"It's just too expensive!"

DarlingNikki2011

Hey FellowLC'ers,

So, I'm looking for some different perspectives, opinions, and experiences from you all.

Now... while I've gone off and on LC and specifically Keto more than once, I know that it is the best woe for my body and health. Years ago, when I first started, my friend joined me for just over a month and had great success. Fast forward to this month and I'm jumping back into LC and not looking back. She tells me almost everyday that she needs to get back on LC and I totally encourage her. We both know the effects and we both know how to be succesful when eating LC. So, this weekend I tell her I'm grocery shopping and going to get back on the wagon this coming Monday. Naturally, since she has mentioned it weekly for over a month, I ask her if she's going to join me. I tell her I'm positive it'll be great for both of our health and we'll have each other for support and accountability. That will make the process not easier, but possibly more comfortable. Her response... "I can't do LC right now. You have to have money to eat like that. It's just too expensive."

This kind of confused or baffled me - possibly because I haven't heard it before. Is this something you guys have felt in your LC journey? If not, is it something you have heard before? If a friend said the same thing to you... how would you respond?

EllaLeahB

Carbs are cheaper. Bread, potatoes, rice, corn...Those are all things that pop into my and probly other peoples minds when they hear the word carbohydrates. Maybe suggesting helping her come up with a plan on the budget she has might help. Do you know what her eating habits are? Even her introducing Caiflower rice in place of regular rice if that’s what she eats can be a start for her it’s one item she can replace and lowering her curves at the same time. Or If she eats sandwiches, suggest removing the bread and just using lettuce wraps and same with the hamburger. Those little suggestions might motivate her. Just a thought. :-)

hesterific

I have to agree with your friend, it is more expensive... At first. Getting ready with all your flours and substitutions (if she no longer has them) is pricey! Buying meat and fresh veggies is much more expensive than government subsidized grain and boxed/shelf food. When I started saving money is when fat adaptation kicked in. I am one hell of a cheap trip to the market now. Half my week is spent fasting! Either way, I'd rather spend money the first couple months on keto than down the line on co-pays and prescriptions.

__Roxy__

I do find the food is more expensive (especially if aiming to buy local meat, quality dairy, organic veggies, etc), however, I eat much less than I used to! I almost never have snacks or go back for second helpings, because the food is so filling.

AlexandraCarlyle

Great point, @River_Goddess ! To be sure, eating this way - natural foods, fresh ingredients, home-made-from-scratch meals - is more expensive on paper, but what isn't so obvious is the hidden profit - you need to eat less, by way of junk, you get more energy, better health and fewer hunger pangs than before.
If anything, I'm finding my pocket being emptied by having to buy fab new clothes to fit my fab new size - but then again, the savings I've made by not buying junk and c.r.a.p. food, have definitely proven worthwhile!

canadjineh

Depends on where you live. Also if you try to use substitute grain/sugar free options for things like bread, cake, cookies it is more expensive. Here in my part of Canada, if you eat local veggies, and shop the sales for eggs, dairy, meat, fish it is cheaper than processed carb foods. Of course grass fed and organic is more expensive too, but isn't necessary, especially to start getting healthier with LCHF.

Catawampous

We have found the opposite. I only buy what's on sale. I don't do a bunch of almond flours and the like. For the most part I don't do organics and total grassfed because the check book doesn't allow it. Whole chicken legs with skin and drumbsticks along with fattier cuts of meat and frozen veggies are cheaper in my area of the world.

Violet_Flux

I think it really depends on what you're eating and cooking prior to going low carb.

For me I didn't find it cost any more. I won't say low-carb is necessarily cheaper, but I basically just eliminated stuff from my diet, or substituted. Eg. instead of spending $4 on stir-fry noodles, I spend $4 on riced cauliflower. Instead of sweet potatoes buy spinach and kale. It all works out about the same.

Some areas are definitely cheaper for me. I used to buy a lot of sauces -- stir-fry, bbq, etc, now I make them all myself from scratch, which is much much cheaper.

On the other hand, one of my friends says it's more expensive for her. I think she might go for a lot of 'snack' or processed food, and I have found that pre-processed low-carb is more expensive than normal. Or maybe she wasn't eating as much meat before, in which case replacing a lot of cheap starch with meat will be more costly.

And of course it plays a big part what you choose to eat when low-carb. For $10 I can buy a cheap pork roast that will last me for 4 meals + make a big batch of bone broth, or I can buy a rib-eye steak which will only provide a single meal.

