Help - low-carb LOW BUDGET diabetic-friendly meals?

Question

When money runs short, what do you reach for to save on groceries? CARBS... potatoes, pasta, rice, cheap storebrand bread, canned beans etc. Things that fill you up, stretch the expensive protein and fresh vegetables, and give the pocket book a break. And now we can't eat any of them... help! Low-carb diabetic-friendly groceries cost a fortune... We're eating a lot of eggs, that can help if you stock up during the occasional super-sales. But fresh meat and fresh vegetables are spendy... We have roughly $50 to spend on groceries this week to feed two adults and four felines, and the pantry is shrinking so I can't rely on a stockpile - it isn't there any more.

Answer

Cabbage, nappa cabbage, onions, mustard greens/collard greens, zucchini and green beans are all cheap veggies- shop ethnic markets for the most bang for your buck or a farmers market near closing often has end of day deals. 

+1 for tofu, extra firm is great cubed in a stirfry, or crumbled and sauteed

Canned sardines, tuna, salmon, and mackerel are cheap- make patties with the canned salmon, egg and crushed gf/low carb crumbles of choice. 

Stir fry shredded cabbage, onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cubed tofu. 

Entree salad with shredded nappa cabbage, steamed green beans, hard boiled egg and tuna with a mustardy vinegrette. 

Make soup with canned coconut milk, curry powder, sauteed onions, chopped zucchini, crumbled tofu, whatever other veggies you have on hand.

Answer

Here is a post of something I did with grass-fed beef shanks. You can get a lot of very nutrient-dense meats, cheap, that go a long way. Other choices are heart, liver, and tongue. Just be sure to cook most of these things low and slow, and they're great.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/498133#8351037

You might want to keep in mind that when you cook some veggies, like this, you break the indigestible carbs into simple sugars, which you might want to avoid. But, you can get good, tender, meats with just a little liquid, and very few or zero carbs.

Organs meats, bones, and cheaper cuts complement typical muscle meat amino acid, vitamin, and mineral profiles. By eating them, you're likely protecting yourself from micronutrient deficiencies.

http://paleoincomparison.blogspot.com/2013/09/crock-pot-beef-heart-with-cauli-mash_27.html

http://thecuriouscoconut.com/blog/how-to-cook-beef-tongue

Answer

OT, but prior to my H's stroke/diabetes diagnosis, we were living mostly on rice/pasta and beans and veggies with meat for flavor. It's tough. This post is going to be shorter than I want it to be b/c work is still a beast this week!

There are superb ideas on this board already.

Eggs--yes. Frittata is your friend, and you can use up odds and ends of veggies in it. 

At the deli cases, I seek out cheese "ends"...great for grating, recipes, chunking for snacks, etc.

At least once a week unless it's absolutely hot and humid (which in NE is maybe two months, tops), I roast a whole chicken and use every bit. I can get three days of meals out of that.

We almost always have a veggie laden soup or salad with our meal...and the parameters of "salad" change to fit our budget. Sometimes it's wilted greens topped with bacon/onion. Sometimes it's tomatoes from the garden drizzled in olive oil, w/ S&P. Sometimes it's canned artichokes, olives, and a bit of tuna.

For veggies, we always have on hand celery, some sort of greens, and cabbage. Always onions and garlic in the house, too. Depending on the time of year and season, we add summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, etc....sometimes frozen, if that's cheaper. 

Chicken thighs are usually quite cheap. 

We do a lot of "stuffed" things (tomatoes, cabbage, bell peppers for H, acorn squash, zucchini) and scrambled things to use up odds and ends. Kudos to those who mentioned ground pork...very versatile.

Scrambles, too, are your friend. Bunless pepper steak/steak and egg. Shepherd's pie topped with turnip and a squash is a big hit with my H.

Answer

Look at supermarket flyers for weekly specials. The key is having flexibility and a sense of adventure, be willing to try new things As others have mentioned chicken, eggs, pork loin chops or butt, top round of beef for London broil, ground chicken or turkey. Organ meets can sometimes be a great value too. Broccoli crowns, eggplant, green beans, zucchini have been .99 cents per# lately. If you like fish, swai, tilapia, whiting can frequently be bought cheaply, especially frozen in bags. Canned tuna, sardines, mackerel are good too.
Good luck.

Answer

Thanks for the suggestions... we eat TONS of eggs. Breakfast every day is eggs-and-something with or without low-carb pita bread. Yesterday I made a fridge-emptying scramble - the crumbled ends of the bulk bag of broccoli, some canned corn for contrast, and the end of a container of herbed cream cheese. 

And frozen vegetables are dirt cheap (except for some reason cauliflower. Why don't they sell it in those bulk bags???? You have to buy it by the pound, but it's still cheaper frozen than fresh) The problem is what to put WITH the vegetables so my husband doesn't get bored with them. We eat a TON of chicken, not much beef, it's way too expensive... he loves hamburgers, but alas even the cheap-and-nasty ground beef is $4 a pound lately! Pork isn't much better... but you can still get chicken cheap. I think I need to buy one of those ten pound bags of chicken legs that I always turn my nose up at because they have too much bone and fat so they're not 'really' 90c/lb... legs roast nicely and it's awhile since they've had whole chickens on sale.

Answer

Kajlit: 1) Look for the weekly market ads---many are now online---and take advantage of loss leaders. 2) If you have a choice of markets, watch where you shop as stores in less-affluent neighborhoods,ethnic markets, and certain chains, focus on bargain prices and the difference is huge (in Chicago this week the differential in tomato prices is between 59 cents lb and $4.50 lb). 3) Plan your meals a week at a time so you can make use of planned-overs and leftovers---and plan according to what's on sale. 4) Take advantage of the season. Right now zucchini squash and eggplant are at their lowest price-point and both can be eaten in lieu of pasta, with inexpensive jar spaghetti sauce and some cheese. 5) Eggs.

Answer

Dallas,Tx
New to Diabetes..
Fixed income.

Answer

I would consider adding in protein bars, such as the Quest Nutrition bars or the Kirkland brand from Costco. It's a good way to squeeze in 25 or so grams of protein along with some additional nutrients you might not get from a pure meat diet.

Answer

Farmers markets can be helpful, as can Aldi or Lidl if available. Some Aldis are pathetic, but the one nearest me burst out with refrigerated organic vegetables. You need to keep a keen eye on local prices that involve a minimum of travel. Good freezer space is very useful.

Also, if you have an oriental market convenient, it’s an excellent source of vegetables, especially greens.

Topics

Locations

Your post has been published!

Help - low-carb LOW BUDGET diabetic-friendly meals?

More from Chowhound

Guides

The Ultimate Spring Produce Guide: What's in Season & How to Use It

Recipe Round-Ups

Quick and Easy Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes for Less Morning Stress

Guides

How to Care for Enameled Cast Iron So It Lasts a Lifetime

Home

The Best Tool to Clean a Wood Cutting Board Is Probably in Your Compost Bin

Trending Discussions

Chowhound Recipes That You are Saving

A Final Goodbye for Chowhound

Favorite Chowhound Memories

NY Times: Chowhound Closes After 25 Years of Food Obsession, Wisdom and Debate

January–April 2022 Baking COTM: DESSERT PERSON by Claire Saffitz

Quick Links

Latest Discussions

Cookbook of the Month

Dish of the Month

Weekly Menu Planning

Get fresh food news delivered to your inbox

12 Irish Foods to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day That Aren’t Corned Beef and Cabbage

Chowhound

Policies

Community

Editorial

Content