You may feel hesitant to even start a ketogenic diet because you’re worried about how much it will cost. You want to be healthier, lose weight, and feel your best, but you can’t afford to break the bank in the process. Luckily, that doesn’t have to be the case! It’s easy to make a high-fat, low-carb plan work for you, without “keto friendly” products, pricey supplements, or trips to expensive, specialty grocery stores.
GRAB YOUR FREE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO KETO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET BELOW!
Not only is keto a totally affordable way of eating on a daily basis, think about the bigger picture and what it can mean down the road. Eating a nutrient dense keto diet may improve your health in the long run. This may not only improve your quality of life, but save you money from potential medical costs in the future. Sounds great, right?
But for now, let’s focus on how to save money in the stores, and make a healthy keto lifestyle work for any budget.
SKIP PACKAGED KETO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
There is no question that keto is one of the latest trends in the diet world. When something becomes trendy, food manufacturers hop on the bandwagon and create products to suit that diet, and make a ton of money in the process. Meal replacement bars, cookies, fat bombs, shakes, breads, pastas, chocolates - you name it, there’s a keto product for it.
While these items may be fun to incorporate into your diet from time to time, they are still all processed foods. Keto, especially for therapeutic purposes, should still be centered around nutrient dense, whole foods - not packaged ones. Not to mention these products are often exorbitantly pricey, and not even necessary on a keto diet. A handful of nuts will always be more cost and health effective than a keto bar. For more keto alternatives to high carb foods check out this blog for a long list of substitutes!
ADD VEGGIES TO YOUR PLATE
In the keto world, not all vegetables are created equal due to their carb and sugar content. But there are still many inexpensive, non-starchy vegetables you can add to your meals. The keto diet is mainly focused on healthy fats and protein, but adding some keto-friendly veg to your meals can really help bulk up your plate. They allow you to eat a greater volume of food, while providing fiber for heart and digestive health, as well as essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Keto friendly vegetables include mushrooms, cauliflower, lettuce, leafy greens, zucchini, spaghetti squash, peppers, onions, garlic, broccoli, and many more. Be sure to buy the whole ingredient vs pre-cut packaged vegetables to save even more money.
GRAB YOUR FREE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO KETO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET BELOW!
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR MEAT
Meat is often one of the most expensive items on any grocery list. When you follow a keto diet, it is important to ensure you get adequate protein, but there are so many factors when it comes to the varying costs of meat. Where you live, where you shop, the cut of meat, the type of meat (pasture, organic, etc) all play a significant role in the price.
Be mindful of the cost of certain cuts of meat, and be strategic. For example, chicken thighs will always be cheaper than chicken breasts. Shop your local grocery store flyers for meats that are on sale, and stock up if you have space in your freezer. Also, don’t be afraid to try a cut you’ve never cooked before, just simply Google, Pinterest or YouTube a recipe and go for it!
BUY FROZEN FRUIT
Since the options for fruit are limited on a typical keto diet, you’ll already be saving some money there. But you can still enjoy berries due to their high fiber, and low sugar content. Buying frozen berries is a great way to ensure they are at their peak in terms of nutrients, plus they won’t go bad in your fridge. You save money buying a big frozen bag of berries since they won’t go to waste, plus you can portion out a proper amount so you don’t overdo it.
SKIP ORGANIC, FREE RANGE, & GRASS FED
Many people living a keto lifestyle put a strong emphasis on eating only organic, grass fed, pasture raised produce, meats, and dairy products. In an ideal world, that’s really great advice. But if your budget doesn’t allow for these types of ingredients, it will not hinder your keto weight loss. If you can’t afford these things, just know that you can still make great strides in improving your overall health on keto compared to a typical “Western” diet. The bigger goal is to move towards eating whole foods, and you can always upgrade to more organic foods if and when your budget allows it.
OPT FOR EGGS
Eggs are one of the single most cost effective foods out there. They’re a great source of protein and healthy fats, and they go a long way in saving you money. Not to mention there are so many different ways to cook eggs, they can provide a lot of variety to your meals. Scrambled, fried, poached, hard boiled, soft boiled, frittata, omelette, egg cups, shakshuka, and so many more.
MEAL PLANNING
Proper meal planning can not only save your time - it can save you money. When you plan out your keto meals in advance, you are also more likely to stay on track to achieving your weight loss goals. Taking a bit of time to plan keto meals saves you money by not purchasing ingredients you don’t need. Plus, every ingredient you purchase has a purpose so you reduce your food waste, aka - money waste! When you have a meal plan, you’re armed with a well thought-out grocery list, so you’re also less likely to impulse buy at the store which saves you even more money.
GRAB YOUR FREE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO KETO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET BELOW!
FOCUS ON LOW-COST PLANT OILS
It is important to incorporate healthy fats into any keto diet. These fats replace carbohydrates as a way to help you feel full and satisfied, while also providing incredible heart healthy benefits. Olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oils are all great cost effective options. You can also buy these oils in bulk, but be sure to store them in a cool dark place (ie - not in the cupboard right next to your stove) so they maintain all their health benefits, and don’t go off.
BUY NUTS IN BULK
Bulk stores are a great way to purchase a large quantity at a lower cost. If you have the storage space, keto-friendly nuts make a great snack, can be added to a salad, used in keto baking, or added to a charcuterie board. It is more cost effective to buy these items in bulk, but keep in mind they need to be stored properly to prevent food waste. Store any nuts you are not using in the freezer to keep the oils from turning rancid, and they’ll be good to go up to 2 years.
You don’t have to break the bank to live a healthy keto lifestyle. It allows you to focus your eating on whole foods which are a fraction of the cost of conventional processed foods, and infinitely better for your health. While some things may cost more upfront, when stored properly, they can save you big bucks in the long run. Always remember that you are not just buying food, you are buying the proper fuel for your body, and investing in your health. If you want additional help navigating your keto lifestyle, click here to learn more about how I can help support you to get some serious results!
