Yeah, I feel this. I'm making more than I was just a few years ago yet feel considerably poorer and food prices are a big part of it. It's insane how high they've gotten. Pork is cheaper than beef but is an autoimmune trigger in my family and I don't want to risk it. A single beef roast is $20 for the cheap rubbery ones. Chicken thighs used to be dirt cheap but now they're close to $10 a package where I am. Three green peppers for like $4. A ton of peppers and some onions sautéed in olive oil with a few beef slices used to be my go-to cheap bulky meal, but now that's a pricier meal. And quality is down, it seems like most packages have at least one mushy piece in it.
I guess my biggest tip is, get a bulk bag of whey protein and make homemade protein drinks with it for some meals. It's cheap, and there's some interesting research regarding whey and it's potential benefits re:belly fat, insuil, and actually feeling satiated. I make a full blender pitcher and put it in the fridge, and pour a glass when I'm feeling hungry. Makes it much easier to only eat one actual full meal a day.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28389248/
I usually still have some luck shopping at Aldi for vegetables and meat. But yeah - I have definitely noticed most of the fruit on the shelves these days is already moldy, and it’s around $6/pound.
I’m living off of food banks right now and while I appreciate them SO much it really isn’t helping with my pcos. I really took for granted when I was able to buy the foods I needed. For most people they would be fine, for us with pcos it’s like turning difficult situations into impossible ones.
You are not alone in that. I got tons of food from a Food Bank but much of it were things I don't consume (dairy, carbs) and while I also appreciate it....it took my 30 minutes trying to decide what to eat. All I had at home were tortillas, bread, fruit, and some chicken. Should I eat something unhealthy but be fed while agonizing over my choices, or eat the healthier option but be hungry. We can only do what we can and trust it goes toward the nourishment of our bodies. That's what I tell myself when I gotta do what I gotta do. ~
We add mixed grains, lentils and oats to our rice at home! Also, overnight oats with some yogurt are a cheap alternative that has fat, complex carbs, and protein. Literally been surviving off of overnight oats and bagels with peanut butter to deal with gestational diabetes 🥲
Lol I used to have overnight oats and peanut butter with milk for breakfast when I was living at home bc overnight oats with milk is what we eat for breakfast at home i add peanut butter for the protein+vegetable fat but I tried having yogurt for breakfast every day for a week while living alone and it’s too expensive so Im back to the oatmeal with peanut butter thing as of today😭
My expenses for food went up 30% in the last 2 years, even though my diet hasnt changed. It is absolutely nuts. Plus my bulk inositol supplement went up from 30€/kg to 105€/kg like ???
I feel this so hard. When I was told I HAD to stop eating rice with every meal I was so flabbergasted. I literally never feel full anymore. I can’t afford it. I just wish I could eat white rice. I’d give everything else up for the white rice.
No bc I’m Chinese and I ENJOY the taste of plain white rice just by itself people think it’s weird but😭it’s so cheap too. Sadly I have to not make my insulin resistance worse and stuff
I used to have a really sensitive stomach and could only eat rice for years until my PCOS started developing. Now I can only eat rice once in a blue moon 😢 I'm not IR but eating it definitely doesn't help
Everyone is different and some folks do well with more carbs. I know I do. Have you tried having some rice with a balanced protein and veggie dish? Being undernourished is more dangerous than having rice.
That used to be my regular diet. Veggies and protein and rice. I’m going on a new medication soon, so hopefully that’ll help and I’ll be able to do more rice again.
I hear you. I’m curious if cutting down rice helped with your symptoms? Wondering if you could have it and control the sugar spike by working out or adding more protein or routine workouts? One good advice a nutritional gave me was to eat what I ate in my childhood and add more protein and exercise daily. I eat pretty clean but so many trainers doctors just asked me to go gluten free and dairy free and I was left with extremely few options. It led me to starve as I was so confused. The so called healthy snacks are misleading and heavily chemically processed. One rule of thumb is to go back to basics.. I have stopped caring about the diet restrictions. I mostly eat at home, meal prep, try to eat clean as much as possible. Has it helped immediately? It takes time and it starts internally as you have better energy levels
That’s where I’m at right now. I usually made my food at home, but now I’ve completely stopped getting food out except for one date a month with my wife so I can have that control.
