My household has cut out the majority of our expenses. We're down to just the utilities (electric, water, the least expensive functional internet plan, cheapest phone plan that fits our needs,) our medical expenses (manufacturer's coupons and savings programs to the max,) and the real killer – food.
Everyone here has a different allergen profile *and* medical diet, meaning shared meals are rarely possible.
I have never successfully grown a single vegetable, but I am giving it another go this year. While I utilize food pantries (passing on what none of us can eat,) compare prices per ounce, shop online (can't impulse buy if I can't see it!) and shop sales religiously (if it's a staple that lasts, I'm buying double or triple,) our food budget still ends up near the price of our rent!
How do others with specialized diets keep their food budgets reasonable?
Folks on specialty diets – how do you save on groceries?
byu/Round-East-1529 inFrugal
Posted by Round-East-1529
10 Comments
I’m four months into eating disorder treatment, buying an adequate amount of food to eat every day plus sticking to their nutrition restoration plan has seriously thrown my budget. I’ve been managing by buying one thing in bulk so the price per 100g is lower, preparing portions and freezing them. I get paid fortnightly so one fortnight I’ll buy and prep meat, the next fortnight veggies and any marinades or sauces for meat.
My wife has fodmap issues and I am on a post heart attack diet. The elimination of meat and dairy substantially improved affordability
Honestly, I just call that a medical expense and cut expenses elsewhere. I do try to find savings where I can, similar to the ways that you’ve listed, but sometimes it just is what it is when you’re dealing with allergies :/
It would help to know some of the restrictions. At our house rice and dal are staples, both are cheap and easy to make and can be bought in bulk. I frequently get chicken on mark down at Aldi. I buy it and then break it up into smaller bags to freeze. We don’t eat pork and rarely have beef. In season on sale produce can bulk out meals. I serve a fruit and at least one veggie, usually more, with dinner. Aldi had the mini cucumbers on clearance for $1.50 a bag and strawberries for $1.99. I got peppers and chicken breast too so we did skewers with tomatoes, labneh and flat bread that we already had at home. 2 chicken breasts fed 4 people when it’s padded with all the produce and the bread and it was a good (and healthy) dinner.
My specialized diet is mostly restrictions on stuff that will cause painful gout flare ups. Not buying any turkey, pork, seafood, shellfish, or sugary carbonated drinks did reduce our expenses. Wheat, rice, corn cereals not sweetened mixed with lemgumes (peanuts) various bean and corn dishes, moderate chicken and fish are less expensive and good fiber and proteins. My go to snacking are frozen whole strawberries, a few dark chocolate covered peanuts or raisins.
I buy mostly ingredients and stay away from specialty premade foods (snacky type things) as much as possible.
I have a large gf, dairy-optional house. I try to keep costs low but provide high nutrients for the calories. My body requires nutritious food or it gives me trouble.
To keep cost low, I plan and purchase in bulk low-cost staples that everyone can eat that are naturally gluten-free and dairy free. Like, rice, beans, potatoes, carrots. I source gf oats from Azure Standard and buy the 25 pound bag so it is cheaper per pound. I also keep a variety of canned fish, as well as frozen poultry and fish and just a little bit of ground beef. I round out each shopping trip with whatever produce looks good and is a good price while I’m there, supplement with some good frozen fruits and vegetables. In the past I have made my own gf bread and yogurt and consider doing it again. I regularly make bone broth or stock from bones and veggie scraps and freeze it in souper cubes. I stock up in the freezer/storage when something I use is on sale.
Doing ingredient bulk prep with a compliant sauce or two is a useful way for people with different food requirements to mix and match to build their own meals that work for them. Like prep 2-3 carbs, 2-3 proteins, and have some roasted veggies as well as raw salad veggies (if tolerated) lets people mix and match for a little variety for lunches and dinners. Drizzle a different sauce/dressing on each and you get a lot of variety. I also have stuff for smoothies with whey or vegan protein powder as another avenue for nutrition. I try to do some meatless or low-meat meals sometimes to lower the cost/meal. I often bake an egg breakfast casserole with potatoes or beans, veggies, etc or an oatmeal fruit bake for faat/no-brainer breakfast for the crew. I find substitutions that meet general allergy requirements and are easy/affordable like puréed white beans instead of cream for soup or using a df milk for pudding.
Lastly, I keep emergency pantry/freezer meals that are fast and easy to feed people on the chance I get sick or the day gets away from us, with the goal that it’s faster/easier than takeout. I regularly freeze cubes of soup, chili, shredded meat for these future scenarios. I probably save a small fortune with this tip alone!
I hope this helps.
I look for discounts and buy in bulk with dry goods. Coupons, sales, and shopping where its the best for catching sales and coupons. Food City, Sam’s, and a local store that sells discounted food items because the packaging isn’t perfect for higher end stores works out great for dry goods. What little we can’t find at those places or can find cheaper we get at Walmart still.
Both my spouse and I have issues with common foods. For me, its been decades and for him just a couple of years. The best thing for us is whole foods (not the store). We cook our own meals, very seldom eat out and have a couple of veggie meals a week. Our protein is usually chicken or, sometimes pork when it is on sale.
We love to experiment with interesting international recipes to keep things from getting too boring, and we make a regular weekly menu and create our shopping list from that.
It’s tough!
I have IBS and Kidney Disease so I have to be careful. Gluten-free, for instance, is a must.
One way I help with that is to make bread at home. For whatever reason, I can eat sourdough bread and it doesn’t affect me. I think it’s because the sourdough starter negates the gluten? I’m not sure.
I’ve yet to master the art of making gluten-free crackers, so for that, I just buy thin brown rice cakes. Not cheap – but cheaper than gluten-free crackers and more healthy.
(No, I have not found a satisfactory way of using gluten-free flours.)
What I have found is that you need to give it a lot of thought and good research and then plan your diet. Make a week’s menus and for each one, weigh everything you put in your mouth.. (Including drinks.) Then do an analysis of each meal, listing all the elements that might affect your disorder.
Once you do that, you can have a starting point and plan around store sales or specials and stock up or grow some of your own produce or herbs.