Some questions on deli meat...and meat in genera

[erinmstoll]

My husband and I are on day 8 and doing pretty well. I have a few meat questions:

First: Deli Meat okay on Whole30 yes or no? I think I've read the ingredients for every deli meat i can find from Trader Joe's to Whole Foods and even Target. I only look at the "natural, no hormone, no nitrate" kinds but still Almost ALL of them have some form of sugar and sometimes carageenan.

The ONLY one I have found is Applegate Farms Roast Beef. It was great but I would like some varitey. Even the Applegate Farms Roast turkey and all the other Applegate Farms varieties had sugar! (in fact I'm noticing that EVERYTHING has sugar but that is another topic)

But I've noticed on paleo blogs and even on this forum that people are eating deli meat from time to time.

So can I eat it if there is no sugar or nitrates or carageenan? Or if I find one that does have sugar but all the other ingredients aren't funk is it okay too? I'm guessing no, but I want to make sure I'm not over thinking this.

Also, I feel like I am at the grocery store every day buying food. Now granted, we've never eaten this well and not eaten out for this long (we ususally do at least 1-2x/week) but I feel like we are spending a TON of money. Which brings me to my next meat related question:

While I would love to only eat grass-fed, organic meat for the rest of my life, right now we truly cannot afford it. I am currently on maternity leave and so we are really pincing pennies since I'm not getting paid.

We have purchased most of our meat at Costco and we did find some great Grass-fed ground beef there that is SO good i don't ever want to eat any other kind again. But again, it is a little pricey for us right now.

I remember from reading ISWF that we have to always make the best choice possible. But if for us that means buying regular meat at our grocery store and not whole foods is that okay? We are honestly eating better than we ever EVER have before so I feel good about our progress so far. Both my husband and I are really committed to doing this right but we also have to stick to a budget.

Thank you in advance for any answers. This forum has been awesome but sometimes the more I read the more confused I get. I don't want to be obsessed and over-think every little thing but again, I also want to make sure I'm doing this as close to perfect as i'm really hoping to see and feel some results.

[msssjenna]

I am not sure about deli meat. I would stick to no sugar, no nitrate, nothing. it was hard finding hot dogs for my boys but TJs had them.

As far as grass-fed beef, I cant afford it either. The staples list said as far as beef, avoid factory-farmed or those with added sugar, msg, etc. And for chicken its okay to buy store bought with skin removed (thats what I do). I bought organic drumsticks from TJS for a pretty good deal!

I am only on day 1 but i feel like i have devoured this site over the past couple of weeks.

[Jinkse21]

Carageenan and Sugar are not compliant. Nitrates and NItrites are allowed.

Here is a great blog post to help with doing the program on a budget....http://whole9life.com/2011/01/paleo-poor-your-guide-to-the-grocery-store/

[Kirsteen]

Hi, first of all meatwise, we all just do the best we can. There have been success stories on the W30 from people who have never eaten organic or grassfed beef, so if you have to buy regular meat that's fine. Obviously grassfed is best but regular meat won't spoil a W30. What the book, I think said, was that if the meat is factory farmed, try to get the leanest cuts available or cut the fat off, as the fat is where any toxins would be. I can't always afford organic meat so that's what I do.

As for deli meat, actually nitrates are OK on a W30, it's sulphites, carageenan and sugar you need to avoid. I don't know what's available where you are, I'm in the UK. Here all I can get carageenan, sugar and sulphite free is Aberdeen Angus roast beef and Wiltshire cured ham. Maybe someone in the US can chime in if they've found any. good luck

[Susan W]

I have never found any compliant deli turkey. My WF guy said it doesn't exist because it would be yucky and pale looking if they didn't put wine or sugar on the outside before they roast it. Applegate does have compliant roast beef as you said. They also have compliant hot dogs.

As you said yourself, you do not have to buy grass fed organic meats. You don't even have to avoid factory farmed as much as we would like to. Just get the leanest meat you can because the toxins are stored in the fat.

I buy meats and eggs from Costco. I love their organic ground beef, tri tip roasts, flank steak and brisket. Some Costcos carry organic chicken. Mine doesn't.

As Tom Denham has said, you can have a succesful W30 and shop at Walmart or Winco. It's ridding yourself of processed carbs, grains, dairy, legumes and sugar that make the big difference. The grass fed and organic is gravy.

[KitchenWitchy]

I realized soon after starting my w30, there is a butcher shop that is local-ish to me. They have package deals that are way cheaper than grocery store prices. I feed myself and my partner for 3 weeks on $100 worth of meat: chicken, pork chops, beef roast, ground chuck, stew meat, bacon. It's possible you have a butcher not far away that might offer these kinds of deals.

[moggle]

While I would love to only eat grass-fed, organic meat for the rest of my life, right now we truly cannot afford it. I am currently on maternity leave and so we are really pincing pennies since I'm not getting paid.

We have purchased most of our meat at Costco and we did find some great Grass-fed ground beef there that is SO good i don't ever want to eat any other kind again. But again, it is a little pricey for us right now.

If you don't already, learn how to slow-cook/stew the cheaper cuts of beef and other red meat. Grass-fed boneless beef shin costs about AU$10 per kilo here, and I stew it with some veg and tinned tomatoes for a few hours till it becomes deliciously tender. My last batch was 3kg of meat at once and it made 3.5 meals worth (I still have 4 serves stashed in the freezer for dinner later this week).

[1Maryann]

I could never find compliant deli meats, and I watch my food budget. On my cook-up day, I frequently make a roast beef or a turkey breast, just so I have my own 'deli meat' for the week. It's much cheaper and has no nasties. Around here, a decent deli-sliced roast beef is almost $10/lb. I can buy a roast at the grocery store for less than half that, even cheaper when on sale. Same with turkey. I freeze what I won't be using. If it's the thin slices you miss, you can always get a home slicer. I just cut as thin as I can with a knife.

[BEK24]

I've been going to a local farmer's market every weekend and buying grass-fed, organic meats at prices that are much cheaper than the grocery store. I also stock up on greens there -- last weekend, I was buying huge bags of greens for $1 a bag.

I still question the vendors about ingredients (hence, sadly, no bacon), but I am happy with my selections and the prices.

Applegate Farms makes some good and compliant hot dogs. I have to stop buying them, though, because I was eating too many!! They are really good.

Congrats on the new baby! I don't think I even thought about cooking when I had an infant. You rock!

[Guest]

Hi, first of all meatwise, we all just do the best we can. There have been success stories on the W30 from people who have never eaten organic or grassfed beef, so if you have to buy regular meat that's fine.

That would be me! I do the best I can with what I can afford/have on hand. I've done two successful w30's that way. My little grocery store doesn't even carry organic veggies..