It is time for another round of cheapskate lowcarb!

[chelsea6]

Not sure if anyone posted this yet:

Watch out for the "Chicken of the Sea" canned White Crab meat. I bought some at Dollar General, got home and checked the label. It's got sugar in it.

[SugarBabi]

I found carb options lemonade, strawberry kiwi, and orange mango at the dollar tree yesterday. It's a great bargain for a buck and the lemonade is very good. I haven't tried the other two. I think you get 4 tubs in each, enough to make 8 qts of drink.

I also get the roasted red peppers there too. They are a nice addition to a salad or green beans, just about anything.

Our store is new and very small so I'm delighted whenever I can find anything low carb for a dollar.

[bigfins57]

My favorite is Adays Hamburger Helper Knockoff, it's about as cheap too if you buy everything in bulk on sale.

4-6 slices of american cheese
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
4 oz of cream cheese
4 oz of canned mushrooms
1 lb of ground beef
8 or more slices of sugar free bacon
This recipe is good for induction (one serving). Fills you up good.
How To Prepare: In a sauce pan, mix heavy cream, cream cheese, american cheese, and mushrooms and cook on low to medium heat. In seperate pan, brown ground beef, drain, and set aside. Fry bacon, set aside. In your bowl (the one your eating out of) put ground beef in and pour cheese mixture over it. Add bacon pieces and garnish with shredded cheese if you like.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM good!!!!! I could eat this every day!

[mom2fourboyz]

To get some of the moisture out of the zucchini slice it and place it on paper towels or on a wire rack. Sprinkle it with salt and set it in the frig overnight. When you are ready to use it just rinse it off and prepare as usual.

[PaganCub]

I cannot stress this enough. Go check out your local butcher shop if you have one. I live in an expensive city and find loads of great meat bargains there. Sometimes at half the price of the supermarket! On Friday I bought chicken breasts at $1.60 a pound when it is about $3-4 at the supermarket. You may be shocked at what you will find. Plus, the quality is much better, and fresher.

As far as salad, I buy bagged and will usually place in a bowl surrounded by paper towels or just throw a paper towel right into the bag to keep the freshess. Sometimes lasts over a week that way.

[Hooligan]

Has anyone ever tried buying 1/2 a cow? I ran across and add where it would come out to about $2.08/lb including trimming and wrapping. This is a great deal for even ground beef...but you get all different kinds of steaks and roasts. Basically you get just about every cut of meat imaginable. My brother and I were thinking about splitting the cost of a 1/2 cow. I have a food saver and an upright freezer and thought this would be a good way to save money over the long haul. Just a thought...but I would like more info. from anyone out there who's done this. Anyone actually done this? TIA!

[cynner]

Something that is lc and really good if you like fish, are mackeral cakes. I buy a can of mackeral (or salmon depending on mood and price), open the can, debone and mix with 2 eggs, mashing it up really well. If you like a special seafood seasoning, feel free to add it. Then just make little patties and place in a non-stick frying pan coated with Olive oil Pam (or equivalent). Brown both sides ensuring egg is cooked through and through. Enjoy.

[IronEagle]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

One of our standby meals or snacks is low carb tortilla chips with shredded cheese on top...nuke, then serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole for wonderful nachos.

Those sound amazing!

I like getting the lower price beerbrats from Kroger. They are cheap and easy to prepare and very filling. They go great with some #07 Jack Daniels 0carb Mustard.

[Callan]

I'm posting this on this thread and the yogurt ones .

For those of you who eat yogurt on your plan (remember, it has fewer carbs that the label indicates), here's a great cheapskate idea:

I made a quart of yogurt (to eat with berries, or to make yocheese with my draining it in a coffee filter over a strainer) by simply heating a quart of whole milk in the MW for six minutes (on high), then letting it cool for about 20 minutes in the fridge. I then took out the milk, and made sure it was about 110 degrees F (you do need a candy thermometer -- about $2 -- for this step). I put about 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt in the milk, and used a whisk to stir it in to avoid lumps. I then put the entire container (I used a Pyrex glass measuring cup which holds two quarts, but you could use any non-metal, heat-safe container) on a towel covered heating pad set on low overnight. I woke up and had the best yogurt for about 75 cents!

[CARBBABY]

I find that wrapping the head of lettuce in foil keeps it fresher longest.

[LunaAshling]

Hooligan.... buying chunks of any meat animal is GREAT if you can afford the cost upfront and have room! half and quarter hogs are good too!

Definately ask lots of questions and shop around! Also in many places for about a dollar more a pound you can find a natural grass fed cow that is MUCh better!

OOh and ask if they make jerky at all! Some will do that. If not I would consider making a bunch yourself!

[LunaAshling]

Oh and I wanted to remind all the parent's that I have a lowcarb kids thread in the past amazing posts section that is also a GREAT thread! You can follow the link in my siggy!


Many of the ideas on it are pretty frugal!

[LunaAshling]

Actually there are a TON of GREAT threads over in past amazing posts on food........ LOTS of good ideas on what to do with chicken, etc...


I highly reccomend taking a stroll over there!

[JONAH'S GRANNY]

I noticed Netrition has a great price on liquid Stevia right now. I've gotten used to it and love it. Splenda is almost history, IMHO!

[Smokinjbc]

Another option for people who want bulk meat- if you look for a hair (non wool) sheep breeder, you can get really good lamb (look for Dorper/Kathadin breeds for the best ) from either ethnic sources or hobby breeders. Lamb at the store $4-5 or so a lb- you can usually find a freezer lamb for $80 and pay the butcher anywhere from $25-$45 (depends on how much work you want to do). My friend has built up quite a market- they pay her about $125 and get back 50-70 lbs of meat.

