Can Atkins be affordable?

[Morrigan]

I usually try to only buy whatever meat is on sale. I can stock up the freezer and just pull out what I want. I think my grocery bill actually went down, because I'm not buying prepackaged food, which tends to get expensive.

[lason]

Originally Posted by Cottage

If frozen is what you want then buy frozen.

If you are buying MEALS frozen then you are in for lots of savings!

What do you spend each week at the store? Do you know?

How old are the other 3 you are feeding?

Not trying to back you to the wall but I counsel people regarding saving money at the grocery store. That is why I asked the questions I have.

i usually spend anywhere between $150-$200 each time i go grocery shopping. that's to feed myself, my wife, and three children all under 13 yrs old.

[BonnieRose16]

I understand... I too am on a limited budget and thought I'd die the first time I went grocery shopping and didn't fill the cart with $1 boxes of pasta and $1 tomato sauce and $1 hamburger/pasta/tuna helper

BUT, I spend about $200 every 2 weeks including a once a week trip to the local market... I find that local produce is a lot cheaper than the stuff you by at the grocery store... You can do it! You'll be pleasantly suprised if you shop the deals... I sometimes go to Wal*Mart Safeway and Albertsons to get all of the best deals, but in my town they are all right close to each other...

[Tom]

We should start a coupon sharing group here on ADBB ... or a group to help find deals for atkins friendly items?

[Misnagid]

It's cheaper because processed food costs a lot more than whole foods. We're paying for the convenience of parboiled, bleached, pre-fried everything. Cheese, eggs, chicken, fish, and some vegetables are a lot cheaper than buying all that processed stuff that's so bad for gyou. Plus you can buy a whole lot of fish for the price of the deductible on a tri-coronary bypass.

My DH likes this WOE because he isn't tempted to eat lunch out. Just the decrease in eating out saves us a lot of money.

[hrgillespie]

I just wanted to pop in here and give you a straight out answer to your question ........... Yes and No!!!!! Sorry had to do it .........

First of all I want you to know I am a mom to 7 and have always raised my family on a limited income so trust me when I say I get it and I know exactly what you are asking ........ now with that said I will tell you that it may take some effort but you can make this affordble and you can eat well even on a limited budget. Let Walmart be your friend ........I'm sure if your cutting cost now it allready is ....... BUT look for ways to make it work for you. Buy in bulk and save that way . Check sale flyers and shop at several stores to take advantage of the best prices. With all your efforts I know you can do it and make ot work for your family. In all honestly it may cost a little more in meats and veggies but you won't be consuming the cookies, pasta bread ect you are now so those things will last way longer and that will be a savings in itself. Go back in your budget for a few months and take an honest look at what you have bought or spent on groceries over that time and then after a month on Atkins do the same adn compare ......... lay it out on paper and see how it stacks up. I think you may be real suprised.

Heidi

[choeve]

We do the local farmers market too and it is cheaper and it lasts longer. Week before last I shopped at Kroger and the veggies went bad before the week was out. And I am talking about bell peppers and cucumbers that should last thru the week. And we buy lots of fruit (for my husband and daughter) and veggies for us all and the most we have spent was $20. It's a little out of the way but we make it our Saturday moring adventure. Sam's also it good good for buying in bulk. Around here their meat on a regular basis is cheaper that Albertsons, Kroger and Walmart if you have a place to divide it and freeze it.

[sugarsack]

eggs and bacon (sausage) do cost more than say cap'n crunch, but the whole family can eat together and feel full and get started for the day

pack a chicken breast and broccoli with ranch for lunch

whole roast, salad, sauted squash for dinner and whole family eats together (wife can cook the roast in a crock pot and save time for her)

snack .. 3 oz of cheese while doing homework / watching a movie

save money on chips, sugar laden cereal, milk, bread (oopsie rolls are good for saturdays french toast)

it can be a whole family WOL

[lason]

the whole family doesn't want to give up foods like bread and cereal, nor would i force them to. so it can't be a whole family WOL.

[not2late]

Originally Posted by lason

the whole family doesn't want to give up foods like bread and cereal, nor would i force them to. so it can't be a whole family WOL.

Then buy the cereal and bread for them, but find common foods that you all can eat. Sugarsack gave you an idea of what a "whole family" menu looks like. If your family eats chicken, then buy a family pack of chicken legs or chicken leg quarters---bake them in the oven for supper, you can bring the leftover for your lunch the next day. SAme goes for vegetables.

Also, Atkins is eating more whole, minimally processed foods---that's far healthier for your children than alot of processed stuff. I work in a doctor's office and just yesterday there was a mother at her wits end because her child will only eat 4 things: cheese sandwich, macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza (no tomato sauce), pasta with butter and cheese. The child refused to even try a fresh strawberry from Doc's own lunch because it was "yucky" (though the child admitted she never eaten strawberries before!) It was sad really....