How to Do Keto on a Budget

Humans are probably the only creature in the world that are the biggest threat to themselves. With pollution, unhealthy choices, viruses, and wars, we are reaping what we’ve sowed. Yet, despite the havoc we have wreaked on mother earth, we still have the power to set somethings right, like nurturing our bodies the right way.

To that extent, the Ketogenic or Keto diet is the right place to start. Keto is a type of diet that makes you overhaul your eating habits entirely. High in fat and low in carbs, this diet plan is very different from the standard American diet, which is generally high in sugar, saturated fat, and sodium.

Many people who want to start eating healthy are often concerned about dealing with its cost. And it makes sense as revamping your diet to Keto requires expensive Keto-friendly foods and frequent grocery runs. So while eating healthy is important, you also do not want to pay through your nose for healthy food choices.

Time Tested Ways to Do Keto on Budget

For this reason, we have put together some savvy tips to follow the keto diet that neither bust your budget nor make you compromise on the quality of food!

Buy in Bulk

The very first tip for doing Keto on a budget is to save money by buying in bulk at one time. You can buy a lot of food items in bulk, especially when there is a sale. However, this also requires some keen planning as you need to find places where you can get the best wholesale deals.

One item that can especially help save you a lot is meat in bulk. You can buy it in large family packs and easily freeze it to be used for a long time. You can also calculate to cut down on your weekly and monthly grocery budgets by buying in bulk. Compare the differences in prices and choose the one that best fits your budget. You can also find a keto friend to share a gallon of olive oil or a bag of nuts.

Cut Down Your Spending on Beverages

If you have been complaining a lot about your grocery bills but are still spending $5 every morning on a latte, we’ve got to break it to you that latte isn’t food. Similarly, getting a $20 bottle of wine on every grocery run or paying a $50 bar tab once a week will keeping adding up your grocery expenses without offering nutrition or health.

Understand that your beverages aren’t grocery and should not blow your grocery budget. So give up on pricey drinks and alcohol. Better yet, replace them with water. If you need your morning caffeine fix, make it at home. And as for alcohol, you should probably cut back altogether as it is nothing but unhealthy.

Go Meatless Once Every Week

Meat or protein is usually an important source of nutrition in Keto diet plans. But it does not mean that you cannot do without it at all. Every now and then, you can follow trends like Meatless Mondays to help keep your budget together. Similarly, you can also switch to eggs, plant protein, and other protein sources instead of meat once in a while. Such sources are not only healthy and nutritious, but they are a lot cheaper than meat as well.

Stock Up on Frozen Veggies

While the Ketogenic diet emphasizes fresh and organic, your veggies do not have to be 30 seconds from the bush. In fact, it is absolutely fine to buy frozen veggies or buy fresh and freeze them to use later.

Frozen vegetables are not only cheaper, but they are also packed with nutrition. Fresh vegetables are often transported long distances and sometimes spend some days in your refrigerator before you finally use them. Over time, these fresh vegetables become not so fresh anymore and lose valuable nutrients. In contrast to this, frozen veggies are frozen at the peak of their freshness, which helps them retain all their nutrients.

Here is an article that outlines the benefits and precautions that one should use while using frozen veggies.

Suggested How to Create Financial Stability in a Crisis

The biggest advantage of getting frozen veggies by far is that they are much cheaper than fresh ones. For instance, you can find a bag of frozen spinach at $1 and the same amount of fresh spinach at $6.

Skip the Packaged Keto-Friendly Foods

When a diet plan like Keto becomes trendy, companies hop on the bandwagon to offer Keto-friendly packaged foods. This includes replacement bars, shakes, and even Keto ice-creams. The truth is that regardless of how tempting these products might be, you don’t need them to go Keto. In fact, getting these foods takes away one of the main benefits of a Keto diet, which is eating fewer packaged foods.

So remember that the idea is to go for organic and whole foods rather than processed ones. Another benefit of skipping on Keto-friendly packaged food is that they are expensive. If Keto on a budget is your goal, a handful of nuts will beat a packaged keto bar any day.

Bottom Line

Keto-friendly foods can indeed be a bit on the expensive side, especially for individuals with a limited grocery budget. However, some preparation and getting clever with available resources can help you go Keto on a budget.

It would be wrong to assume that the Keto diet is for people who can afford it. In fact, it is for people who are willingly committed to their health and are smart and creative enough to work out plans within their budget limitations.

If you need help with managing your grocery budget, download the Doctor Money app and keep a check on all your spending. Make sure that every time you spend on food, you are feeding health, not fighting it.