Having completed my first week, and started week two I have noticed how expensive the weekly shop has become.
I know that the majority of this is down to the fact that you can buy the ingredients in the smaller quantities required by the diet.
this has led me to the conclusion that i wont be able to follow the diet as set out in the book.

my question is, i suppose, if i stuck to eating a similar breakfast through the week (maybe the bircher and green tea shake, and perhaps scrambled eggs on occasion) made a batch of one of the soups for lunch for a week, and then pick a couple of the meals to do through the week, providing i stick to the 800 calories, would this still suffice?
is it just a question of variety, and i would still get the benefits of the diet by picking just a few recipes?

Its just that my wallet cant handle more 120 quid shops every week.

thanks

JK

Hi JK, I know what you mean by the initial expense, but 7 weeks in, I am still eating the original ‘mega bucks’ ingredients.. so they do last! If you are happy eating the same thing then the weight will come off regardless. I started off with creative breakfasts but to be honest I don’t have the time on weekdays so its greek yoghurt with nuts and berries every day usually now. For bigger meals, a safety stock of chicken, eggs, cheese and chickpeas covers a multitude of recipes that you can adapt and add various veg etc to. Good luck!

Hi JK I made the mistake on first week of buying so much veg/salad that it had gone past its best before or use by date. Rather than throw it I made a delicious soup out of the leftovers added herbs etc. which was nice & filling when feeling a bit peckish 😊 Don’t know whether u have shopped at Aldi but they have a wide variety of food but a lot cheaper. Hope this helps x

Hi JK,

I am also on a very restricted budget!

It can be hard to juggle particularly if you are cooking different meals for other family members. Do you have a freezer? Soups are reasonably cheap to make and if you can make a batch of two or three recipes it helps to keep some variety from day to day. As you mentioned it is ok to stick to simple meals meat/fish and ‘above ground’ veg…you do not have to follow the book recipes/menus.

I have been simply adjusting my regular food shop/menu in line with BSD principles, NO white carbs, low other carbs, 800 calories a day…works for me! I also take a daily vitamin just to ensure I am getting all minerals and vitamins (just in case). I am close to 10 weeks and all good!

Good luck🌻

the silly thing is, its not the ‘mega bucks’ ingredients that are costing, its buying so much veg, in so much quantity.

i think there are a few recipes that i can make that last a few days, the veg curry, veg frittata etc.
i reckon if i combine simple breakfasts, like the bircher or almond butter, with a batch of soup over a week, then vary my evening meals, i should be ok, and it should keep the cost right down.

Once i graduate form the 8 week club, then i can look to have the more expansive meals once finished to keep me in the lifestyle.

Sounds like you are sorted…😊

I think making a soup with the left over veg is the trick, but its then difficult to keep an eye on the calories involved. but i suppose if you dont put anything else in it, and then be strict with your portions, it cant be too bad.

Hi JK88,
It’s a bind when you feel obliged to buy ingredients you’ve not had before and they cost considerably more than the stuff we’ve been used to buying. I never wanted to fill my cupboards with loads of exotic ingredients so I picked a few things to try out. Yes, they might be expensive such as coconut oil/flour but they do last – you might not like the smell of frying coconut oil – I didn’t, but I found I can tolerate the smell when I’ve melted it in the microwave so I use it more often.
Coconut flour takes a bit of getting used to since you have to really up the liquids, I don’t think it’s suitable as a general flour substitute, just for certain things.
However, while a kilo bag of chickpea flour is far more expensive than a supermarket’s “value” flour, I’ve really enjoyed the chickpea crackers I make (recipe on this site). So I consider this a good buy.
Almond flour – expensive, but you could probably use ground almonds in baking.
Coconut milk – there seems to be several different brands available – if my Tesco is anything to go by, they have about 4 brands in different places at different prices, so worth burning a few calories to walk round and find one that suits.
You don’t have to buy super-duper expensive extra virgin olive oil – the bog basic olive oil is just as good for you.
Fish sauce – I tried it in a Thai chicken curry which I didn’t really like (possibly too much coconut oil/milk??). But I have used it in soups to give a bit of a savoury touch. When I’ve finished the bottle I won’t buy any more. Likewise, with cacao nibs – expensive and I didn’t like them unless they were roasted to remove the bitterness.

When it comes to fruit & veg, at least we in the UK are in summer (allegedly) so anything seasonal should be cheaper. I’m lucky in that I have a plot at the local allotment – if you have space at home, can you try growing yourself some cherry tomatoes, perhaps? Or grow some favourite herbs, perhaps (they do great on a windowsill). Herbs will add flavour to dishes and keep those taste buds interested.

I guess you have to try these things out but you certainly don’t have to try out everything. When you’ve found things that work for you shopping will become a bit more “streamlined”. But be careful of sticking to just a few recipes – I always find that boredom can have a major impact on whether I stick to a diet so give yourself as much variety as you can. If you try something new and you don’t like it, put it down to experience. I hit Google to see what else I can use these ingredients in to use them up, so they don’t go to waste.