TavistockToad

my husband has recently switched to low carb for medical reasons, our shopping bill has gone up around £20 per week so i would agree with your friend!

julieb47

Stuff I don’t buy any more: cakes, biscuits, bagels, buns, bread, ice-cream, fizzy drinks, McDonald’s, crisps, chocolate, sweets, Starbucks super-squidgy-sweetly-sickly-chocolate-caramel-latte thingy, breakfast cereals, “healthy” bars, wine, take-aways, lunch deal from the supermarket. Out the top of my head, I could probably think of a lot more given time.

Xerogs

Buying processed foods may seem cheap but I know when I ate that way I tended to eat a lot more of those foods because I was always hungry so in reality it wasn't less expensive over the long run. Eating LCHF can be inexpensive if you are a good shopper and are flexible about your meals. Look for sales, coupons, and buy in bulk if you can freeze it and it makes money sense to do so. If you can't buy fresh veggies buy frozen they aren't that expensive and help out when things go out of season. I hear a lot of excuses coming out of my co-workers about why they can't eat the way I do, yet they complain about being over weight and feeling like poo and how much they spend on medication. They can spend the same amount on food, lose weight, feel better and probably ditch a medication or two but it takes some self motivation on their part. The best thing you can do is be a good example to your friend and maybe she will see its not that hard nor is it that expensive. Prove to her that you spend no more or less than she does and maybe she will come around or maybe not, it is your journey after all. Good luck

kpk54

When weight loss (or health) becomes important to your friend, she'll find a way. Until then, she'll keep finding an excuse.

Anon2018

I didn't do snack foods before and I don't do snack foods now, so no difference there (once in a while I'd get some individually packaged yogurts for a treat), but I DID buy rice, pasta, etc, usually in bulk. I used to buy 1-2 "proteins" a week and now I buy 3-4. I go though my freezer chicken breasts much faster because now sometimes I'll have 2 at a meal instead of just 1.

So, yeah, it's definitely more expensive for me grocery-wise. However, I used to do a lot more takeout that's been mostly eliminated, so that defintiely balances it out.

I think for most people it is going to be at least a little more expensive, but if you don't do a lot of snack foods or special flour substitutions and don't focus on grass-fed or organic foods, you can find a way so it's not significantly more expensive.

AlexandraCarlyle

I think we maybe didn't count just how much junk and crappoola we used to buy, and it seemed totally normal.
Now we're focused on eliminating specific ingredients, and eating more of the better ones, I would like to bet, ALL things considered - that it probably adds up to more or less the same.
The hidden benefits though, I would calculate as frankly, priceless. As @kpk54 points out, excuses are free.
Everything requiring Effort, takes discipline,among other things....

tcunbeliever

I eat a lot of salads and eggs, so not more expensive for me since fresh lettuce is not pricey where I'm at and eggs I get for free from a local mini-farm.

For meats, I either purchase at Costco (cheaper by the pound) or when on sale at the Food Kitty...sometimes purchasing a whole cow or pig.

PrimalForLife

My family's approach to reducing costs while maximizing nutrition has been:

1) We participate in an 'egg group' where once/week we bulk buy free-range eggs from rural communities nearby
2) We buy 1/4 or 1/2 sides of beef or pork from grass-fed ranches from those same communities (quite easy if you have a freezer) as we try to avoid buying single packages of the same at the Safeway, etc. (poorer quality, more expensive)
3) Buying our chicken as frozen whole birds from local ranch, or if needed buy cuts of meat that still have the right stuff attached (bones and skin), so that soups or stews can be readily made with maximum goodness
4) Augment the meat supply with venison, if I'm successful (which is awesome for nutrition AND exercise)
5) Get bulk frozen veggies from the Costco (stored in that same freezer)
6) Lettuce and other salad veggies are pretty inexpensive, so that's not really an issue
7) Always keep an eye open for sales :-)

Our grocery bill has gone down by managing our food stores this way...

cstehansen

This came up in a couple discussions for me recently. I have been lower carb for a few years and keto since August 2016. I find it APPEARS to be more expensive because individual food items cost more. However, in reality, my food bill is down at least 1/3. Here's why:

When you eat the cheap carbs (i.e. bag of chips), you are hungry an hour later, so you have a second bag, and third, and so on. When I eat a handful of macadamia nuts (far more expensive), I am good for several hours because the very high fat content is satiating.

I also eat clean, not just keto. This means even when I do eat carbs, they are things like fresh spinach, celery, fresh steamed broccoli, etc. which don't have the added sugars and are higher fiber which also satiates.

