STOCK UP ON LOW CARB ESSENTIALS WITHOUT CRUSHING YOUR GROCERY BUDGET

You may have noticed over the past 2 years that our grocery shopping list has changed quite a bit since we’ve moved over to a keto diet.

You might also have taken note that our many of our Sunday frugal recipes are low carb as well and this is because we no longer just eat what we want or classify as “healthy“.

Back on track

We have taken control of our eating habits and put more effort into what fuels our bodies and how we energize it each day.

Related: Are you eating too much food?

I’m not exclusively on a keto diet however I do follow it as much as possible as my dietary needs are different from Mrs. CBB.

Coffee is a great start to the day for keto diet lovers. Many of you might be familiar with Bullet Proof Coffee and for those of you who aren’t let me tell you it’s packed full of fat!

Keto vs. Grocery Budget

Some people have asked if the keto diet has interrupted our lean grocery budget of $265 a month for 2 adults and a toddler and it depends. Some months might be great and other month like August we went over by $18 although having the $25 stockpile comes in handy from time to time.

Another factor to consider is price and sales. You may run out of almond flour and it just so happens to be on sale, you’re in luck.

A Little Goes A long Way

Cutting back on non-essentials really has helped our grocery budget forcing us to cook more, meal prep like pros (even though they don’t always work perfectly) and shop with a super-charged frugal mindset.

Bullet Proof Coffee Recipe:

We make our perfect cup of morning java the keto way but for many of you this coffee might seem overwhelming but trust me it is delicious and not in any funky, weird, kind or way.

Bullet proof coffee is frothy and creamy comparable to a Tim Hortons hot English toffee or Vanilla Cappuccino.

Just in time for Autumn you can start to enjoy Pumpkin Spiced Bullet Proof Coffee which I’m sharing from The Banting Blondes.

• 2 cups of black coffee *instant or brewed
• 1 tablespoon Butter grass-fed is best but can be costly Kerrigold is popular and a Natural Irish Butter.

1 tablespoon Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 444 ml or Premium MCT Oil derived only from Organic Coconuts - 32oz BPA free bottle | The only MCT oil certified Paleo Safe and registered by the Vegan Society. Non-GMO and Gluten Free. (Affiliate)

• 2 tablespoons 35% whipping cream
• 2 sweetener packets, SweetLeaf Sweet Drops SteviaClear, 60ml, Splenda or Torani Sugar Free English Toffee Flavor Syrup, 750ml  (Affiliate)
• Hand mixer, frother or blender World Pride Electric Milk Coffee Frother Cappuccino Latte Whisk $4.00 on Amazon Canada. (Affiliate)

Instructions how to make Bullet Proof Coffee

Make your 2 cups of black coffee then put all the ingredients into a blender or use a hand frother and blend it up until creamy and frothy.

We like the blender better as it really does a good job with frothing. The electric milk or coffee frother is great if you’re in a rush for work or having to get out the door quick.

What is the Keto Diet?

The Ketogenic diet also known as Keto or a low-carb, high-fat diet following suit with Atkins and other low carb diets and meal plans. What we love about low carb eating or the keto diet is the amount of experimenting we do with the products we purchase.

The hardest part for newbies into the keto diet way of eating is having to eat high amounts of fat. To some it may be shocking that Mrs. CBB eats bacon more than the average person BUT it’s the fat content she needs.

It’s a big change

Reducing your carb intake and increasing fat puts your body into a state called, “ketosis” or that happy place for many low carb lovers.

When we think of the Keto Diet we consider it a way of life not a diet to lose weight although that was what it started out as for Mrs. CBB.

Baby Weight Be Gone

After having our first child and gaining 50lbs or so she knew she had to get back on track to where she was pre-pregnancy. Although running 5k every day hasn’t become part of her daily routine what she has incorporated is a new way of eating.

Keto Diet Plan

The Keto diet plan needs to send your body into a state of ketosis where you are using the fat you have stored for energy as opposed to carbohydrates. If you fail to do this you won’t lose the weight and could gain so cheating on the keto diet is a BIG NO.