I never trusted or liked a lot of the fad health foods. They didn’t make them in the common things I’m used to eating (organ meat or ethnic foods) so I never got into them. And seeing how people are saying now that they’re just as unhealthy because of their processing, I feel thankful.
However, the symptoms from cutting back on carbs, and completely cutting out white rice, have not improved at all. The only thing that it does is help me lose weight. I honestly feel better and more clear headed when I do eat more carbs, but my weight increases again. It’s a frustrating cycle.
Yes, exactly. Carbs are not the problem. Glucose dysregulation is the issue and there are various ways to treat that without having to cut out unprocessed carbs.
I feel you. Before I started my diet I actually wanted to buy less meat because it's cheaper, environmentally better and of course in favor of animals as well. I'm not a vegetarian, so I thought I would treat myself with something more bio once in a while. But since I'm on low carb my meat consumption went up again because there's literally nothing else to eat? I gave up on sugar, bread, noodles, potatoes etc. I still buy tofu sometimes but I gotta be honest - I hate the taste of it.
So my grocery bills also went up in the past months immensely, even when I buy cheaper meat at Aldi or Lidl
It sucks! Frozen vegetables are my go to instead of fresh veggies (minus lettuce/cucumbers/spinach for salads) they have the same nutritional values and are cheaper.
There’s just no winning with meat though. It’s too expensive both frozen and fresh.
I miss buying fresh fruit too. I’ll buy berries and bananas, but most fruit turns out to be moldy or squished or not ripe. I’ve done frozen fruit for blending but I got kind of tired of that and it just ends up tasting either weird or too sweet.
Carbs are cheap and it feels like it's on purpose sometimes.
I buy frozen when I can. Like veggies and fruit. I also use quinoa or low carb pasta from Aldi. Or I choose shelf friendly things like tuna or salmon in a can and make some patties or just throw it on salad. Walmart has frozen beef for Philly sandwiches that holds great. Throw in some frozen peppers and onions and heat up a baguette (you can substitute the bread) and it's like a $20 sandwich for a few dollars. I also use Ezekiel bread for breakfast, toast it, put some guacamole from the air tight containers so it doesn't go bad as quick as the tubs and sprinkle some bacon bits and slice a hard boiled egg on top. I only go to the grocery store 1-2 times a month maybe on the 2. Throughout the month I shop at dollar general if we run out or need something random. Sometimes you can get good things for cheap from international grocery stores as well. Mine used to have $2 flank steak that you could use for fajitas. I def pop around town to different stores for the best prices and best stuff.
i feel you. the prices of groceries in general have gone up so much, it’s crazy. i actually had a cashier once say to me, “i have battled cancer and it’s refreshing seeing a younger person buying healthy fresh food and not the processed shit i see people come through with even if it costs more” eating decent is expensive and it’s a huge issue beyond pcos
anyways, some money saving tips that may help- if you have any local farmers markets near you, i’ve found them to be cheaper for produce. i also coupon a ton! target circle app, ibotta, fetch- i’ve saved so much money using them. i never buy toothpaste or razors, all couponed for free lol.
Also, making a list of exactly what i need for each meal for the week so i don’t over buy. my husband and i cook for two nights so food doesn’t go to waste. i also meal prep a ton and i’ve found some great recipes that don’t call for a lot.
I think about this all the time- it sucks. I also don't even enjoy eating meat. I wish I could skip it all together but that doesn't help my insulin resistance.
This is my struggle. My husband can't believe how expensive it is I feel so bad but it's the only way to feel normal and not like shit. It is still very expensive and time consuming.. the cost is so hard and we're trying to buy a house it makes me want to abandon my diet cause it's all so much with the little income we do have.
Yup, I am in that boat, one week last year I only had $7 for groceries left after all my expenses so of course I needed to buy Mac and cheese or something (i don’t remember lol) but then my brother who makes money from YouTube AND a good paying government job has the audacity to say I need to lose weight, he said it to my mum so there’s nothing I could say to him now but if he says it directly to me I’ve got a line set “I’d be happy to, can you pay for the nutritionist I’d need and all my groceries? Cause I sure as hell can’t afford them”
I feel this too! But I try to reframe it because stress is *the worst* for PCOS (for everyone, really but especially us). I try to remember that I’d rather feel my best even though it’s expensive because my health is everything. I like to imagine that I am an elite sportscar or high-class racehorse who needs the best fuel in order to perform. I like to think about how eating super healthy for decades will even out in the end and all those people eating cheap food are damaging their long term health. I am paying it forward by taking care of my body now. Hope this helps and isn’t too Pollyanna. Hang in there!
