Congratulations -- as a vegetarian, you automatically spend less on food than your carnivorous cohorts. Even so, there's sticker shock at the grocery store these days. Food costs have jumped higher this year than at any time in the past two decades.

What, short of dumpster diving, can you do? Clip coupons, shop sales and try these tips to save some green while going green:

• Be a locavore. Eating locally lightens your carbon load and guarantees you'll be eating fresh, vibrant produce. It's cheaper, too. Folks participating in public radio's Locavore Nation (splendidtable.org) report they're spending less by eating locally grown food.

Summer in South Florida means sweet, bountiful mangoes ($1 each) and luscious Florida avocado (99 cents). A pound of Pacific Coast cherries is $3.59, but you can get about three times the amount of Florida blueberries for $5.

Be full of beans. Black beans, garbanzos, peas, lentils and other legumes are all sky-high in protein and fiber. They're fabulous, filling, last for ages and cost almost nothing.

Dried beans are lower in sodium and even cheaper than their canned counterparts, but either one is a deal. (A 16-ounce can of Publix Greenwise organic beans is 99 cents; A 32-ounce bag of dried beans, which will cook up into the equivalent of six cans, is $2.)

Pass on packaging. Buying pantry staples like oatmeal, raisins and rice in bulk usually costs less than buying them packaged. They keep indefinitely, too, so stock up. (Whole Foods oatmeal is 99 cents a pound in the pack-your-own section; a 16-ounce box of its house brand is $2.49.) Less packaging means less waste, too. For extra credit, bring your own bags.

Save money, eat smarter and help the planet. Everybody wins.

Ellen Kanner writes biweekly about vegetarian concerns.

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