• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Low Carb on a budget

kitsunerin

Well-Known Member
Messages
83
Location
Wigston, Leicestershire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey all, I am currently unemployed and on ESA due to severe anxiety/depression but really want to start a low carb diet! I did try 'paleo' before and I was amazed at how much my BS improved! However, not having too much money makes low carb expensive for me as ****** carbs seem to be the cheapest food!

Does anyone have any ideas for cheap foods that can also be low carb?
 
I would be interested in any replies to this as I, m on jobseekers
 
Eggs, vegetables, chicken, fish, bacon, sausages.....
Yes, some ****** carbs can be cheaper but how much is your health worth to you ?
 
This is not an easy way to eat if you are on a budget but I would suggest eggs as a good place to start. I eat a lot of them. I also eat a lot of chicken and minced beef both of which are versatile and reasonably cheap and Asda smartprice cheddar. I buy my veg from local shops or markets which are usually cheaper than supermarkets.

Before shopping I always work out a balanced (low carb) menu for the week and then do a shopping list based on the menu. Another thing I've finally learned is to never shop when tired or hungry as I always make bad impulse purchase choices if I do.

Good luck
 
Have you got a local market? might be worth doing lots of veg shopping there (i really miss a good market)

Then it might be a case of stocking up when things are on offer/reduced o clock.

@dannyw thats a little harsh, the OP is asking for some suggestions to low carb on a budget,

@CarbsRok I know you eat moderate carbs, any suggestions?
 
What bit was harsh ? I offered suggestions, I then gave a descriptive of carbs ( given by OP ) and then said his/her health is worth spending a little more on ? Confused....
 
ally1 said:
I would be interested in any replies to this as I, m on jobseekers
Click to expand...
I too am in the same position, I too am on ESA, I find myself trying to shop on a budget, I often have to buy from the reduced section in the supermarkets, fruit and veg can be extortioate in price

I also would like help in cheaper options. Pre diabeties my money went a lot further and lasted a whole lot longer....................My belly laughs when I have to feed it the meals I am supposed to live on..............
 
kitsunerun said:
Hey all, I am currently unemployed and on ESA due to severe anxiety/depression
Click to expand...

Yep the same here , well plus the T2D problems............. (are you on assessment or normal ?) I am still on assessment after 16 weeks


I LCHF ......but am really lucky in a way as I have a massive chicken factory literally 2 mins walk down the road, who have a factory shop.......very very cheap .....whole chickens from 50p, big bag of thighs 50p etc.......... so my meat is sorted.....

I know people mean well when they say spend more on your health etc,,,, but if you have not got it you cant spend it, I have gone from my job @ £350 a week take home to £73 pw and after bills have less than £20 pw for food, not moaning just giving info........I manage quite well......Tho I dont drink/smoke or pub it.


So ideas, Aldi or Lidl , I used to use them occasionally but now all the time............

Bacon, most shops do a cooking bacon offcut pack , Aldi do a massive one for £1.50 , I split it up and get about 15-20 portions out of it, for the freezer........

Veg again Aldi do the super 6 https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/product-range/fresh-bakery/this-weeks-latest-super-6-fruit-veg-offers/

Eggs,, as much as I would like to eat free range (and get some from a mate with chucks) Aldi do 15 for a quid, thats brekky sorted...Bacon egg and mushrooms, boiled , poached, scrambled etc..

If you have a Lidl the protein rolls are great , I cut them into 3 slices and freeze............4gram carbs per slice

Sausages - Big bag of frozen , but pay a little more to get a higher meat content so less carbs

Olive all is expensive , but its not really for cooking so a bottle lasts me ages, the old rubbish about fat being bad for you is going out the window so I don't buy oil now , I cook with lard very cheap


More eggs

Mushrooms again , basically will bulk any meal out and are zero carbs and hardly any cals, don't buy prepacked get the loose ones far cheaper, except for Aldi who do a massive pack for £1.50

Fish ,, sardines tuna etc, morrisons have cheap tuna at the moment etc

I will make a big(8-9 portions) chilli, curry bulk with mushrooms,, etc and freeze

Big Joints of pork are on offer quite often , one from tesco cost me a tenner but cut into five small joints and froze


Buy in bulk , its far cheaper , frozen cauli, broccoli etc...................


keep an eye on the "yellow lable" section in the supermarkets , stuff like cooked meats are often massively discounted, I got a looad of ham for 12p a pack reduced from £3 and it will freeze fine......

