The ketogenic diet, characterized by high fat intake and very low carbohydrate consumption, has gained immense popularity as a weight loss strategy. While it often involves foods like meat, eggs, and avocados, which can be expensive, it's entirely possible to follow a keto diet on a budget. This article provides practical tips and strategies for enjoying affordable keto meals without compromising your health or nutritional needs.
Understanding the Keto Diet and Its Potential Costs
The standard American diet is often high in sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and grains, while being low in vegetables, fruits, and healthy oils. The ketogenic diet requires a complete overhaul of these eating habits. Keto focuses on items like meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, non-starchy fruits and veggies, and nuts and seeds.
A special diet can be challenging on several levels, and often, cost is one of them. With the price of groceries already painful, the idea of incorporating even more specialty ingredients (which tend to come with premium price tags) and expensive supermarket runs may feel overwhelming.
Strategic Planning for Keto on a Budget
Planning is essential for successful and affordable keto dieting. It will take up more of your time and energy at first as you get your keto diet right, but it will be more than worth it in the long run. Not only is this a great way to ensure that you won’t spend more than intended, but it will help you get the weight loss and health results you want as well. Here's how to approach it:
- Meal Planning and Grocery Lists: Create a meal plan and grocery list every week and stick to it. Find keto meals that you can make in bulk for the upcoming week, and create a shopping list from the recipe ingredients. Knowing which recipes to cook for the week is essential. Without a clear list to base your foods on, there’s a huge chance you’ll buy more than what you’ve planned.
- Utilize Sales and Discounts: Use special offers, discounts, and sales to guide your meal planning. Rather than planning ahead by focusing on what keto meals you’ll make, prioritize the keto-friendly foods and ingredients that are on sale instead. Combine the items you find on sale with ingredients, foods, and leftovers you already have to create innovative keto meals. Set some extra money aside for the bulk deals and other fantastic offers. Keep an eye out for buy one get one free, buy two get one free, special discounts, and manager discounts.
- Bulk Buying: When you see a good price on common keto foods, buy it, and buy it up in bulk. It makes sense to buy in bulk when you’re carefully budgeting your food expenses. Just make sure you’re shopping at wholesale stores. However, keep in mind that you don’t have to buy everything in bulk. Choose wisely.
- Cook in Bulk and Plan for Leftovers: Cooking a fresh meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day will exhaust your energy levels and your budget quickly. Find keto recipes with multiple servings (or double the recipe), so you don’t have to buy so many ingredients and cook every day throughout the week. Many keto recipes will provide you with leftovers that can last you a few days. You can even plan it out so that you have leftover dinners for lunch and pre-made keto breakfasts that will last you the whole week.
- Freeze in Bulk: When you find great bulk deals, stack as many frozen foods in your freezer as possible and after you make your food in bulk, freeze or store the leftovers. Handling your meals in this way allows you to always have food in the house. You can have breakfast, lunch, and even dinner frozen for that day, and all you have to do is take it out of the freezer. This will make following keto on a budget so much easier for you.
- Check Expiry Dates: A lot of stores usually sell meats nearing their expiry dates (“best if used by” label) at a much cheaper price. In fact, discounts can reach as high as 20%. Keep in mind that it’s probably best to cook (advance meal prep) these discounted meats as close to their “best if used by” date as possible to take advantage of their rich flavor.
- Consider Intermittent Fasting: Cut your costs by cutting out a meal (or two). In other words, you can decrease your food expenses by following an intermittent fasting plan where you skip a meal or two (e.g., only eat dinner or lunch and dinner). Replace the bacon and eggs with some coffee or tea to give you an extra energy boost or try having Keto butter coffee if you need some extra fat for fuel. This meal skipping strategy will help you reduce your expenses and your body fat % without having to come up with a complex diet and budgeting plan.
