Low carb diet on a budget?

Type 1 and LADA
1

Hey there folks,

I was just recently diagnosed as type 1 diabetic <7-22-2010>

Basically I went into DKA and spent 4 days in the ICU, and learned

I was type 1.

Well before I went into the hospital, my diet was horrible.

I work at a sandwhich shop, so I'd eat all sorts of chips, cookies

all at random times, I never really ate a proper meal. and all I really ate was junk.

So far since I've been out of the hospital I've actually been keeping a very regular

eating schedule <breakfast 7:30, lunch 1:30, Dinner 8:00> and not really eating

snacks at all.

I'm really trying to start anew and keep my diabetes in check, I'm not

totally new to diabetes. My older brother has been type 1 since he was 2, and my mother

has been type 2 for about 12 years now.

so far I've calculated that I need about 2200 calories a day, with a max of 250g of carbs

Mostly I have access to deli meats, all sorts of salad vegetables, breads

pretty much anything you find at a local deli...or subway...

I have some money to spend on food, but most comes from work.

would anyone have any good diet suggestions a 2200 calorie diet,

I'd really love some advice, I'm all new to the carb/cal counting deal

pretty much new to actually paying attention to my health.

thanks much

-John

2

Hi John,

Welcome to the club nobody wants to be in. :confused:

I don’t have any suggestions for you, but I am anxious to find out from others on recommendations. I know how to eat low carb, I just can’t afford it. There’s got to be some tricks to eating a healthy low carb diet without breaking the bank.

3

Here my suggestion and this is working for me. Salad I don’t eat as much bread. Almost any sandwich can be a salad, but you know that don’t you??? LOL I have changed my diet and that is the biggest change a lot more salad. I even get a side salad instead of fries and you would be surprised how much it helps. I think this could work for you!! Good luck and if you need anything just ask!! Almost forgot because of the salads my LDL went from 200+ to 80 and my last a1c was 5.7

4

Wraps tend to be lower in the carbs than the breads… If I have to eat at a deli, I may go for a non creamy soup, a salad, or a wrap… I believe Subway used to advertise their wraps as low carb, when Atkins was popular… I dunno if they still are, nor did I ever bother to look up their carb count… lol But I know that they treat me more kindly than bread, which makes me skyrocket. Even if I eat just half of a 6 inch, I still skyrocket a bit. I wouldn’t use very creamy dressings, cus you just don’t know how many carbs they’ve put in it – flours, sugars, etc. For cooking at home, I’ve been buying turkey ground meat from the breakfast meats freezer section in the store. A 1 lb tube is like $1.49… and I doctor it up with spices, to turn it into sausage… and it comes out very, very good. I eat it with a lot of frozen mixed veggies (not the starchy kinds), cheese, and some marinara… and yum. :slight_smile: It’s like Spaghetti without the Spaghetti…

5

Hi John!

Though I am new to this website I am not new to diabetes. While I still have my days of eating carbs (I’m a girl and I’m human, so it’s gonna happen…) most of the time I find I can be satisfied by just eating turkey roll ups with some low-fat cheese maybe wrapped in lettuce or just tomatoes on the side and a pickle with a salad or soup.

Basically I eat a deconstructed sandwich with a side. =/

I say have bread when you fel like you can’t go any longer without it- just make sure it is a) in moderation and b) the high fiber kind.

Fiber is a diabetic’s friend, for the most part.

6

Sharing my tips here since I am UBER cheap and I hate to cook. For breakfast I eat cereal- 9 times out of 10 it is actually a sugar cereal like Apple Jacks, but I have it with unsweetened almond milk ($3 Walmart/Maine) My Almond Milk has like 3 grams of carbs. This is probably my highest carb meal of the day and it ticks in at about 25 grams. Also- I know that bread seems like a MAJOR no-no, but I’ve found a Light Wheat at my grocery store (not WHOLE wheat, just Light) and it has 16 grams per 2 slices. So I can still have sandwiches. I’m not super big on salads, but I put lettuce on just about everything! No point in having a sandwich if there is no lettuce. My dinners consist of chicken, 2 kinds of veggies (from a can, or raw) and sometimes, a carb like half a roll or a little rice. I do eat snacks though. I find that if I eat at 6, snack at 9, lunch at 12, snack at 2:30, dinner at 6, and then something at 8, I’m good to go. Those snacks are usually veggies or left over chicken that I eat cold. And for some reason, if I eat a small apple with my meals, my bg is lower. It seems to be MacIntosh. Wonder if anyone has done any research into that…

