Frugal low-carb lifestyle hints?

[canadianrose]

Hi, my boyfriend and I have been reducing the carbs in our diets, but it seems a bit expensive to focus on meat a vegetables. We don't eat beans, except green beans, because my BF doesn't like the texture, and I'm not convinced they're good for u either. I try to eat leafy greens daily, and BF has been eating more as well. We're both working on cutting out sweets and starches, especially wheat. BF is diabetic, and it has been helping him a lot.

I was wondering if there are others out there who have found ways to economize on similar diets. Prices for protien are so high, but I distrust tofu and other soy-based products.

[puglogic]

If you are avoiding beans, soy products, and the like, you're pretty limited to animal proteins, nuts, and dairy. I'd say just find the very best deals you can find (larger packages sometimes are much better price-per-pound). Eggs are good, cheap protein as well. Do you guys eat lentils? Some people find them more attractive than other kinds of beans, especially if made into a soup or stew. Vegetables can be pretty inexpensive when in season, and soon the frozen veggies will be out there selling for less than a dollar per bag. That helps us a lot.

One of my favorite things is a big leafy salad with chopped pears, sliced almonds, shredded chicken, some kind of strong cheese, and whatever fresh veggies are in season (and therefore cheap).

[Madsen]

I eat this way too, and I think the best thing to do is keep your focus on the "big picture" ---- you may be paying a little more in the short term but you will reap greater benefits throughout your life ... from less work time lost due to illness, reduced health care costs, better quality of life, etc. Focus on the positive aspects of the lifestyle. Another example is at restaurants when you make substitutions and they charge you extra, John Berardi calls this the "get lean" surchage. :)

But in terms of day to day tips, I definitely use a crock pot a whole lot. You can buy meat on sale, and if it's not the most tender cut it sure will be after a day in the crock pot (and for extra awesomeness be sure to brown the meat first) ... buy in bulk and on sale "family packs" of chicken breasts, etc. ... get a chest freezer ... do batch cooking: make a bunch of stuff at once and eat it throughout the week ... if you live in an area with hunting, try to befriend a hunter and get extra game meat ... buy extra turkeys when they go on sale at Thanksgiving ... I work out a lot so I supplement with protein powder, this can be a good bang for your buck ...

[madgeylou]

we are eating fairly low carb around here, and we find that we spend about $100 a week on groceries (there are 2 of us). that's a lot more than many people pay, but it's important to me to eat ethically raised meat, so we pay $4-7 a pound at whole foods instead of $1-4 a pound at the regular grocery.

we buy ground beef (fabulous as bolognese served over carrot ribbon noodles!), chicken thighs (about $17 for a family pack and it takes us 2 weeks to get through it), bacon ($8 a pound and worth every penny), pork shoulder (for carnitas salads, usually can get it for $4 a pound at whole foods and cook it in the crockpot). we also get whole organic chickens at costco and sometimes a few steaks or a beef roast for a treat.

around the edges we fill in with lots of eggs, a little bit of yogurt (i eat it with a tiny drizzle of honey and a teaspoon of no-sugar-added jam from WF, around 5 g of carbs per serving), tuna and salmon salads (from canned fish purchased at costco), salads (mostly from our garden), and lots and lots of shi****o peppers (also from the garden, a GREAT source of vitamin C, super tasty, and bountiful).

i've also found that tacos/wraps are great for cleaning out the fridge. you can use lettuce wraps or i've also found some taco shells at whole foods that are only 7g each.

i second the recommendation of a crock pot. a pork shoulder cooked in the crock pot all day with just a little bit of seasoning on the outside is amazing.

[loosechickens]

If the problem with beans is texture, remember that you can up the protein content considerably of something like a vegetable soup, by simply pureeing some beans and using them to thicken the broth....no "beany" taste or texture, but still get the protein.

You can also mix pureed beans with tuna or canned wild salmon, make your tuna salad as usual, except half tuna and half mashed up beans, and in half an hour in the fridge, all takes on the tuna taste, but lower cost, higher fiber, more satisfying tuna salad.

Do you know that you can substitute pureed beans for much of the fat in things like brownies? Amazingly good.

hope this helps.

[razz]

If the problem with beans is texture, remember that you can up the protein content considerably of something like a vegetable soup, by simply pureeing some beans and using them to thicken the broth....no "beany" taste or texture, but still get the protein.

You can also mix pureed beans with tuna or canned wild salmon, make your tuna salad as usual, except half tuna and half mashed up beans, and in half an hour in the fridge, all takes on the tuna taste, but lower cost, higher fiber, more satisfying tuna salad.

Do you know that you can substitute pureed beans for much of the fat in things like brownies? Amazingly good.

hope this helps.

Hey, LC, those are great hints that I am going to use. Thanks!
So far I have been using applesauce for substitution for fat in baking.

[Tweety]

These days I like to cook quick, no crock pots and complicated preparations for me! I found that I could get along with tiny amounts of meat, mostly as flavoring. A panful of stirfried veggies with a piece of chicken breast the size of 2 fingers cut up and sauteed with it and a nice savory sauce is more than enough for me. A whole chicken breast, cut into finger lengths and frozen, can last me a week. I also buy a pork tenderloin when it is on sale, cut it up into slices, freeze them and get at least 15 meals from it.

