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Low Carb On A Budget?

L

LornaFarrell

Well-Known Member
Is it possible to be low carb on a very small budget? I feel like I’ve lost all the cheap ingredients that turn a small amount of meat into a filling meal (pasta, rice, bread) and while I would love to replace that bulk with more meat, cheese, cream, eggs etc those are all pretty expensive in comparison. Even veg costs quite a bit if you need a lot of it and the filling ones are the carby ones!
 
Eggs are pretty cheap, mince, chicken thighs and livers.. make friends with your local butcher, ours is way cheaper than the supermarkets. By upping the fat content of your meals you'll be fuller for longer so may even eat less. I usually tour the supermarket looking for reductions and shove em in the freezer until needed.
 
You will find your appetite will become suppressed on a low carb high fat diet, especially if you reach a state of ketosis. I now often only feel the need to eat once a day. Although in some cases the food cost can be higher, this is set off by the amount I need to eat to feel satiety. Do some research on google about intermitting fasting on Keto which will come naturally. I started my Keto diet 7 weeks ago. Last week I visited my diabetic nurse, he said that my blood results would indicate that I no longer have diabetic type2. and I've lost over a stone. ALDI do a great range of low carb produce.
 
Just as an example: three trays of lean beef steak mince for a tenner versus three trays of full fat minced beef six quid. One tray feeds three adults (taking into account two of those adults are XL young fit men) in my house. Some low carb alternatives are more expensive but you use much less of them such as celeriac and squash. Frozen veg is cheaper because of the longer shelf life. I make a lovely cheese and broccoli soup that is very cheap and very filling, no need for bread to fill you up (even when that bread is of the lower carb variety).
 
Veg is very cheap at the moment especially at Aldi and Lidl also as @bulkbiker has said go to the supermarket and get the reduced items and freeze them, these can be very cheap.
 
Agree with all of the above. The fattier cuts of meat are often the cheapest and they make way tastier meals than lean meat. I bulk buy things when on offer and either cook a big batch of stuff and freeze portions for a later date, or just freeze until needed.
 
Extra virgin olive oil is also cheap and can be used to add energy to meals. Also tinned fish (check what the source has in it).
 
Look for the yellow labels also known as sharp elbow corner !! Eat on the. day or freeze or cook and freeze Cabbage is and versatile ,shredded cabbage quickly steamed =spaghetti or pasta ,sliced celeriac =lasagne also you don't need as much Frozen berries can be. cheap .
Carol
 
The cost of low carb is to some extent the elephant in the room as far as controlling type 2 is concerned. Even in the relatively wealthy UK some people are already buying the cheapest cuts of meat, bulk buying when there are offers, shopping at Aldi or Lidl just to feed themselves, never mind buying more expensive stuff because they can't eat the cheaper carbs. If there was widespread adoption of a low carb diet then the cost of meat, fish, vegetables, salad etc. would increase in price due to demand and put them out of reach of many more people. I am sure that it must be impractical for doctors to suggest to their poorer patients or those with an ethnic high carb diet that they should cut out the carbs and are suggesting higher GI versions as a lower cost but less effective compromise. Those of us who can afford a LCHF diet should realise that we are fortunate that we are able to control our BG with a method not easily available to everyone.
 
Agree on the meat and veggies front, but do have some sympathy when it comes to almond flour, coconut flour and seeds and nuts. The latter can be expensive.

I love celeriac, fresh veggies, avocado and spinach, particularly with eggs and canned tuna so there are some good options out there.
 
I just eat very little. I cant afford to swop the carbs for protein and fats. However, its good for my weight and blood sugar levels to eat very little.
 
Unfortunately it is the relative "low cost" of the Carb heavy, ultra processed rubbish that is the underlying reason for the obesity "crisis" and associated health issues we face.

Good, natural unprocessed food isn't expensive, it just appears to be when compared to the cheap c£"p we have gotten used to buying.

When you eat good quality food, you eat a lot less of it than you do of the cheaper rubbish.

I'm sure you will find over time that a Low Carb diet will not work out more expensive, and you will feel the benefits as well.
 

I've been on LC for almost 5yrs (October), and have probably bought almond flour once. Coconut flour, if I want any (only as a thickener in curries or the like), I whizz dessicated coconut in the food processor, or spice grinder. Seads and nuts are optional to me, and not staples.
 
I have eaten low carb meals before they became popular. I am a pensioner on a low income but if you shop carefully fresh food is no more expensive than the cheap processed rubbish. cabbage is relatively cheap and filling. Bu a whole one not a packet of one already shredded. Carrots contain sugar, as they are a root veg, but are not as high in carbs as pasta and pizzas. ASDA are good at reducing the price of veg going out of date. Try shopping there on a Sunday. I couldn't believe the saving. Half a cucumber for 5p. Cabbage 10p. Bags of salad leaves 10p.
If you have a garden why not try growing your own? Alternatively get an allotment. My husband and I had one and I rarely bought any veg.
 
Hi Lorna - also have a search through the forum as this topic has cropped up at least twice before that I can recall, so you may get some more ideas from them too.

TonyHancock said:
Agree on the meat and veggies front, but do have some sympathy when it comes to almond flour, coconut flour and seeds and nuts. The latter can be expensive.
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Ground almonds are just as good as almond flour and generally a heck of a lot cheaper - and very often on offer, e.g. Whitworths currently 3 x 150g packs for £3.00 at Morrisons.

Robbity
 
Well that all depends where you shop of course. Most supermarkets don't stock fatty cuts of meat beecause it's not popular.

But i've never found meat to be cheaper depending on the fat content.

LCHF is expensive, that's the sad reality.
 
ghost_whistler said:
Well that all depends where you shop of course. Most supermarkets don't stock fatty cuts of meat beecause it's not popular.

But i've never found meat to be cheaper depending on the fat content.

LCHF is expensive, that's the sad reality.
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Have you tried a local butcher?
 
ghost_whistler said:
Well that all depends where you shop of course. Most supermarkets don't stock fatty cuts of meat beecause it's not popular.

But i've never found meat to be cheaper depending on the fat content.
Click to expand...

Most supermarkets surely selll bacon, chickens & other poultry with skin on, sausages, mince, pork chops....???

Robbity
 
Ham shank is cheap I cook it in my pressure cooked with lots of leek and garlic for about 1/2 an hour then take out the shank and shred the meat put some back with other veg (what ever was cheap ) If there was any skin on the shank it can be made into crackling in the oven and the rest of the meat can be used in omelette or salad etc
Carol
 
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