Oh- and deli meat kabobs! Go to the deli, ask for the end cuts, and cube them. Stick em on a skewer with a green grape in between the meat and cheese and you can just grab a stick when you are hungry.

7

Low carb is actually not more expensive than high carb. What really matters in cost is where you get your food and how it is prepared. So let me just cut to the chase.

Are you serious enough about eating on a budget that you will spend time shopping, managing food and cooking?

If you are, then I have lots of suggestions.

8

I have seen some good suggestions on here but have a little more information for you as you are lucky enough to have lots of cooler space. Eat 3” of wheat bread can have lots of low calorie meat on it and 1 slice of cheese. Have a large side salad as much as you want as long as the veggies are raw then they counts for very little as you will work it off before you leave work. I would suggest that you eat dinner a little earlier than 8 pm more like 6 pm and if needed a snack before bed. You will find that if you eat more times a day and less at each time you have better control. Since you are new to it numbers will not stabilize for about 6 months just watch what you eat when you eat it and how it effects your numbers most important tip is keep a very accurate log of it all so get a new planner and a good one to keep all of your information in to give to your doctor.

9

Hi John,

Stick to eating protein (meat, fish, chicken, pork, eggs, cheese, nuts) & a variety non-starchy vegetables. Most vegetables are lower carb. I don’t eat grains (bread, cereal, pasta, crackers, chips, rice, corn, etc), beans, starchy vegetables, juice or milk.

Not eating packaged, processed food saves money & is healthier. Takes more time, but worth it. I buy meat when it’s on sale & freeze it. I eat a lot of eggs, too.

10

Hi John,

You have access to lots of veggies and that is good. Try switching to salads made with the veggies and meats or open face sandwiches using half the bread. I have to limit cheese but maybe you will be fine with it. I have been going to DLIfe.com for recipes and some are really great. They have the carbs for each listed. Planning, shopping and cooking for meals takes extra time but it makes all the difference. Try to start the week knowing what you will eat each day. I got a carb counter book so I can look things up and often I have to weigh things the first time so I know what a serving looks like.
I buy meats when they are on sale, divide them into serving sizes and keep them in the freezer.

I have been diabetic for a long time and spent alot of time in denial. You are showing a lot of courage coming for support right away.

God Bless you,
Deb

11

Hey there Deb,

Hey thanks a bunch for the Info, I’ve definately increased the number or veggies i take now
since I’ve been out of the hospital I’ve been eating lots of salads at work. havent touched a cookie or
a bag of chips, and barely have had any bread. I find myself making small side salads with lots of veggies and light
dressings, and usually just a small pile of deli meats
my mother told me I do need SOME carbs, and to not avoid them completely. mostly I have like some cereal or
oatmeal for breakfast, with like a small fruit or half a peanut butter sandwhich
lunch is usually like a side salad and some lunch meats, or I get a sandwhich wrap, using only half a tortilla, sometimes the whole thing.
and dinners are usually a meat, some sort of noodle/rice/potato for a side, and a veggie for a side
(I usually go to my moms for dinner, as she is in the same apartment complex as me)
As for meal scheduling, I usually do breakfast at about 7:30, Lunch like 1:30 and dinner around 7:30-8:00
is that an ok scheduling, or should I change that around? and what about snacks, when should I know to have one or not?

12

You are new to this, so I can understand why you are being pretty rigid in your meal-scheduling. You will learn as you go - and I am not sure what kind of insulin-plan you are on. In the end, you will end up having a lot more flexibility once you learn how your body reacts to certain things, so don’t worry! I’ve had this Type 1 16 years and I am way more flexible than I was before, even on injections as opposed to a pump.