[Charity]

I've been eating this way for awhile. The thing that has made it affordable for me is buying frozen Tilapia filets in 4 lb bags from Wal-Mart. The filets are individually shrink wrapped so I can just take out what I need. They cost around $3 a pound purchased in this quantity. I like them because they are so versatile. I eat Tilapia about 4 times a week.

Suggestions:

Sauteed in butter with lemon and fresh herbs.
Baked in parchment packets with onions, cherry tomatoes and fennel.
Baked in parchment packets with garlic, onions and lemon slices.
Baked on a sheet pan: Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning, spread on a thin layer of mayo and then top with Parmesan cheese.
They are great in Fish taco's.

[madgeylou]

If the problem with beans is texture, remember that you can up the protein content considerably of something like a vegetable soup, by simply pureeing some beans and using them to thicken the broth....no "beany" taste or texture, but still get the protein.

You can also mix pureed beans with tuna or canned wild salmon, make your tuna salad as usual, except half tuna and half mashed up beans, and in half an hour in the fridge, all takes on the tuna taste, but lower cost, higher fiber, more satisfying tuna salad.

Do you know that you can substitute pureed beans for much of the fat in things like brownies? Amazingly good.

hope this helps.

great tips for those who want to eat beans, but i think the OP's beef with beans is that they are pretty high carb and not part of the paleo lifestyle. i.e, humans did not evolve eating lots of beans -- they are an artifact of agriculture.

don't get me wrong, i love beans, but they are not low carb at all. black soy beans are OK, a little bit anyway, but lentils / kidneys / garbanzos / etc. are mostly starch and very little protein, and most of them have a much higher GI than someone who's trying to watch their insulin would want to mess with.

[Dragline]

If you have a deep freeze, look into buying a part of a cow (cut up) or just generally buying in bulk. This is also the best way to buy organic or grass fed products, although not as cheap if you go that route, but probably better for you in the long run.

Look up "cow-pooling" in your locale.

[loosechickens]

I missed any mention of "paleo" diet....only focused on the fact that the boyfriend didn't like beans because of the texture......sorry.....carry on.......

[JaneV2.0]

I recommend pressure-cooked meats and vegetables. Not only can you get food on the table fast, you can tenderize cheaper cuts of meat in the process. Buy loss leaders and stock up; freeze and store. Keep a price book, hit discounters like Grocery Outlet, Aldi's, Cash and Carry, and Costco. Check out ethnic markets for produce and spices. Eat organ meats--a great source of vitamins A and B, along with minerals

The bulletin board/forum at http://www.lowcarbfriends.com has regular threads on shopping on a budget, along with lots and lots of recipes.

On the face of it, low-carb eating may seem expensive, but the foods you consume are so nutrient-dense you get more for your money in the long run. Many people find their health improves, leading to reduced medical costs, as well.

[madgeylou]

On the face of it, low-carb eating may seem expensive, but the foods you consume are so nutrient-dense you get more for your money in the long run. Many people find their health improves, leading to reduced medical costs, as well.

something i've noticed also is that i eat a lot less food! i am full with a small bowl of beef and cabbage as opposed to the 3 or 4 slices of pizza i could easily eat, plus some chips, plus some ice cream.

[canadianrose]

Thank you everyone, so many great tips! For clarificaion, my bf doesn't like the taste and textue of beans, and I don't like the stuff I've read about beans, an how they aren't that good for people to eat. I've been reading a lot of Tom Naughton's Blog (http://www.fathead-movie.com/), as well as the blogs of several doctors, and a couple of good books, and I would rather leave well enough alone. Ditto for wheat.
I forgot to mention that bf is quite allergic to nuts, but I keep a large bag of raw almonds in my locker at work in case get snackish.
We eat a lot of eggs, usually 3 dozen or so a week between us. I usually cook up scrambled eggs for breakfast and lunch at the same time in the morning, and my lunch eggs go over a salad with cheese or avacado.
Since starting this diet, I feel better. I sleep better, I'm not as hard on myself, my bf says I'm easier to get along with. I think I perform better at work, too.
Thanks again.

[canadianrose]

I've been checking out lowcarbfriends.com, and it's a treasure trove o LCHF info, thanks for the link!

[JaneV2.0]

"something i've noticed also is that i eat a lot less food!"

Part of that is that carbohydrates drive insulin release/hunger, but I think equally important is that you're getting nutrients your body really needs. I always dredge up the story of Mormon crickets that will resort to cannibalism if their protein (and salt) needs aren't met otherwise. I'm not sure what the message is there...:confused:

[madgeylou]

"something i've noticed also is that i eat a lot less food!"

Part of that is that carbohydrates drive insulin release/hunger, but I think equally important is that you're getting nutrients your body really needs. I always dredge up the story of Mormon crickets that will resort to cannibalism if their protein (and salt) needs aren't met otherwise. I'm not sure what the message is there...:confused:

hmm, you're looking pretty tasty today, jane! ;)

[JaneV2.0]

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