Can You Do a Whole30 on a Budget?
That would seem to be the question of the day lately.
A Lot of folks are like, oh, I don't know, that's pretty expensive to eat like that (I get that comment with Paleo as well) ...
But it's NOT true!
I'm going to share a FEW tips on how to make a Whole30 AFFORDABLE ... I think you'll be surprised!
1. You do NOT need to buy all organic. Meaning you don't have to shop at Whole Foods! You can shop at your local grocery store or even Aldi. I've found Aldi to be my FAVORITE store when doing a Whole30. Please, don't leave negative comments ;-) Organic is not a requirement. It is preferred but NOT required.
2. Same thing with meat! You do NOT need to buy grass-fed, petted and tucked in at night protein. I would strongly suggest that you DO buy a lower fat content of meat that is NOT grass-fed or at least trim off the excess fat when visible as that is where the baddies hang out. I do try and get grass-fed where I can and only if it's close to the ordinary price of the meat ... if I see it marked down, I scoop it right up ... again, Aldi has been great on this front (marked down free range chicken because the store location was not selling it ... $1.99 for boneless skinless chicken breast??!!) ... Walmart also marks down their roasts quite frequently. When you see the mark downs, just check them well to make sure color and smell are good and then buy what you can and FREEZE when you get home til ready to use! Easy peasy!
3. Meal Plan! Yup! Know what you are making for the week ahead and make sure you have what you need ... this will help you be successful and avoid last minute stops at the store while you are starving. This is especially important during the first week or two!
4. When cooking, because you will feel like that's all you are doing, make a double or triple batch and FREEZE the leftovers in single serving sizes for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week or month! You'll be glad when you dig out that bowl of chili and say oh, yummmm, I forgot how good that was!
5. Think outside the box. That's how this soup came about ... for breakfast, no less! Breakfast does NOT have to be eggs every day ... nor does every lunch need to be a bed of lettuce with protein add ;-) If you are getting bored with the same meal every day, change it up ... eat a soup for breakfast OR have some riced cauliflower and leftover protein. It's ok!
So, even though this doesn't deserve it's very own numbered line, avocados are great and all BUT they can be expensive. I've seen them upwards of $2 each. That would be $1 for each meal if you are only using a half each time. Unless you absolutely LOVE these things, don't feel like you need to buy them and eat them with every meal. You do need to make sure you are getting good fats somewhere, which is why I prefer to saute everything in ghee when reheating leftovers ... I'm just saying that if you buy 5 avocados at two bucks a piece, yeah, your grocery bill will be a tad higher ;-)
Do you have any tips for doing a Whole30 on a Budget? Share in the comments!
A Lot of folks are like, oh, I don't know, that's pretty expensive to eat like that (I get that comment with Paleo as well) ...
But it's NOT true!
I'm going to share a FEW tips on how to make a Whole30 AFFORDABLE ... I think you'll be surprised!
1. You do NOT need to buy all organic. Meaning you don't have to shop at Whole Foods! You can shop at your local grocery store or even Aldi. I've found Aldi to be my FAVORITE store when doing a Whole30. Please, don't leave negative comments ;-) Organic is not a requirement. It is preferred but NOT required.
Aldi stop ... notice some things are organic, for regular grocery store prices!
2. Same thing with meat! You do NOT need to buy grass-fed, petted and tucked in at night protein. I would strongly suggest that you DO buy a lower fat content of meat that is NOT grass-fed or at least trim off the excess fat when visible as that is where the baddies hang out. I do try and get grass-fed where I can and only if it's close to the ordinary price of the meat ... if I see it marked down, I scoop it right up ... again, Aldi has been great on this front (marked down free range chicken because the store location was not selling it ... $1.99 for boneless skinless chicken breast??!!) ... Walmart also marks down their roasts quite frequently. When you see the mark downs, just check them well to make sure color and smell are good and then buy what you can and FREEZE when you get home til ready to use! Easy peasy!
3. Meal Plan! Yup! Know what you are making for the week ahead and make sure you have what you need ... this will help you be successful and avoid last minute stops at the store while you are starving. This is especially important during the first week or two!
4. When cooking, because you will feel like that's all you are doing, make a double or triple batch and FREEZE the leftovers in single serving sizes for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week or month! You'll be glad when you dig out that bowl of chili and say oh, yummmm, I forgot how good that was!
5. Think outside the box. That's how this soup came about ... for breakfast, no less! Breakfast does NOT have to be eggs every day ... nor does every lunch need to be a bed of lettuce with protein add ;-) If you are getting bored with the same meal every day, change it up ... eat a soup for breakfast OR have some riced cauliflower and leftover protein. It's ok!
So, even though this doesn't deserve it's very own numbered line, avocados are great and all BUT they can be expensive. I've seen them upwards of $2 each. That would be $1 for each meal if you are only using a half each time. Unless you absolutely LOVE these things, don't feel like you need to buy them and eat them with every meal. You do need to make sure you are getting good fats somewhere, which is why I prefer to saute everything in ghee when reheating leftovers ... I'm just saying that if you buy 5 avocados at two bucks a piece, yeah, your grocery bill will be a tad higher ;-)
Do you have any tips for doing a Whole30 on a Budget? Share in the comments!
My partner follows the paleo diet and I follow keto and Aldi is a life saver. Eating healthfully doesn't have to be super duper expensive! I love your idea of making extra and freezing it-that saves so much time later on.
ReplyDeleteI've been seeing a lot about Keto lately. Sounds a little more complex than Paleo and Whole30 🤣
DeleteI've heard of the Whole30 but haven't tried it. Sometimes people feel they can't eat healthily because of the cost, however you have shown that it is affordable. Thanks for sharing with us at #overthemoon link party. I've pinned and shared. Have a lovely week and see you at the next link party.
ReplyDeleteSue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
Thanks for hosting a great party Sue!
DeleteThese are great tips, Jan! It doesn't have to cost a fortune to eat well. Thank you so much for sharing, and for being a part of Hearth and Soul. I can't believe I wasn't already, but I've just followed you on Pinterest. And I love the new look of your blog! Hope to see you at H&S again this week!
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks April! :) I'm trying to get used to the new blog look ... it's no where near complete but I just need to do it as I have time :) thanks for stopping by!
Delete