Low cost Low carb

dmkins

Being new to the low carb approach I am trying to plan out my shopping list to give variety and not break the bank.

I think I have enough ideas for lunch and dinner with omelets, green veg, cauliflower, cheeses and meats as the basics.

For breakfast I am getting a bit stuck. There are always eggs and bacon, but I would like more variety. I have read about the coconut/ coconut flour/ coconut milk alternative to oatmeal but with the cost of coconut milk I cannot see this getting into my daily plan, perhaps a treat for the weekend.

Any suggestions to give breakfast some variety without costing too much would be great. I doubt that I will get down to the pennies that cereal or toast cost but if I could keep costs to under £1 that would be great.

strawmama

My household is on a seriously low grocery budget, so I can understand wanting to do low-carb on a budget. I got tired of eggs for breakfast the first week. I added flaxseed meal--I usually eat a flaxseed muffin every morning, and since you can alter the recipe to add what you want, it can be different everyday. I usually add cream cheese, fresh berries, cinnamon, or even lemon extract. I don't usually do the savory flavors, but they are good too. I'm not sure what the cost of flaxseed meal over there is, but here it is about $4 for a 16oz bag, which lasts more than a week for me. I stock up when it is on sale

shar140

Lots of options, eggs are cheap and can be made a variety of ways. I keep hard-boiled ones on hand to grab in a pinch. Today I scrambled with some veggies. Also, you don't have to eat traditional breakfast foods for breakfast - I've also had nuts, deli meat, cheese, tuna salad, cream cheese, etc. Or leftovers from the night before (though that's usually my lunch). Another option - once you hit ketosis (assuming that's your goal - but either way, once you adapt to low-carb) you can skip breakfast (intermittent fast). Sometimes I just have my coffee (with coconut cream!). I'm also finding the more nutrient-dense foods I eat, the less I need to eat.

Best of luck to you!

nancycaregiver

I just bought some milled flax seed for about $2.50 at Walmart and some sugar free syrup for about the same price. I found a recipe for low carb pancakes that have less than 1 net carb. Syrup has 1 also. Can't wait to try them!! Not sure what the flax seed is going to do to my digestive system though! :sick:

strawmama

Not sure what the flax seed is going to do to my digestive system though! :sick:

It took me/my stomach a few days! Well worth it though!

dmkins

Did look up the linseed (Flax) before I started and have a few smaller bags Asda (Walmart company) are doing them for £1 per 150g so not too bad there, got my own grinder as well.

Thanks for the muffin suggestion, going to make one of those this morning.

For fish I am very fussy and tend to only eat those that I catch, so will be no problems there come the summer, then kitchen will be filled with the smell of mackerel.

LowcarbNY

Eating 1700 calories/day of real food, even with lots of fresh veggies and meat has been less expensive than eating 3400 calories of junk. Cookies are more expensive than steak, $/lb

Anniel88

I agree with what has been posted here. I find eating low-carb to be cheaper. It is much cheaper to have satisfying meals with fewer calories than it is to eat processed foods and junk foods. You don't need to go fancy with all the different flours unless you want to. There are many low-carb options that don't involve the expensive ingredients.

However, I find it is a learning process and can be difficult to get started doing low carb. For example, I buy a bulk bag of nuts and then portion them out in smaller baggies to bring as a snack for work. One big bag may seem pricey at 8 dollars, but that lasts for 30+ portions. I also make beef jerky, which is the same situation. It costs me 15 dollars to buy the beef to make it, but it makes many more servings than if I bought it premade. This makes it look like it is more expensive because you're buying one item that costs a lot. However, I have more of the nickle and dime issue with junk foods. One bag of cookies or chips may be 2 dollars, but doesn't tend to last that long.

For breakfast, there is no rule that you need to eat breakfast foods. Flaxseed meal is relatively inexpensive and you can make variations of flaxseed muffins and pancakes. I have only just begun experimenting with some of the other flours. I tend to eat low-carb without making mock low carb breads, but sometimes they are nice to have. Some other breakfast options: Ricotta crepes without flour, Frittatas, Quiches without the crust or alternative crusts. I recently tried the low-carb english muffin from healthyindulgences blog, but I need to tweak mine a little more.

Personally, I find that I'm not hungry for breakfast if I eat low carb. I am up at 5. I'll have coffee and cream around 6 and don't eat until 9 or 10 most days and it is just a snack.

Bakkasan

Breakfast - bulk eggs, cheddar cheese, hot sauce, sour cream

lunch - lettuce, generic or bulk ranch dressing(or any other low/no carb - eggs - bulk chicken

Dinner, bulk beef/pork/chicken -

The meats can be had for around 2-4$ per pound if you plan and get at a wholesale club, eggs and cheese are great values too. Frozen veggies.

I second low carb crepes, they are an awesome varietal addition. Berries and whipped cream... yea. OR butter and sugar free syrup!

LowcarbNY

$ Hint.
Frozen berries are almost always less expensive than fresh berries and they are FANTASTIC with cream, 1/2-1/2, or Cholocate Calorie Countdown and mush up until it forms a frozen treat.
A great substitute when you have a hankering for ice cream.

When blueberries are in season I buy them fresh and freeze them myself, likewise strawberries but there is only a short window each year where the fresh berries are cheaper than the already frozen ones.

strawmama

Personally, I find that I'm not hungry for breakfast if I eat low carb. I am up at 5. I'll have coffee and cream around 6 and don't eat until 9 or 10 most days and it is just a snack.

I am also not a breakfast person--I practically have to make myself eat, else all I have is my coffee until lunchtime. For me, eating the flax muffin in the early am helps me to keep my appetite in check.

Bakkasan

The 3 meal a day thing may not completely apply because of how much appetite can be suppressed on LC. I adapted by having coffee w/cream and equal when I get up, go to gym, do my thing, then come home and start making food. Breakfast around 11-12, snack around 3, dinner around 6.

codapea

Just like everyone else, heavy whipping cream and coffee is my breakfast. I like to eat "breakfast" at lunch, though, and find that I never tire of the endless combinations of scrambled eggs, fresh veggies, meat, and cheese. I especially love putting the toppings from my old favorite pizza (Italian turkey sausage, pine nuts, pesto, smoked provolone, and jalapenos) in my eggs. Hmm, other than eggs, a little almond butter on celery hits the spot some days...