your low carb or paleo grocery shopping must haves

[ktgrok]

Going back to a more strict bariatric diet IF my milk supply will cooperate. So protein plus veggies plus some fruit.  Going shopping today, need some inspiration. Can't do super high fat (for example, half and half in my coffee is fine, but heavy cream in coffee gives me dumping syndrome post bariatric surgery.....painful tummy ache, diarrhea, shakes, etc). So no fat bombs :) Budget is also a bit tighter than usual. 

 

But I'm thinking chicken thighs, eggs, we already have some good cheese, salad makings, frozen veggies, already have butter, deli meat for quick food, greek yogurt....what else?

[ScoutTN]

I'm back on LC too.

 

Dill pickles! I love them and they seem to nix my carb cravings. A pickle and bit of good cheese is one of my favorite snacks.

 

Snap peas, bell peppers and celery are my go to veggies with (homemade) ranch or bleu chs.

 

Herbal tea is also a nice pick me up. Even down there where it isn't very cold. ;)

Edited December 31, 2017 by ScoutTN

[Mommyof1]

Bacon

[ktgrok]

I'm back on LC too.

 

Dill pickles! I love them and they seem to nix my carb cravings. A pickle and bit of good cheese is one of my favorite snacks.

 

Snap peas, bell peppers and celery are my go to veggies with (homemade) ranch or bleu chs.

 

Herbal tea is also a nice pick me up. Even down there where it isn't very cold. ;)

 

Oh, I do have some yummy pickles left over from christmas eve! And good cheese. I think sometimes when I'm craving carbs I'm actually craving salt, so good idea 

 

Herbal teas is a good idea too!

SaveSave

[ktgrok]

Oh, I remembered I really like carnitas when doing low carb, will pick up stuff for that too :)

[Pegasus]

Lots of eggs -they aren't just for breakfast and are just about the perfect food for this way of eating. Make them in a variety of different ways to avoid boredom.  Keep deviled eggs in the fridge for a quick snack or meal side dish.

 

Cabbage - very low carb and inexpensive.  Oven roasted with a little olive oil and seasoning until the edges are very brown is so yummy. I also make slaw.  Shred and fry to create a base where you would otherwise use rice also works well.

 

Cauliflower - very low carb and inexpensive.  Mashed is my current favorite - steam, press in towels to remove as much water as possible, mash, add seasoning and your choice of butter, greek yogurt, cream cheese, etc. I like to top it with cheese and pop it into the oven until nice and melty.

 

Check the variety of pork cuts. There is usually at least one cut that is relatively inexpensive.  Low carb pork chili is delicious and can use the cheaper tougher cuts.

 

Avocados - price can vary but a very nice higher fat low carb option.

 

Pickles, olives, etc - lots of flavor for very  little carb

 

Check back. I'll add more as I think about it some more!

 

 

[Hoggirl]

Some dark chocolate.

 

Allowing myself a treat of a square a dark chocolate every once in awhile helps me not feel as deprived.

[Dmmetler]

Following-I'm going on a similar diet to manage blood sugar levels, so am planning a big grocery trip since we just got back from visiting family.

[ktgrok]

Some dark chocolate.

 

Allowing myself a treat of a square a dark chocolate every once in awhile helps me not feel as deprived.

 

oh, yes! I like to shave some onto frozen berries.

[kiana]

I'm not low-low carb but I frequently eat that way, so I'm going to share and hope some of it is useful.

 

My staples (and the things that I buy the most of when they're on sale) are vegetables. Frozen broccoli/cauliflower/spinach, unless they're in season and cheap, are a large portion of my freezer (I eat far more vegetables by weight than meat, so saving 25c/lb on vegetables makes a lot more difference than saving $1/lb on meat).

 

Cabbage, when in season, is also a major purchase. (I am kind of a Scrooge when it comes to spending unnecessary money on food). Canned tomatoes are not low-low carb but go a long way to increasing palatability of other foods. The cabbage soup diet is a stupid diet, but the soup from it is pretty good as an adjunct to a more reasonable diet, and of course you can modify it however you like.

 

Celery is also great in season for bulking up soups and stir-frys. Carrots again are not low-low carb but are not exactly high-carb either and great for bulking up soups. Onions and bell peppers are a bit pricier (so I won't eat a pound a day or anything) but lovely for adding some flavor. 

 

I also quite like mashed cauliflower/carrots mixed with indian-style spices (cayenne, ginger, mustard, garlic, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper). If I need protein (or am out of milk), I frequently use unflavored whey powder instead of milk. I add it after I've mashed the veg, just when you would normally add liquid, and the mash gets all nice and creamy. 

