Get More Bang for your Buck with these Keto Shopping Rules!

While the keto diet is considered one of the most effective ways to shed all the extra pounds quickly, it is not considered to be the most budget friendly of diets. While eating the right keto products can put you into ketosis quickly, they often cost a pretty penny. Keto friendly food items and products (think steak, almond flour, organic eggs, salmon, and avocados) are usually expensive and can put a considerable dent in your monthly grocery budget.

However, if you have come to the conclusion that the keto way of life is the way forward for you, there are ways to get more bang for your buck with these tips to do it without going broke.

1. The Farmer's market is your best friend!
Buying brand name products at often ends up in a ridiculous increase in your total bill. Hit your local farmer's market or find local producers or vendors to slice your bill. Cheese, vegetables, eggs, dairy, and meat can be sourced from these places and are often better for you from the health point of view as they are free from added preservatives.

2. Bulk Buy whenever you can!
Do the Math. Buying food or product in bulk or in economy packs is a great way to pay less per unit. This is especially useful when purchasing meat. If you don't have a large freezer, consider investing in one. That will allow you to safely store your bulk meat purchases. Freezers are also great for storing some bulk buy vegetables. Otherwise, find a keto buddy to split bulk buys with. Nuts, oils, and other supplements are also available in bulk packages specially when purchased online.

3. Eggs, eggs, eggs!!!
Eggs are the most perfect keto food. They are cheap and are extremely versatile as they can be cooked in a variety of keto friendly delicious recipes. Hard-boiled, poached, scrambled, devilled, fried, or in quiches, eggs are an extremely budget friendly way to get your protein intake in.

4. Skip the specialised cuts, get the whole chicken!
Instead of buying just chicken breasts, or drumsticks, buy the entire chicken. It is much cheaper to buy the whole bird, and if you buy in bulk, with a little prep you can separate the chicken yourself. Parts that you wouldn't normally eat, work brilliantly to make stock. If you're also short on time and can't get into the hassle, try roasting the whole bird. Leftovers keep beautifully in the fridge.

5. Always plan your week in advance and meal prep.
Cooking yourself saves both money and time as long as you prepare your meals in advance. Not only will you have ready to grab meals through the week, you also avoid the risk of being famished and forced to buy ready (read expensive) food. Some keto friendly foods that are easy to prep in advance are Zucchini, cold cuts, hard boiled eggs, chicken and tuna salads, and grilled meat.

6. Simplicity is beauty (and it's cheap to boot)
Keep your meals simple. You don't have to over complicate your keto diet by always making fancy recipes with expensive specialized ingredients. Try variations of basic protein, veggies and fats, grill them up and mix and match for variety.

7. Skip the fancy snacks
Your daily keto friendly chocolate bar, granola, or special keto drink in a can, may not seem like a big expense on its own, but can rack up a heavy bill if you count the monthly costs. It is best to stick with whole food snacks like nuts, jerky, or home made fat bombs to satisfy the cravings. The internet is full of recipes for things like home made cheddar keto chips that satisfy the urge to snack on store bought expensive items.

The bottom line is that the keto diet is most definitely possible on a budget. However, you must keep in mind that quality is a definite factor to keep in mind from a nutritional point of view. If you eat processed cheese, foods with unhealthy additives or preservatives, or low quality snacks just to cut costs, it could sabotage your diet and health by counterbalancing the ketones in your blood.