You guys know how much I love a challenge, right?? I haven’t done a challenge in a couple of years, so I was kind of itching to do something new. January is the perfect time for resolutions and challenges because there’s nothing else going on, so it’s easy to stay FOCUSED. I’m sure I’m going to need a reset after all this holiday food, so for the entire month of January I’ll be doing a 31 Day Vegetarian Challenge! 👏BRING ON THE VEGETABLES!
Why Do A Challenge?
I love doing challenges because it forces me to think outside the box, reassess my current habits, build new habits, and show you guys how this whole “budget cooking” thing works in the real world. During my challenges I share as much detail as possible about what I buy, cook, and eat so you can see how everything comes together. You’ll see what worked, what didn’t work, and everything in between. And hopefully, sharing these experiences will inspire you to get busy with your meal planning and budgeting, regardless of what dietary practices you follow.
For this year’s vegetarian challenge, I especially want to demonstrate that it is possible to eat a diet full of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and all the other “good for you” foods that are often assumed to be too expensive. So whether you want to try vegetarianism on for size, or just want to work more plants into your diet, I hope this challenge inspires and encourages you.
What to Expect:
Each week I’ll post a couple new recipes, as usual, but I’ll also be posting weekly recaps. The recaps will include a very detailed breakdown of what I bought, cooked, ate, and what went into the compost. I’ll show price break downs of everything so you can see the comparison between the total costs of my meals vs. the total cost of my receipts. And I’ll likely offer a short reflection at the end of each recap discussing what worked and what didn’t.
The format will be very similar to my previous challenges: SNAP Challenge and September Challenge, although I am not limiting myself to a specific budget. Instead, I’ll just be using the Budget Byting Principles to keep my overall costs low, and I’m excited to see where my total costs land.
Join Me!
We will also have a dedicated 31 Day Vegetarian Challenge newsletter, which will provide weekly previews of my meal plans (so you can compare them to the end of the week recap and see what was a success or a #fail), plus extra tips for sticking to your budget. The Challenge has now ended but you can read my recaps here: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4.
What Not to Expect:
The purpose of this challenge is not to tell you what you should or shouldn’t eat, or why. People eat vegetarian for so many different reasons and I don’t plan to “sell” you on any of them. What you eat is your decision, and yours alone. I chose to do a vegetarian challenge for several reasons, but will only discuss the budget-related aspects here (okay, maybe a few of the health aspects, too). I aim to inspire, not convince.
This challenge is not going to be all tofu and tempeh. While I might use those ingredients on occasion, my favorite vegetarian recipes are the kind that just happened to be vegetarian. The kind that makes people say, “Wait, that was vegetarian?” after they wolf down their meal. ;)
My Objectives:
- Maintain a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet for 31 days (all plant ingredients plus dairy and eggs are allowed, no meat, poultry, or seafood)
- Eat as many vegetables, legumes, and whole grains as possible, while not relying too heavily on pasta and rice (my weakness!).
- Develop vegetarian recipes that are easy, satisfying, and equally enjoyable to omnivores.
- Plan each week’s meals ahead of time and shop only once per week.
- Eat all home-cooked meals, aside from one date night out per week. I will stick to the vegetarian diet even when eating out, but date night costs will not be included the total food budget.
- Keep costs as low as possible, while finding a personal balance between budget, convenience, and splurge items (hello cheeeeeeeeese 🧀).
The Countdown Begins…
So that’s it for now! I just wanted to give you a heads up about what’s coming in January, give you an opportunity to sign up for the challenge newsletter, and provide a place for you to ask any questions ahead of time. You can leave your questions in the comments below!
I’M SO EXCITED! 🥦🥑🌶🍳🥗
I’m just seeing this and wanted to do the challenge! How do I do this?
Hi Mandy, this is an older blog post where Beth just tracked her progress eating vegetarian for a month. There wasn’t any specific meal plan involved, but if you’d like to try something similar yourself, there are lots of vegetarian recipes on the blog to accommodate you and even vegetarian meal plans available for purchase. :)
Thanks for the post, im just about to complete my 31 day challenge and this really helped me out a lot. I just finished writing a piece about my experience and final thoughts after completing the challenge on my blog so feel free to give it a read if it’s of any interest!
Love it! This week I’m about to make a recipe you used for the challenge last year. The family loves it. I love finding new ways to cook veggies!
Happy to hear it Adrienne!
Love your easy and very simple recipes. I will definitely try them and let you know the outcome.
