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The Atkins diet has a
lot of health benefits, but it's not easy on the wallet. Fresh meat is
expensive, and because it's a cornerstone of the Atkins plan, you'll
need to buy it frequently. However, there are ways to cut costs.
First of all, be creative in your meal planning. Most recipes within
diet books are written to be enticing, and they often contain the most
expensive ingredients. But you don't have to be a chef to benefit from
the Atkins diet. There are many simple recipes that you can make that
follow Atkins and yet are much less expensive than those in the books
and that will fit your budget.
Buy your meats in bulk, to cut down on costs. Large packages of ground
beef, chicken and fish are much less expensive per serving, often, than
they are if you buy them in smaller packages. You can divide the large
packages into small freezer bags and freeze them in meal-sized
portions. Two to four chicken breasts in a bag are easy to defrost and
make a good-sized meal. You can also cook ground beef in a variety of
ways and freeze the cooked portions. Try doing a portion of the meat
with taco spices, another portion with hamburger spices and the third
portion with Italian spices. That way, you'll be able to use lots of
hamburger meat and still have variety in your diet.
Also, look at less tender cuts of meat, to trim costs. While fillet
mignon may be tasty, it doesn't fit into every budget. Cheaper cuts of
beef and pork make excellent meals, and using a slow cooker will help
tenderize them.
Look to alternative protein sources like eggs and tofu. Both pack a
powerful protein punch at a fraction of meat's cost. Nuts are a great
protein source as well, but can also become expensive very quickly.
Some recipes call for expensive macadamia nuts and cashews. Walnuts,
peanuts and almonds contain just as much protein for a fraction of the
cost.
Mixed vegetable salads will comprise a large portion of your daily
Atkins meals. Buying different kinds of whole head lettuce and chopping
it up yourself will cost you a fraction of what you'd pay for bagged
salad mixes. And a salad spinner will make homemade salads crispy and
satisfying.
Use produce and meats that are on sale. If you've got a recipe that
calls for chicken breasts and turkey happens to be on sale, go ahead
and substitute turkey. Make sure to carry an acceptable food list with
you the grocery store so you can tell whether a sale food is an
acceptable substitution on the Atkins plan.
You can also cut costs by limiting your purchase of low-carb packaged
foods, which are expensive and sometimes full of harmful chemicals.
They may also contain hidden carbs that can stall your weight loss
efforts. The Atkins plan can be effectively followed without using any
of these products. Unless it's a special occasion, skip them all
together.
Finally, it's best to plan your meals and your shopping trips in
advance, to be most effective. Going to the grocery store unprepared or
hungry can mean disaster for your budget. Plan each week's menu out and
then buy what you need to make those meals.
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