonvegan counterparts here. Dried lentils come in at $2.49 per pound, tofu at $5.99 per one and a half pounds, and dried black beans at a stunning $1.99 per pound. Compared to ground beef which is $5.99 per pound, chicken breast which is $3.49 per pound, and bacon which is $7.49 per pound, clearly these vegan protein sources are, for the most part, much cheaper.
Finally, let’s take a look at one last metric to see if vegan bodybuilding is expensive:
Vegan vs Nonvegan Calories Per Dollar
| Ground Beef | Dried Lentils | Chicken Breast | Pinto Beans | Eggs | Plain Oats | Bacon | Quinoa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calorie per dollar | 264 kcal | 929 kcal | 239 kcal | 1026 kcal | 802 kcal | 2148 kcal | 179 kcal | 673 kcal |
We can clearly see here that ground beef, chicken breast and bacon offer a small amount of calories per dollar, under 300 each. Eggs are solid at 802 calories per dollar. But that is nothing compared to 929 calories for lentils, 1026 for pinto beans, and a whopping 2148 for plain oats! These vegan bodybuilding staples offer more calories per dollar, meaning you get more for what you pay. This of course means you end up paying less!
Vegan Bodybuilding Does Not Have to Be Expensive
So, is vegan bodybuilding expensive? These prices clearly show that it is actually less expensive, if you stick with core vegan staple foods like lentils, tofu, and beans.
Of course, bodybuilding, whether vegan or not, is itself expensive. You need to eat a lot of food, especially if you’re bulking. There is a special emphasis on the proper type of nutrition as well, which may (or may not) be expensive. And there are the costs associated with a gym membership or home gym equipment. This all costs money of course. In that sense, vegan bodybuilding is expensive. But no more so than traditional bodybuilding.
There is nothing intrinsic about being a vegan bodybuilder that means you will spend more money than a non-vegan bodybuilder. Yes, vegan protein powder tends to cost more than its non-vegan counterpart, but you don’t need protein powder to be a successful vegan bodybuilder.
As we have seen, vegan meat, dairy, and egg replacements are expensive. But, again, these need not be staples of a successful vegan bodybuilding diet. Foods such as lentils, beans, and tofu are cheap and effective muscle builders.
Why is Vegan Meat More Expensive?
A variety of factors influences the higher prices of vegan meat.
For one, the demand is simply lower for vegan meats, which means producers can charge more. Vegan meat only makes up 1% of total retail meat sales in the US. (2)
Another reason for the higher cost of vegan meat is that animal agriculture is heavily subsidized by the government. (3) This contributes greatly to lower costs of production for animal-based meats.
All this being said, plant-based meat is getting cheaper! Beyond Meat’s cost of production fell by $1 per pound from 2019 to 2020. (4) This is definitely progress!
Despite this improvement, as I stated earlier, you don’t need vegan meat to make ultimate bodybuilding gains. I outlined some of the best vegan foods earlier, but what else is there?
What Does a Vegan Bodybuilder Eat Every Day?
A day in the life of a vegan bodybuilder seems like a complete mystery to those “on the outside”. In reality, it’s a lot more normal than one would think.
Like a bodybuilder on an omnivorous diet, certain foods are staples for the vegan bodybuilder. Depending on whether you are bulking or cutting, some of these foods may not always be in your daily diet, but sometimes you just need to adjust the amount. In fact, I’ve found that, if you’re eating a healthy, whole foods diet with proper planning, often the only adjustment necessary is to reduce or increase your calories, depending on your goal.
That being said, here are some of the top foods that a vegan bodybuilder eats every day:
Vegan Foods High in Healthy Fats
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Flaxseed
- Chia Seed
- Hemp Seed
- Cacao Nibs
- Tahini
- Olive Oil (not as a cooking oil though)
Vegan Foods High in Protein
- Lentils
- Beans
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Quinoa
- Chickpeas
- Seitan
- Peas
- Nuts
- Hemp Seed
- Oatmeal
Vegan Foods High in Complex Carbohydrates
- Rice
- Pasta
- Sprouted Grain Bread
- Potatoes
- Oatmeal
- Lentils
- Beans
- Chickpeas
Most vegan bodybuilding foods will be high in carbohydrates, so you won’t have to worry much about getting your carbs in. Fiber is abundant in these foods as well. Of course, fruits and vegetables are staples in any vegan bodybuilding diet. Some of the highest protein fruits and vegetables include:
- Green Peas
- Lima Beans
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Guava
- Apricots
- Blackberries
- Cantaloupe
Check out this video to see what IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Nimai Delgado eats in a day:
Still a bit unsure of what your next grocery store visit is going to look like? No Meat Athlete has a great article here with a sample vegan athlete’s grocery list which is perfect for vegan bodybuilders as well. (5)
Also, if you’re looking for relatively healthy, premade vegan snacks, check out my article on the 21 Best Vegan Bodybuilding Snacks for Ultimate Gains
Is it More Expensive to be a Vegan Bodybuilder?
As we have seen, traditional vegan bodybuilding foods tend to be less expensive than traditional non vegan bodybuilding foods. The truth is, a vegan bodybuilding diet can be either more expensive or less expensive, depending on the choices you make. If you want to eat vegan sausages and burgers, and drink plant-based milk all the time, then it may be expensive, especially if you are bulking.
However, if you stick to the core, staple vegan bodybuilding foods like lentils, beans, oats, and tofu, it will actually be cheaper. Rice is also a great filler food that is super cheap, easy to prepare, and provides clean nutrients.
Feeling adventurous? This in-depth article from One Green Planet outlines 25 unique rice-based recipes that look amazing! (6)
References
- Kirk, Michael. “Calorie Per Dollar List – Eat For 21 Dollars A Week.” Efficiency Is Everything, efficiencyiseverything.com/calorie-per-dollar-list/.
- “Retail Sales Data: Plant-Based Meat, Eggs, Dairy: GFI.” The Good Food Institute, 2020, gfi.org/marketresearch/.
- Carrington, Damian. “$1m a Minute: the Farming Subsidies Destroying the World – Report.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 Sept. 2019, www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/16/1m-a-minute-the-farming-subsidies-destroying-the-world.
- Piper, Kelsey. “The next Challenge for Plant-Based Meat: Winning the Price War against Animal Meat.” Vox, Vox, 18 Aug. 2020, www.vox.com/future-perfect/21366607/beyond-impossible-plant-based-meat-factory-farming.
- Frazier, Matt. “A Vegan Grocery List for Athletes.” No Meat Athlete, 15 Sept. 2020, www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-athlete-grocery-list/.
- “Think Rice Is Boring? Try These 25 Exciting Recipes That Will Change Your Mind.” One Green Planet, 25 Sept. 2020, www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/exciting-rice-recipes/.
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