Hi I’ve signed up twice for challenge emails and received one email, but that was it. I doubt understand and there is nothing on website or Instagram. Is the challenge going on? Where are the recipes?
Thanks
Priscilla Elliott
elliott88family@att.net
Hi Pricilla, yes I am currently in the first week of the vegetarian challenge. Everything on the blog will be pretty normal, aside from my weekly recap post, which shows what I bought, cooked, and ate for the week. If you are subscribed to the newsletter you will get an email before each week begins where I share what I have planned for the week. Since we’re only in week 1, only one email has gone out so far (if you signed up after that went out, you may have only gotten the welcome letter). And just to clarify, I will not be providing a meal plan for other people to follow, since everyone needs a different amount of food and has different schedules, etc. I am challenging myself to eat vegetarian for 31 days and showing all of you my meal planning process. I encourage everyone to try it as well, but I can not provide personal meal plans, since everyone has different needs.
I’ve been vegan for 3 years now and I still visit your blog regularly for recipes and inspiration! You totally nail the “accidentally vegetarian” category, which is my favorite way to eat plant based as well. The mock meats and special vegan items are fun, but you don’t need them to create tasty and satisfying meals. I’m looking forward to this challenge for you and I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you!
I have an idea that would be really useful for your website. You could have a function that would allow your viewers to choose recipes and put them into a “cart” as if they were going to buy the recipes. Rather than buy them, when they click submit the “cart”, your website sends an email with a grocery list of all the items needed for those recipes.
The grocery list can have boxes next to the items so people can easily check off the items they already have in their fridge/pantry.
Love your website and the recipes are amazing.
The website/app “Copy Me That” can basically do this! A few more steps are involved, but it’s how I meal plan, store recipes, and create shopping lists that I can see on my phone or print out. And it’s free!
There’s also a website (with an app) that does this called Plan to Eat. I import all my recipes from various websites there (LOTS of Beth’s BudgetBytes recipes!), drag and drop them onto a calendar when I mealplan, and it creates my grocery list for me. It’s been a GINORMOUS help to me over the last year or so. If your interested, my (affiliate) link is here: https://www.plantoeat.com/ref/NikkiHargrove
I’ve tried signing up for the challenge newsletter using two different email accounts and still haven’t received anything yet. What am I doing wrong? I’m excited for this challenge!
I see that you entered your email in the subscription form, but the subscription is “unconfirmed.” When you first subscribe we send an email with a button you have to click to confirm your subscription. If you didn’t get that email, have you tried checking your spam folder? You won’t receive the newsletters until that confirmation button is clicked.
Really looking forward to the vegetarian challenge!! I’ve thought for years I could easily go vege and not miss the meat. This will be a good test and I may just stay with it permanently if it goes well. Can’t get the other 3 in my family on board, but I’m still doing it. Funny thing is, we eat vegetarian probably 3-4 nights a week already, and as long as I don’t call it that, no one seems to notice or care (homemade mac and cheese with broccoli, veg quiche, spaghetti with shredded veg sauce, etc). So I may up them to 5 nights a week and if there are complaints, I’ll try to make modular meals where they can add in a chicken breast, or meatballs to their spaghetti, etc. Shouldn’t be a problem. :-)
A (vegetarian) friend turned me onto your site a couple years ago. I appreciate your straightforward approach and attention to detail. Keep up the great work.
YEEEES THIS IS THE BEST! Long time reader and longer time vegetarian here. Beth, I literally learned how to cook by reading your blog. Can’t wait to see what you come up with. Everything I make from Budget Bytes is pure gold with no exceptions.
Yay! Looking forward to this :) I started following back when you were doing the SNAP challenge so excited to see weekly updates again.
I’m looking forward to this! I love me some bean-based meals, and you make such tasty ones. Do you think you’ll develop a recipe or two for the Instant Pot?
I probably won’t be doing more IP recipes, unfortunately. I decided that because it’s more of a convenience/luxury item and not one of the basic staple appliances, that I don’t really think it fits my theme.
Thank you so much for doing this! This has been a goal of mine to try vegetarian for a few weeks at a time and you gave me the inspiration to try it at last! I always appreciate the way you break the costs and receipts and plans down, keep it up! I am going to follow your plan alongside you! Thanks for being so awesome!