I raise my own, and sent it to the fat farm and the the butcher for very little $- the butcher did an outstanding job- and I got 50# of high quality meat. Hair sheep breeds are very tender and much less fatty. My butcher did one of the legs into leg steaks and those are so easy to grill and delicious!

[buffedstuff]

veggie stirfry

[Rigel434]

canned mackeral from Walmart only costs 70 cents a can- around 500 calories of pure protein. And it tastes fine if you wash it in water first and remove some of the fishiness.

[tyler43836]

I love the tuna muffins. I buy cans of tuna whenever I can find it on sale (it's even had to sub for cat food a few times in emergencies!) One of the things I've found recently that I love. Is tuna patties. Linda Sue has a recipe on her site that is awesome....I don't get quite that fancy most of the time. Just a can of tuna, an egg and enough Parmesan cheese(cheap canned stuff) to hold it together. I fry it in a little oil making small 'bite size' patties. Usually end up with about 20. I dip them in LC ketchup or chipolte mayo and pop them in my mouth. They're good reheated in the microwave or even cold!

[LunaAshling]

Allright people......... the Thanksgiving grocery sales are starting up!


Now is the time to stock up as much as you can!


Remember there is more than turkey on sale............things like canned pumpkin, black olives, frozen veggies, etc.... buy what you can to save money!

Also consider treating yourself to a freezer (new or used... even a layaway or asked for a gift)... because with all those $5 (give or take) turkey deals coming soon... you can go store to store and STOCK UP for quite some time!!!!!!

[24Fan]

[QUOTE=LunaAshlingAlso consider treating yourself to a freezer (new or used... even a layaway or asked for a gift/QUOTE]

I am thinking seriously about buying a (used) small freezer, funny you should mention that. I was just looking thru the Uncle Henry's to see if one was for sale I could afford You're right, this is a great time of year to stock up on turkeys especially. 48cents a lb here is the best so far but that still beats 99 cents a lb other months.

[meekotheracoon]

If anyone has any suggestions that would be great. I am very new to this and was thinking of starting the whole family on low carb. Any advice would be great. My children are 10 and 13. Anyone have kids on low carb?

[KarbieGrl]

Satisfy a sweet tooth? My favorite is sugar free jello with whipped cream. Totally satisfies the sweet tooth!

[underHiswing]

When I make casseroles, I often use "cheese ends". I like the variety that I can get...American, provolone, cheddar, Swiss, Muenster, etc. You can ask for them at the deli in the grocery store...and the price per pound is usually quite a bit less.

[SwitzBride]

[COLOR=Magenta]My biggest recommendation is buying sale and bulk, cooking in batches and putting extra in the freezer - time saving too.

But I wanted to add, as far as "specialty" LC products goes, drop in at that local Dollar Store or Dollar Tree once in awhile.... over the last year I was FOREVER finding UNBELIEVABLE bargains there! When low carb products don't sell, they seem to wander that way. I bought a bunch of Atkins syrups and a few Davinici's too, low carb bake mixes, snacks, etc., etc. for only $1. Now, I haven't been able to go shopping in a few months...sigh ....and won't be able to for a long time... (see my journal), but I would assume as the Low Carb market continues to adjust itself, that this kind of clearancing will continue.

This also applies to your local big grocer. At Woodman's & Walmart a few months back, I got lots of great products that were clearancing. So just keep your eyes open! Deals will be had as companies come and go. [/COLOR]

[SwitzBride]

[COLOR=Magenta]Also, I forgot to add - and not that this is the time of the year for it - but head yourself weekly to that local farmer's market!!! Not only is it FUN, but I usually spent half or less on tons of organic produce from a farmer's market than I would for the exact same stuff in the grocery store! Even better deals are had if you start to get to know the local farmer's. Becoming a regular often meant extra veggies or a basket of berries thrown in for free.

Of course, having your own garden is lots of fun, cheap & great exercise!! (long as you have the yard space.)[/COLOR]

[LunaAshling]

meekotheracoon ......... click on my kids link in my signature. I have a kids thread in the past amazing posts section that has a TON of good info and ideas on it!!!!!

[jraudio]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet...

Around where I live it's deer season, and if you know someone who hunts deer, you may be able to work out a deal with them for some venison. I have found venison to be a decent substitute for beef in some recipes, and I have eaten venison steak and venison burgers before too. Just a thought.

Oh, and the person who suggested a chest freezer and going in with someone on a steer was right on. My cousin runs a breed farm - a farm where they breed cattle, and then sell the calves to other farms where they are fattened for slaughter. Well, now and then a calf won't make the cut, so to speak, but will be perfectly healthy, so my cousin will keep it, raise it himself, and send it to a local butcher when it's time. One year my dad went in with someone else on a steer from my cousin's farm, and he had more cuts of beef and packages of hamburger than he knew what to do with - and that was just half a steer!

I don't have a full-size freezer yet - I don't have enough electricity in my utility room for one - but I do watch the grocery store for when the Oven Stuffer Roasters (up to an 8 lb chicken) go on sale. You can get several meals out of one of those, and lots of chicken stock when you boil the carcass afterward.

[joneswoman]

For all of you low carb bars, shakes, etc. I suggest find salvage stores, yes there are many popping up all over the place. You can get great deals. Bars from .10cents to .49cents. Shakes from .10cents to around .50cents. Nuts and other low carb things. Thats what I love.

[veronicac]

i found atkins breakfast bars at gnc 10 for a dollar,at vitamin world i found muffin mixes & brownie mix for 25cents each i got 5 total just to have around for emergencies!!

[mrsezova]

If you do find anything you love at the dollar stores, big lots. etc... buy em up. I learned they don't stay on the shelves very long and they don't usually have them again once they are gone. I learned this the hard way.