Smart Shopping Strategies
Where you shop can significantly impact your keto budget. Here are some tips for smart shopping:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Shop at Discount Stores: Despite some of the deals that you can get from your local grocer, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s, they probably won’t beat the prices that you’ll find at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco, and BJs Wholesale. These wholesale stores and discount department stores typically have great deals on chicken, beef, and sometimes fish, cheese, and other keto essentials.
- Online Shopping: Online shopping is becoming one of the best ways to get your favorite food products as cheaply and conveniently as possible. So many common keto ingredients (e.g., almond flour, nuts, seeds, and spices) are much cheaper when you buy them online. Basically, anything that has a long shelf-life can usually be found online for cheaper than the grocery store. If you can stock up beforehand with online shopping, you’ll only need to get perishable foods like fresh meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, and produce from the grocery store.
- Amazon Prime: Use some form of Amazon Prime. Amazon provides its prime members with free two-day shipping on over 100 million eligible items. It costs $49 per year for students (after a 6-month free trial) and $99 per year for everyone else (after a one-month free trial). If you order from Amazon a lot already, then this will be well worth it for you.
- Membership Discounts: If you frequent a specific grocery store, make sure you become a member. Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJs Wholesale offer exclusive deals and discounts for members that cannot found at average grocery stores.
- Smartphone Apps: There are dozens of apps that are designed to help you find coupons, discounts, and cash-back opportunities. Leveraging the power of these deals will take extra time, effort, and planning, but they can translate to some significant savings.
- Meat Shares: Depending on where you live, there may be local farms or butcher shops that offer the chance to purchase a whole, half, or quarter cow. The upfront costs are high, but it’s a great way to buy in bulk and save a serious amount on the per-pound price. (The cuts will come frozen.) What’s more, if you’re interested in buying more environmentally friendly sources of meat, you can save money by making the investment in one of these meat shares - and even getting it sent to you if there are no farms nearby that have this offering.
- Bargain Grocery Stores: Prices can fluctuate quite a bit depending on where you shop. The market research firm Dunnhumby conducts annual reports on chains with the best prices, and in their 2022 Special Inflation Edition report, Market Basket, Aldi, Lidl, and WinCo all made the top 10. You can also find a growing selection of food items at chains like Dollar General and Family Dollar as well. Costco, which ranked 14th on the list, can be a good place to get deals on bulk items, and Trader Joe’s managed to get a mention in last place at No 17. The real win is that their produce tends to be cheaper.
Affordable Keto-Friendly Food Choices
Choosing the right foods is crucial for staying within budget on a keto diet:
- Protein Sources:
- Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein and contain next to no carbs. Nab a large pack of eggs to get more value for money - usually cheaper supermarkets are best for this plan of action.
- Cheaper Cuts of Meat: Make sure your cheap keto grocery list includes affordable meat cuts and seafood such as ground beef, ground chicken, pork chops, chicken thighs, pork loin, tilapia, and sardines.
- Canned Fish: Canned tuna is also a great source of protein.
- Healthy Fats:
- Oils: Opt for high-fat, low-cost oils from plants. Avocado oil is going to be a cheaper option than fresh avocados. You won’t get the fiber you would from a fresh avocado, but it will offer a source of monounsaturated fats that are heart-healthy and will help you add fat to your meals to stay in ketosis. Store brands can often be less expensive than brand names. To maintain freshness, keep it in a cool, dark cupboard.
- Nuts and Seeds: Nuts are low-carb and nutrient-rich - so they’re a perfect snack for those of us on a keto diet. Buying packaged nuts from the supermarket can be expensive so we recommend resorting to buying in bulk or hunting some killer deals. 1kg of cashew nuts will always turn out to be cheaper than smaller packs that contain half the amount!
- Low-Carb Vegetables:
- Staple Vegetables: Make spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower your staple low-carb vegetables. These three are low in carbs and some of the best price per nutrient vegetables you can get. Cauliflower usually isn’t the best price, but it is the most versatile vegetable we have in our keto arsenal.