Wanting/needing to start eating healthier in the New Year. Getting veggies/whole grains into my diet continues to be a challenge for me so I am looking forward to seeing what recipes you come up with. I enjoy your blog and really appreciate the emphasis on healthy and budget conscious! Wishing you a wonderful New Year.
Yay! I’m a vegetarian who eats cheap, so I’m super excited! If you can get your hands on a copy of Ottolenghi Simple, the Tofu and Haricots Verts with Chraimeh sauce is sooo good, and I think you’d love it. Basic ingredients are just tofu, green beans, garlic, tomato paste, a chili, and a lime (and spices-cumin, cinnamon, paprika, caraway). The only non-budget thing it requires is caraway seeds. There’s a version of it floating around on the internet, but the version from the book is better imo!
I’ve been using your recipes since I went vegetarian about eight years ago! The budgeting part has sure come in handy as a college student and especially after graduating. I’m super excited to see what you post for this :) Thank you so much for all the recipes you share!
Will you be cooking with seitan at all? I’m very curious about how to work with it.
I don’t have any seitan in my plan, unfortunately. I haven’t experimented with that one yet. :) Maybe I’ll tackle that in 2019, though!
I am excited! I love recaps during your challenges& looking forward to more meatless meal ideas!
I’m not a vegetarian , but am trying to cut meats ,chicken and fish out of my diet. I very excited to start this 31 day challenge
I need this after the excessed of Dec.
Great topic and great challenge! I’m not a vegetarian at all but I can appreciate meatless meals. Looking forward to cheering you on during this challenge!
I’m so excited about this challenge! I’ve been a vegetarian for almost a year now and I am loving it much that I am transitioning into a completely plant based diet in 2019, so no dairy or egg. Your vegetarian recipes are always on point and I am so excited to get an entire months worth of recipes. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Thanks for this! I’ve really enjoyed all of your recipes. I’m a vegetarian (for ethical, planetary and budgetary reasons).
I recently had a 3-week gift subscription for Hello Fresh food delivery of vegetarian meals. Your recipes are just as good and easy to prepare as theirs but without the waste of a cardboard box, interior lining, large gel freezer pads, plastic wrap on food and the carbon needed to deliver it all.
Thanks!! Yes, those meal services can be great for an occasional inspiration, but I don’t feel like they’re a good long term solution due to the excessive packaging, too.
I am interested in learning more about cooking vegetables in a nutritious way to accompany meat if we so desire.
I would be happy to see what happens. My husband and I need to start eating a better diet as I have had some kind of bug that is taking too long to go away. I download some of your recipes and like them very much. Thank you. Merry Christmas
Super exited to see these recipes! Your veg recipes are the best. I hpe that dairy/eggs will be mostly optional, so that those who choose to eat them can include them, and those who don’t, can still still enjoy the recipes.
Hopefully most of the recipes will be easily adaptable. :) I don’t plan to lean too heavily on cheese.
I love your site and recipes but would love to see more vegan options during your challenge! Happy New Year! :D
This sound great! I always get to this point a couple days before Christmas, where I’m “over” all of the meaty, starchy comfort food, and want to go on a health kick asap. Id love to discover more veggie recipes, though I’m pretty sure I’ll have to throw some meat on my husband’s plate every other day! Thank you Beth!
Will you be trying to incorporate vegetarian-friendly protein sources in most meals?
Yes, all protein will be derived from vegetarian sources during the challenge. :) There might not be a “dedicated” protein ingredient in each meal, but it’s important to remember that protein is present in many plant ingredients, even if not in large quantities. So you can still get plenty of protein through your legumes, grains, and vegetables without having to include a concentrated source of protein like tofu or tempeh as a main ingredient.
Eating more vegetables is one of my 2019 goals so I am excited for your challenge! Count me in.
I’m very excited for this challenge. Please include some meal prep recipes as eating vegetarian lunches is one of my goals for 2019.
I’m basically going to be meal prepping everything, as I usually do, even if it’s not presented specifically as a “meal prep” recipe. I prefer to only cook once or twice a week, so I always portion out and eat leftovers the rest of the days. :)
I’m excited for you Beth! While not vegetarian in any way shape or form, I LOOOOOVE my vegetables. I have made quite a few vegetarian recipes from here that even my husband likes. I’m looking forward to what creative things you come up with now!
I’ve been vegetarian for 30 years, but still struggle to get in more vegetables and fruit. I’d love to see you develop a nice vegetarian bolognese with mushrooms and lentils, maybe over spaghetti squash? Or wild rice with mushrooms and other veggies stuffed in acorn squash. I love roasted beets with cherry balsamic vinegar and goat cheese!
I just wanted to add if anyone is looking for protein pasta check out Barilla Plus. It is slightly expensive depending on where you live. It should be going on sale soon. For more info. on it go to Barilla website. It has legumes in it and makes a great protein alternative.
I’m in with you, Beth! Excited!
Yawn. No thanks.
Wooo as an 11 year vegetarian I am super excited to follow along with this and have more great vegetarian recipes on your site! I already love many that you have posted and often adapt others from your site that aren’t vegetarian with meat substitutes, tofu, beans or textured soy protein.
looking forward to the challenge in the new year!
I am really excited to try and do this and thank you for setting it out there with clear goals! I am T1D and sometimes vegetarian dishes get a little too carby for my ideal meal plan. While I too love pasta, I look forward to see what new and classic dishes you will offer up
Awesome! I started eating vegetarian a couple years ago for budgetary reasons (I just couldn’t do the cheap meat) and now that I’m over the initial hurdle am happy to maintain vegetarianism for eco-conscious reasons.
Love your recipes and love the new challenge!
Great, looking forward to this! I love your vegetarian recipes!
So pumped! I was vegetarian for all of 2018, so I’m actually doing a 31 Day Meat Challenge lolol
BUT I can’t wait to see what you craft here for future vegetarian dishes!! :)
This is great! I’ve been doing the exact same thing, ovolacto vegetarian in January, for the last several years. Looking forward to your recipes!
This is a great idea! Any kid friendly vegetarian ideas would be very appreciated too!
Working on being plant based. Definitely in!!
I’m so excited about this! I committed to vegetarianism at the beginning of December (had to get through Thanksgiving first), so this came at just the right time! I also love all your weekly recaps. It’s how I learned to meal plan and stick to a grocery budget. I can’t wait for January!
YEEEEEYYYYY!!!!! I was so looking forward for your old weekly recaps and breakdowns! I am already a vegetarian but I am looking forward to new rice and pasta free ideas. Love your content, Beth, all my friends and family use your recipes and they love them. Thanks for all your effort and dedication, your site is a special place on the wide web.
I’m in!!!
I’m so looking forward to this! I’ve been cutting down on meat and always want/need more veggie ideas.
Great! I’m not a vegetarian either but I will follow your journey closely and pick based on it.
Just a question, as I’m from the south hemisphere, are you planning on winter vegetables?
It will probably be heavy on winter vegetables, since those are plentiful right now, but thanks to the fact that we pretty much have a global marketplace and a nearly year-round growing season, I’m sure it will include other things as well.
I’m so excited. I always loved your weekly recaps and sharing the receipts from grocery trips. Can’t wait for some inspiration!
Can’t wait for this! Hopefully there will be some vegan recipes in the mix!
P.S. Trader Joe’s has the cheapest tempeh and tofu I’ve found, tempeh is only $2 a package there
Can’t wait! It’s a New Year’s resolution for me to eat less meat so I’m looking forward to this! Always love your recipes
I can’t wait! I am not vegetarian but I’m always looking to add more meatless dishes to our weekly routine!
Sounds great! I’m already vegan, so technically I’ll be automatically soldiering with you all in the challenge ;) But before going vegan, I was already eating less meat just for financial reasons. I love your recipes, looking forward to this!
Can’t wait! I’ve been a vegetarian for several years and have gotten so many good vegetarian recipes from your blog. Can’t wait for even more!
Yay! January can be so dreary. It’s exciting to have something to look forward to already! Can’t wait!!
I adapt most of your recipes to veg. as well so I can’t wait.
I’m excited but where’s the sign up button!?!
I’m sorry, for some reason it’s not showing up on mobile! Here is a link to the sign up form. :)
Maybe a silly question, but if we sign up for the regular budget bytes newsletter list, is that the same as this one for the vegetarian challenge ?
Not a silly question at all. :) The challenge newsletter is a separate list and you’ll get a challenge specific email each week giving you a preview of what I plan for the week ahead, plus extra tips. Subscribers to the normal newsletter will not get those emails, unless they subscribe to both.
I’m so happy about this challenge! I’m vegetarian and have adapted lots of your recipes to be veg. They’re still satisfying anddelicious, so I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Thanks!
Sign me up for the veggie challenge
I’m so pumped for this! I too, love challenges. Thanks for being so awesome.
