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Vegan Tuna Salad (Lunch on a Budget)

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Vegan Tuna Salad is an easy and affordable back-to-school lunch. You can make a batch for the week and enjoy it on a bed of greens, with brown rice cakes, or on a sandwich. It’s vegan and gluten-free.

Vegan Tuna Salad is a healthy and affordable lunch to take back to school. Pack it with some mixed greens, brown rice cakes, fruit, and snacks. (vegan and gluten-free)

Do you ever struggle with what to pack for healthy lunches that won’t cost a fortune?

I know I do.

Fortunately I’ve discovered how to stay on budget by shopping at the 99 Cents Only Store.

 

They make eating healthy nutritious meals affordable for everyone.

I saved so much money by shopping at the 99 compared to other markets.

It inspired me to share with you how to save money on your favorite name brands and enjoy healthy back-to-school lunches, like vegan tuna salad.

Check out all the delicious bargains I found!

Shopping cart at the 99 Cent Only Store showing everything I got for 99 cents each!

Everything you see here from the 99 cost 99 cents (or 99 cents a pound for the grapes).

Even that jar of fancy capers was only 99 cents!

And did you notice all the organic products?

That’s right! You don’t have to be wealthy to eat healthy.

I used what I bought to make a delicious vegan tuna salad.

 

It really resembles the tuna salad I grew up on using only a few ingredients.

I like to eat it on a bed of organic spring mix or with brown rice cakes.

Also I picked up some snacks to go with it: radishes, red grapes, mango, walnuts, and pistachios.

So by making the vegan tuna salad one day, you can enjoy a healthy lunch plus snacks every day of the week!

Vegan Tuna Salad packed for lunches with vegetables, fruit, and nuts.

I even got these great divided BPA-free lunch containers there, two for 99 cents!

What a great way to #99yourschoolyear.

In addition, I enjoyed walking down each aisle discovering all the foods I purchase at other stores for a lot more.

I was very impressed by the selection at the 99.

Huge selection of canned beans at the 99 Cents Only Store.

I will definitely be coming back for more beans when I make recipes such as Middle Eastern Bean Salad (Balela), Tropical Chickpea Salad, and Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans.

In fact, I can get all the ingredients I need for these dishes when I do the 99!

And look at these other staples I found!

Organic non-GMO foods found at the 99

For those giant containers of Organic Spring Mix or Organic Baby Spinach, I normally pay at least 5 times as much!

And at least 3 times as much for the non-GMO soy milk.

So now I know where to go to buy ingredients for healthy lunches which I’m excited to share with you!

Vegan Tuna Salad packed for back-to-school or work lunches on a bed of mixed lettuce and a side of red grapes.

Even if you don’t have children who go to school, you can still enjoy this vegan tuna salad at home.

 

It’s so convenient to make a batch of vegan tuna salad and have it ready to enjoy when it’s time for lunch.

And it couldn’t be easier to make.

Just mash up the chickpeas with some vegan mayo and mustard, and stir in the pickle relish, chopped capers, and celery.

The capers really give it a seafood-like taste without being overly “fishy”.

Then choose if you want to eat the “tuna” chickpea salad on a bed of greens like I did here, or as a sandwich on your favorite bread.

Vegan Tuna Salad served on mixed greens with sliced radishes and a side of red grapes and pistachio nuts.

Food for thought (please leave a comment!):

  • What are your favorite make-ahead lunches?
  • What are your experiences finding affordable healthy foods?
  • Would you like to learn more about eating nutritious plant-based meals on a budget?

And if you’re looking for more recipes that travel well, try Marinated Artichoke Hearts Pasta Salad or Waldorf Salad.

You can find all the ingredients you’ll need for a great price when you’re #doingthe99!

Now let’s make Vegan Tuna Salad!

 

Vegan Tuna Salad is an easy and affordable meal to take for lunch. You can make a batch ahead of time and enjoy it all week, either on a sandwich, with brown rice cakes, or on a bed of greens. And you can get all the ingredients for a bargain when you do the 99! #doingthe99 #99yourschoolyear

Vegan Tuna Salad
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4.75 from 4 votes

Vegan Tuna Salad

You can make this Vegan Tuna Salad ahead of time to enjoy for lunches throughout the week. Serve it on a bed of mixed salad greens, on a sandwich, or with brown rice crackers. Feel free to add other ingredients such as chopped carrots, bell peppers, or olives.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 5
Calories 207kcal
Author Amy Katz
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (3 cups) rinsed and drained
  • 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (vegan)
  • 1 Tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 Tablespoon jarred capers chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery chopped

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, add the garbanzo beans (chickpeas), vegan mayo, and mustard. Mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork until the bean mixture is partially smooth with some chucks. (Or use a food processor and the pulse function.)
  • Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 670mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2.9% | Vitamin C: 0.6% | Calcium: 6.7% | Iron: 12.9%
Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think by leaving a ☆ rating and comment. And share your photo on Instagram and tag @veggiessavetheday and #veggiessavetheday!
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Vegan Tuna Salad

About Amy Katz

Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer. She loves sharing delicious and healthy plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels will enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on NBC News, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, PureWow, Brides, LIVEKINDLY, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

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Comments

All commentsI made thisQuestions

  1. Jenn

    Wow!! Can’t believe all that organic produce and products! So impressed. We don’t have a 99 cent store unfortunately. We do have a few dollar stores nearby though and you’ve inspired me to go wander those aisles to see what I can find!

    Reply

  3. Gwen

    I need a 99 cent store in my life! So many great finds! 99 cents for organic produce and all of your other finds is pretty amazing. And this salad? Definitely making it. Lunch is always a struggle for me and I’m always looking for new school lunch ideas for my kids to keep them excited about their lunches. Thank you!

    Reply

  4. Jasmine

    I am always so amazed by all of the organic produce we find at our 99 cents store, I love the huge change they are bringing to those who usually shop there and giving more variety! Thanks so much for shedding light on that 🙂

    Reply

  5. Dianne

    Vegan “tuna” has always been one of my favorite lunches. I love that you were able to find so many great products at the 99¢ store! I need to keep my eye out for those containers.

    Reply

  7. David @ Spiced

    What a fun idea to use chickpeas to create this vegan tuna salad! It sounds delicious, and I’m totally craving a big sandwich right now. And what a great find being able to get all of these awesome ingredients at the 99! Thanks for sharing! #client

    Reply

  11. Gina

    Does this freeze well? im trying to meal prep for my college dorm before I go back to school because sadly they have no vegan options

    Reply

  13. dawn


    I tried this yesterday and it was pretty good….a keeper. I’m not sure what vegan mayo is, and I used a mayo with avocado oil, but ideally, I’l like to find a non-oil substitute for it.

    Reply

  15. Tracy


    This is one of the best lower fat “tuna” recipes. I did add more capers to to pump up the saltiness, (3oz jar). I also used my Cuisinart to mash everything. Amazing.

    Reply

  16. Jennifer H.

    I absolutely will try this recipe. My hubby & I (mainly him) are having to go low sodium do to his HBP. How can I safely cut back the salt and still have the good flavor.

    Reply

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