tips for paleo on a budget
natashac84
Posts: 7 Member
Hi there,
I was following a paleo-ish diet last year and combined with weight training I lost about 14kg, since I stopped due to budget changes (I am now a uni student, along with my husband, and we have 2 kids to support too) I have gained 22kg. I am planning on starting dieting again, and will be trying to eat similar to what I ate last time, but obviously I will need to be careful with money. Do any of you have any tips on how to eat a paleo diet on the cheap (and please don't say eat organs, as I just can't stomach it lol).
I was following a paleo-ish diet last year and combined with weight training I lost about 14kg, since I stopped due to budget changes (I am now a uni student, along with my husband, and we have 2 kids to support too) I have gained 22kg. I am planning on starting dieting again, and will be trying to eat similar to what I ate last time, but obviously I will need to be careful with money. Do any of you have any tips on how to eat a paleo diet on the cheap (and please don't say eat organs, as I just can't stomach it lol).
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Hi there,
I was following a paleo-ish diet last year and combined with weight training I lost about 14kg, since I stopped due to budget changes (I am now a uni student, along with my husband, and we have 2 kids to support too) I have gained 22kg. I am planning on starting dieting again, and will be trying to eat similar to what I ate last time, but obviously I will need to be careful with money. Do any of you have any tips on how to eat a paleo diet on the cheap (and please don't say eat organs, as I just can't stomach it lol).
You can save money by:
1. Buying produce when it's "in season". The supermarket will probably have it year round, but you'll pay twice as much for it when it has to be shipped halfway around the world.
2. Frequent "ethinic" markets. These places know you're just there to get food for your family, not to commune with the spirit of the happy, grass-fed cow that gave its life for your hamburger. No fancy free range there. I go to pan-Asian, Japanese, Hispanic, Armenian, etc. markets all the time - they often have great regional specialties for sale - and great prices on produce.
3. Buy in bulk. Get a Costco membership and use your freezer. They have deals, and the quantities are good for a family of four.
HTH0 -
Agreed with MistressPi, there is always cattle rustling but if they catch you the prison food is going to get you.0
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Buying in bulk has definitely helped me save. I try to buy grass, fed, and higher quality meats, but it can be more expensive, just do the best that you can with what you have. You'll still reap the same benefits.0
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I tend to hit sales on meat especially at the local grocery stores. It might make one week of shopping more expensive, but then I freeze what I can't use right away or do a big cook-up so I have tons of ready-made food. Works for me.
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Do you keep track of everywhere that your money goes? I have done so for years and I actually spend less since going Paleo. Many items are more expensive, but now I'm not bingeing on junk.
I had an expensive month this month because I invested in a new freezer and shipped up half a year's worth of grass fed meat. But, that meat is still cheaper than CAFO meat in our local stores (I live in the Arctic).
Get out and meet your local food producers. We can't rely on big box stores to be motivated to supply the healthiest foods when we go there and buy their products anyway. Vote with your dollars.
Ditto to the ideas above, Google, meet farmers, join food co-ops, research, research, research.
imo Paleo is much cheaper overall when one considers the health aspects as well.0 -
Prioritize your food dollars.
Vegetables and fruits: Learn which are the dirty dozen and buy those in organics. Frozen organic berries turn out to be cheaper for me than buying fresh when I buy them on sale. I never buy organic avocados, melons, winter squash as their thick skins protect the edible parts from too much contamination. Buy in season and freeze!
Meats: I really don't like eating a whole lot of meat, myself. So I really stick to using about 3 ounces or so in my meals and making most of the plate either stirfried veggies, zucchini "noodles", soups, or stews. But I do only buy the highest quality meat I can: organic pastured chickens, 100% organic pastured beef and lamb, and wild caught fish.
Eggs are cheap and wonderful, even pastured organic eggs as far as protein sources go.
Soups and stirfries are your friend.
A big cabbage goes a long way: cooked down, in cole slaw, in a stirfry.
Root veggies are filling and wonderful.
Meal planning is essential---there are great resources online for "paleo meal plans on a budget".
I don't waste food because I tend to eat the same things: eggs for breakfast, a salad or soup for lunch, a starchy veggie, a green veggie, some meat for dinner, either on a plate or in a stirfry, soup or stew.
Good luck and let us know how you make out!
Rosey0
