Budgeting for a low carb diet has meant 2 things for me: longer trips to the grocery store because I spend a long time analyzing nutrition labels and comparing prices right there. And figuring out how to manage my grocery budget spending with this new diet. There are so many great resources for keto products, such as pre-made pancake mixes, and subscriptions for keto-snacks, but that can add up fast! And I’m not sure it’s totally justified. So here is a list of things I do and don’t do in order to budget for this new diet, Plus 2 FREE downloads for a 1 week meal plan schedule and a customizable schedule.

Here’s How I Budget for a Low Carb Diet

  • I don’t buy subscriptions boxes. They are so tempting, but as I have said before on this blog, it cost more to buy it pre-made. It’s a convenience fee– more or less. To learn more about budgeting for groceries, check out the Basics I Know to be True When it Comes to Grocery Shopping.
  • I do have a Thrive Market Membership because I am able to buy some foods unavailable at my local stores, or foods that are more expensive at my local stores. In just 4 orders, I have saved $180 in groceries. If you are interested in learning more about Thrive Market, check out My Thrive Market Experience. Or cut to the chase, and get 25% OFF your first order with your Thrive Market Membership and a FREE gift of up to $24 in value (I picked a water bottle).
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  • I don’t buy pre-made items. Pre-made items are things like pancake batter. They can be costly for such a small amount! Spending something close to $10 on pre-mixed pancake/waffle batter to me is not worth it. Not when I can buy the flours separately and use them for other recipes. However, I suppose it can be justified when some of these ingredients include ingredients that are hard to find in your local stores or at reasonable prices at sites kinda like Amazon… As I always say: do your research and debate with yourself.
  • I do buy ingredients– there are many great ways that you can enjoy a keto-friendly snack without breaking the bank and without stepping too far away from the keto- or low carb diet. Best things to buy when budgeting for a low carb diet: popcorn kernels, sweet potato, bananas (for Almond Flour Banana Muffins), Almond flour and coconut flour, pumpkin seeds, pork sausage….
  • I am lax about some of the snacks. Being too constricted for your low carb diet can possibly lead to bingeing (which is not good for you). However, if you eat in moderation then you can budget for a low carb diet in kind! Things I buy for low carb snacks: Veggies Chips, Skinny Pop popcorn, Himalayan salted chocolate covered almonds from Target! A few other items, and I can totally make a Healthy Trail Mix Recipe.
  • I meal plan. Meal planning has become especially more important to me now that I have started my low carb diet. I start my morning with a cup of coffee (with 0 calorie and 0 sugar sweetener) and then a Premier Protein shake. Lunches are often leftovers from other low carb recipes, or tuna and Ritz crackers. I make a list of my favorite recipes that I know to not be high in carbs (such as soups, stews, tacos, meatloaf recipes), and then I sometimes randomly assign them days of the week. Meal planning is especially easy when you eat almost the same thing every day and shake things up with dinners and snacks. Check out Meal Planning Rotations to read more on why it’s so important and a couple tips for starting a meal planning rotation.
meal planning for low carb

Budget Friendly Low Carb Recipes

Here are just a couple ideas and recipes to get you started on budgeting for your low carb diet. PLUS grab these TOTALLY FREE Meal Planning worksheets for your low carb diet!

Meal Planning for Your Low Carb Diet

Customizable Meal Planning Worksheet

Budget Friendly Low Carb Snacks & Desserts

  • Cottage Cheese & Sliced Peached (1 serving portion each) It’s only about $4 for a big tub of Daisy cottage cheese at my grocery store.
  • 1 oz Veggie Chips (like Pringles but with veggies and only 5 g carbs per serving!)
  • Oikos Single yogurts- 15 g of protein. Sometimes I had a little homemade granola to shake things up
  • Cashew
Peanut Butter Chocolate Fat Bombs
Check out this recipe
peanut butter chocolate fat bomb
Almond Flour Banana Muffins
This gluten and grain free banana muffins are the perfect snack or addition to any low-carb breakfast!
Check out this recipe
gluten-free banana muffins
Trail Mix Recipe
Check out this recipe
Healthy Trail Mix
Hawaiian Sweet Potato Fries
Check out this recipe
Hawaiian Sweet Potatoes ready to bake

Budgeting for Low Carb Lunch/Dinners

Chicken Quinoa Soup
This chicken quinoa soup is the perfect balance for chicken soup and staying low carb!
Check out this recipe
Chicken Quinoa Soup
Quinoa Veggie Soup
This crockpot vegetable soup fills you up fast and is reltively low carb.
Check out this recipe
Turkey Meatloaf
Check out this recipe

Disclosure: I am a Thrive Market Affiliate and this post contains affiliated links. This means that I earn a commission if you choose to purchase a monthly or annual membership by them using these links. The products listed in any of my blog posts that promotes Thrive Market are only the ones that I have ordered and really enjoyed. Read full disclosure here.