 

As far as meat, I often get chicken leg quarters on sale and roast the whole bag, then divvy them up. I tend to roast dark meat to falling-off-the-bone (nice for shredding), so I get a large amount of goop in the pan, which is part ultra-concentrated stock and part schmaltz. I pour it into a container (usually a cottage cheese container) and let it sit in the fridge until completely congealed. Then I separate the fat/stock. The fat gets used instead of other fats for frying (I told you I was a Scrooge -- but don't try it on toast, ugh -- eggs are delicious though), and the stock gets added to whatever soup/bean dish I make next. 

 

Again, lentils are not low-low-carb (and paleo seems to have an issue with them) but they are not super high carb, very unprocessed, super filling, cheap, and an excellent source of fiber, so they frequently get used to bulk up soup. 

[displace]

Zucchini- can be cooked in oven in slices with pizza sauce and mozzarella with herbs for fake pizza. This is my lunch half the time.

 

Zucchini - topped with marinara or meat sauces.

 

Butternut squash (or squash of your choice), roasted with others veg like onion, carrots, either with just olive oil and salt, or pumpkin spice/maple syrup. Can be roasted with chicken too.

 

Butternut squash - for autumn soup

 

Eggs- for veg omelets or fake egg drop soup (I just use broth and veg instead of the yellow soup base)

 

Cheese- good quality for salad toppings, baked into crisps, or eating with fruit.

[displace]

Yogurt (low sugar or plain), sweetened with fruit or some stevia.

[cjzimmer1]

"Lasagne" soup.  I make this when I want a warm creamy snack.  Dump some cottage cheese in a bowl.  Add parmesan cheese (the stuff in the green can is just fine for this) and dried parsley.  Then add spaghetti sauce and heat until warm and soupy.  Add mozzarella on top if you wish.  Zucchini noodles could be added but would need to be cooked a bit more.  I like because it's just a nice snack or even a meal when I don't have the energy to make something else.

[teachermom2834]

"Lasagne" soup. I make this when I want a warm creamy snack. Dump some cottage cheese in a bowl. Add parmesan cheese (the stuff in the green can is just fine for this) and dried parsley. Then add spaghetti sauce and heat until warm and soupy. Add mozzarella on top if you wish. Zucchini noodles could be added but would need to be cooked a bit more. I like because it's just a nice snack or even a meal when I don't have the energy to make something else.

I do this with ricotta cheese instead of cottage. A gooey comforting warm meal. I have also thrown some pepperoni on top.

[Pegasus]

One of my favorite treats when I feel like dessert:

 

Warm 1 to 2 ounces of cream cheese in the microwave for several  seconds. Beat with a fork until smooth. Add a spoonful of greek yogurt, a splash of vanilla, and a few berries (frozen is fine), raspberries are especially good. Blend well, mashing the berries with the fork.  

 

It's pretty much like a quick raspberry cheesecake!

[ScoutTN]

One of my favorite treats when I feel like dessert:

 

Warm 1 to 2 ounces of cream cheese in the microwave for several seconds. Beat with a fork until smooth. Add a spoonful of greek yogurt, a splash of vanilla, and a few berries (frozen is fine), raspberries are especially good. Blend well, mashing the berries with the fork.

 

It's pretty much like a quick raspberry cheesecake!

Yum! Definitely trying this!

[ktgrok]

One of my favorite treats when I feel like dessert:

 

Warm 1 to 2 ounces of cream cheese in the microwave for several seconds. Beat with a fork until smooth. Add a spoonful of greek yogurt, a splash of vanilla, and a few berries (frozen is fine), raspberries are especially good. Blend well, mashing the berries with the fork.

 

It's pretty much like a quick raspberry cheesecake!

this may be life changing

[ktgrok]

"Lasagne" soup. I make this when I want a warm creamy snack. Dump some cottage cheese in a bowl. Add parmesan cheese (the stuff in the green can is just fine for this) and dried parsley. Then add spaghetti sauce and heat until warm and soupy. Add mozzarella on top if you wish. Zucchini noodles could be added but would need to be cooked a bit more. I like because it's just a nice snack or even a meal when I don't have the energy to make something else.

This is often the first real food bariatric patients eat after surgery

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well I see you already covered cheese so you are set.   :laugh:

[SamanthaCarter]

 

 

Cabbage - very low carb and inexpensive.  Oven roasted with a little olive oil and seasoning until the edges are very brown is so yummy. I also make slaw.  Shred and fry to create a base where you would otherwise use rice also works well.

 

 

 

I have found that I like cabbage as much or more as a rice sub than cauliflower. Plus its less than half the price around here. Cauliflower goes for a premium. 

[Soror]

I didn't see nuts posted, those are always good snacks

[cjzimmer1]

Approximately how much of each thing? Or how many parts to how many parts, etc?

