Keto On A Budget
Have you ever gone to the grocery store and started placing the items in your cart in order of importance? Just in case that dollar sign starts to climb a little too high and you have to tell the person scanning your items-HOLD IT RIGHT THERE?! Well, if you haven’t, I have!!
I have heard so many people say that the keto diet sounds great and they would love to try it, but it’s just SO expensive! I hear you…and I have no intention of discrediting anyone who says that, however, I’m here to offer some solutions! Through good old trial and error, I think I have finally figured out how to master keto grocery shopping. I’ve found that Walmart has a wonderful variety of Great Value brand keto products and many of them are organic!
So, by now you might be expecting me to tell you that it’s time to start coupon clipping, but that is far from the purpose of this blog! Let’s jump into it.
Eggs: Eggs are on of my keto lifesavers. Not only are they one of the most affordable grocery items, but they are so healthy and extremely vversatile.
Spinach: I love everything about spinach. I like it raw. I like it in smoothies. Love it sautéed. However, if you don’t love spinach like I do, but you want to incorporate it into your diet to take advantage of it’s super nutrients, check out some of our videos, such as our spinach soufflé! (linked at the bottom)
Cabbage: One of the many great things about cabbage, is that it has a relatively long shelf life! You also get a great bang for your buck. When I grocery shop, I try to think of things that I can use in several different dishes and cabbage is most definitely one of them! Be sure to look at the link below for one of the most unique cabbage recipes we’ve come across!
Cauliflower: If you are someone who misses potatoes and/or rice, cauliflower is such an amazing substitute, and you can make several dishes out of just one cauliflower!
Frozen Vegetables: Kristi and I swear by and love fresh ingredients, however, I recently did a little research and found some very interesting information. If you’ve heard that frozen vegetables lose all of their nutrients during the freezing process, then you will be pleased to hear that this is not entirely true. In fact, some fruits/vegetables have been found to increase their vitamin content! It has been noted that the difference in nutrients is actually quite minor and you can still enjoy the fantastic benefits of fiber, which is always a major plus! Frozen fruits and veggies can really be more cost effective, so in my book, frozen is a perfect budget friendly option AND you wont feel guilty throwing away fresh produce that didn’t get used!
Nuts & Seeds: So, I have actually begged the cashier to take some of these items out of my checkout bags-it makes me cringe a little at how many times this has happened. Over time, I have become pretty great at checking for sales and comparing prices-my favorite is BOGO items! Sometimes buying online can actually be the best option (also convenient!).
Chicken & Meat: Buying in bulk! I know some people might cringe at this idea, however, it can really help you to save in the long run. We have a few local grocery stores that have incredible prices for meats and chicken so I love to take advantage of those deals! Another great place to grocery shop–ALDI! If you haven’t been to Aldi before, I highly suggest making the trip. I remember feeling like a deer in the headlights the first time I went to Aldi-I simply couldn’t get over their prices!
Dairy Products: It’s no secret that stores like Fresh Maket and Whole Foods have cheeses that can cost as much as a filet, however, stores like Publix & Winn Dixie have great BOGO deals and their generic brands are typically cheaper and there is no difference in taste!
All in all-the Keto diet doesn’t have to be expensive, but I certainly understand where people are coming from when they say that it can be. I think that the best thing to do when it comes to specialty products like Almond flour, Coconut flour, or Keto friendly sweeteners is to shop online if you’re looking to compare prices. Below is a list of items that might sound expensive initially, but they are incredibly helpful to have on hand for keto recipes that require ingredients that you may not be familiar with. Remember, going to the grocery store with a list always makes grocery shopping a much more productive and efficient experience!
Until next time!
-Kristen
Specialty Items-I’ve attached links below of some of our favorite brands that are also relatively budget friendly. An important thing to remember with most of these items is that a little goes a long way. We are part of the Amazon Associates program, which means we receive a small percentage of anything you buy from one of our links, at no additional cost to you! This helps us with the production of our videos and recipe testing! So thank you in advance to all of our loyal subscribers who support us!
Recipe Videos:
Keto In the Country Spinach Soufflé