Eating Out On A Budget by Zorn

#62

I am currently going through Crack Zero withdrawal. That stuff is the most addictive substance on earth!

(jilliangordona) #63

Yesterday I managed to get sausage egg and cheese croissant from Dunkin sans croissant as well as a bunless triple cheeseburger from Cook Out!

Iā€™ve bound my only barrier tends to be me being afraid to ask!

#64

I quit diet pop in September after almost 15 years of the stuff!! I donā€™t know if you are familiar with kombucha, but itā€™s a fizzy beverage with live bacteria and yeastā€¦ it became my substitute and made it waaaay easier to ditch the pop! (My hubs works for Pepsi, so it was really hard, but we have both quit!!). I know kombucha is expensive in the store, but itā€™s super duper cheap to make at home and tastes waaaay better! And you can control exactly how you flavor it and what you add, so you can control carb content. Just an idea, when you are ready to quit pop!

(gooeykablooey) #65

Indeed I believed the pink slime horror stories until I was talking to a friend. His brother managed a McDonaldā€™s and he got so mad about that rumor. They only used real beef (the one he managed in PA only used locally sourced beef too)

(gooeykablooey) #66

I love this post! Iā€™m on mega tight budget as well with two kids and a hubby and 4 dogs and three catsā€¦ well 4 cats now because a stray adopted me.
We skip eating out most of the time but Iā€™m not above McDonaldā€™s, they have free wifi here so my hubby and I go and eat every couple of weeks and update our electronics without wasting our own limited data.
Itā€™s probably been 3 years since we went into a sit down/real napkins type of restaurant. We both take turns cooking at home and ā€œfancyā€ Is clearance meat from walmart or seafood from Aldi (last night I made a shrimp and scallop dinner for 2 for $10, which is pricey for us) tonight is another splurge, clearance beef ribs ($7)
Keto on a budget can be a challenge but it can also be a fun challenge

(Tim) #67

I couldnā€™t agree more. Before going keto in October, I would drink 3-6 each day, no problem. I think Iā€™ve had 2 since and have been surprised how little Iā€™ve missed it after the first few weeks. I realized what I really wanted was that initial burn of carbonation which has been easily replaced with LaCroixā€™s.

(Becky) #68

Yes, ALL of the zero drinks are so addictive. Iā€™m grateful to have put the carbs down, but Iā€™m in a stall and Iā€™m sure itā€™s because I am addicted to dairy and sweeteners. They seem to be gateways to each other! I enjoy seltzers, I enjoy water, but the addictive part of my brain wants me to believe Iā€™m being deprived if I canā€™t haveā€¦(fill in the blank). I committed to doing sweetener free May, so Iā€™m crossing my fingers! How long have you been off the zero drinks?

(Becky) #69

I love kombucha! I had grown my own Scoby and bottled my first brewā€¦days before starting Keto! I gave it all away because I was afraid that even though they say the sugar is eaten by the Scoby or somethingā€¦lolā€¦I didnā€™t want to risk triggering myself. I still have a few bottles of the GT because Iā€™m too cheap to throw it outā€¦lol. Also, when Iā€™ve had stomach upset, I will take a swig. I would love to know how to determine the carb count. Are you able to drink a full serving and remain in ketoeis? I would gladly give up zero drinks for yummy, nutritious, beneficial kombucha!

#70

About a week. It got way easier after 2 or 3 days. I still think about them but less so. I get tempted when I am shopping but can walk past. I got some new teas to try which helped a bit and I have fizzy water in the fridge. I quite like dropping a few frozen raspberries into a ice cold bottle of sparkling. Even better in champagne :wink:

Just realised that was woefully inappropriate on a budget keto thread although when I say champagne I actually mean Lidl sparkling wine!

(Stephen Shell) #71

I do the same thing as your Chipotle order at our local Moeā€™s Southwest grill. It is really good, but I feel like itā€™s overpriced for what Iā€™m actually getting. ($9.00) How is the value at Chipotle? Do you get a lot and how much is it?

(James storie) #72

Love cook out!

(James storie) #73

Chipotle isnā€™t any cheaper, but it is amazing! Especially the guacamole, even though they charge you extra for it. Moeā€™s is good too!

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #74

You get a ton of food, and can ask for extra of anything except guacamole or meat. They charge extra for that.
About $6 to $7 for each burrito bowl.

(Mike Price) #75

I have not had a problem ordering breadless breakfast food at McDonalds and Burger King in several states. And it is cheaper than ordering the biscuits and throwing out the bread. The secret phrase is: ā€œI would like two side orders of folded egg, and two sides of sausage, please.ā€ They must get the request a lot, because the registers are programmed with that option. Pricing varies widely though, but usually no more than $1 per side.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #76

Thank you @mjprice26
I have yet to order a breakfast, but I do order the beef patties, and the registers at McDonalds in my town have a button for patty only.
YAY

#77

So I just did this. Promised my grandson a happy meal and ordered me and my daughter 3 McDoubles each instead of the double quarter pounders. Cheaper! and more food! Thanks @Brenda

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #78

Great. Now Iā€™m hungry. Lol

#79

Sorry!!

They were good! I even added my own low carb ā€œmac sauceā€ to them.

(David K) #80

Yep, stopped off at BK and got two Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissanā€™wichs, hold the Croissant.

For the record, McDonaldā€™s is better.

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #81

I tried 2 McDoubles tonight with extra pickles. Served on a plate with some leaves of lettuce and I used a knife and fork. Tasty finish to my day!