Paleo is still gong strong as far as a popular diets go. Not only is it pretty easy to follow, you will find that it is a great way to eat cleaner and enjoy far less food additives, preservatives and straight junk that is found in our modern diets. In order to eat paleo, many people worry they will need to spend more money because it is much cleaner and raw as well as being centered around meat intake. The truth is, a paleo diet can be very low cost when compared to many other diets out there and there are so many ways to make it even cheaper. Here are some tips on how to eat paleo for cheap.
How to Eat Paleo for Cheap
First, let’s look at the basics of the paleo diet. It essentially has these ‘rules’:
Diet is high in (good) fat, and lean protein from animals (preferably organic, grass fed type). Low in carbs.
The diet is high in vegetables, but low in fruit and nuts.
No grains or legumes, also no added sugars or refined sugars.
No or low dairy. Butter is generally allowed.
Seems simple enough, right? Well, it is for the most part. This article from The Ultimate Paleo Guide is pretty full of good information and goes more into depth.
Now that you get the gist of it, how will you afford all of those fresh vegetables and meats? Look at some ways to save money on paleo foods:
Buy frozen- Frozen foods are just about as good at fresh because they are flash frozen to keep them at their peak for flavor, quality and nutrients. They are often much cheaper as well. Stock up on frozen meats and vegetables when you can.
Skip organic on certain foods- While organic is best, you can get away with buying conventional veggies by just avoiding the dirty dozen and buying the clean 15. These are fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticides. Check out my printable clean 15 and dirty dozen chart.
Get your goods in season- Buying in season is always the cheapest way to go. If you can, stock up on extra vegetables and meats (yes, meats have a season!) when they are in season and can or freeze them.
Shop at the source- When weather ad season permits, shop your local farmer’s markets or directly on the farms. We like to go picking our own if we can. There are huge savings doing this and you can make a fun day of it as a great source of exercise.
Try lower priced cuts of meat- Go for organs if you can stomach them (no pun intended!). They are the cheapest by far. If the idea of eating beef heart bugs you, put it in something like a soup so you won’t notice it as much.
Don’t eat out; meal prep instead- Why eat out at 10-15 dollars a meal per person when you can make two or three meals at home for that much? Instead, make meal-prepping a weekly thing and save yourself time later in the week so you aren’t tempted to eat out.
Eat lots of eggs- Eggs are paleo, and they are a very cheap source of protein. They aren’t just for breakfast and if cholesterol is a concern for you, just eat the whites.
Do your own butchering- Bring home whole chickens or larger roasts and do your own butchering and save big in the meat department. If you have the freezer space, buy large quantities like a half of a cow from farmers.
Look for sales and know your mark-down days- Stay keen to sales and get to know when your favorite store marks down their meats so you can be there to scoop them up when they do.