If you do cheat start over the next day with even more motivation. You will get away with eating zero carb only if you stick to the same meals every day which would be limited but not impossible.

Last year Mrs. CBB bought keto sticks from the pharmacy that test the amount of ketones in your urine. You may be familiar with these if you’ve been pregnant as most doctors ask pregnant women to check their ketone levels during doctor’s visits. You can buy a bottle of 200 strips for under $10 at Shoppers Drug Mart behind the counter.

It’s not 100% accurate but it will give you a damn good estimate whether you have reached ketosis or not. All you need is a bit of colour change in the stick to be in ketosis. Sometimes people think the darker the urine stick colour the further into ketosis you may be.

Unfortunately it could be the other way around and you are dehydrated. It’s very important to keep hydrated on a low carb keto diet because of all the fiber you eat. The last thing you want happening is getting constipated which is another issue that is hard to deal with (no pun intended).

Our Keto Diet Meal Plan

Mrs. CBB didn’t start with much of a meal plan for the keto diet however we did experiment with different recipes and then added our own touch.  What we’ve learned is that if you stock all the main staples of a keto diet in your pantry and refrigerator you need it.

What we do is then purchase produce, meats and dairy and we’re all set.

Some of our more popular low carb keto diet recipes on the blog have been favourites we’ve been enjoying.

All of these recipes are gluten-free, sugar-free and  low carb perfect for keto diet maintenance.

• Mozzarella Stuffed Italian Meatloaf
• Low Carb Baked Zucchini Egg Roll
• Baked Cheesy Cauliflower Tots
• Simple Baked Chicken Wings
• Creamy Radish Soup
• Creamy Asparagus Soup
• Low Carb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
• Low Carb Lemon Cheesecake Squares
• Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
• Coconut Macaroons
• Bacon Fried Lupini Beans

Lots more Low Carb Keto Diet Recipes available…. just read our Free Recipe Index.

Keto Diet Food List

Your keto grocery list may differ from someone else depending on food allergies, grocery budget and availability.

What I find interesting about the Low Carb Keto Diet is that it encourages people to cook otherwise you will fail. The Keto Diet is a masterpiece of dishes that will satisfy your tummy for hours.

Other Keto Products We Buy From Amazon

Below are a few products Mrs. CBB uses and recommends as part of her keto lifestyle and for anyone on a keto diet.If you don’t believe me I’ll take a photo of our overflowing pantry, haha! It will take time to build up a keto pantry so don’t get overwhelmed with all of the products.

We bake and create recipes quite a bit so it’s important for us to have all of the keto ingredients stocked. We also tend to avoid buying pre-made Keto foods as they are very pricey and you can make them at home at a fraction of the cost.

I will add more as I find more so you have a comprehensive list if you are just starting out.

• Collagen Peptides for hair, skin and bones.
• Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa
• Coconut Oil
• Avocado Oil (You will use this quite a bit)
• Everland Natural Baking Powder
• Everland Natural Baking Soda
• Ketone Strips to see if you are in ketosis
• Keto + MCT oil Drink (mix with water.)
• Mrs. Butterworth’s No Sugar Added Syrup
• Nutilite Dark Chocolate Spread
• Cocao Nibs Great for smoothies, cookies or any baking.
• Swerve Sweetener Ultimate Sugar Replacement
• Crazy Mooskies No Sugar Added BBQ Sauce
• FATSO Cocoa Butter – High Performance Natural Peanut Butter w/ Unsweetened Chocolate Flavor & Plant Based Superfats – MCT Oil, Avocado Oil, Flax, Sweet Tapioca & Chia (500g) Keto-Friendly Nut Butter
• Almond Butter
• Pink Himalayan Salt
• Tomato Paste in a tube
• Organika Bone Broth Chicken or Beef
• Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar Replacement
• Premium MCT Oil
• Eat Smart Sweets Gummy Bears or Red Fish (sugar-free)
• Suzy Good Fats Bars Box of 12 (Different flavours to choose from)
• Better than Noodles Konjac Pasta
• Moon Cheese Pepper Jack Cheese Snack
• Keto BOMB Coffee Whitener
• Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener
• Yupik Raw Pumpkin Seeds
• Xanthan Gum
• Almond Flour
• Coconut Flour
• Coconut Milk
• Cacao Butter
• Coffee Grinder is a MUST kitchen tool but just a cheap one will do to grind up sugar substitute to powder and other spices.
• Electric Milk Frother for your Bullet Proof Coffee
• CALM Ionic Magnesium Citrate Powder in Raspberry or Lemon which helps you sleep better, stay focused and helps relieve constipation