- Seasonal Eating: Low-carb vegetables (and fruits) are typically the cheapest when they are grown most plentifully in your local area (i.e., when they are in season).
- Frozen Vegetables: Most frozen fruits and vegetables, like keto-friendly berries, cauliflower, and broccoli, are more affordable than their fresh counterparts. Plus, they last longer, so you don’t have to worry about wasting money on produce that spoils if not eaten quickly.
- Berries:
- If you’re choosing to include fruit in your keto diet, you’ll do so in limited amounts. After all, a medium apple contains more than 20 g of net carbs, per USDA data. So fruit options are few. That’s where berries come in, because they tend to be high in fiber and lower in net carbs than other fruits.
- Berries can be expensive, even in season, but frozen berries tend to be cheaper and are much less likely to go bad and be wasted. Plus, past research shows that the vitamin content of frozen produce is generally the same or even slightly higher than in fresh. Buy a big bag of frozen berries and portion out a small amount at a time to add to a keto smoothie, or thaw to use as a syrup-like topping on keto pancakes.
Foods to Avoid to Save Money
Certain foods can quickly inflate your grocery bill on the keto diet. Here's what to avoid:
- Fancy, Packaged Keto Foods: Once a diet becomes trendy (as keto has), companies are quick to hop on the bandwagon and develop keto-compliant foods, like meal-replacement bars, fat bombs, or shakes. You don’t need these things to be successful on a keto diet. Not only that, but relying on these foods too much takes you away from a great benefit of keto: eating fewer packaged foods. Aside from your health, another benefit of skipping packaged keto foods is that they’re really pricey.
- Snacks and Desserts: Snacks and desserts are unnecessary expenses, and they will generally slow your results. If you feel the need to snack or eat dessert often, think about the meals you are eating.
- Drinks: Drinks are almost always overpriced. Stop buying coffee/tea drinks, diet soda, smoothies, juices, alcoholic beverages, and bottled water. Only drink tap water if you want to increase your savings as much as possible.
- Processed Foods: Processed foods are expensive. You end up paying extra for every additional step taken to prepare that food. Stop buying for convenience; Make choices that help you pile on the savings instead.
- Impulse Buys: No matter where you shop, online or in-store, it will be designed to provoke increased spending. The colors, the layout, the recommendations, the limited time deals - all of them are an attempt to increase sales.
- Most Supplements: With the popularity of the keto diet on the rise, more and more “keto” supplements have been popping up. Usually, these supplements will come with a higher price tag, just because they are “keto-friendly.” Instead of spending that extra buck, do some background research on the ingredients. Make sure the ingredients are scientifically proven to do what the label claims, and find a cheaper, high-quality version of the supplement.
- Organic, Grass-Fed, and Free-Range (Initially): Many keto advocates suggest buying grass-fed or free-range meats and organic vegetables. That’s great advice, but if you’re trying to save money, you don't need these varieties to follow the keto diet. The goal is to move toward a pattern of noshing on whole, fresh foods, including conventional (nonorganic) produce and proteins. Later on, if you desire and your budget allows, you may want to explore organic options.
Cooking at Home and DIY Keto Essentials
Making your own food is almost always cheaper and healthier than buying pre-made items. Here are some DIY ideas:
- Make Your Meals at Home: Making homemade meals instead of eating out is one of the best strategies for increasing your savings and improving your health. Keep your meals simple. This budgeting strategy will help you reduce your costs, body fat %, and time spent in the kitchen.
- Homemade Keto Staples: From full keto meals to keto ingredients like nut butters and low-carb flour, you will save a lot of money by making them yourself. In most cases, you will need to use a food processor, so make sure you buy one if you don’t already have one.
- Low-Carb Flour/Meal: Almond meal, flax meal, and many other nut and seed meals can be made with a food processor as a way to reduce costs and decrease the amount of toxic, oxidized fats found in your processed nuts and seeds. The fresh almond meal can then be used as a substitute for almond flour (its expensive cousin) in most keto recipes. You’ll typically find the best deals for nuts and seeds when you buy them in bulk online.