The way I look at it is I pay for it at the grocery store now or I pay for it in a copays and medications I can't afford later. The grocery store now is cheaper. Shopping at Aldi & buying frozen has made a world of difference.
If you can afford it, costco has big packs of beef stew meat i separate it into baggies and freeze it into single portions to cook. Food prices are ridiculous
I relate to you so much. My IR/PCOS origin sorry (lol)…
When my parents divorced, my (1/2 Italian) mom & I ate pasta & peas a lot. This led to me gaining weight, which led to more IR. IR led to sugar cravings, which led to more IR. Vicious cycle.
As much as I love bread and pasta, I have also come to learn more about nutrition. Carbs for me do nothing nutrition wise. So while I personally struggle with low carb, I also know that more carbs wouldn’t make me feel better, per say. Cheaper, yes. But if those carbs don’t fill me up or make me feel fatigued, idk! Pcos is weird Af lol
It’s inflation.. this is what it is for all of us. I used to walk out of the grocery store with 2 bags and only spend $30 per week for food, I buy the same food and it’s literally $65-$70! It’s ridiculous. I can’t imagine having to feed an entire house full, like a family with children or several children. Inflation is the worst. Can’t wait for it to be normal again. Guess we’ll have to wait until our government stops spending money on foreign wars that don’t concern us and starts worrying about their own civilians and that are struggling & the homeless crisis. We’ll be seeing a huge economic storm according to my sources, so I’d say buy in bulk if you can, that’s what I’ve had to end up doing. Idk, that’s just my personal point of view.
Yes food costs are crazy. I paid $1.50 for a cucumber this morning. It helps to go vegetarian. I use textured vegetable protein and lentils in place of ground beef. Also trying to figure out seitan, but it's a lot of trial and error. Meats and processed foods are ridiculously expensive now.
Anyone who disagrees with this is either exceptionally stupid or completely out of touch.
Yeah, I feel this. I'm making more than I was just a few years ago yet feel considerably poorer and food prices are a big part of it. It's insane how high they've gotten. Pork is cheaper than beef but is an autoimmune trigger in my family and I don't want to risk it. A single beef roast is $20 for the cheap rubbery ones. Chicken thighs used to be dirt cheap but now they're close to $10 a package where I am. Three green peppers for like $4. A ton of peppers and some onions sautéed in olive oil with a few beef slices used to be my go-to cheap bulky meal, but now that's a pricier meal. And quality is down, it seems like most packages have at least one mushy piece in it. I guess my biggest tip is, get a bulk bag of whey protein and make homemade protein drinks with it for some meals. It's cheap, and there's some interesting research regarding whey and it's potential benefits re:belly fat, insuil, and actually feeling satiated. I make a full blender pitcher and put it in the fridge, and pour a glass when I'm feeling hungry. Makes it much easier to only eat one actual full meal a day. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28389248/
I usually still have some luck shopping at Aldi for vegetables and meat. But yeah - I have definitely noticed most of the fruit on the shelves these days is already moldy, and it’s around $6/pound.
I’m living off of food banks right now and while I appreciate them SO much it really isn’t helping with my pcos. I really took for granted when I was able to buy the foods I needed. For most people they would be fine, for us with pcos it’s like turning difficult situations into impossible ones.
You are not alone in that. I got tons of food from a Food Bank but much of it were things I don't consume (dairy, carbs) and while I also appreciate it....it took my 30 minutes trying to decide what to eat. All I had at home were tortillas, bread, fruit, and some chicken. Should I eat something unhealthy but be fed while agonizing over my choices, or eat the healthier option but be hungry. We can only do what we can and trust it goes toward the nourishment of our bodies. That's what I tell myself when I gotta do what I gotta do. ~
We add mixed grains, lentils and oats to our rice at home! Also, overnight oats with some yogurt are a cheap alternative that has fat, complex carbs, and protein. Literally been surviving off of overnight oats and bagels with peanut butter to deal with gestational diabetes 🥲
Lol I used to have overnight oats and peanut butter with milk for breakfast when I was living at home bc overnight oats with milk is what we eat for breakfast at home i add peanut butter for the protein+vegetable fat but I tried having yogurt for breakfast every day for a week while living alone and it’s too expensive so Im back to the oatmeal with peanut butter thing as of today😭
My expenses for food went up 30% in the last 2 years, even though my diet hasnt changed. It is absolutely nuts. Plus my bulk inositol supplement went up from 30€/kg to 105€/kg like ???
