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Cost of LCHF/keto?

lovinglife said:
Think I've just fallen a little bit in love with you I too have a budget file that out does that of the chancellor - doesn't everyone?
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Apparently not.. I am always amazed that people don't know what their outgoings are..I guess being made redundant and having no income made me a bit more wary.
 
I’ve got the added fun of keeping my meals free of mammal meat, poultry and cow’s milk because I’m allergic to them. So I use goat butter at two quid a pack, which is about double the price. I usually surf the reduced counter at Lidl for goat and sheeps cheeses, plus salmon. I eat a lot of avocado, they are pretty pricey. But I’m only eating one or two meals a day instead of three plus snacks. I buy little pouches of olives in Home Bargains for 59p for travelling, with the little pods of goat cheese we get from Costco, I’ve always got an easy meal for travelling.
 
lovinglife said:
Think I've just fallen a little bit in love with you I too have a budget file that out does that of the chancellor - doesn't everyone?
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Does New Year's day bring that special joy of running pivot tables to you can see what the previous year has cost?
I love it...data, data, data...
 
bulkbiker said:
Does New Year's day bring that special joy of running pivot tables to you can see what the previous year has cost?
I love it...data, data, data...
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lol I'm not that clever! As your previous post, it was a change in circumstances and the need to get debt down that did it for me and I just kept it up - also for the last 3 years I have done the saving challenge 1 forwards and one backwards - you know the one first week £1 2nd week £2 etc I save £53 a week whatever comes up and at Christmas I have nearly £2500 - never get into debt again for Christmas and manage a New Year break - I believe keeping the spread sheets keep me on track!

Sorry for derailing thread OP x
 
Cheese, salmon, nuts, avocado, good quality sausages (cheap ones have fillers) and veg can be expensive here out of season. My food spending has definitely gone up. It can be as simple as I used to buy regular bread and now get low carb 'paleo' bread at more than twice the cost. I have found that to make up for the variety of things I don't eat anymore I eat things that are more expensive I wouldn't have bought as often. Cheese is a perfect example, lots of really nice (and expensive) cheeses out there.

I also find it is easier to eat out at expensive restaurants as they don't try and fill you up with cheap carbs as much and focus more on good quality proteins. I could certainly spend less on food than I do but as I can afford it I don't really worry too much about it. I can see how it would be harder if you were on a stricter budget.
 
Thanks everyone. I started down this road back in about October or November last year, when I made a more concerted effort on carb counting. That got my HbA1c down to 57, the best it's ever been, but still above recommended and nondiabetic levels. So then I came on here, and read a few things, including success stories, and bought 'Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution'. That was a real eye-opener. It took me a few weeks to get used to the idea of never having another cake, but once I'd got my head around that, I read some more, including Kieth Runyan and Ellen Davis' book, 'Ketogenic Diet for Type 1 Diabetes', and Gary Scheiner's 'Think Like a Pancreas'.

I think, if Bernstein can reverse his complications, then so can I. He was about my age when he started educating himself, it seems, and his complications were far worse.

Also, I totally agree that one can't put a price on one's health. I don't like the idea of scrimping in the short-term, as it's only a false economy in a sense. I just need to find different ways of doing it, that's all.

Thanks again.
 
There’s a lot of keto/low carb cake recipes online, this is my current favourite! I split the mix into six and bake them in the oven, but the microwave method in the recipe works too

https://www.rachelcooks.com/2013/03/01/meyer-lemon-mug-cake-low-carb-gluten-free-guest-post/
 
bulkbiker said:
Apparently not.. I am always amazed that people don't know what their outgoings are..I guess being made redundant and having no income made me a bit more wary.
Click to expand...
Ahem I too have a confession. I run the household expenses and have used a ledgerbook from the stationers since I got married in 1984. I wouldnt know how to create a spreadsheet and although my husband would this manual system has served me well all these years. Please dont laugh!
 
Far from laughing, I think it's eminently sensible. Too many people these days don't seem to know how to control their finances,and it worries me for society at large. But that's an altogether different topic / can of worms...
 
Even allowing for the fact that I have access to 60+ eggs per week and plenty of home grown veg and berries I cannot see how Keto could be cheaper. I can see that people who ate out or bought takeaways and snacks would save money. Since we did none of those things I cannot fathom out the cheaper argument.
 

Ok well I usually only eat once or max twice a day so huge savings on breakfast pap especially as we eat together so if I do one meal so does hubs - have you checked out the price of breakfast cereal?
I never throw anything out because all my meat is cooked and then saved for following days lunch if not eaten on the day. So one or two meals a day of meat. Meat lasts for ages in the fridge once cooked and can get used in other dishes.
My expensive treat is probably double cream and coffee pods for my nespresso but luckily I can afford those otherwise it would be a french press and grinding my own beans.
We never buy "replacement" low carb foods like bread or pasta so even if they are pricey they are pretty unnecessary. As I said upthread local butcher is cheaper for meat than supermarket and as we are lucky enough to live near the coast fish from the fishmonger is as well (as well as being straight of the trawler parked outside the shop).
I have figures that show that our food bills are lower and nowadays we rarely eat out or have takeaways which is also a huge saving.
I find it hard to see how people can say it costs more.
 
I've been spending a lot extra, but it is slowing down as I've replaced most of the things in my cupboard and freezer with lowcarb foods.
It's always going to be more expensive for me, as I can't do much cooking myself and prepared stuff is pricey, but if you cook from scratch it would be cheaper.
 
I don't doubt you have the figures and live the way you say. I have rarely eaten breakfast for 35 years and even as a child didn't like breakfast cereal. I have always had access to large quantities of free fruit and veg. If a local butcher was available I would use one. Every village within at least a 15 mile radius has lost its butcher and my experience was that were very overpriced. I do not know of a fishmonger other than a supermarket within 25 miles at least.
My figures show a spend roughly equal to pre LC but we have 60+ eggs a week and lots of home grown veg which are not available to everyone. We use the same approach to making things do 2 meals etc. We freeze or bottle as much produce as we can but again, I don't see that as a widely available option.
We may be on the same page in one sense. I suspect growing veg,preparing meals from scratch and planning carefully is not common therefore most people will find this way of eating more expensive.
 
I don't think it has to cost more, but I do think you may need to prep/cook/bake more. I have found no difference in my grocery bill, except maybe in meat. I buy only high quality grass fed, but my portion size is only 4 oz.so it balances out.
 
I think Brunneria is right, there is definitely a period of adjustment and learning. I spent quite a while throwing vegetables out of the fridge as they'd gone off - it takes a while to realise that you don't need the same volume of food any more. Early baking consumables can be expensive, but you don't NEED these, and can get them at a later date and as you can afford them. You don't need to replace them very often in my opinion. Good luck on your journey Colin
 
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