What’s helped that is that I now watch my carbs very closely. I eat similar to the way Gerri mentioned above, very few grains/sugars - and treats for me are usually fruits like berries or dark chocolate (still relatively low in sugars). It’s actually great that you work in a deli - lots of access to meats and veggies! Also, something interesting is that you do not need to worry too much about eating “low fat” if you are eating under 100g carb a day. If you eat “good” fats like real butter, avocado, olive oil, and yogurt (if you do dairy), it will keep you satisfied a lot longer. Beware of processed foods - there are a lot of hidden sweeteners in there to make everything taste better, particularly if it’s called “low fat.” I am on a budget as well - but I find that I eat less if I am eating quality, filling foods - eggs are cheap and are a major bonus. As far as the “some” carbs, I get them from things like nuts and fruits as opposed to bread mostly.

Best of luck! I have a new blog that explains a little bit about how I live if you’re curious - www.dontcallmesugar.wordpress.com

In the end, you will learn what works for you and this forum is a wealth of info. Keep up the good work and all the best in your 1st year!

13

My schedule is similar to yours cause I work full time. If you feel low, check your sugar and have a snack if you need one. I have a snack right before bed because I have had lots of low sugars while sleeping. Some people divide their food into 5 or 6 meals a day and it works. For me, I just don’t have time to do that, cause I am in meetings and on the phone alot.
It sounds like you are on the right track. I went to diabetic education when I was first diagnosed and it helps, but everyday is different and there are lots of surprises.
I encourage you to keep doing what you are doing!

Deb

14

im surprised no one has mentioned this but… “cottage cheese!!” its healthy i buy 4% fat… its low carb… its high in protein and its $1.49… otherwise tuna fish with lowfat mayo… salad which everyone said i like to get bacon bits there not to high in fat or carbs and they are a added treat to your plain old salad… turkey meatloaf, shrimp, pork loin, chicken breast (boiled or baked non breaded) low carb yogurt for a snack… and thats all i can think of off the top of my head…

15

Top of the day to you. John.

I too am reasonably new to this disease. I tried to fight the diagnose at first but in the process I read a book called Sugar Busters. Some of it made sense. I took what I liked and left the rest. Here is what an Average Day looks like for me. (that is if there ever is an averge day in education.

Breakfast 5;30 AM two Eggs and two Jimmy Dean Turkey sausage. (I am lazy so I put them both in a bowel and microwave for 1 minute 11 seconds) then I add so tabasco sauce to taste and enjoy.

Snack 9:30 to 10:00 Two cheese sticks and one 100 calory package of almonds. Kind of bland but works

Lunch ( in theory 12:20) is salad (packaged mix with one roma tomato with salsa for a dressing) and a meat wrap of my choice. I use Romain lettuce for the wrap.

Snack 2:30 to 3:00 same as morning. sometimes I add a Diet Coke not always

Dinners is much like lunch but prepared fresh. Meat of my choice (I am a big guy so I don’t whimp out on the amount I eat until I am full) Salad same recipe but I add a few corn chips for crunch and a bit of Ranch or Thousand Island lite dressing with the salsa. If I am real hungry I will use a hot salsa. I try to get a good helping of Vegis in anything is legal except Corn, Peas, Carrots.

Later I sometimes have a bowel of mixed berries (Rasberrys strawberrys Blueberries ect) For my sweettooth. After fifty some years of Icecream every night it helps.

I never try to go hungry.

I have gone from 368 in January (diagnosed in April) to 303 now. I have more energy so I do more. I have not hit the gym of standard excecise. For all the years of lousy eating has left far too many project around the house that provide good excercise.

Hope this helps. It cost no more than the junk I was eating before.

16

I would do eggs for breakfast, with milk and a little fruit; would omit the bread since you will be getting a lot of bread at work. At work, use the healthiest wheat bread to build your sandwich but take a lot of the insides out of the bread, leaving just the shell for the fillings (an old diet trick I used to use with bagels). You will have to weigh one of these “shells” to see how many grams of carb are in the bread since you need to know how many carbs are in it to dose accurately. Though processed meat is not good for you, it should not effect your blood sugars adversely; still, try to pick the healthiest meat option. Cheese is free. And plenty of salad options at Subway. Not a bad place to eat lunch and snacks IMO.

