Friday, January 28 No. 12 Topic of the Day Eating a plant-based diet is not expensive! A recent study found that meat-eaters can save $750 a year by simply switching to a plant-based diet. Learn more here! Research A question you may be wondering is how plant-based nutrition will affect your household budget. This question also has important implications when viewed from a global perspective. Today's article addresses this question using modeling from regionally comparable food prices from the International Comparison Program. The study evaluated the costs of Western (ultra-processed foods and animal products), pescatarian (seafood friendly), vegetarian, and vegan diets across 150 countries and found that vegetarian and vegan diets are the most budget friendly options. Not only are they the most affordable, but vegan and vegetarian diets have the least impact on environmental pollution and are found to decrease public health expenses. As we are currently seeing inflationary food prices at the grocery store, this is yet another reason you may wish to consider swapping tofu or lentils as an alternative to meat-focused foods. Plant-based Inspiration Elise Hokanson, Class of 2025, has been plant-based for 6 years. Being plant-based on a medical student budget may seem daunting, but if know how and where to shop (such as ALDI), it is doable! Check out Elise's guide to plant-based shopping on a budget. Action Item Try making a meal with 5 ingredients or less. Rainbow Plant Life has some excellent recipes! Happening next Tuesday! REGISTER HERE to join a panel discussion on the documentary, The Game Changers. The documentary showcases success stories of athletes that have benefited from a plant-based diet. The panel discussion will be held on February 1, 4-5pm via Zoom. The documentary is available to watch on Netflix, Youtube, and other fee-based options. Medical College of Wisconsin | 8701 Watertown Plank Road | Milwaukee, WI 53226 | United States |