Because I eat clean, I eat at restaurants far less. Clearly eating what I cook is much cheaper than restaurant food (and it tastes better). To be clear, the reduced food bill mentioned initially is only groceries. If I included this savings, I would have to say I am saving closer to half.

Once fat adapted, I found myself naturally doing intermittent fasts (skipping breakfast) just because I wasn't hungry. Later, I incorporated longer fasts of 1-2 days without hunger. It is hard to say eating zero costs more than eating crappy carbage.

Getting rid of all caloric drinks and sticking to water, tea and coffee makes all meals cheaper. It is ridiculous how expensive Coke can be - especially in a restaurant.

Not cutting the carbs also has that nasty cost down the road of increased medical bills that really should be factored in as well.

Personally, by eating this way, I have gone from steak being a rarity in my house to something that is eaten at least once a week and I still spend less on food.

Those who spend more on this WOE typically do so because they are eating the LC junk food (i.e. Atkins bars). If eating correctly, within a couple months, I think you will find you have no need for snacks 95% of the time. The key is learning to recognize the difference between true hunger and the habit of eating at "snack times" or out of boredom.

kimberwolf71

Prior to specifically aiming to eat low carb, my food goals were to eat "clean" (which for me meant 5 pronounceable ingredients or less). Since I wasn't purchasing a whole lot of pre-packaged food anyway and mostly whole foods, I have not noticed a difference in my grocery costs.

retirehappy

PrimalForLife wrote: »

My family's approach to reducing costs while maximizing nutrition has been:

1) We participate in an 'egg group' where once/week we bulk buy free-range eggs from rural communities nearby
2) We buy 1/4 or 1/2 sides of beef or pork from grass-fed ranches from those same communities (quite easy if you have a freezer) as we try to avoid buying single packages of the same at the Safeway, etc. (poorer quality, more expensive)
3) Buying our chicken as frozen whole birds from local ranch, or if needed buy cuts of meat that still have the right stuff attached (bones and skin), so that soups or stews can be readily made with maximum goodness
4) Augment the meat supply with venison, if I'm successful (which is awesome for nutrition AND exercise)
5) Get bulk frozen veggies from the Costco (stored in that same freezer)
6) Lettuce and other salad veggies are pretty inexpensive, so that's not really an issue
7) Always keep an eye open for sales :-)

Our grocery bill has gone down by managing our food stores this way...

We don't have an egg coop, but a lot of the rest of this applies, we also don't hunt so that doesn't apply to us either.
Our bill has gone down too. My fasting days do contribute to that of course, but we buy in bulk, what is on sale that fits our WOE. We make our own bone broth, mayo, salad dressings, and even pasta sauce when tomatoes are in season. We pretty much follow the nutrition density food list from Marty Kendall's site:
https://optimisingnutrition.com/2015/03/28/optimal-foods-for-weight-loss/

Did your friend factor in having to go to the dr. more? And processed (either SAD or KETO) snack foods end up being the most high cost foods. I'd add clothing costs as your weight goes up, but that comes into play as you lose it too, as I am finding out, heck I had to buy new shoes even, my feet are so much smaller.

nvmomketo

canadjineh wrote: »

Depends on where you live. Also if you try to use substitute grain/sugar free options for things like bread, cake, cookies it is more expensive. Here in my part of Canada, if you eat local veggies, and shop the sales for eggs, dairy, meat, fish it is cheaper than processed carb foods. Of course grass fed and organic is more expensive too, but isn't necessary, especially to start getting healthier with LCHF.

I think that is the main thing for me. I'm a celiac though and a small loaf of bread is easily $6-8 so we just limit a bit more of the pre-made stuff. If I buy meat, eggs, veggies, and don't go nuts with the cheese and nuts, I think it is just as affordable... Especially if you include the cost of ALL food you eat while out.I last took my family of 5 out to eat in early 2016.

bametels

I have found that adopting a keto WOE is less expensive for many of the reasons previously discussed. Junk food is expensive (the cost of ice cream, candy, chips, etc. really adds up) and tea, water, and coffee (made at home) are less expensive than soda and fancy coffee drinks. I rarely eat out any more because for the most part, 'real' food tastes better than food with lots of additives.

Eggs and many higher fat cuts of meat are budget friendly. Many inexpensive cuts of meat that I stayed away from because of their fat content are now staples in my diet and while fresh produce can be more expensive than frozen, buying in season and going to farmer's markets has cut down on the expense.

