Keto on a budget: 20 ways to eat low-carb for less

Keto has a reputation for being expensive, mostly because of specialty products like keto bread, bars and sweeteners. Built around whole foods, it can cost the same as — or less than — a typical diet. Here's how.

The cheapest keto staples

• Eggs — the lowest-cost complete protein. Breakfast, lunch, snacks and baking.
• Chicken thighs and drumsticks — cheaper and more forgiving than breasts.
• Ground beef and pork — buy family packs and freeze in 1-lb portions.
• Pork shoulder — one roast becomes carnitas, pulled pork and lettuce-wrap fillings.
• Canned tuna, salmon and sardines — shelf-stable omega-3s.
• Cabbage — pennies per serving and keeps for weeks.
• Frozen vegetables — riced cauliflower, broccoli, spinach and green beans are picked at peak and never go to waste.
• Block cheese and butter — shred your own cheese; it's cheaper and melts better.

20 ways to save

1. Plan meals around what's on sale this week.
2. Skip packaged "keto" snacks — they're the most expensive part of most keto diets.
3. Buy whole chickens and roast them; use the carcass for bone broth.
4. Choose frozen over fresh for vegetables you'll cook anyway.
5. Rice your own cauliflower — a whole head costs far less than pre-riced bags.
6. Buy meat in bulk and freeze it flat in labeled bags.
7. Cook once, eat twice: make 4–6 servings and plan leftovers for lunch.
8. Use cheaper cuts in slow cookers — chuck roast, pork shoulder, short ribs.
9. Make your own dressings, mayo and sauces; they cost a fraction of store-bought.
10. Compare unit prices, not package prices.
11. Shop warehouse clubs and discount grocers for butter, cheese, nuts and olive oil.
12. Choose seasonal vegetables — zucchini in summer, cabbage and Brussels sprouts in winter.
13. Use pork rinds instead of almond flour for breading.
14. Try budget-friendly offal like chicken livers.
15. Save bacon fat for cooking instead of buying specialty oils.
16. Grow fresh herbs on a windowsill.
17. Buy nuts raw in bulk and toast them yourself.
18. Keep "emergency meals" on hand (eggs, canned fish, frozen veg) so you don't order takeout.
19. Drink water, coffee and tea instead of keto energy drinks.
20. Use our keto shopping list so you buy only what you'll use.

Budget-friendly keto recipes