When I’m not traveling, I do cook at home. Not a lot, but some – and definitely more than I did prior to eating low carb. 😉
When I shared the grocery cart photo below on Facebook, one of my friends was interested in a low carb food list -or my basic weekly groceries for a low carb diet.
As you’ll see, I’m still very much into “convenience foods”. If I’m cooking at all, its quick & easy!
In this particular cart is Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup, 2 pounds of ground beef chuck, a cucumber, fresh mushrooms, frozen broccoli, pecan halves, a bag of broccoli slaw, and pre-cooked steak & chicken strips (like you would use in fajitas)…
To give you an idea what a typical low carb food list looks like for me, here are some of the staples in my weekly grocery trips. Actually, I rarely shop on a schedule – so I just pop in and grab stuff (then get out of there as quick as possible LOL – I don’t really care for shopping):
- Coffee
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Sugar Free Flavored Coffee Syrups
- Eggs
- Sausage
- Bacon
- Ground Beef
- Bagged Caesar Salad
- Bagged Broccoli Slaw
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Cucumbers
- Mushrooms
- Pre-made Pulled Pork
- Pre-cooked Fajita meat (chicken & steak)
- Frozen Broccoli
- Frozen Cauliflower
- Frozen Chopped Spinach
- Mozzarella String Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Pecans & Almonds
- Palamer Sugar Free Blackberry & Raspberry Preserves
- Smuckers Natural Organic Peanut Butter
- Diet Coke
- Bottled Water
- Sugar Free Candy
- Fresh Strawberries
- Deli meat: turkey, ham, roast beef
- Caesar Dressing
- Soy Sauce
- Mayo, Mustard & Butter
- Dill Relish
- Dill Pickles
- Green Olives
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Canned Green Beans
- Canned Tuna
- Smoked Salmon
- Crab Legs
- Pork Skins
- Garlic & Herb Cheese Spread
- Sugar Free Jello
That’s my basic low carb food list off the top of my head. I’m a creature of habit, so I tend to find things I like and stick to those. The foods above give me quite a few combinations to eat and snack on throughout the week.
I like the traditional sausage & eggs, but I also like to cook sausage like I would ground beef – then add in mushrooms and parmesan cheese for a quick & easy one-skillet meal (right).
I also use the broccoli slaw, add a tablespoon of butter and sliced mushrooms, and make a quick stir fry with it.
Often I’ll add chicken with one or both of those ingredients for another easy dinner. I love the pre-cooked chicken & steak strips, and often flavor the skillet of meat & veggies with soy sauce. In this photo I have steamed broccoli topped with (lots of) parmesan on the side:
As you can see, I eat super easy and keep it convenient. I like tuna salad with string cheese & green olives on the side for an easy lunch. String cheese & pecans for a simple snack. Crab legs, cucumber salad & steamed broccoli for a nice dinner (done in minutes!). Ham, cheese & spinach makes a great omelet. Fried eggs when I just want a quick breakfast.
I don’t really plan my meals. I just eat what I want, when I want…
What’s on YOUR low carb food list??
Super shopping tips and recipe ideas, Lynn! I can’t wait to try brocolli slow in a stir-fry. You like fresh, quick & healthy. Why no kale?
We love fresh kale, torn in small pieces, thick stem removed first, then sauteed with diced onions, minced garlic and a butter/olive oil mix. Mushrooms would also be a good last minute addition, if not already in something else that meal.
Kale cooked this way is so good we eat it 3-4 times a week. It’s easy-peasy to grow so we grow ours during the growing season. Even if you don’t have a veggie garden, you can tuck kale (starter plants) in and around your regular plant beds. The good looking color adds beauty to your flowers and shrubs. Sneak a few leaves here and there when you’re ready to cook up a batch, and no one will ever know it. π
That sounds really good! Thanks for the tip π
It IS good and so quick because I don’t cook my kale until it’s drab and limp.
I saute the diced onions and minced garlic and have it ready. Then at the last minute – toss the kale and sliced mushroom in and stir gently on medium heat for like 60-90 seconds. That 60-90 seconds gives you just enough time to pour your drink and dip up your other items on the plate.
By now your kale should be lightly wilted and perfect. We like it so the edges are still curly – not ‘lifeless’. LOL
I looked for a place to print your low carb grocery list but I didn’t see a place my printer would only print part of it first time to see your website I like it
You can highlight the list, then copy & paste it into a text editor or word processing program and print from there.
Easy to answer, since I just returned from Kroger:
beef patties
beef hot dogs
breakfast sausages
blueberries
strawberries
eggs
cottage cheese
Hey Chuck! I need to make a trip to the grocery this weekend myself. I’ve been living off whatever is here + a little take-out this week … just because I haven’t felt like getting out shopping π
Our fresh strawberries have not been looking so great, so I bought frozen strawberries (no sugar added) last time and have been enjoying those. You can just thaw out the amount you want anytime, which is nice.
Don’t eat ANYTHING with rasberry flavoring. It contain “castorium” which is secreted from the anal glands of beavers. Look it up. So gross. Watch out for yogurts, icecreams, jello’s……if it’s rasberry, it’s questionable at least.
I didn’t know that, Donna – thanks!! π―
In the planning phase to start this Sunday… so looking at the list, I would omit the strawberries and blueberries and Palamer? I love putting the palamer in my plain greek yogurt… but didn’t see that either….
