The headline is "The Cheaper way to LOSE 24 LBS THIS MONTH ON AMERICAS MOST EFFECTIVE DIET! " Some of the tips we already know, such as Tip one-Treating yourself to homemade. Tip two- Make sure your eyes arent bigger than your appetite- in other words plan your meals and don't over buy perishables. Some people throw away a lot of food they never cook. Tip 3- Stock up on bargain=priced foods. Tip 4- Skip the pricey extras. Such as slicing or boning. Instead of buying pre-pkg salads, wash your own. Buy a turkey breast and roast instead of deli meat. Same with beef. Tip 5 EATING EGGS ALL DAY LONG. They also have a few good recipes-Spicy Turnip "Fries" and Philly Cheese Steak Any more tips out there? Vonnie

Eating eggs all day long is definitely true. When I was in grad school, eggs were a staple in my diet. My other advice is to try shopping at a local grocer/butcher. The one I have started shopping has a regular weekly price of $1.49/lb for boneless skinless chicken breast. The chain store in town sells it for $3.49/lb and up. The deals there are much better than at the chain stores.

Check out frozen veggies...they are often cheaper per pound than fresh and just as nutritious.

Be willing to eat what is on sale. If you are picky or have in mind exactly what you want, you won't be as likely to be able to shop the sales. I eat everything that is on sale, from meat to cheese to veggies to fruit. If it is not on sale, I normally won't buy it, even I am totally craving it.

Try buying nuts from cake/candy stores (if you can handle going in them!). The one down the street from me sells bulk nuts for baking and candy at around $3-4/lb. Much better than in the little containers in the store.

Okay, I am done. If you can't tell, I like to get good deals. The only down side with eating LC is it has really cut back on using coupons. No one makes coupons for meats or fresh veggies. I run into a few cheese and frozen veggie ones now and again, but they are rare!!!

Amy

I can soooo relate to buying too many perishables... and throwing them out after finding them slimey at the bottom of my crisper. I like fresh veggies best... but frozen are a close second. I'm now buying frozen broccoli, brussel sprouts and green beans. I like having them in my freezer in plastic bags. I can take out a few and nuke them as a side dish with butter. Quick, easy and handy! I buy the generic ones... and find that, although they might be a bit less plump, they're just as tastey!

Now *here's* a bargain: Bison for $1.99/lb!!!

I get all my veggies (and fruit for rest of family) at a local market rather than in the chain store. Much better quality and prices. They have deli meats and fresh meat there, too, and are usually pretty good.

For salads, I buy heads of romaine and bunches of spinach, wash a bunch of it, tear and put in the large ziploc bags in the fridge. Takes only a few minutes and I have bagged salads to just grab a handful whenever I need it, at a fraction of the cost of prebagged salads from the store. Also, grate cheese and put in ziplocs, boiled eggs kept on hand, too. Canned TUNA is a great buy, as well. Also, don't forget ground beef. When I was in that low-fat frame of mind, I'd buy the extra lean, but now I buy regular or lean--can be used for so many things. I like to make cabbage rolls without the rice, giant hamburger patty with green beans and butter, beef casseroles, etc.
You'll surprise yourself with all the great (cheap) ideas you come up with.

Oh, one more thing, when your deli has their meats on sale, stock up and wrap extra in foil and put in freezer. Same with most things-freeze it!

Happy deal-hunting,
N.

We eat lots of eggs. They are cheap and quick to make. The kids love them. We eat eggs for dinner at least once a week.

I also stock up on sale items. I only buy lunch meat that is one sale. And if it is a good sale, I really load up on it. When tuna goes on sale, I get serveal cans of it.

Overall, we eat alot of eggs and tuna

This woe is NOT expensive. Maybe the meat is expenive but think of the things you NOT buying....soda, chips, crackers, bagels, bread, ice cream, CEREAL, and type of pre-package foods, when you add that all up for the week You have plenty of money to spend on good food...meat, eggs, cheese and fresh veggies.

I agree with you, Kelly. I am the only one in my family doing low carb, but I have cut down dramatically on the prepackaged foods! Once in a blue moon, I'll get the mac and cheese the kids love, but they don't seem to mind not getting it once a week or so like they used to. They DO appreciate the home cooked meals I provide daily. I just add some higher carb side dish that will keep them happy, but I won't eat. My food bill has really not gone up, even though I'm feeding two very different woe's!

Hi Deb,
I see you are from Lansdale PA, I grew up in Pennsburg, which isn't too far from you.

Now I am living in northeastern PA in Laporte, Sullivan County.


Back on topic, even though the rest of my family isn't LCing, they are eating healthier WHOLE foods, not over proccessed grains.
More fruits and veggies for the kids. Less crackers, NO chips, they eat yogurt. Very rare do we have pasta as a meal. But I do have a box of spaghetti and jar of sauce for emergnecy meal. We live in the middle of no where (38 miles to the grocery store) so there isn't a quick run to the store for groceries, or even take-out night. Which that is a good thing, no temptation to say...Oh I am too tired to cook..let's get takeout.

Our grocery bill really went up when we started low-carbing. Now when I shop, I stock up on hamburger, chicken wings, tuna, and eggs. We have omlettes for dinner at least once a week, and chicken wings, too. That way, we can afford the more expensive meats and shellfish for other meals. Cheese can be pricey so I shop the sales! Cindi

I like the idea of shredding your own cheese. If you look at the price per pound of shredded vs large brick you can save up to 3.00 a pound. I have also bought large pkgs of shredded cheese at Sams Club pretty cheap. Vonnie

I live in the country and raise my own vegetables during the summer. Last year I made a list of what to plant from the Atkin's book. If I have a excess of vegetables I can them, they are much better than boughten ones.
decarber

I find it much easier to make salads every night using this tip, I'm even starting to clean all the other things like green onions and radish so that I can just grab them and chop them up. I have even put leftover salad mixed into a zip bag and it was still fresh the next day

For a while I was buying that Lake to Lake presliced, prepackaged by the ounce cheese. Then I realized, Why in the world am I paying almost 4 dollars for 1/2 a pound of cheese when I can get a 2lb. block for less than 3 dollars, and just slice it up myself????

I suppose it was the convenience of it all, but I would much rather spend the money that I save on slicing my own cheese on a new outfit in a smaller size!

i found green re-usable baggies at a health food store - they were about 5 dollars for 5 bags. sounds pricey, but i have had them for 5 years! the veggies stay fresh for 3 weeks in them no rotting or spoilage. i think the name was everfresh

best buy lately:

10 pounds chicken legs and thigh attached at .29 cents a lb. - marinated and roasted they are just great.

ally