Keto on a budget - Cheapest high protein/low carb foods?

[WinningBrah]

I've done keto before, but last time I was living at my parents house eating their food. Now I'm a poor college student on a budget. Everyone knows the cheapest foods at the grocery store are all carb based. I really need some suggestions of high protein low carb foods I can get for as cheap as possible.

Edit: I know this is terrible for keto, but I have no way to cook eggs

[Grifts]

If you can't cook eggs, you can't cook anything at all. They can be fried, boiled, and microwaved. Hell, you could put a pan on a gas/charcoal grill and cook them that way. Not as cost-effective, but you can buy pre-boiled and peeled eggs in most deli sections. Fresh pickles are also a frequent stop for me.

Pork rinds are one of my favorites. I find baconets the best tasting so far. Not impressed by chicharrones. I use them to replace chips/snack foods. Surprisingly healthier than you would think, and definitely better than chips. Same amount of fat content, but has protein instead of carbs.

Otherwise, look for meats, especially beef. Ground is cheaper than steak. Dark meat chicken works pretty well too. You can get drumsticks cheap or thighs really cheap if you get them bone-in. Sweetbay(if in your area) usually puts dollar off coupons on day or two old packages as well.

Avocados require no cooking, but are on the more expensive items. I like to dip my pork rinds in it after making fresh guacamole.

[mrproper]

Boiled eggs can last for 2 weeks. If you really want, you will find a way to cook your eggs at least once a week. Put them on a heater or in the sun over tinfoil, make a bonfire and boil some water, use hot water for tea or coffee, it's impossible not to be able to cook eggs. Now for your question...

Bacon is cheap. Sausages are cheap. Eggs are cheap. Butter is cheap. Mayo is cheap. Oils are cheap. Seeds are cheap. Some nuts are cheap too. Leafy vegetables are cheap. Make all kinds of salads. Besides oils and vegetables, everything I mentioned is already in the right macro-nutrient ratio and can be consumed independently.

[WinningBrah]

All I have access to for cooking is a microwave. I had no idea eggs could be microwaved but now I'll look into that.

[LyssieDoll88]

Eggs can be microwaved tastes the same. This is going to sound weird but start collecting coupons for the grocery store near campus. They have coupons for eeeeverything now like mayo, hot sauce, hot dogs, bacon, then with the money you save you can buy fresh produce with whats left. I started couponing in college i cannot tell you what a money saver it actually is! ! Good luck!

[frostywalrus]

I buy cans of tuna packed in olive oil and just eat the whole thing as a snack. The oil adds a lot of good fat and the tuna obviously has protein.

[bnp369]

My Dollar General sells canned mackerel (6 servings of 13g of protein) for ONE DOLLAR a can! Ha!

[sentapua]

All I have access to for cooking is a microwave. I had no idea eggs could be microwaved but now I'll look into that.

Just be careful if trying to boil eggs in a microwave. They can explode.

[Grifts]

Just be careful if trying to boil eggs in a microwave. They can explode.

IN for exploding eggs

May have to try that.

[jkaing]

See if you qualify for SNAP. Srs.

[Harlequinn]

OP my advice is make scrambled egg+bacon bits in it + mayo

Step 1: Mix all the eggs into microwaveable bowl, cut up raw bacon put it in with eggs. And nuke it

Step 2: wait about 2m40s or near 3 minutes before adding some mayo into the bowl nuke it for 15 more seconds = perfect

Second Meal

Step 1: nuke green leafy veg in micro for about 2 minutes ( in a bowl of water) then smother that fish in mayo and use the greens to cover up the taste of the fish. But if you don't like the taste of greens either your just gonna have to freeball it and think of the aesthetics. Alternatively if you have enough money try a surf n turf recipe

Then when your studying and you still get snakish suck on a spoon full of PB.


so cliffs: Bacon,Eggs,Mayo,Canned Fish,Natty Pbutter+ Veggies= All cheap.

and then for carb ups do pastabakes, few baked potatoe with tuna+chilli+mayo

good luck with yorr keto goals bro

[deniall]

I get a bunch of eggs and a couple of tbsp of double thick cream (heavy cream in the US?) throw it in a bowl and mix it all up and microwave til cooked. You can add whatever you want to this mixture. Spinach, cheese, bacon pieces etc.

[LowcarbGod]

Hello, if you are studying a profession in a university you must not be poor, because most colleges in USA are privatized and most college degrees must cost a lot of money for the low income people. But anyways, can't you buy a small electric stove top? Don't you have a kitchen available to cook your food? If you are into weight training and bodybuilding it is almost impossible to be a good bodybuilder and weight trainer unless you have a kitchen and a place to cook your meals. The kitchen is the most important part of a bodybuilder.

By the way I think that eggs and chicken leg quarters are the cheapest low-carb ketogenic foods

I've done keto before, but last time I was living at my parents house eating their food. Now I'm a poor college student on a budget. Everyone knows the cheapest foods at the grocery store are all carb based. I really need some suggestions of high protein low carb foods I can get for as cheap as possible.

Edit: I know this is terrible for keto, but I have no way to cook eggs

[haleluyah]

As everyone else already said, poultry seems to be the best bang for the bucks (from eggs to chicken).
I used to be on a budget when i first started keto six years ago. Canned tuna with *full* fat mayo works too or canned sardines in oil for that matter.

Steaks (Ribs cuts) are just too expensive... and the round/french cuts are just too tough to chew on. Ground beef is another great alternative.

You might want to stay away from cheese and nuts if times are hard. But do pay them back the respect they deserve once you graduate or got yourself a real job. [snacking on almonds in the office as we speak ]

[Mrricco]

A quick easy way to get fats is Mayo, Oils, butter, heavy whipping cream!

[Awesana]

You can do keto with a microwave only. Don't ever micro a whole egg, only scrambled in a cup. I've tried warming up a peeled hard boiled egg before...KABOOM. You'll be scrubbing that sh** off for hours.

You can buy pre-cooked sausage and bacon that can be nuked and ready to go in under a minute. The tuna canned in olive oil is also a brilliant idea--you don't even have to heat it up. It couldn't hurt to get some macadamia nuts too; they provide a lot of healthy fats, they're portable, and they require no cooking (obviously). Get your nuts from the baking aisle, that way they're not salted or covered in MSG. I love full-fat (4%) cottage cheese too; it's affordable and tasty.