Hi Lynn,
I eat berries in moderation, just no fruit. And I do like the Palamer sugar free preserves! I usually eat a bit of it on a spoon with some cream cheese. Delicious quick treat. π I don’t eat yogurt, so you’ll just need to read the label. I know there are some “carb friendly” yogurts on the shelf, so you might want to check those and compare.
Can many of these items be eaten on the Atkins Induction Phase?
Hi Kimberly,
I don’t do Atkins or Phases, I simply eat LCHF: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4606/lchf-diet-explained/ Atkins does have a great food list on their site though, you can find it here if you’re doing phases: http://www.atkins.com/Program/Phase-1/What-You-Can-Eat-in-this-Phase.aspx *cheers* π
I have been on this low carb diet for 2 weeks, have eaten every thing right on low carb list and haven,t lost not 1 pound, this is very discouraging anyone have any advice.
Thanks,
Melissa
Hi Melissa,
Click here: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/5093/not-losing-weight-eating-low-carb/ and check those four points – and leave me a comment there so I can help you out. π
I would love to be on your email list. This has definitely helped me with starting
Done, Lori π Check your email for a confirmation request!
Gathering information so when i start i will be ready.
My goal is to start on Nov. 5th, 2015. Need to lose about 60lbs. 241lbs. starting weight.
I’m glad you’re joining us, Jan! The first few days is the hardest, but it gets REALLY easy after that. You’ll find your cravings disappear and you have hardly any appetite after that – or by the end of the first week at least. π
I don’t know where to began with what foods I need to eat on low carb.Could u send a list.I already do fish,salmon steaks,bake chicken, e.t.c.Lots of veggies &water,water water.I have lost about 30lbs.or more.Also exercise
What if you cant exercise..i need a hip replacement and most of the time can barely walk.
Hi Lisa π
I lost all of my weight JUST eating low carb. I am exercising now to tone and get in great shape, but I didn’t exercise to lose my weight.
A great list of low carb foods to start with: http://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/atkins-20/phase-1/low-carb-foods
Thanks Lynn you sound my kind of chef…simple as I can get it thank you your tips are awesome and as each day goes I am nderstanding and broadening my horizons and look forward to the new challenge…
I’m so glad, Cheryl! I do love to keep it simple. Easy is GOOD, and helps me stay on track without a lot of fuss or frustration. π *cheers*
I want to eat a fresh orange everyday – will that hurt me if I follow this? I didn’t see where there is a section for fruit.
Hi Lisa,
Fruit is too high in natural sugar, so there is no fruit on the low carb food list. You can eat berries in moderation though: raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc. You can Google “orange nutrition facts” (or for any food) to see the carb count and macros / nutrition facts. This list is helpful too: https://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/atkins-20/phase-1/low-carb-foods
Is there a reason you want to eat a fresh orange every day? Is it just something you enjoy or you’re used to? You’ll want to find a low carb replacement for that…
Today is Jan 2 2018 and I took my blood sugar this am. 150. Way too high but today I have had a fresh orange. Scrambled eggs with cheese and an avocado for lunch. Hoping to lose 50 lbs and lower my sugar so I don’t have to go on meds for Type 2 diabetes. I weigh around 196 lbs.
Hi Lisa,
Yeah, that orange (or any fruit or fruit juice) will definitely spike your blood sugar. If you have an issue with that and you’re facing a T2D diagnosis, you definitely want to go very low carb and sugar free. π
I am T2 diabetic have been for about 5 years now. but, today is the first day of my new low carb life style. I will be needing lots of help and encouragement. I have about 30 lbs. to lose and with joint and bone issues I can’t do a lot of exercising so I’m in hopes that I can stick to this new change. I will probably be asking ALOT of questions. Lol I would love to be able to get off all these meds. with that said, how many servings of low carb or no carb veggies can I eat? for instance, how much loaded broccoli can I eat with a baked pork chop? or should I eat a salad with it also?
Welcome Gina π How is it going so far? Let me know if you have ANY questions. I’m happy to help any way I can!
I didn’t exercise at all to lose my weight, by the way. I simply ate low carb. I just started exercising when I got closer to my goal weight – specifically to tone up and build core strength. So that’s not a problem! π
In the beginning, keep it super simple: 20 net carbs max, 70% fat minimum. Ignore everything else. You’ll find this way of eating is a natural appetite suppressant, so within a few days you won’t be able to eat the same amount of food you could before anyway. It’s REALLY hard to overeat on a very low carb diet.;)
All veggies have carbs, and you want at least half of your 20 net carbs a day to come from green veggies ideally. But eating high fat (at least 70% of your total daily calories) is the KEY to weight loss, and to making this diet work for all the other health benefits as well.
See: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/7006/macronutrients/ for a simple explanation & illustration of what to track and how that works. π
I would love to lose about sixty pounds before this winter. Is that possible with this diet. I do not exercise. I do have a job that requires me to walk a lot. Several of my coworkers have said they have lost weight. I have only slowly gained some, in fact, I am almost back to 188 that I weighed about 11 years ago. I am 54, almost 55. I am 5 feet, 1. One summer, I have no idea how it happened, but I did get down to 133 pounds, almost fitting into size six. But I would love to weigh 122.
Hi Marie,
Everyone loses weight at different paces given there are so many variables involved – gender, age, health, lifestyle changes, etc. It’s ideal to lose the weight at a slower and more steady pace. I also cannot legally make any specific weight loss claims.
That said, losing weight and making positive healthy lifestyle changes is a GREAT thing, and living healthy is always a work in progress. Making the decision to do that is the biggest hurdle, but once you start – you’ll be SO glad you did! π