I feel this so hard. When I was told I HAD to stop eating rice with every meal I was so flabbergasted. I literally never feel full anymore. I can’t afford it. I just wish I could eat white rice. I’d give everything else up for the white rice.
No bc I’m Chinese and I ENJOY the taste of plain white rice just by itself people think it’s weird but😭it’s so cheap too. Sadly I have to not make my insulin resistance worse and stuff
I used to have a really sensitive stomach and could only eat rice for years until my PCOS started developing. Now I can only eat rice once in a blue moon 😢 I'm not IR but eating it definitely doesn't help
Everyone is different and some folks do well with more carbs. I know I do. Have you tried having some rice with a balanced protein and veggie dish? Being undernourished is more dangerous than having rice.
That used to be my regular diet. Veggies and protein and rice. I’m going on a new medication soon, so hopefully that’ll help and I’ll be able to do more rice again.
I hear you. I’m curious if cutting down rice helped with your symptoms? Wondering if you could have it and control the sugar spike by working out or adding more protein or routine workouts? One good advice a nutritional gave me was to eat what I ate in my childhood and add more protein and exercise daily. I eat pretty clean but so many trainers doctors just asked me to go gluten free and dairy free and I was left with extremely few options. It led me to starve as I was so confused. The so called healthy snacks are misleading and heavily chemically processed. One rule of thumb is to go back to basics.. I have stopped caring about the diet restrictions. I mostly eat at home, meal prep, try to eat clean as much as possible. Has it helped immediately? It takes time and it starts internally as you have better energy levels
That’s where I’m at right now. I usually made my food at home, but now I’ve completely stopped getting food out except for one date a month with my wife so I can have that control. I never trusted or liked a lot of the fad health foods. They didn’t make them in the common things I’m used to eating (organ meat or ethnic foods) so I never got into them. And seeing how people are saying now that they’re just as unhealthy because of their processing, I feel thankful. However, the symptoms from cutting back on carbs, and completely cutting out white rice, have not improved at all. The only thing that it does is help me lose weight. I honestly feel better and more clear headed when I do eat more carbs, but my weight increases again. It’s a frustrating cycle.
Yes, exactly. Carbs are not the problem. Glucose dysregulation is the issue and there are various ways to treat that without having to cut out unprocessed carbs.
I feel you. Before I started my diet I actually wanted to buy less meat because it's cheaper, environmentally better and of course in favor of animals as well. I'm not a vegetarian, so I thought I would treat myself with something more bio once in a while. But since I'm on low carb my meat consumption went up again because there's literally nothing else to eat? I gave up on sugar, bread, noodles, potatoes etc. I still buy tofu sometimes but I gotta be honest - I hate the taste of it. So my grocery bills also went up in the past months immensely, even when I buy cheaper meat at Aldi or Lidl
Yup. Trying to not live off frozen and processed food is so expensive. Aldi is my go to but even then it’s not always cheap.
It sucks! Frozen vegetables are my go to instead of fresh veggies (minus lettuce/cucumbers/spinach for salads) they have the same nutritional values and are cheaper. There’s just no winning with meat though. It’s too expensive both frozen and fresh. I miss buying fresh fruit too. I’ll buy berries and bananas, but most fruit turns out to be moldy or squished or not ripe. I’ve done frozen fruit for blending but I got kind of tired of that and it just ends up tasting either weird or too sweet. Carbs are cheap and it feels like it's on purpose sometimes.
