Some low-carbohydrate and ketogenic foods are costly and many people consider low-carbohydrate has to be pricey. But that’s not true. You don’t need expensive ingredients. You can eat totally delicious and healthy low-carbohydrate meals that are super cheap.
When thinking about saving money while eating a diet low in carbohydrates, it helps to go back to look at the basics of the diet, and think about how you can save money on each one. When you do this, you realize how you often spend a lot on non-essentials.
A low-carbohydrate diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates, such as those found in sugary foods, pasta and bread. It is high in protein, fat and healthy vegetables. Cost shouldn’t be your only guiding factor. You’ll also require to think the significance of eating a diversity of foods, the dietary value of any given food, and ease.
Your food ethics are another consideration if you wish to support organic, local, sustainable, or humane food systems. Your low-carbohydrate diet is probable to center on unrefined foods, which frequently support these values.
1. Brown bag it
Not only do you avoid restaurant prices if you bring your own lunch to work, you don’t have to worry about not finding a good low carbohydrate option on the menu.
2. Saving money on vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables are a vital part of any low-carbohydrate diet. The major money-waster is frequently that fresh vegetables go awful before you can consume them. The second you realize that you might not get to those fresh Brussels sprouts that you bought with the best of intentions, freeze them. Others, like spinach, can be wilted ina hot pan or the microwave.
3. Some healthy low carb snacks
A Piece of Fruit, A Hard-Boiled Egg or Two, Full-fat Yogurt, Baby Carrots, Leftovers From The Night Before, A Handful of Nuts and Some Cheese and Meat.
4. Make a plan
Planning your low carbohydrate meals and shopping is a great way to ensure meals are organized for the week ahead. You get to buy only what you need and you won’t be relying on emergency takeaways. See what’s in your pantry and fridge already, then plan meals that will use these ingredients to stop food wastage.
Also Read:
15 Reasons you are not losing weight on Low-carb Diet
Planning shopping lists helps you stop unnecessary spending and impulse purchases. Did you know that each week we spend on average 17% of our grocery budget on impulse purchases? Also, bargain deals may appear to be good value. But naturally you save even more if you don’t buy additional foods at all. Make a shopping list, and stick to it. Preferably only buy the things you need.
5. Limit specialty ingredients
So many keto and low carbohydrate recipes call for specialty ingredients, things like coconut flour and Erythritol. These ingredients, especially when buying them at specialty shops, can be so expensive. Though you can definitely go low carbohydrate and keto without them, if you do want to use ingredients like this, there are a few ways to bring down the cost: Buy specialty ingredients in bulk from Amazon, especially when they are on sale. Even when regular price, you’ll always find the best deals, especially on Amazon
6. Buy the best quality you can afford
Organic vegetables have fewer pesticides, grass fed meat has superior nutrition and free range eggs are nutritious but expensive. Unfortunately these are simply out of the reach for those who need help the most, and who are living to a strict grocery budget.
Or somebody existing on a diet of sodas, fries and fast food, swap to regular eggs, usual vegetables and regular meat will still have a huge impact on their fitness. The single most important factor to improve your health is to cook from scratch, at home.
7. Buy cheaper alternatives
Buy regular cheese, not specialty cheeses that can be pricey. Don’t buy preshredded cheese, buy in bulk and shred/grate it yourself. Buy simple meats, not specialty cooked meats from the deli. Cooked meat can be great for a speedy simple food, but fix to the less unusual and cheaper meat such as cooked roast beef or chicken drumsticks. Put back the kale that can cost a fortune and buy other leafy greens that are just as nutritious but much cheaper
Stop buying nuts because they can soon add up, especially macadamias. Walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts are great alternatives or stop buying them altogether. Buy frozen or canned fish rather than fresh which can be a real budget breaker, especially salmon. Canned tuna and mackerel are inexpensive handy munchies to have in the storeroom.
8. Saving money on fats
Fats are the third basic category of food. Healthy oils such as olive oil or a high-oleic form of sunflower or safflower oil are good choices. Unluckily, the slightest costly oils such as corn oil or the usual safflower oil are very lofty in omega-6 fats and you may desire to keep away from them. Look for sales or shop at warehouse clubs for the better choices for oil.
9. Some budget friendly low carbohydrate recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken Ropa Vieja, Greek Turkey Burgers, Slow Cooker Taco Chicken, Greek Marinated Chicken, Slow Cooker Italian Chicken and Peppers, Balsamic Chicken Skillet, Mini Black Bean Turkey Burgers, Chicken Piccatta, Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili and Navy Bean Soup with Sausage and Spinach.
10. Cut out the waste
Pay attention to what you are discarding and think about how you could avoid this waste next time. Do you need to buy smaller amounts at a time or make a smaller recipe? Can you freeze leftovers rather than putting off eating them until it is too late? By being meticulous in using or freezing food before it goes appalling, you will make sure your food dollars don’t go to devastate.
Related Article:
Melissa Maccarthy stunned her fans with her 75 pounds weight loss through Low Carbs diet
References:
- How to make low carb and keto cheaper via Diet Doctor
- How to Eat Low Carb on a Budget via A Sweet Life
Also Read