Tips for an Affordable Low Carb Lifestyle
Back before my family and I lost a combined total of over 500 pounds, the way we were eating was almost entirely based on foods that seemed to be a great value for the money. Sadly, processed junk food looks to be the best value in the grocery store when you are not considering how unfulfilling and hungry it leaves you only a short time later. We all better realize now that fresh, healthy eating does not have to cost more! That’s why I believe that recipes should not only be delicious, fresh, and easy, but also affordable.
One of my biggest goals when creating the recipes for my family and my cookbooks is to try and keep the grocery lists short. Naturally, this will help keep grocery costs down in itself, but with the costs of fresh foods and vegetables skyrocketing these days, I wanted to share a list of tips that I have found helpful in maintaining an affordable low carb lifestyle.
Grow Your Own Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs
Rachel has maintained a garden at our house for years, and we have all greatly enjoyed the fresh fruits and vegetables that she has provided! Besides great fresh flavors, your own garden has other benefits. For one, it is a rewarding way to get outside and get some exercise. Also, letting your children watch and/or get involved in the growing process helps to get them excited about eating fruits and vegetables (that usually taste even better than the grocer’s produce section). Of course, the most obvious benefit is that the cost of the seeds or starter plants is much cheaper than buying produce from a grocery store. Often times, you can buy an already maturing fresh herb plant in a pot of soil for under $3, the same price you would pay for a small package of the herb in the refrigerated case. Even if you’re not as vigilant as Rachel about watering the herbs, they should still last longer than the cut and packaged herbs. With a little more care, they will quadruple in size and keep you in fresh herbs all year long. With a food dehydrator or an oven on the lowest, warm setting, you can even dry fresh herbs to make jarred spices that will last for up to a year.
Get the Most out of
your Freezer
Used effectively, your freezer can be one of your best tools when trying to maintain an affordable healthy lifestyle! With your freezer, you can buy in bulk and freeze what you are not ready to use immediately. This allows you to take great advantage of specials and coupons as they become available, and also allows you to shop at larger bulk club stores.
Along the same lines of buying in bulk, I find that cooking in bulk and freezing what you don’t eat to be another great trick. This I find is a great solution if you work long days that make cooking every night difficult. You can cook in bulk on your day off so that you have no worries during the week.
Finally, one of the best things about having a freezer is that you are able to fill it with frozen vegetables (the ones you have grown in your own garden of course). Frozen vegetables are delicious, often cheaper than fresh, and still very nutritious! While I prefer cooking with fresh vegetables, I often keep my freezer stocked with bags of frozen, in the same manner that I keep my spice cabinet stocked with different spices. You never know what you’re going to need!
Keep on Low Carbin’!
George Stella