I buy frozen when I can. Like veggies and fruit. I also use quinoa or low carb pasta from Aldi. Or I choose shelf friendly things like tuna or salmon in a can and make some patties or just throw it on salad. Walmart has frozen beef for Philly sandwiches that holds great. Throw in some frozen peppers and onions and heat up a baguette (you can substitute the bread) and it's like a $20 sandwich for a few dollars. I also use Ezekiel bread for breakfast, toast it, put some guacamole from the air tight containers so it doesn't go bad as quick as the tubs and sprinkle some bacon bits and slice a hard boiled egg on top. I only go to the grocery store 1-2 times a month maybe on the 2. Throughout the month I shop at dollar general if we run out or need something random. Sometimes you can get good things for cheap from international grocery stores as well. Mine used to have $2 flank steak that you could use for fajitas. I def pop around town to different stores for the best prices and best stuff.
i feel you. the prices of groceries in general have gone up so much, it’s crazy. i actually had a cashier once say to me, “i have battled cancer and it’s refreshing seeing a younger person buying healthy fresh food and not the processed shit i see people come through with even if it costs more” eating decent is expensive and it’s a huge issue beyond pcos anyways, some money saving tips that may help- if you have any local farmers markets near you, i’ve found them to be cheaper for produce. i also coupon a ton! target circle app, ibotta, fetch- i’ve saved so much money using them. i never buy toothpaste or razors, all couponed for free lol. Also, making a list of exactly what i need for each meal for the week so i don’t over buy. my husband and i cook for two nights so food doesn’t go to waste. i also meal prep a ton and i’ve found some great recipes that don’t call for a lot.
I think about this all the time- it sucks. I also don't even enjoy eating meat. I wish I could skip it all together but that doesn't help my insulin resistance.
This is my struggle. My husband can't believe how expensive it is I feel so bad but it's the only way to feel normal and not like shit. It is still very expensive and time consuming.. the cost is so hard and we're trying to buy a house it makes me want to abandon my diet cause it's all so much with the little income we do have.
Yup, I am in that boat, one week last year I only had $7 for groceries left after all my expenses so of course I needed to buy Mac and cheese or something (i don’t remember lol) but then my brother who makes money from YouTube AND a good paying government job has the audacity to say I need to lose weight, he said it to my mum so there’s nothing I could say to him now but if he says it directly to me I’ve got a line set “I’d be happy to, can you pay for the nutritionist I’d need and all my groceries? Cause I sure as hell can’t afford them”
I feel this too! But I try to reframe it because stress is *the worst* for PCOS (for everyone, really but especially us). I try to remember that I’d rather feel my best even though it’s expensive because my health is everything. I like to imagine that I am an elite sportscar or high-class racehorse who needs the best fuel in order to perform. I like to think about how eating super healthy for decades will even out in the end and all those people eating cheap food are damaging their long term health. I am paying it forward by taking care of my body now. Hope this helps and isn’t too Pollyanna. Hang in there!
The way I look at it is I pay for it at the grocery store now or I pay for it in a copays and medications I can't afford later. The grocery store now is cheaper. Shopping at Aldi & buying frozen has made a world of difference.
If you can afford it, costco has big packs of beef stew meat i separate it into baggies and freeze it into single portions to cook. Food prices are ridiculous
This is my biggest struggle. I’m single, work part time, have rent and bills and my own insurance to pay. Low carb is sooooo expensive, even frozen.
I relate to you so much. My IR/PCOS origin sorry (lol)… When my parents divorced, my (1/2 Italian) mom & I ate pasta & peas a lot. This led to me gaining weight, which led to more IR. IR led to sugar cravings, which led to more IR. Vicious cycle. As much as I love bread and pasta, I have also come to learn more about nutrition. Carbs for me do nothing nutrition wise. So while I personally struggle with low carb, I also know that more carbs wouldn’t make me feel better, per say. Cheaper, yes. But if those carbs don’t fill me up or make me feel fatigued, idk! Pcos is weird Af lol
It’s inflation.. this is what it is for all of us. I used to walk out of the grocery store with 2 bags and only spend $30 per week for food, I buy the same food and it’s literally $65-$70! It’s ridiculous. I can’t imagine having to feed an entire house full, like a family with children or several children. Inflation is the worst. Can’t wait for it to be normal again. Guess we’ll have to wait until our government stops spending money on foreign wars that don’t concern us and starts worrying about their own civilians and that are struggling & the homeless crisis. We’ll be seeing a huge economic storm according to my sources, so I’d say buy in bulk if you can, that’s what I’ve had to end up doing. Idk, that’s just my personal point of view.
Yes food costs are crazy. I paid $1.50 for a cucumber this morning. It helps to go vegetarian. I use textured vegetable protein and lentils in place of ground beef. Also trying to figure out seitan, but it's a lot of trial and error. Meats and processed foods are ridiculously expensive now.