Low carb dieting and meal planning on a budget can be a tricky obstacle to overcome, but luckily there are a couple of good rules of thumb for saving money when going on a low carb diet.
You need to first decide where to get your food from and find out which stores are the most cost-effective in your area. Most of the time, you can find good foods at good prices by shopping at Walmart, Aldi, with occasional sales at other big name brand stores.
Regardless of where you decide to shop for fruits and vegetables, just make sure there are fresh, healthy options that match your spending limit. Preparing your low carb meals each morning, or just buying all of your food in general from a store with low prices will also cut back on money if it will make you eat out at fast-food restaurants less.
Preparing meals at home is typically a healthier and cheaper option than deciding to eat out. When comparing foods at your local grocery store with the best deals, keep an eye out for meals that are low in carbs, but high in protein and fats.
Most people might think that fats are counterproductive, but having more unsaturated fats in your diet will fill you up faster – meaning your food will last you longer while preventing overeating.
The high protein is for recovery and muscle production, and you should be eating at least your body weight or more in grams of protein. If those aren’t enough to help your low carb diet match your budget, don’t just compare food prices but also compare different types of food!
For instance, some frozen vegetables may be cheaper than fresh ones and vice versa. Brown rice is often cheaper than white rice. Along with frozen foods, canned and jarred foods can also usually be found to be cheaper than buying them fresh.
Some proteins are cheaper than others. Pork is one of the cheapest meats, and even with chicken, thighs are less expensive than breasts are. With beef, you can find marbled cuts of steak that are less costly than lean filet mignons, and the fats are okay for you on a low carb diet!
Regardless of how you decide to save some money in your low carb budget, make sure you are always checking the macronutrients of everything you buy. Buying food on a budget at times means you lack the money to buy your favorite foods, so consider putting that paid subscription or other unnecessary spending into your diet instead.
Aside from budgeting your food money, maybe compare the benefits of cutting out other expenses you make by looking at your bank statements and finding out what is and isn’t necessary – because your health and fitness should be the main priority.
