How To Eat Low Carb At A Low Cost

Many of us are taking up the low carb lifestyle because it has been shown to be fitter and healthier than most diets, but eating low carb can be expensive. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can eat low carb on a budget. This article is full of tips designed to make your low carb meals as inexpensive as possible without sacrificing taste or healthful goodness.
Meat is a staple of low carb diets but meat prices can be high. To save money on meat, buy and cook in bulk whenever possible. Whole chickens are much cheaper than packaged pieces and can be roasted whole or easily cut up for any chicken dish. Roast several at a time and freeze what you don’t eat, initially. Legs and wings can be removed, wrapped individually with plastic wrap and frozen in large freezer bags for quick easy snacks. Large roasts are also cheaper than smaller cuts. They can be slow cooked in the oven or crock pot with your choice of low carb sauce to make enough meat for a week of lunches. The meat will be tender and perfect to serve with your favorite veggies. Bulk sausage and bacon is always a bargain compared to 1 pound packages. Separate the sausage into meal sized portions and freeze you need it. Most stores have a discount meat section with heavily discounted meat that is soon to expire. There you may find whole and half turkeys, steaks and roasts at amazing prices. Take advantage of the bargains! Cook the turkey and after dinner separate the leftover pieces. Mix dark and white turkey meat and make turkey salad. Freeze the drumsticks and wings for meals down the road. And, don’t forget to use the bones from roast turkey, chicken, beef or pork to make delicious and versatile stocks that can be conveniently frozen for preparing soups down the road. Ground beef and turkey are also cheaper in large quantities so get lots of it and divide it up into meal size portions and freeze it. Your freezer is your best friend when low carbing it.
Shop the sale papers! This can’t be stressed enough. Be prepared on shopping days to stop at several stores. Save gas by planning your route ahead of time and making a list of all the sale items you plan to buy and complimentary items that will help make up complete meals. Also, if you like a packaged item, say a particular frozen chicken wing product, go to the company’s website and look for printable coupons to increase your savings. Check sales for large bags of frozen broccoli, cauliflower and peppers.
Fresh veggies can be expensive but there are some exceptions. Cabbage is often inexpensive and it can be steamed with butter, stir fried with shredded meats or added to soups. Fresh kale or spinach is usually not too expensive and really ups the vitamin content of your diet. It’s delicious and healthy. A bunch of spring onions can go a long way to flavor your meals inexpensively and with very few carbs. Mexican, Asian or other ethnic markets are another source of fresh veggies at a good price. Don’t be afraid to experiment with unfamiliar veggies, especially greens as this can be a great way to add new flavors and excitement to your diet. If you are not sure of the carb content, ask the store keeper, they are there to help you.
Discount grocers are a life savor for low carbers. At such places you can find discounted cheeses of all types, as well as half and half, heavy cream and butter. Canned meats, spices and things like low carb hot wing sauce are amazingly cheap at such places.
It should be clear by now that there are many ways to find low carb foods without spending a lot of money. With some time, effort and planning you can really stretch those food dollars and add to your fitness level by eating better! Use these tips to make your shopping trips bountiful while keeping faithful to your low carb lifestyle and staying on a budget.