- Nut and Seed Butter: Need a delicious way to get more fats, protein, and fiber into your diet? Try grinding your favorite nut or seeds (or a combination of them) until the oil starts to separate. You can speed up the process by blending in some oil when the nuts and/or seeds are finely ground and sticking together. For example, you can use this method to make almond butter in under 20 minutes with your food processor. It comes out to about half the cost as the almond butter in the store.
- Keto Soups: You can also make healthy, delicious soups from scratch without having to buy overpriced premade soup ingredients.
- Keto Condiments: Mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, and mayo can be sneaky budget-busters. Plus, many of these products contain unnecessary amounts of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. The best option for your health and bank account is to make your favorite condiments at home.
- Salad Dressings: Store-bought salad dressings are condiment’s ugly cousin. They tend to be more expensive and packed with unhealthy oils and other dubious ingredients like added sugar and artificial preservatives. To save you the trouble of finding a healthy, keto-friendly, and relatively cheap salad dressing, try making our keto dressing recipes instead.
Sample Keto Meal Plan on a Budget
To give you a better idea of how to implement these tips, here’s a sample 7-day meal plan with affordable keto meals. The non-starchy vegetables, meats, and nuts or seeds on this menu can be swapped out with what’s on sale or in season.
Keep in mind that the ideal number of net carbs eaten on keto depends on the individual. These meals may or may not fit your specific needs.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
- Day 1
- Breakfast: 3 egg and cheese omelet with spinach, side of frozen berries
- Lunch: chicken soup with shredded chicken, broth, celery, garlic, herbs, and topped with plain Greek yogurt
- Dinner: pork chops with sautéed green beans and almonds
- Day 2
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with frozen strawberries and seeds
- Lunch: hard-boiled eggs mashed on cucumber slices, topped with hemp hearts and full fat salad dressing
- Dinner: lettuce cups with ground turkey, frozen non-starchy vegetable mix, and plain Greek yogurt
- Day 3
- Breakfast: smoothie with frozen raspberries, nut butter, spinach, and coconut milk
- Lunch: tuna salad stuffed in red bell peppers
- Dinner: cauliflower “rice” (bought on sale or made in the food processor) stir fry with frozen broccoli, shredded chicken, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger
- Day 4
- Breakfast: fried eggs with sautéed spinach cooked in butter or oil
- Lunch: turkey roll-ups with plain Greek yogurt, sliced peppers, and cucumbers
- Dinner: bunless burger on a bed of greens topped with cheese, side of roasted Brussels sprouts
- Day 5
- Breakfast: full-fat Greek yogurt with nuts
- Lunch: salad with hard-boiled eggs, cheese, sliced peppers, mushrooms, and lemon olive oil dressing
- Dinner: ground chuck meatballs served over spaghetti squash, tossed in avocado oil and Parmesan
- Day 6
- Breakfast: bell pepper and mushroom omelet with shredded cheese
- Lunch: arugula salad with canned tuna, cucumbers, radishes, sunflower seeds, and olive oil dressing
- Dinner: chicken thighs with coconut cauliflower soup
- Day 7
- Breakfast: nut and seed porridge made with canned coconut milk
- Lunch: egg salad made with plain Greek yogurt on celery sticks
- Dinner: pork tenderloin, eggplant, and zucchini cooked in butter and topped with cheese
Keto Snack Options
Most keto meals are filling enough that you may not feel the need to snack. But if you get hungry between meals, try one of these budget-friendly keto snacks:
- sliced veggies with nut butter
- full-fat Greek yogurt with frozen berries
- a handful of nuts or seeds
- 1-2 hard-boiled eggs
- string cheese
- celery sticks with cottage cheese or pimento cheese
- 70% or more unsweetened dark chocolate (or Stevia-sweetened chocolate)
- homemade kale chips roasted with healthy oils
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto