One of the most common reasons why people don’t do the carnivore diet is because they assume it’s only a diet fit for kings.
Well I’m here to tell you that size does not matter. The size of your bank account that is…
You do not need to be a Rockefeller to do this diet. In fact, you can even save money by doing the carnivore diet.
If you follow these 7 steps, you can do the carnivore diet on a budget.
7 Tips to Do the Carnivore Diet on a Budget
#1 Steal your parents food
The easiest way to cut costs is to take food from your parents. If you haven’t gone to their house in a while, say you’d like to catch up over steak.
Voila. $0 spent on food.
Okay, this isn’t actually an approach. Read on to learn the real ways to cut your costs.
#2 Opt for Grain Fed Instead of Grass Fed
I do think quality matters when it comes to steak. And if you can afford to pay up for great grass fed steak from a local, regenerative farm, I suggest doing so.
However, it’s not necessary that you get your meat from a New Zealand farm where cows are hand massaged and sent to private school.
The truth is that all meat is healthy -- even from cows that don’t eat the optimal diet.
The conventional carnivore diet is healthier than any other diet, regardless of the quality of your food. Most of the nutrition equation is cutting out all the crap in your existing diet.
Thus, do not let perfect be the enemy of good. Try the carnivore diet, no matter what it takes (I do not endorse robbery, however).
Grass-fed and organic beef tend to cost much more, namely because they take up more space and live longer. Picture adult kids still living rent-free with Mom and Dad – these cows cost a lot more to their farmers.
It’s possible to find grass-fed beef that’s fairly close to grain-fed in price — especially if you buy in bulk — but on average it will cost anywhere from 50% to 100% more.
Studies show that grass-fed beef tends to contain higher levels of beta carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin K2 than grain-fed beef. However, the levels of these vitamins in both forms of beef pale in comparison to those of other animal proteins.
Liver, for instance, has 275 times more Vitamin A than steak. Grass-fed fats like suet and tallow are superior sources of vitamin E, while liver, butter and ghee can provide more K2
Takeaway: red meat, regardless of feeding regimen, is highly nutrient-dense. Grass-fed fat is higher in nutrient concentration, but grain-fed beef tends to have more fat. Since fat stores many of these nutrients, this may even things out.
By the way, if you’re interested in jumping right into the carnivore diet, sign up below for my 14 day guide to mastering it.
#3 Buy Cheaper Cuts of Steak
Within the realm of grain fed steak, you can get cheaper cuts of steak.
The following cuts tend to be cheaper than your expensive ribeyes:
- Ground beef: You can often get this for as a cheap as $3.99 a pound
- Chuck roast: Huge chunk of meat. $3 or $4. You’ll want to cook this in a crock pot.
- New York Strip: $7 or $8 a lb
- Top Round
Opting for these options can reduce costs significantly.
Given carnivores often eat less than 1 lb of meat per sitting, you’ll be getting a full meal for less than $8 on the carnivore diet. It doesn’t get much cheaper than that.
If you’re interested in other food options, check out this carnivore diet food list I put together.
#4 Eat lots of Eggs, Beef Liver & Sardines
Three of the most nutritious foods in the worlds also happen to be the cheapest.
Eggs are an absolute superfood. They’re loaded with b vitamins, choline and vitamin A retinol.
And liver is like eggs on steroids.
12 pasture raised eggs will run you around $6. 1 lb of grass fed beef liver is $4 - $8.
Sardines and mackerel are very cheap, and loaded with nutrients like selenium, bioavailable DHA, Vitamin D, iodine and Vitamin B12. Wild planet sardines cost around $3.50 for 4 oz.
#5 Buy on Sale
Grocery stores frequently run sales. And hopefully the world goes more vegan so that meat eaters will get more meat for ourselves.
The websites flipp and mygrocerydeals.com both will show sales in your area. You can get some killer deals on steak in bulk by checking these sites regularly.
Costco is also a great option. I’ve gotten steak in 100 lb bulk orders there.
#6 Find a local farm and buy in bulk
One of my favorite ways to do the carnivore diet on a budget is to build a relationship with a local farm and buy in bulk from them. That way you can both support a grass fed ranch and eat on a budget.
Eat wild has compiled over 1400 farms. It’s a bit of a manual process, but you can contact farms in your area and inquire about prices. If you order with a few friends, you may be able to get an even bigger discount.
#7 Eat lots of suet
Suet is extremely satiating and will cut down how much overall food you eat. I eat suet to satiation before I eat muscle meat, which helps me to burn fat and feel more satiated throughout the day.
Yes, paradoxically, eating more fat can help you burn more fat.
Plus you can become friends with a local butcher and often get these trimmings for free or for just $1 or $2 a pound.
It’s tasty and nutritious, packed with fat soluble vitamins.
Tallow is another great option to add fats to your diet.
Conclusion
There are no excuses to not try a carnivore diet for just 30 days. It will uncover issues you didn’t even think you had.
In many ways you can even save money, especially if you factor in the reduction of healthcare expenses for the rest of your life.
If you’re interested in getting started with the carnivore diet, sign up for my guide to mastering the carnivore diet in 14 days below.