Meal planning

Updated 27 February 2026

Cheap vegetarian meal plan for Australia

A vegetarian diet can be 20-30% cheaper than eating meat. Sample meal plans, costs, and where to shop for the best prices.

Why vegetarian is cheaper

The maths are straightforward. Chicken breast costs around $8-12 per kilogram at Australian supermarkets. Beef mince sits at $12-18 per kilogram. Tinned lentils cost 89 cents at ALDI. Dried chickpeas, bought in bulk, run 30-50 cents per serve.

You're not losing nutrition by switching: lentils have more fibre and iron than most grains, eggs contain complete protein, and tofu absorbs any flavour you pair it with. The savings come from buying legumes in bulk, using eggs as your primary protein, and shopping at discount supermarkets where tinned beans cost a third of what you'll pay at premium chains.

Cheapest vegetarian proteins per serve

• Dried beans and lentils: 20-40 cents per serve (ALDI bulk buy)
• Tinned lentils: 30-50 cents per serve ($0.89 at ALDI vs $1.50-2.00 elsewhere)
• Chickpeas (tinned or dried): 30-50 cents per serve
• Eggs: 30-50 cents per serve (cheaper when you buy bulk)
• Tofu: $1.00-1.50 per serve at ALDI ($2.50 per block vs $3.50-4.50 at Coles/Woolworths)
• Peanut butter: 40-60 cents per serve
• Nutritional yeast: 20-30 cents per serve (if you use it daily)

Sample week of vegetarian meals (7 days, 1 person)

This meal plan assumes breakfast is simple (porridge, toast, yoghurt), lunch is often dinner leftovers, and you're shopping at ALDI plus Woolworths for fresh produce.

Monday: Lentil bolognese with pasta

Red lentil pasta ($1.20), tinned lentils ($0.89), tinned tomatoes ($0.70), onion and garlic ($0.50). Total: $3.29. Serves 2, so $1.65 per serve.

Tuesday: Chickpea curry with rice

Tinned chickpeas ($0.89), basmati rice bulk buy ($0.30), coconut milk ($1.00), onion and spices ($0.60). Total: $2.79. Serves 2, so $1.40 per serve.

Wednesday: Egg fried rice

Eggs ($0.60), rice ($0.30), frozen peas and corn ($0.80), soy sauce ($0.10 from bottle). Total: $1.80. Serves 2, so $0.90 per serve.

Thursday: Bean chilli with cornbread

Tinned beans ($0.89), tinned tomatoes ($0.70), cornmeal for bread ($0.50), onion ($0.40). Total: $2.49. Serves 3, so $0.83 per serve.

Friday: Tofu stir-fry

Tofu ($2.50), mixed vegetables ($1.50), rice ($0.30), sesame oil ($0.30 from bottle). Total: $4.60. Serves 2, so $2.30 per serve.

Saturday: Lentil soup

Dried lentils ($0.40), vegetable stock ($0.50), carrots ($0.30), celery ($0.40), onion ($0.30). Total: $1.90. Serves 4, so $0.48 per serve.

Sunday: Roasted veg and chickpeas with haloumi

Chickpeas ($0.89), pumpkin and sweet potato ($1.00), haloumi ($2.50), olive oil ($0.40). Total: $4.79. Serves 3, so $1.60 per serve.

Weekly total for one person: approximately $49.15 across dinners. With simple breakfasts and bulk lunches, you'll stay well within the $40-70 budget.

Pantry staples for vegetarian cooking

Buy these in bulk at ALDI or when on sale. They last months and form the base of most meals:

• Dried lentils and beans (red, green, brown lentils; black beans; kidney beans)
• Tinned lentils, chickpeas, and beans
• Basmati rice, brown rice, and rice noodles
• Pasta (regular and legume-based)
• Tinned tomatoes
• Coconut milk
• Soy sauce and vinegars
• Spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, chilli flakes)
• Peanut or almond butter
• Oats for porridge
• Olive oil and sesame oil
• Salt, pepper, and stock cubes

Where to shop for the best prices

ALDI is consistently the cheapest for tinned legumes and tofu. Their store-brand tinned lentils at 89 cents beat other supermarkets by 50 cents per tin. Fresh produce (onions, tomatoes, seasonal veg) is cheaper at ALDI and Coles than Woolworths. Bulk-buy dried lentils and beans online if your local store has limited selection, but ALDI's range now covers most bases. Eggs are often on special at Coles and Woolworths, and it's worth checking catalogues for tinned goods deals.

Shopping regularly at the same store helps you learn which items go on special and when. The Pinch app tracks prices across Australian retailers so you can spot when tinned chickpeas or tofu drops and stock up.

Cuisines built on cheap vegetarian eating

Indian, Mexican, and Asian cuisines have centuries of recipes using lentils, beans, tofu, and eggs. These aren't modern vegan trends: dal is a staple in India where vegetarianism is common and meat is expensive. Refried beans are a staple in Mexico. Stir-fries with tofu are standard in China and Southeast Asia. Use recipes from these traditions and you'll find cooking vegetarian is straightforward and satisfying.

Budget-friendly vegetarian recipes to start with

Minestrone soup (vegetable, pasta, tinned beans), dal with rice, three-bean chilli, egg curry, lentil bolognese, chickpea salad, vegetable stir-fry with tofu or eggs, bean and tomato tacos, roasted veg with chickpeas, and lentil soup are all under $2 per serve and require no special ingredients. Each of these is adaptable: use whatever fresh vegetables are in season and cheapest that week.