Get Shredded for Less than $10/Day by Eating This (full food list)

Thomas starts by noting that chicken breast prices have gone 'out of control,' making the protein-per-dollar math favor thighs. Even with skin, thighs are caloric, so he emphasizes buying them already skinned or removing the skin yourself. He then recommends dry-heat cooking (baking or grilling) to allow additional fat to drip away, making the final meat even leaner. He acknowledges feedlot chicken quality concerns but frames this as a temporary necessity. The overall message is: on a severe budget, you trade some nutritional perfection for economic viability, but thigh without skin is a strong middle ground.

He points out that 90% lean ground beef and 96% lean are 'astronomically different in price' despite only a small fat difference, so even if you can stretch to 90%, straining still helps. With the cheapest chubs (75–80% lean), straining is essential to keep fat calories from overwhelming the diet. For ground turkey, even the 99% lean version is cheap, but the more common 85–90% lean is significantly cheaper, and straining tames the fat. The hot-water rinse is a old bodybuilding trick he endorses.

He acknowledges the mercury concern but argues that tuna naturally contains selenium, which binds mercury and aids excretion—'selenium has been demonstrated to help actually remove some of the mercury from the tuna in the first place as you consume it.' So he's not overly worried about occasional daily consumption. Sardines in oil are cheap, but he warns the oil is usually 'cruddy' and recommends water-packed instead. He admits sardines and tuna aren't the most exciting food, but they get the job done.

Thomas positions this as a direct replacement for expensive breakfast sausage or eggs. He suggests that with a bit of oregano, it mimics the taste profile of breakfast sausage, making it psychologically satisfying. The hot sauce provides capsaicin-based thermogenesis and more intense flavor, which helps with satiety on fewer calories. Since ground turkey is leaner than its label suggests relative to cost, it becomes a top protein-per-dollar pick.

He suggests this as a cheap way to get a dessert-like experience while still hitting protein goals. Because fat-free costs the same as low-fat versions, it maximizes protein per dollar. He advises against using honey due to cost—$7-$8 for halfway decent honey would take a big bite out of the $50 budget—so stevia packets are the economical sweetener. Frozen strawberries can be stirred in for texture and phytonutrients. He frames it as a psychologically helpful meal that feels indulgent.

He references his guest Dr. Mike Ormsby's finding that cottage cheese before bed does not impair fat loss in the morning, making it a viable tool for those low on protein. He acknowledges that carrageenan is a concern in cheaper versions but tells listeners not to be 'freaked out'—it's more of a caution for long-term habitual intake. The main goal is getting the protein in without overspending.

He concedes that good fats are too costly for a $50/week plan, so going moderate-carb becomes the budget-friendly route. To prevent insulin spikes all day, he recommends keeping carbs low during the day and concentrating them at dinner with potatoes. This provides volume and satiety without making the person a 'high carb person' because total daily carb intake remains moderate. He calls it a temporary fix that works for shredding but not ideal for long-term metabolic health.

Thomas gives mustard unusually strong praise, calling its thermogenic effect 'profound.' He explains that the active compound in mustard seeds (likely allyl isothiocyanate) can significantly increase energy expenditure and also alter taste perception to reduce appetite. Because a jar of mustard lasts a month or more, it's a very low-cost tool. He pairs it with hot sauce—specifically Tabasco—which adds additional capsaicin-driven thermogenesis and flavor complexity. Together, they transform bland budget meals and provide a metabolic edge.

He says fresh vegetables are 'pretty much out of the equation right now' due to price, but broccoli is the one vegetable he still stands behind because of its unique benefits—sulforaphane and NRF2 activation provide potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, while dandolmethane (DIM) and indole-3-carbinol support liver detox. Frozen broccoli retains these compounds well, and it doesn't need to be organic for a short shredding cycle. He also mentions cauliflower as a secondary option.

He acknowledges that fresh fruit is unrealistic on a $50/week budget. Frozen berries are the solution because the flash-freezing process preserves the antioxidant capacity. He suggests buying whatever is in season and cheapest, and notes that if you truly can't fit them in, you'll be fine—the diet still works without fruit. The earlier suggestion to sweeten yogurt with stevia and berries creates a dual-purpose purchase.

He walks through the trade-off: good fats are costly, so if you try keto on a tight budget, you'll blow your money on olive oil, nuts, and avocados. A lower-fat, higher-carb plan is simply cheaper and can still work for a short shredding phase. He acknowledges this goes against his preference for metabolic health—he doesn't want people becoming 'high carb'—so he suggests allocating carbs only to the evening with potatoes to get volume without spiking insulin all day. The message is clear: this is a temporary, budget-driven tactic, not a permanent lifestyle change.

He leads with 'We can't even eat the eggs anymore' and 'beef is probably out.' The alternative he offers is buying the cheapest ground beef (75–80% lean) in large chubs, cooking it, then pouring boiling water over it in a colander to remove a substantial portion of the fat. He notes that even a 90% lean versus a 96% lean beef has an astronomical price difference that doesn't match the fat differential, so he often buys 90–93% and strains it as well. This fat-straining technique extends to ground turkey. The stance is that you can still use beef if you must, but eggs are simply too expensive to recommend.

He explains that mustard has a profound dietary induced thermogenic effect, largely due to an active compound in mustard seeds. He says this compound can curve appetite and alter taste profiles so you eat less. He advises getting stone-ground or Dijon-style mustard rather than bright yellow varieties that may have additives, noting that even cheap versions work and a little lasts a long time—so the cost amortizes over weeks. Combined with a simple hot sauce like Tabasco (vinegar, salt, red pepper), you get both heat-driven thermogenesis and mustard's unique effect.

He mentions this almost offhand, saying 'I don't really do grocery haul videos anymore because every one of their brothers started doing them on TikTok and I just didn't want to be one of those people. Even though I've been doing them for a decade, I just didn't want to be part of that crowd anymore.' He then invites viewers to comment if they want him to bring the format back.