I'm having a similar issue with my diet! Instead of making a new thread, I thought I'd post my troubles here.
I adopted a primal/paleo/low carb lifestyle a year ago and I lost a TON of weight (99 lbs today!). I feel so great these days and the last thing I want to do is screw that up.
Ever since committing myself to saving, I cut out all fast take away meals and most restaurant expenses. I feel really bad at the grocery store these days though. I used to eat mostly organic veggies, organic eggs, grass fed beef, and happy chicken/pork. I feel better eating "happy meat" because I love animals and because of the research saying it has superior nutrition and health benefits. I cut this out and now try to buy meat I see on sale at my grocery store instead.
I do eat some cheese but otherwise try to stay away from huge amounts of dairy. I eat mostly vegetables and meat, and am completely grain free except for a monthly splurge meal. I don't eat beans/lentils because I hate all of them. Although I find beans revolting, I would gladly force them down at every meal if they weren't so carby, and if I could find out whether they are "bad" as some paleo adherents suggest. I haven't experimented with protein powders because I like the idea of eating real unprocessed food and because I've read that it can spike your blood sugar. I try to eat about 100 grams of protein a day (5'1, 147 pounds, female).
Even by cutting out happy meat, organic veggies (except salad leaves), and trying to buy what's on sale, I still spent $333 in March on groceries just for me. There were a few minor household items and staples in there, but it was mostly groceries. I feel helpless at the grocery store!
I'd LOVE to buy half a cow/pig/etc or some other bulk option, but I don't think that's something I can do right now. Even if I got a chest freezer from craigslist, I live in an apartment building and would worry about the power going out and losing all of my food.
Do any of you have experience deciding between organic/grassfed and conventional grocery store food? Are you saving that expense for when you reach financial independence? How did you make your decision? Also, have you found any alternate/cheap protein sources? I'm going to try to eat more eggs this week, but I feel bad that they aren't the organic ones I normally buy. If I bought a dozen fancy eggs it would cost almost $5 at my supermarket.