Honestly I have no idea, it's a dump to taste kind of thing.  How hungry are you?  Very hungry use a big bowl 3/4 full of cottage cheese, not very hungry just a couple of spoonfuls.  Parmesan you want to be careful not to overdue because otherwise it will be too salty but you could do somewhere where between a tablespoon and 1/4 cup depending on how much cottage cheese you use.  Parsley maybe a TBSP.  I like parsley so I don't worry about it overdoing it.  Sauce,  I like a less tomatoey flavor so I use less than the cottage cheese (I don't, maybe half as much?) but you could use whatever ratio you like.

 

Sorry for the imprecision but even when cooking a full meal I seldom measure anything (my philosophy is that a recipe is simply a list of suggestions so I only use them when I'm lacking inspiration) and since this is a quickie thing for me, I put even less effort in to paying attention to amounts.

Edited December 31, 2017 by cjzimmer1

[wendyroo]

I find that low carb is much easier to stick with if I find meals that the kids will also eat.  It is just too hard for me to constantly make separate meals.  (I do add some healthy carbs to theirs like fruit and sweet potatoes, but the main meals are something that everyone can eat.)

 

Last night we had pulled pork, mashed cauliflower (that I called mashed potatoes), and roasted broccoli and brussels.  The kids also had a fruit salad.

 

Other favorites are sausage balls, fat head bagels, cheeseburgers, omelets, meatloaf, chicken tenders breaded with almond flour and unsweetened coconut, "Mac" and cheese with mostly broccoli and ground beef in the cheese sauce and only minimal noodles in the kids' portions, chicken satay, breaded zucchini spears (again almond flour and coconut), breakfast casserole with sausage, egg and cheese, etc.

 

We also love spiralizing veggies.  DH and I eat a lot of zucchini noodles sautéd in butter and garlic with parmesan.  The kids prefer sweet potato noodles.  I can easily whip those both up, serve with simple chicken parm and some peas and fruit for the kids.

 

Wendy

[ktgrok]

Thanks, everyone! I'm stocked up for right now I think. I got some cheap steaks for NYE dinner last night that I served with asparagus and sautéed mushrooms with a bit of bacon. Snacked on cheese, pickles, fit and light greek yogurt (not strictly paleo/low carb but good enough for my plan), and a small handful of nuts (mixed in the yogurt). Lunch yesterday was a taco salad, and breakfast was eggs and sautéed peppers. I went to bed satisfied, and not craving food constantly like I normally am in the evenings! 

 

I also bought pork carnitas, pork chops (those are for my husband's lunches), chicken thighs for making pulled chicken ( I even have some low carb barbecue sauce) and corned beef/cabbage/carrots. I'll add potatoes to the corned beef meal for the kids, and have biscuits and bread to add to other meals for them. And some corn on the cob, which I will probably have a bit of too. Oh, and dark chocolate :)

Edited January 1, 2018 by ktgrok

[Just Kate]

Thanks, everyone! I'm stocked up for right now I think. I got some cheap steaks for NYE dinner last night that I served with asparagus and sautéed mushrooms with a bit of bacon. Snacked on cheese, pickles, fit and light greek yogurt (not strictly paleo/low carb but good enough for my plan), and a small handful of nuts (mixed in the yogurt). Lunch yesterday was a taco salad, and breakfast was eggs and sautéed peppers. I went to bed satisfied, and not craving food constantly like I normally am in the evenings!

 

I also bought pork carnitas, pork chops (those are for my husband's lunches), chicken thighs for making pulled chicken ( I even have some low carb barbecue sauce) and corned beef/cabbage/carrots. I'll add potatoes to the corned beef meal for the kids, and have biscuits and bread to add to other meals for them. And some corn on the cob, which I will probably have a bit of too. Oh, and dark chocolate :)

Low carb barbecue sauce...do you make this or buy it? I’m intrigued.

[wendyroo]

Low carb barbecue sauce...do you make this or buy it? I’m intrigued.

 

We use Stubbs which has 6 gm of carbs per 2 Tbs serving.  Obviously not super-duper low carb (even just tomatoes themselves have quite a few carbs), but it is much, much lower than most brands.  Plus, Stubbs is common enough around us that we can find it in almost any store and it doesn't have artificial sweeteners which I avoid for my kids.

 

Wendy

[SparklyUnicorn]

actually tomatoes aren't that bad carb wise

 

 

[happypamama]

I try to keep bacon bits on hand for adding a little fat/salt/crunchy texture to omelets. And salted almonds for the same reason (although not for omelets).

[Guest]

I like those Green Giant microwaveable diced veggies. They make getting veggies quick. I’m probably getting cancer from microwaving plastic but I’ll be the thinnest corpse in the cemetery!

[happypamama]

Also, zucchini for noodles, and cauliflower, fresh if it’s reasonably priced, so I can mash it, rice it, or make loaded cauliflower casserole (boil the cauliflower a bit, drain, mash a little, and add cream cheese, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and green onion, like a baked potato).

[umsami]

I'd add in a big bag of almond flour from Costco and some stevia or Swerve.

Edited January 2, 2018 by umsami