"Do you find ketogenic foods are more expensive than regular ones?"
When people ask me this question, my answer is that in my experience, they are not more expensive. Why do you ask? Well prior to my low carb journey, I ate a variety of foods ranging from lean meats to processed food. All the foods I currently eat now, I ate prior to low carb (except I chose the lower fat options). Sure, processed food is cheaper than whole foods if you are only consuming dried pastas and pre-cooked meals but in my experience, if you look for deals, you can ALWAYS find them. Nowadays, my grocery bills are actually lower than they were before because I actually consume less food. Gone are the days of constant hunger pangs, night snacking and meals every few hours. If I have a bulletproof coffee in the morning, I will stay satiated till about 2-3pm without requiring any other food. My friends are always astonished that I’m not hungry but it’s true.
Another thing to keep in mind is that leaner cuts tend to be more expensive since most people look for “low fat”. Pork bones, shoulder, etc. all are cheaper than super lean cuts like beef tenderloin.
Ok, now on to the grocery tips… (Don’t forget to check the Notes section for this week’s grocery list!)
Tips for low carb grocery shopping:
1) Make a list.
It’s simple, fail to prepare or prepare to fail. If you go to the grocery store and just browse for what you need, you’re much more likely to buy something on impulse. The likelihood of that product being low carb is lower than if you have a list.
2) Eat before shopping or bring yourself a snack.
Are you trying to torture yourself by looking at all the delicious food options without having eaten? Seriously. You’re more likely to grab for something that isn’t ketosis friendly as all ready-made food tends to be loaded with refined sugars and starches. Pack yourself a quest bar or something portable at the beginning of the day.
3) Browse the flyers prior to your grocery excursion.
Flyers are a wonderful way to check out what is on sale/lower price. A lot of these products are considered lost leaders (they are so cheap the store actually makes little to no profit on them, they are there only to attract you to the store) — Take advantage of that!
4) Buy seasonally.
If you live in a northern country like I do, try to purchase things that are seasonal. The produce will be fresher, richer in nutrients, taste better, you’ll be supporting local businesses not to mention, it’ll be cheaper! It’s a win-win.
5) Buy in bulk.
You know those staples that you use on a regular basis? Well Costco just became your best friend. Eggs, cream cheese, almond flour, coconut oil, you name it. They have it. It’s significantly cheaper to purchase things that you will constantly be using from a warehouse club.