Tho the record is a massive £18 leg of lamb reduced to 30p in tescos one evening

I look on here for deals http://www.hotukdeals.com/groceries/deals/hot


Look on bottom shelf they put the pricey stuff at eye level

Good site http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/


Dont forget you can still have carbs , just not many , I am on less than 40g a day, for instance I will have some pasta (24p a pack at tesco) but very very little so lasts forever, also I buy a bunch of bananas that last a month, I peel them, quarter them , then freeze them and have a quarter in a smoothie , with greek yogurt, a few berries and soya/almond milk and peanut butter (no added salt/sugar)........... and maybe some cheap protein powder and a spot of honey when I lift.........

http://www.stilltasty.com/ all about used buy dates

Jase
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Tinned fish.
Invest in a slow cooker for delicious meals from cheaper cuts of meat. Ask around, sometimes relatives /friends have one buried in a kitchen cupboard.
Make your own soups and freeze portions.
If you live in a rural area there are sometimes veggies, eggs being sold outside houses and are usually cheaper than shops.
 


Yep slow cooked brisket is ace , you can also do it in foil @ 130 in the oven
 
Lurk the supermarket to see what time it puts out the discount food .Tesco often has very discounted veg which is good for soup (be adventurous)!.Courgette are often very cheap in packs Also I don't have a ridged meal plan so that I make good use of my bargains ,don't worry too much about best before dates things like cheese and milk can last ages
CAROL
 
Not everyones cup of tea , but offel is cheap.... liver, bacon and onions, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
Where I live, and a is better for me as it's one bus ride away where as the other supermarkets are 2 bus ride away
 
Pate is quite cheap and tasty. Low carb but high fat. You can make a meal of it with a toasted LIDL Hi Protein roll.
 
Hi

I regulary buy a well known supermarkets brand of 'Basic' foods most of the time and go to open air markets to get sell by date food which at times is very cheap with nothing wrong with it.

Why????? well the vegetables are usually good value for money and most of the tinned products are excellent with less sugary water so you get more food in the tin. I also use Iceland for some products including eggs and Lidl for meat, fish and low carb rolls (all much cheaper than other supermarkets). I also get some fruit and vegetables at the end of the day from green grocer stores. Why pay £1 for a cauli when you can get one at the end of the day for 50p and satsuma oranges 10 for 50p.

Low carb food doesnt need to cost any more than normal carb and it also doesnt need to be dressed up to look like an art piece on your dinner plate. My dinnerplate usually consists of a lot of caulti, cabbage or brussels, a carrot, frozen peas, a small piece of meat or chicken thigh and a small portion of plain gravy. I dont count the carb value in cauli, cabbage, brussels but do in frozen peas and gravy.
 
Befriend your local green grocer. After a few weeks of using mine and asking if they had any stuff going cheap that they were going to throw becuse it wasn't up to standard they asked me why and when they found out they not only offered me discounts on good products they always ask if I needed a lift getting home or my shopping delivered (I walk with a stick due to back issues). It's really nice that these people who were strangers take an interest in my situation, what I plan to cook but also advising me on how to prep, cook and keep the veg so that it will last longer. It is pretty much the same with a nearby butcher who also gives me discounts and saves me the bits they would often end up throwing away.
 
How delightful to hear of shopkeepers like this. They beat Tescos or any other large supermarket every time. Lovely to hear.
 
Prem51 said:
Pate is quite cheap and tasty. Low carb but high fat. You can make a meal of it with a toasted LIDL Hi Protein roll.
Click to expand...


Lol exactly what i had for dinner, small slice of roll tho......


From myfitnesspal


Macros......................................................................cals,carbs,fat , protein

deli continental - coarse ardennes pate, ......35 g....... 127, 1, 12, 4
Aldi Greenvale - Salted British Butter,.............9 g .........66, 0, 7, 0
Lidl - Protein Bread Roll,................................ 25 g .......67, 2, 3, 7

Total.............................................................................260 3 23 10
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…