Weekly Spotlight: Budget-Friendly Holiday Meals!

Cooking on a budget is helpful to not only reduce food waste but also be able to eat in season. For the holidays, it meant whipping up delicious in-season recipes that not only burst with flavor but don’t break the bank. Usually, the best way to stay within budget is to stick to choosing whole foods and vegetables. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of sales going on and adjust your holiday menu, as such. For instance, if asparagus is on sale, choose to do an asparagus side or entree for your holiday meal.

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! And don’t forget to check out our Weekly Meal Plan Archives! 

This week, we’re bringing delicious, fully vegan, and plant-based ways to cook amazing meals within your budget!

Vegetable Appetizers and Sides

Source: Rosemary Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Whether you’re looking to serve an amazing soup or some delicious hors doeurves, these meals have you covered. There’s so much you can do with using vegetables and seasonings!

• Roasted Pesto Vegetables with Chickpeas by Robin Browne
• Brussel Sprouts Salad by Daniela Modesto
• Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Dawn Kriss
• Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Shallots by Rouxbe
• Garlic Smashed Potatoes by Maggie Wescott
• Rosemary Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes by Katherine Vaught
• Potato Cakes by Melissa Tedesco
• Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Brooke Brimm
• Creamy DIY Sweet Potato Dip by Denise Perrault
• Pumpkin Minestrone by Florian Nouh
• Garlic Herb Kale Bread by Shanika Graham-White
• Roasted Red Pepper Soup by Zuzana Fajkusova and Nikki Lefler

Entrees

Source: Spaghetti Squash With Meatballs

This holiday season, get creative and mix up your traditional foods for ones that are more within your budget. You can still enjoy an amazing, center-piece-worthy entree on a budget; these meals are a perfect example.

• Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash by Serena Poon
• Veggie Skillet Pot Pie by Bri Beaudoin
• Spaghetti Squash With Meatballs by Gabrielle St. Claire
• Easy Potato Lentil ‘Meatballs’ by Maria Koutsogiannis
• 15-Minute Lentil Tomato Pasta by Caroline Doucet
• Lentil Pot Pie with Biscuits by Caroline Doucet
• Sweet Potato Haluski by Hannah Kaminsky

Desserts

Source: Sugar Cookies with Cinnamon & Almond Flour

Don’t forget about dessert! Sometimes, vegan desserts use a base of cashews, which can get expensive. Try out an oat-based dessert or one that uses pantry staples. You can also try your hand at making your own pie crust!  These desserts are a perfect way to close out your holiday meal.

• Sprinkle Sugar Cookies by Maggie Wescott
• Sugar Cookies with Cinnamon & Almond Flour by Maria Koutsogiannis
• Whole Wheat Carrot Cake by Namrata Edward Kshitij
• Apple Pie Sugar Cookies by Jillian Glenn
• Eggnog Hot Chocolate by Kat Condon
• Snickers Energy Balls by Allie Penner
• Paleo Vegan Pie Crust by Brittany Berlin
• Open-Face Apple Pumpkin Pie by Hannah Teson

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
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• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!