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In light of my poll on people's struggles with sticking to the primal diet, 33% of people said that cost was their biggest problem, which is huge. This guide will cover how to eat a raw primal diet and be healthy when very short on money. (EXAMPLE DAY OF EATING AT END)
Rule #1 for Cost-Efficiency: Buy from a local farmer.
The biggest expense is usually buying everything from health food stores.
Instead:- Use google maps to find farmland and look for a farmer
- Find a local farmer's market
- Shop at a local farm you know of
Rule #2: Waste Nothing
Use bones, marrow, fat trimmings, organs, leave nothing on the table once you're done eating and throw nothing away, it can all be used.
Rule #3: Buy in bulk
You ever see those massive things of meat at the store and get intimidated by the price and size? Don't.
These cuts of meat are you best friend, and will save you HUNDREDS of dollars. You could either buy a 500g steak for 30 dollars or 20kg+ of meat and cut it into steaks for under 200 dollars, the choice is yours.Rule #4: Eat tons of fat, it's cheaper and better
Beef fat, butter, suet, marrow, it doesnt matter. Just eat fat
- Fat is a very long-term energy source meaning it keeps you feel and energized the whole day due to ketosis so you dont have to eat as much or spend as much on food
- It's much cheaper than muscle meat because it's not as desired
- You could probably ask any butcher and they'll have trimmings lying around they'll sell you for almost nothing
- Prioritize fattier cuts of meat as well like short ribs which are like 1/4 the price of a ribeye and way fattier
Rule #5 (my recommendation): DON'T EAT CARBS, BE IN KETOSIS
When you are in glycolysis you need constant eating to be full becuse of glycogen and short term energy but when fat adapted you'll last forever without needing to eat as much, leading to much less food bought in the long-run.
Now, if you cannot get to a local farm, I understand, and this is what you should do, and what I personally found myself at a local whole foods here in LA.
1. Eggs
Eggs are definitely in the top 2 cheap foods to eat. They are literally meant to produce new life, meaning they are full of nutrition.
- Super easily digestible in 27 minutes or less (especially good food for weak or sick people) and very high quality utilizable nutrition
- Tons of saturated fat and a shit ton of cholestorol in the yolk for jacking up your hormones, detoxing, and making you glow of health.
- Contains literally every single nutrient in the world except for Vitamin C, and a very good source of Vitamin K2 which is crucial for bones and development.
Here is a 30-pack carton of eggs I found in whole foods for only $7.99, coming out to $0.26 per egg.
If you split that up and have 4-5 eggs per day for 7 days, that's 7.99/week and hits half of all your DVs.2. Massive bags of meat
As I mentioned before (see image above), this is your best friend. It will save you tens of thousands of dollars across a few years. Best part is you can just ferment it all while working on finishing it all so by the time you get there you can feast on some high meat that gets progressively more fermented.
3. Ground Beef
Preferably red meat (beef, pork, lamb, goat etc.) but if that's out of your budget then white meat will do, as well.
- Literally all the nutrients you need in the perfect amount, no more needs to be said.
What type of meat is most affordable varies a lot by region, e.g., beef is a lot more affordable in North America than in Europe. This is what I found at the whole foods in LA. 7.99/lb of ground beef, by FAR the most expensive food on this list. If you eat a pound of it per day, that comes out to $55, which I understand can be expensive for some people, but muscle meat is a difficult one.
4. LIVER
The #1 most affordable food on this list relative to how fucking awesome it is
- Nature's multivitamin, nature's accutane, nature's gift to your health. It has a shit ton of b-vitamins, vitamin a, copper, heme iron, etc. It's the food on this list you should prioritize.
I found it at my whole foods for 2.49/lb.
5. Any other organ
They all cheap asf, and trust me you dont need to worry about quality I have literally eaten raw liver from a plastic container with zero info on it from the most rundown slop-selling place ever and I only had benefits.
6. Raw dairy (depending on location.)
I have seen raw dairy for $20/L and I've seen it for $1/L, so it comes down to where you're from, but if you can get it cheap it will be one of the absolute best things for you.
Example Day of Eating:
