My two week vegan challenge would look like this:

• I would do five days of Sakara Life, a clean-eating plan famous people seem to like, and keep it vegan the weekend before my budget week started. The total cost: $420 (LOL LOL)

• The following week, I would do five days of food under $40, incorporating some of what I learned from the meal plan into it.

*Full disclosure: I actually did keep vegan on both weekends but I live in a city with tons of vegan meal options so I opted to compare just two different five-day plans.*



Warning: Some Martha Stewart–quality food photos ahead.