Eating Low Carb on a BUDGET!

I often hear comments like: "How can you afford eating low carb?" Is it not expensive to eat like this?"

I personally think it is not more expensive than living a modern life living from packaged and boxed food. Processed food is so expensive even snacks like crackers, chips, cookies turns out to work a grocery bill very high.

I think the place where the buck stops is with meat and vegetables. Yes meat is very expensive!

-Where we live in Turkey red meat is unaffordable. We never buy steaks or even mini steaks. We sometimes buy a half kilogram of ground meat on special and then I make it more with dried soya mince. I use it sparingly in stews, soups or sauces. Sometimes turkey meat can be a great buy and it does not taste as different ground up in dishes.

-Yes, eggs are expensive too but it is high in good protein and I fall back on it time and again for my meals.

-My big treat is tuna. When the tins of tuna are on special I stock up and use it for extra flavor in my salads or on the "bun in a mug". Steamed fish or other tinned fish can be a wonderful meal with vegetables and salad too.

-Chicken turns out to be the best source of protein for the best price. I watch out for good specials on the chicken fillets and the breastbone cut with the two fillets on the side works out very economically. I normally cut the fillets away from the bone and use the bone in my Low Carb Soup.

-Low Carb fruits which are mostly the berry family turns out to be very costly. When the strawberries are in season I will eat a few a day. Blueberries or raspberries does not exist where I live, but on special they could be a lovely treat. I just eat a slice of apple or a slice or orange or little cuts of fruit available at home.

-I love cheese and I know that really hits a budget heavy. I try to cut back on yellow cheese as it can influence weight gain in the Low Carb diet. I buy a tub of feta cheese and use that sparingly with my eggs and salads. A bit goes a long way. I look for specials on the cream cheese and use it for dipping celery or cucumber pieces.

-I love ham and turkey ham slices. I use it often to roll salads and cheese in for a snack or meal. I buy a cheap brand and only eat a few slices at a time.

-I buy little bits of nuts on sale and keep them in glass jars in the fridge for snacks or invest in a good 80 percent dark chocolate for a BIG TREAT.

-Vegetables turns out to add up on a budget. It is not cheap to buy a lot of vegetables. The best way for me is to try to stick to low carb vegetables and to buy them in season. I try to combine salads and low carb vegetables at every meal. It makes the meal bigger, stretching the protein and add needed nutrition and vitamins.

-When I find a certain low carb vegetable on sale I buy more and freeze it so I can use it for soups, stews or cooked dishes.

MY BIGGEST BUDGET ADVICE IS TO KEEP IT SIMPLE!  Stay with the basics and stay away from extra low carb "that and this" in packets or boxes, it is normally  highly processed and totally over priced and has no nutrition and often triggers sugar cravings. :D

Yes it can all add up on the grocery bill but imagine the doctor's medical bill on the long run.........