17

Dear John,

I see you asked about your schedule: it’s good to have an idea of when you are eating and how it fits in your day and it is sooo important to not let it vary much, but keep in mind life throws you curve balls alll the time, so if something gets pushed back or pushed up, try to let it slide off your back. The one thing you need to pay closer attention to is when you are taking any short acting insulin and how long you wait before you get your meal.

I’ve had diabetes for 30 years now and not much has changed: during school hours (my girls are 11 and 14) I wake up at 6:30, take my a.m. insulin and the day begins! I have a snack around 10 or 11, lunch at around 12:30 or 1, sometimes I get another snack in before dinner but not always and dinner is pretty much like clockwork for me at 6:00 p.m. My bad time is night when I tend to hit some crackers or something while watching tv. (during summer I wake up at 9 or so, which negates the need for a snack before lunch). I take a.m. insulin, sometimes afternoon if needed, pre-dinner and before bed. Up to 4 times a day. shrug I’ve gotten use to it as I have been a ‘frail’ diabetic the entire time.

Do you have snacks in between any meals?

18

It’s funny, once upon a time it was grains, baked goods, etc that were costly and meat which was cheap and widely available. Now it’s quite the opposite, corn/grains are ubiquitous and cheap and meat is expensive. I did a little experiment a while ago to see if I could stay on the paleo diet on a food stamp budget (about 20 bucks / week), turns out it’s not that hard. The farmer’s market is your friend, if you’ve got one going on near you I’d recommend shopping for your week’s vegetables there, not only will they have better quality produce but usually better deals too. For meat I would go to my grocery’s freezer section and buy the Country Pride chicken, 10 lbs of frozen leg quarters for 7 bucks. I have no idea if you’ll be able to find the exact same stuff but I’m sure you can find something similar everywhere. That covered most meals, and left some cash for eggs/breakfast meat. And that was about it… not the most variety but you can really eat on the cheap this way.

Of course, without commenting on the value or lack-thereof of low-carbing, I’m assuming that you’d only be eating meat & vegetables here, if you want to try to work some sort of carbs in, considering that they don’t cost much it should be easy enough, I’d still shop for grains/etc at the farmer’s market.

19

Hey there Faithstwin,

So far in the 3 weeks since I’ve been outta the hospital I’ve been sticking
to like oatmeal, cereal, and some fruits for breakfasts. Lunch I’ve been
just making small side salads with some deli meats and cheeses with
a lil bit-o-pepper for flavorin’. and Dinner has mostly been at my parent’s.

Dinner usually is some sort of chicken, pork or beef. usually a
pasta/potato side dish, and a veggie…
As for snacks I usually dont eat anything between breakfast and lunch,
or lunch and dinner. Sometimes I’ll eat a bedtime snack, but usually
I try not eat anything but my 3 squares.

As for my lifestyle, I’m really active.
I’m the assistant manager of a Togo’s.
Then, ts a good 45 minute 3 mile walk to work every morning.
Then I usually work from like 9:00am-2:00pm.
Work is slicing meats, making sandwhiches, cashing people out, movin around all day.
I also work part time at another Togo’s, so if I work that day at the other store, its like
an hour, 4 mile walk to the other store. I’ll usually work from like 3:00pm-8:30pm doing
the same work at the other store. Then its a good hour and 15 minute, 5 mile walk home.
But, if I only work one store, its just a short 3 mile walk home from the first store, at like 2-3:00pm

Thats pretty much my life in a nutshell, I’m a work-a-holic trying to live on my own at a couple
dead-end jobs. I get a ton of exercise through work. I’ve been pretty good about eating at the same time everyday since I’ve gotten outta the hospital.

20

Low carb isn’t expensive. A deli has everything you need. Just avoid the bread, pasta, potatoes and rice.

If you need some bread - half a tortilla or flour wrap.

Terry