Episode Details

Eat Cheap Without Eating Garbage | Episode 575

Opening

Eating cheap doesn’t mean eating like crap — but a lot of people act like it does. In this episode, I talk through how to eat affordably without wrecking your health, why fast food is a scam now, and how boring, repeatable food choices actually win long term.

This isn’t about government food pyramids or trendy diets. It’s about what actually works when money matters, calories matter, and you still want to feel decent.

The Standard American Diet Is a Mess

Most Americans aren’t eating based on any official guidelines — they’re eating fast food and ultra-processed junk. Whether the government updates nutrition advice or not doesn’t really matter if nobody follows it.

The reality is simple: if you’re living on drive-thru food and boxed nonsense, your health is probably terrible. And ironically, it’s also expensive. Fast food used to be cheap. It isn’t anymore.

Cooking at home beats it on cost and quality every single time.

Cheap Calories That Actually Work

If you want to eat cheap and not feel like garbage, your foundation matters. Rice, potatoes, and oats are affordable, versatile, and effective.

I eat oatmeal every day. I eat rice every day. I’m not fat, and I’m in the best shape of my life. Carbs aren’t the enemy for normal people — they’re fuel. Keto and low-carb can be useful tools, but they aren’t mandatory for health or leanness.

If you’re diabetic, that’s a different conversation. For everyone else, carbs aren’t evil.

Cooking at Home Changes Everything

When you cook nearly all your food, something important happens: you’re no longer getting thousands of milligrams of hidden sodium from processed meals. That’s one reason electrolytes still matter even if you’re not on keto.

If you drink a lot of water — and I’m talking close to two gallons a day — you need electrolytes. Otherwise, muscle cramps and other issues show up fast. Whole foods plus high hydration means you have to be intentional.

Protein Choices That Don’t Destroy Your Budget

Eating good and cheap means adjusting expectations. You’re probably not eating ribeyes all the time — and that’s fine. Steak prices are insane now.

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