Eating plant-based on a budget
ProVeg South Africa is dedicated to improving the accessibility of a plant-based diet in our country. In collaboration between Plant-Based on a Budget & Food Lovers Market, we have created a 1 person 1 week vegan meal plan for under R50 per day! After launching the meal plan, we started a Vegan On A Budget series on our digital platforms to help you thrive on a plant-based diet while maintaining your tight budget. Find some special tips on our Instagram.
Tofu is an awesome protein packed ingredient
Tofu is prepared by curdling soya milk, pressing it into a block and cooling it. It is high in protein, containing all essential amino acids as well as important minerals such as potassium and magnesium. When opened, tofu must be rinsed, covered with water and kept in a refrigerated container. The water should be changed often to keep the it fresh. It can also be cut into desired sizes before freezing. Tofu is considered a source of plant protein, which should always take up a quarter of a well balanced plate. You can eat it raw, throw it in smoothies, fry it up, bake it, cook it in curries, pies, and take it just about as far as your creativity goes! We suggest that everyone tries a simple tofu scrambles recipe as a protein packed egg-free breakfast option.
Where you can get cheap tofu in South Africa
Tofu is available in all leading retailers in our country. Compare prices from Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Spar, Wellness Warehouse and Food Lovers Market here. Unfortunately, due to the limited demand, it may not be available in every store. If you can’t find tofu on the shelves of your favorite retailer, reach out to us or the store manager to place a request. The cheapest place to get your tofu is at an Asian supermarket. We were not able to collect costs from every single supermarket, but most stores are in a similar range to that which is included below.“As a general rule of thumb, virtually ANY Asian supermarket sells silken/soft tofu (or “bean curd”) for anything from R5 a block. The important thing is that you know to ask for/know the difference between FIRM and SOFT tofu (as they both fulfil different culinary functions)”
– Garth Tavares, Cape Town Vegan
