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Doing keto on a tight budget requires smart planning and strategic shopping. To eat keto on a tight budget, you must prioritize your food shopping strategically. That means doing a little bit of extra planning, but the effort is worth it if you want to stretch your grocery budget. If you wander the grocery store hungry without a plan, you’re almost guaranteed to waste money. Read on for all the best budget-friendly keto tips.
Cook at Home
Though restaurants have made menu adjustments to be more accommodating with the rise of keto diet popularity, dining out still adds up fast. It’s also harder to count calories and macros at restaurants. However, you have total control over the ingredient list at home. Even if you’re not great in the kitchen, a quick Google search will yield tons of easy, delicious, wallet- and keto-friendly recipes.
Meal Plan Around Sale Items
Meal planning helps you stick to your budget and your macros. But don’t just plan meals around what you’re in the mood for or a favorite keto recipe. Review the weekly sales flyer and Plan meals around whatever is on sale, plus what you have in your pantry and refrigerator. When you only buy sale items, the savings are automatic.
Stick to Your Shopping List
Always write a shopping list, bring it with you, and stick to it. Knowing exactly what you’re buying before you walk into the supermarket prevents you from making impulse buys.
Shop Warehouse Clubs and Discount Grocery Stores
Costco, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Sam’s Club can save you substantial money because they sell items in bulk. Bulk pricing might cost more upfront but save you more in the long run. As long as you have the space for it and it doesn’t go to waste, shopping at warehouse clubs for keto staples saves.
Shop the Bulk Bins
Many grocery stores have a bulk bin section where you can buy items you weigh out and pay for by the pound. Buying out of the bulk bins is usually much cheaper than buying a national brand or pre-packaged food. If you like to have a handful of nuts for a snack or seeds and other dry goods as part of your eating plan, you’ll save when you hit the bulk bins.
Buy From Farmer’s Markets, Co-ops, and CSAs
Look into farmer’s markets, food cooperatives, and community-supported agriculture in your area. You can often get farm-fresh locally grown produce at a significant discount compared to what you would pay at a supermarket. You will also be supporting your community.
Try Store Brands
Name brands don’t necessarily mean better quality. However, they almost certainly mean higher prices than lesser-known and store brands. Store brands are often just as good or better than the more familiar brands you’re used to. Every major supermarket and big-box store like Target or Walmart has its own house brand for many popular foods.
Choose Cheaper Cuts of Meat
More expensive doesn’t always mean tastier or better quality. Plenty of delicious dishes don’t require the most expensive cuts of meat. You’ll do your wallet a favor when you choose cheaper cuts.
Buy Produce in Season
In-season fruits and vegetables are much cheaper than when they’re not in season. Shipping out-of-season vegetables from the other side of the world is expensive. Look for non-starchy vegetables that are in season in your area.
Buy Frozen Produce
If you have to have out-of-season produce for whatever reason, it’s often cheaper to buy it frozen. Frozen vegetables are picked at peak ripeness and then flash-frozen. You won’t lose much, if anything, in terms of nutrients or taste.
Avoid Pre-Packaged Keto Diet Foods
Anything pre-packaged or marketed directly to keto dieters is probably overpriced. You can usually get the same thing for less if you’re willing to shop around or make it yourself. Skip processed keto junk food like keto cookies. Don’t buy low-carb versions of carb-heavy foods like keto pasta, keto ice cream, and keto bagels. Eat whole foods. Prep them and cook them yourself.
Skip Anything Grass-Fed, Organic, or Free-Range
If goal number one is losing body fat and goal number two is staying within your budget, stick with affordable fresh meats and conventional vegetables. If you’re doing keto on a tight budget, paying extra for certified foods might not be an option. You don’t have to eat organic or grass-fed to stay in ketosis or lose weight.
Keep Meals Simple
Low-budget recipes generally have a short ingredient list of readily available, affordable foods and common spices. A simple keto meal doesn’t have to be bland. For breakfast, you can have cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, fresh avocados, or a smoothie. A giant salad with a protein is the perfect keto lunch. One-pot dishes, casseroles, meat, and two non-starchy vegetables make for an affordable keto meal.
Batch Cooking and Meal Prep
Designate one day a week for meal prep and cook several low-carb recipes that can be stored in the fridge or freezer for use that week. Busy weeknights are a breeze when all you have to do is reheat your favorite meals with no extra prep time. If you’re new to keto, cooking in bulk makes sticking to your diet easier, especially on nights when you don’t feel like cooking and are tempted to grab takeout or fire up DoorDash.
Don’t Waste Food
The USDA estimates that food waste in the U.S. amounts to between 30 and 40 percent of the food supply. You can avoid contributing waste and save yourself some money in the process. Eat, cook, or freeze your most perishable items as soon as possible. Store your food correctly so nothing spoils. Use leftovers for lunches or have a leftover night or two every week. A good deal is not good if a third of what you buy is in the bin.
Find Cheap Keto Food Options
I’ve heard people say when you do keto, cheap meals aren’t possible. That simply isn’t true. They just haven’t figured out how to eat keto on a budget. Many of the foods keto dieters splurge or overspend on have budget-friendly alternatives. Luckily, we have a few more suggestions to help you stretch your budget.
Buying Quality Fats
Even though vegetable oils are usually cheaper, stick to healthier options since fat will be your primary source of calories. If you search for keto recipes online, you’ll find indulgent recipes that call for expensive or trendy fat sources like beef tallow. Instead, create great flavors using butter, heavy cream, nut butter, light olive oil, or avocados.
Adding Proteins
Proteins tend to be the most expensive ingredients in keto recipes. Saving money on meat helps you save money on food overall. Cheaper options include ground meat (beef or pork), eggs, chicken thighs, and bacon. Canned tuna, sardines, and canned salmon are inexpensive seafood options.
Picking Carbohydrates
Since a small percentage of your diet will come from carbs, get carbohydrates mostly from vegetables and low-carb fruits like berries. Add wallet-friendly vegetables like broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, lettuce, green peppers, and cabbage to your grocery list.
Selecting Sweeteners
Brand-name sugar substitutes that are keto-friendly and widely available, like Swerve or Lakanto, are expensive. I buy bulk stevia or monk fruit extract powder online from Amazon or BulkSupplements.com.
The Keto Diet on a Tight Budget
Starting your keto journey might seem costly if you’ve eaten the Standard American Diet for a long time. Once you know how to do keto on a budget, it isn’t any more costly than any other eating plan. If you plan, shop smart, and use what you buy, you can do the keto diet on a low budget.
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