If you have the freezer space to buy in quantity, a good source for meat and fish is Zaycon Fresh (zayconfoods.com). I learned about this company on MFP. Their regular prices are good, their sales are GREAT, and the quality is terrific.

blambo61

Doing IF, the ultimate LC diet while your fasting, costs nothing!

rosyone1

It's about the same for us. I've always bought in season and stocked up when things were on sale and never did buy a lot of high carb processed food. There are some pricey new items on my grocery list now, like Rao's pasta sauce and almond meal, but I don't buy Texmati rice anymore and my bread and pasta expenses have dropped to zero. It works out to be about the same.

Sunny_Bunny_

I didn’t read all the responses so maybe my opinion has already been represented but I think it’s cheaper.
I think the only way it’s more expensive is if you try to make substitute foods for all your previous high carb favorites. If you just give those up instead of recreating them then you don’t need to buy expensive flours and ingredients.
Literally the only thing you need to buy is meat and whatever vegetables you like. That’s all. You were probably already buying meat so that’s nothing different. And instead of buying bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, chips and soda you only need to buy vegetables.
If someone isn’t able to cut their bill down it’s because they are making low carb faux foods. Those are an option. Totally unnecessary and if your budget doesn’t allow it then don’t do it. There’s also no need to buy packaged low carb products. That stuff is basically convenient junk food. It’s not real food.
Stick to real food and it will actually cost less.

kirkor

Also think about food in terms of "calories per dollar". Fat is cheaper in terms of calories per dollar than carbs are.

kpk54

Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »

I didn’t read all the responses so maybe my opinion has already been represented but I think it’s cheaper.
I think the only way it’s more expensive is if you try to make substitute foods for all your previous high carb favorites. If you just give those up instead of recreating them then you don’t need to buy expensive flours and ingredients.
Literally the only thing you need to buy is meat and whatever vegetables you like. That’s all. You were probably already buying meat so that’s nothing different. And instead of buying bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, chips and soda you only need to buy vegetables.
If someone isn’t able to cut their bill down it’s because they are making low carb faux foods. Those are an option. Totally unnecessary and if your budget doesn’t allow it then don’t do it. There’s also no need to buy packaged low carb products. That stuff is basically convenient junk food. It’s not real food.
Stick to real food and it will actually cost less.

This, pretty much for me.

The only thing I have around the house that I didn't have before is stevia versus the pink/blue/yellow stuff. What I no longer spend on "sweets/treats/snacks" gets spent on meat and vegetables. I've had things like ghee, coconut oil and avocado oil around the house forever but none of them are a low carb or keto requirement (IMO). I tried the "sweet" route with some Swerve and specialty flours and jumped off that wagon quickly. I overate that stuff just like I over ate oreos. YMMV. My habits of eating high-er amounts of nuts/seeds/coconut etc come and go. I'm often better off not having those around too, so I've learned...

Figaver

I recently tried out an egg fast. My local Walmart sells a box of 60 eggs for $1.88. Groceries were dirt cheap that week! Switching to low carb is actually cheaper for my husband and I because before we would order out dinner probably 5 nights a week, and he would eat out lunch 5 days a week. So even though I am buying more expensive groceries, it is still less than all of the restaurant meals we were paying for.

kpk54

Speaking of Walmart...I just watched a short youtube video of a guy who lost a few hundred pounds and started by clearing all the food from his house then walked every day to Walmart (a mile away) to get something for a meal. Sometimes 3 times a day so 6 miles a day.

PrimalForLife

Figaver wrote: »

I recently tried out an egg fast. My local Walmart sells a box of 60 eggs for $1.88. Groceries were dirt cheap that week! Switching to low carb is actually cheaper for my husband and I because before we would order out dinner probably 5 nights a week, and he would eat out lunch 5 days a week. So even though I am buying more expensive groceries, it is still less than all of the restaurant meals we were paying for.

I'm not familiar with an 'egg fast', is it basically an eggs only diet for a few days?

Figaver

I'm not familiar with an 'egg fast', is it basically an eggs only diet for a few days?

I followed the “rules” from this article. I only did 3 days for my first attempt, and honestly that was enough for me.
http://www.mysweetketo.com/5-days-egg-fast/

Fvaisey

I find that if you eat naturally low carb food and you aren't trying to replace the carb laden stuff you use with substitutes that the cost is comparable. I don't believe you need to create substitutes for breads and pastas. Honestly, I feel that is detrimental to moving to real foods, if I try to find 'substitutes' for the junk I used to eat.