The absurd increase in grocery bills is getting to everyone, but the shoe pinches most for keto dieters. Eggs and low carbs are mainstays for them. But the price of eggs can leave a hole in one's pocket with the frequency of usage needed for keto dieters, which for some is about 70% eggs.
How are they holding up, and what substitutions are they making? Here are several things an online keto forum is doing to combat the price of groceries.
1. Ground Beefs In Place of Steak
One person admits to using more ground beef and less steak. A second individual says they were buying bone-in meat more often because it's cheaper. They found a way to make bone broth with them, which they realized was ridiculously filling and nutrient-rich.
2. Chuck Roast
Another volunteered that chuck roast is also a good alternative as it is super cheap. These are any cuts of meat from the chuck or the shoulder of the steer. The only downside is the need to slow-cook it for a long time.
3. More Legumes and Veggies
Lots of cabbage, some onion, whole mushrooms, and things like zucchini in the pot roast are also good alternatives. one user recommends cooking it in beef broth with a quarter stick of butter. When it's almost done, baste everything and cook it uncovered till it brown's up. It is not just filling but delicious.
4. Replace Potatoes
Like eggs, potatoes are also very expensive at the moment. But Rutabaga can replace potatoes, especially in stews or roasts, and much more keto-friendly. One mentions that turnips are amazing potato replacements too. They have a similar texture to potatoes and can be prepped in different ways, including baking, roasting, boiling, or steaming.
5. Switching To Carnivore
A more extreme version of the keto diet, one user says they switched to carnivore at the beginning of the year. They recommend getting quality cream cheese and meat for the best prices at Costco. Since a carnivore diet sticks to meat without a need for carb count, one can skip the eggs, and there will be no need for potatoes.
6. Stuffed Peppers
Bell peppers are keto-friendly vegetables to include on a low-carb diet. Keto stuffed peppers are the bomb, with lots of online recipes available. It is filling and cheap especially if one uses ground turkey instead of beef.
You can also make cauliflower rice and top it with melted cheese. To further reduce cost, you can opt for green bell peppers, which are always cheaper than red, yellow, or orange.
7. Bone Broth
The clear, protein-rich liquid created by boiling meaty joints and bones in water is known as bone broth. Someone recommends 4-6 oz every morning. They added that it is the best way for the body to break a fast. It gets all your nutrients in and gently breaks your fast.
8. Buying Discounted Holiday Meat
For future reference, one person advises that when turkeys go on sale before Thanksgiving and hams and beef go on sale in December, fill your freezer. They've barely been to the supermarket this month because they've got a freezer full of discounted "holiday" meats, saving them considerable cost.
9. Deal Tracking
One individual uses the Flipp app to track deals at all the grocery stores near them. They've been lucky to fill their freezer with 99-cent thighs and drumsticks. $1.69 chicken breasts, $2.49 ground beef.$1.49 whole chicken and $2.99 pkg of bacon.
10. Know What You Can Afford
For one user, it ultimately boils down to what you can afford. Keto may be helpful, but too expensive. At this time, they admonish cutting down on luxury replacement items like keto snacks and focus on vegetables, cheese, oils, and meats.
People can also opt for organ meats like tripe, hearts, and other non-choice cuts at local butchers like mussels. Finally, they mentioned tofu as a great egg replacement. Most Asian cultures have hundreds of ways to prepare tofu worth exploring.
It's one of the cheapest proteins available in the store. So they conclude that good choices are still available at the store even if one stops keto.
This thread inspired this post.
Tell Us What You Think