Fat Keeps You Full

The idea is to keep full so you’re not snacking in between unless necessary or over-eating which most people do. When we eat the wrong foods that spike our insulin levels, look out. It can be hard to beat the carbohydrate giant.

Most often we find that not all stores care keto diet foods so opting to purchase online is the next best option for keto foodies.

Not all keto diet foods and supplements are purchased at the grocery store unless they have an Organic/Health section where they may be available.

Most times we end up at the Bulk Barn, Costco and Popeye’s supplements for the little extras.

You can also order tonnes of stuff from Amazon Canada with free 2 day shipping if you’re a PRIME Member on Prime products.

Almost everything that is Keto or low carb is gluten-free so talk to your doctor if you think you’d like to try this way of eating healthy.

I plan to do a master keto grocery shopping list to share prices and tell you why we buy what we do, where we do in an upcoming blog post.

Keep an eye on the blog or better yet, subscribe so you get an email when I publish a new post.

You can also download our 30 keto staples list printable and put it on your refrigerator for reference and motivation.

Keep in mind that our Keto Diet/Low Carb pantry staples list is not inclusive as we have many other items that add to our meal plan.

We all have to start somewhere

These are the essentials that are great to start out with when you are new to the Keto Diet lifestyle.

Eat Eggs, Eat Bacon and Eat your Fat!!! Eat Fat Get Thin!!

New 2019: Beginners Keto Food List Printable

Discussion Question: What are some of your favourite low-carb keto diet staples that I haven’t listed and the best place to buy or order in Canada?

August Grocery Game Challenge

Join in the 2017 Grocery Game Challenge (GGC) fun and post your grocery shop in the comment section of each GGC blog post. Here are The Grocery Game Challenge rules to get you started and where you’ll also find a link for the 2017 GGC schedule. Please feel free to download, save and even print the schedule.

Post your shop and you can be next.

New monthly prize: See the Grocery Game Rules

• Ditch these 6 Genius Grocery Shopping Distractions GGC #1
• How to pick Food Storage Containers The Right Way GGC #2
• The Ultimate Frugal Student Recipe Book GGC #3
• 15 Copy Cat Recipes That You Can Make At Home GGC #4

Grocery Shop Results

Yearly grocery budget for two + 1 Toddler 2017: $3180 or $265/month (The above total does not include the stockpile budget of $300/year or $25/month.Points Overview (add any other sections you need to show us your savings)

• Total Grocery Budget for this Month: $265
  
• Total Grocery Budget with any carry-overs $265
  
• Total Gift Cards used to date: $0
• Total Rewards Points redeemed this week: $0
• Total Rewards Points used to date: $0
• PC Points Plus Earned to date: 632,000
  
• Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) to date $0
• Shoppers Optimum: 983,000 O.M.G

Coupon Apps (add any other apps you use to save money)

• Zweet to cash out : $18.25… no idea where the money went but it seems we have $0.
  
• Checkout51 to cash out : $24.50 we cashed out so we’re back at O.
  

Our Grocery Shop This Week

Costco

• 3 x 10% Cream $2.09 each
• 2 dozen extra large eggs $5.09
• 1 4l Sealtest Milk $4.25
• Whipping Cream $4.39
• Almond Flour $19.99
• 2lbs strawberries $5.99

Total Out-of-pocket $45.98

All totals below already have tax factored into them.

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