How to keto on a budget, find the best deals and when to splurge
There is a common misconception of Keto being an “expensive diet”.
As with any way of eating, there are products that are pricier than others. Just as you don’t need to buy the most expensive champagne when you’re thirsty you can be successful without pricier novelty keto products.
Keto 101 - The short version
For Keto you focus on Protein and Fats while keeping Carbohydrates to a minimum.
Most of your meals will consist of Protein like chicken, beef, pork, fish, eggs, cheese and Fats like avocado, butter or cream with some low carbohydrate vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, brussel sprouts, zucchini, artichoke, eggplant, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms or peppers.
Quick tip: Any vegetable that grows above ground is keto friendly.
If you feel like you need something sweet you could opt for a few strawberries or raspberries with heavy whipped cream.
For more Keto 101, read here.
Keto Meal Plan & Keto Shopping list
If you want to keep expenses reasonable, the first step is to plan ahead what you will be eating and to prepare a shopping list. This will help you stay focused on what you really need and avoid surprises at checkout.
Here’s an example for a Keto Meal Plan:
Monday: Chicken breast in Brie-sauce with green beans
Tuesday: Stir fry with chicken thighs, broccoli, brussel sprouts - no noodles
Wednesday: Lettuce Bun Burger
Thursday: Left-overs or scrambled eggs with vegetables
Friday: Zoodles with Carbonara sauce
Saturday: Chicken Wings with Avocado or Guac’ and cucumber sticks
Sunday: Pork Chops breaded with Pork Rinds and Asparagus
This would be the shopping list for it with prices from a Chicagoland Aldi:
Meats:
Chicken Breast - $3.04
Boneless Chicken Thighs - $3.41
Burger patties - $4.99
Bacon - $3.99
Chicken Wings - $7.42
Pork Chops - $6.96
Dairy:
Brie-cheese - $3.49
Eggs - $1.49
Cheese (for the burger) - $1.99
Cream (for the carbonara sauce) - $2.09
Butter (for cooking) - $2.99
Vegetables:
Green Beans - $2.49
Broccoli - $2.13
Brussel Sprouts - $3.99
Lettuce - $1.39
Zucchini - $2.43
3 Avocados - $0.89*3 = $2.67
Cucumber - $ 1.99
Asparagus - $ 2.89
Misc
Pork Rinds - $2.89
Total: $64.73 + tax
Not counting the ‘left-over's’ meal, this breaks down to about $11 / meal feeding easily 2-3 adults.
Notice anything? All the meals are made up of unprocessed foods (except for the pork rinds)! Unprocessed foods tend to be more affordable.
Keto food that won’t break the bank
If you want to try some foods that are labeled ‘keto’ or are processed and lower in carbs, here are some tips for affordable ones by store that have been tried and tested.
Aldi
Zero Carb Bread - $3.49 - freezes really well. Toast a slice as needed
Full Fat Whole Milk Greek Yoghurt - $3.99 - add some raspberries or strawberries for a rich dessert
Fit & Active Low Carb Tortillas - $2.19 - great for wraps, as a pizza base or cut in stripes and fried as noodles
Kroger’s / Mariano’s / Woodman’s and other bigger store chains:
Two Good Yoghurt - $1.49 - $1.99
Lily’s chocolate - $3.50 - my favorite is dark chocolate almond and the new hazelnut one
Costco
Almond Flour - this is the cheapest place you’ll find it. Great to bread things and for keto baking
I’m consciously listing fewer to only list ones I truly feel fit the ‘affordable’ criteria and are tasty.
For more on what products to buy where at which price, make sure to check the Shopping Guides:
Whole Foods - you’d be surprised! Some Keto products are cheaper here than in other stores and their satisfaction guarantee is amazing!
Lily’s Baking Bar and Chocolate Chips at Woodman’s in Buffalo Grove IL
Rebel keto friendly ice cream selection at Woodman’s in Buffalo Grove IL
Quest Protein Chips at Woodman’s in Buffalo Grove IL
Keto foods worth splurging on occasionally
Many keto-labeled foods will be cheaper online thanks to special offers, discounts and keto coupon codes. Next is a list of keto foods that can be pricier. If considered as occasional treats these can fit into budgets though.
Savory keto:
Shirataki noodles (from e.g. Pasta Zero or Miracle Noodles) can be great once in a while when you’re craving something like pasta. They are available in the produce section of larger grovery stores. Make sure to rinse well before briefly heating them in boiling water.
Egglife wraps are made of egg white which makes them low carb, low calorie and high in protein. These are incredibly versatile. My latest way to eat them is to cut them in thin stripes and add them to stirr fries as noodles
Quest Protein Chips - Chilli Lime and Nacho Cheese are my favorites. Netrition linked here tends to have great prices for them. These are fantastic to be on the go and when traveling and wanting to stay Keto or Low Carb.
Umlands Crunchy Cheese and other dried cheese snacks - great as salad toppings or on the go options
Justin’s Nut Butter and to be more precise the Almond butter in snack sizes. Perfect to keep in your bag as a snack every now and then
Sweet keto:
Enlightened and Rebel ice cream! You might wonder why I didn’t list the Aldi ice cream earlier. While it is nice, it is also higher in carbs. I feel like Enlightened and Rebel are tastier and fit better into keto macros. If you’re eating Low Carb, the few carbs won’t matter as much.
Keto Snack Bars! Like MunkPack or Quest Snack Bars. To learn more about ALL the bars out there check out the Keto Snack Bar Comparison! I usually eat only half a bar at a time by the way.
ChocZero Keto Chocolate. There’s no way around this one for me. I listed Lily’s chocolate higher up in the ‘affordable’ section. ChocZero is a bit pricier but worth it in my opinion. Again, as an occasional treat! You can save 10% on their site with code KETOANYWHERE
Granola. I love the SOLA granola on yogurt or with unsweetened almond milk. At Meijers, the bag comes in at about $4.99 which is actually in a similar price range than regular granolas. If you prefer shopping on Amazon, check out Livlo Granola. Amazing! And their Brownie Mix and Biscuit Mixes are fantastic as well.
For more Sweet Keto friendly products, make sure to check the Pancake & Waffle Mix comparison, Muffin comparison, as well as the Keto friendly Drinks comparison.
Tips to try new keto snacks and foods on a budget
Unfortunately with many keto products sold online, vendors package them in boxes of 10 or 12 to reduce the impact of shipping costs. This means if you want to try ONE you need to buy a whole box. If you don’t like it after a bite you’re stuck with the rest.
A few tips for inspiration:
Join Giveaways on Social Media by e.g. searching for #ketogiveaway
On Instagram follow @ketoanywhere and check the stories to hear about (online) sales and special offers
Find a local keto buddy and order new products together. That way you can share those big boxes and split the cost and risk of not liking it
Join a local meet up and see if the organizer (or you, if you organize it) want to do a snack theme. Keto Anywhere did this in February 2020 and we all got to try lots of different keto snacks.
Shop on netrition. They offer many bars and snacks individually.
I’ll continue to build out these lists. Any feedback is much appreciated. Also, please note that some of the links included are affiliate links allowing you to add a ‘ketoanywhere’ code discount for extra savings!
To see all the discounts available, check out the Discount Page:
Keto on!
Founder of Keto Anywhere LLC
For even more ways to save, check out We Thrift