Are you ready to save money at the grocery store? Here’s how to enjoy cheap fish and seafood without feeling like a bankrupt beachcomber.
The information provided on this site is based on my personal experience living with alpha-gal syndrome. I consistently cite and link to expert sources, but nothing published on this site should be perceived as medical advice.
Alpha-gal sensitivities vary by person. You should understand your dietary restrictions, making any adjustments needed, and directing any questions to your physician.
Do you feel like you’ve eaten enough chicken to sprout feathers? Well, I’ve got some delicious news for you! Today we are taking a dip in the sea of budget-friendly fish and seafood options. Even if you live in the most landlocked state in the nation (like yours truly here in Kansas), there are still plenty of ways to incorporate cheap fish and seafood into your alpha-gal friendly diet. So grab your snorkel and flippers, because I’m about to show you how to reel in some deals without sinking your budget.
In This Article
Cook with Canned Fish and Seafood
Let’s start with canned fish and seafood. These little tins of protein-packed goodness are lifesavers for alpha gals on a budget.
Canned Tuna
If you don’t have canned tuna in your pantry, we need to talk. It’s versatile, budget-friendly, and oh-so-yummy. You can whip up a tuna salad, make spicy tuna rolls, or even get fancy with tuna patties.
These are the most common types of canned tuna you’ll find:
- Albacore: Light and mild, perfect for just about any dish.
- Skipjack: Chunk light with a strong fishy flavor.
- Yellowfin: Pale pink, mild, and slightly sweet.
- Bigeye: Firm texture, less fishy, great for casseroles.
I recommend thinking about how you’ll use the tuna to help you choose between oil-packed or water-packed. Water-packed is great for recipes where tuna flavor needs to shine, like tuna patties. Oil-packed mixes well with dressings in salads or wraps.
Sage Advice: Because tuna tends to have high levels of mercury, the US Food & Drug Administration recommends limiting your weekly consumption to 12 ounces.
Canned Salmon
Buying canned salmon is much easier on the wallet than buying fresh fillets — especially for people who don’t live near a fresh fish market. Plus, it’s already cooked and chopped, making recipes a breeze. Think salmon patties, spicy mini salmon poppers, or a quick salmon salad. Yum!
Lump Crabmeat
Fresh crab meat vs. canned lump crab meat? The price difference is huge, but the taste? Not so much. Perfect for crab cakes, crab melts, or even crab-stuffed mushrooms.
Crab meat grades can be a bit confusing, so here’s the scoop:
- Colossal Lump: Big chunks, rich flavor, and firm texture.
- Lump: Broken jumbo lumps, most common in cans.
- Backfin: Small broken chunks mixed with white body meat.
Sage Advice: Canned crab meat is higher in sodium, so go easy on the salt in your recipes.
Buy Fish and Seafood in Bulk
There are many types of fish and seafood you can buy in bulk to save you some serious cash. Here’s how to do it right.
Fresh Fish and Seafood
Do you live near a fresh fish market? Lucky you! Get to know the suppliers and you might score a sweet deal for bulk buys. Remember, only keep out what you’ll cook in a few days and freeze the rest. Frozen seafood can last about six months.
Frozen Fish and Seafood
Big box retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club offer great deals on frozen seafood. And guess what? Freezing doesn’t ruin the flavor. It’s just as delicious as fresh. Keep an eye on sales and stock up when prices drop.
Cook Once, Eat Twice
Make your seafood stretch further by using leftovers creatively. It requires some meal planning, but it cuts down on food waste. I’ve found that using this method with salmon, shrimp, and crab is easiest.
Salmon Ideas
Wild salmon leftovers can become a salmon salad bowl, a poke bowl, or even a high protein scramble when you add chopped salmon to eggs. It stays fresh in the fridge for up to four days, so get creative!
Shrimp Recipes
Shrimp is super versatile. Grill it for dinner and reuse the leftovers in shrimp tacos or a shrimp salad later in the week. Unbreaded shrimp works best for this. Popcorn shrimp will taste delicious in shrimp tacos, but the recipe choices dwindle when shrimp is breaded.
Crab Ideas
Crab is also easy to repurpose. Extra crab meat can go into crab cakes, crab melts, or even crab chowder. Delicious!
Make Budget-Friendly Substitutions
Indulge in seafood without the splurge by swapping expensive varieties for a more affordable option. Not only will you save money, but it’s almost impossible to taste the difference!
Cod Instead of Red Snapper
Cod fillets have a taste and texture similar to the more expensive red snapper. This is one of the easiest budget-friendly swaps home cooks can make, “Especially when using this white fish as part of a recipe like seafood stew or a pasta dish,” shares Kelly Stilwell from Food, Fun & Faraway Places. “It really doesn’t make sense to pay top dollar for the expensive varieties.”
Tilapia Instead of Salmon
Tilapia has a mild flavor and pairs well with various herbs and spices. It’s also budget-friendly and less fishy than cod. Try it grilled, pan-fried, or baked.
Salmon Collars Instead of Fillets
Salmon collars are a budget-friendly way to enjoy salmon. They’re the meat behind the gills, including the fatty belly meat. It might be tough to find salmon collars in the grocery store. As Jessica Haggard from Primal Edge Health shares, “Ask your local fisherman or fishmonger for these off-cuts. They are usually tossed aside, but you can get them at a great price if you ask.”
Make It Stretch
Rethink recipes and make the protein a supporting character instead of the star of the show. Pasta, rice, and potatoes cost significantly less than shrimp and crab, so build meals around vegetables and starches first.
Cook Soups or Stews
A savory seafood soup is the ultimate comfort food. It’s rich and aromatic and surprisingly cheaper than takeout. Frugal cooks, like Sarita Harbour from Recipes From Leftovers, know that the best way to stretch a dollar is to make a hearty soup, “Buy fillets on sale, then choose recipes that can stretch. For example, chowders, soups, stews — and even pasta dishes and casseroles — can feed a crowd with just three to four chopped fish fillets.”
Add to Pasta
Pasta dishes don’t need much seafood to feel fancy. A little shrimp, lobster, or crab can go a long way. Some of the most popular seafood pasta dishes are shrimp scampi and lobster mac and cheese. Some cooks even make spaghetti with clams or risotto with mussels.
Toss into Salads
Sprinkle some seafood on your salads for a touch of luxury without the hefty price tag. Crab, shrimp, or chunks of salmon can turn even the most basic salad into a filling alpha-gal friendly meal.
Related Article: 13 Shrimp Salad Recipes You’ll Love
Make Tacos
Seafood tacos are another budget-friendly delight. Use white rice or cauliflower rice and your favorite beans to bulk up the meal without breaking the bank.
Related Article: 7 Festive Taco Bar Ideas to Spice Up Any Gathering
Enjoy More Fish and Seafood on a Budget
Making home-cooked seafood can become a regular affair instead of a rare treat. With a bit of planning, smart shopping, and culinary creativity you can indulge in fish and seafood regularly without overspending. So go ahead, cast your net wide and reel in those savings – your taste buds (and wallet) will thank you!
Portions of this article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.