I’ve been eating more vegetarian meals as a matter or economy. My problem is I cannot tolerate tofu. So I’ll appreciate more bean recipes than tofu ones. I am also missing a ‘chewing’ tooth so I really can’t eat green salads much but I really appreciate the fact that your recipes are so adaptable. If I can’t eat a givien recipe as is, I can adapt at least parts of it to a form I CAN eat.
Have you tried soy crumbles? You can find them in the freezer section under a couple of brand names and I frequently use them when my vegetarian daughter is with us. No one else in the family seems to realize that they aren’t actually hamburger, except DH who is well aware I won’t sabotage DD that way, and he is perfectly fine with meatless meals.
This is right up my alley and can’t wait for the recipes .
One of my goals for the new year is eating more veggies. I am really looking forward to this new challenge!
I am so excited! I’ve been waiting for something like this. I am vegetarian but I’m having problems with carbs and have gained 10 pounds since July. I’m in, can’t wait! Sherry
Sounds good to me! Will you also be doing a vegan challenge? Would really like to see this, even though I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I do have high cholesterol, so vegan would be good!
I thought about it, but I don’t think I’m ready to give up my cheese and eggs! Haha, maybe in the future if I get more confident with it. :)
This is awesome! You are tempting me! Can I just say I LOVE that you are doing this to show the budget side of things…and NOT preaching at me about how something is so great and healthy for me (I think I can figure that out, thanks!) I live in China and veggies are extremely cheap, so maybe my family and I should give it a go!
Thank you!!! Your site and book are staples in our home. As I’ve been tending toward vegetarianism, I’ve been hoping to win over my kids and spouse. I’m looking forward to this! One thing I’ve noticed is the importance of texture (as in, variety of) in making meat-free meals (usually it’s dinner that’s toughest) *feel* satisfying…
I’m vegan and have been veganizing your recipes for a few years now. I’m so excited to see what you come up with!
Can’t wait to see this! I love that you make a lot of plant-heavy food already, and I think it’ll be really interesting to see the budget breakdown. If you are open to suggestions, I’m always on the hunt for vegetarian slow cooker or instant pot recipes :)
Love this idea!!
I just signed up for your newsletter for this. I’ve been following you for a long while now and even have your cook book and love everything. I had my baby November 24th via C section and since have been having some digestive issues. My husband is aware of this and is willing to go vegetarian for 31 days with me so I’m so excited!!!
How do we sign up for the challenge? By signing up for the newsletter?
Just enter your email in the big yellow box that says “Join Me in the 31 Day Vegetarian Challenge” in the middle of the blog post. :) The regular newsletter is separate.
Sorry about that, I’m seeing now that it’s not showing up on mobile for some reason!
Woohoo!!! Vegan, and looking forward to what you have planned
Looking forward to this. Would love any tips included on which recipes might freeze well (either in part or as a whole) and which recipes are good for nights when you are short on time.
I’m looking at your blog on my phone and I don’t see where I can sign up for the challenge newsletter. I’m a vegetarian and love your vegetarian recipes. Would love to do the challenge.
Thanks for letting me know! I’m not sure why it’s not showing up on mobile. :( I just added a link to the end of that paragraph that should open the sign up form in a new tab.
So excited for this! I managed to stay vegetarian for all of January and April this year, and I was really looking forward to trying again with new meal ideas. Cant wait!
I’m a vegetarian, and I love your veggie recipes, so super excited for this!!! What a great start to the new year!
Pro tip: many of your existing recipes can easily be vegetarian. I sub pinto beans in for chicken in a lot of your soup recipes.
Hooray! I’m so excited! I’m a vegetarian, and I always check your site for recipes/ideas. I don’t think this will be super challenging for you because you already have so many great veg recipes (and those that can easily be made veg), but I’m really looking forward to what new recipes you come up with!
Hi! This might be a silly question but does signing up for the newsletter mean we’re siging up for the 31 Day Veg Challenge? Thanks!
I’m sorry, I just found out that the sign up form is not showing up on mobile devices for some reason! You can sign up through this link.
I’m really excited about this!
Sounds great! I’m an omnivore but want to eat more vegetables in my diet. Some of my favourite accentialy vegetarian recipes of yours are spinach pizza and the quinoa/black bean tacos. I’ll be following along.
So excited for this!!
So excited for this challenge! I am vegetarian every day, but I’ll be following along … especially considering that I’m looking to shake up my pasta and rice routine too.