Preparing Your Low Carb Food List

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Preparing a general low carb food list is a good idea, especially for those just starting out on the low carb lifestyle. It’s reassuring to know you have a list of “safe foods” ready as you navigate your way through this new dietary adventure.

And I think you’ll surprise yourself that shopping for low carb foods has some significant similarities to your old, tried-and-true shopping methods.

Tips for Preparing Your Low Carb Food List

Make a Meal Plan

Any good shopping list, whether it’s low carb or not, starts with a solid meal plan. You can’t know what you’re shopping for, if you don’t know what you’ll be eating! So take a few minutes to sit down and really prepare a meal plan for the next week (or two, depending on how often you shop).

(I LOVE eMeals! Great Low Carb meal plans for the tightest of budgets!)

Check Recipes and Nutritional Values

If you’re new to the low carb lifestyle, this is going to be a key step in your new adventure. You won’t be able to cook on auto-pilot anymore (at least not at first, anyway). A few of your favorite recipes may still work as is, but some may need to be adjusted, reworked, or scrapped all together.

This can be an overwhelming step, especially as you’re new to this process. Don’t expect this meal plan to come together all at once. Start by converting just one or two of your favorite recipes into low carb.

Stick to the Outside of the Store

One popular grocery shopping tip for eating healthy is to stay out of the center aisles and to shop the perimeter of the stores. This is where you’ll find all the fresh produce, the fresh meats, cheeses and the like. While this isn’t a fool-proof tip for your low carb food list (fruits and vegetables, especially, can range in their carb content), it’s a start. You can bet there are many, many foods in those center aisles that are full of carbs. Eating whole foods from the perimeter of the store will help keep those carbs to a minimum, depending on what you choose.

Seize the Opportunity

Sometimes your mindset makes all the difference. (Actually, a lot of times, your mindset makes all the difference, no matter the situation.) You can absolutely see this new low carb lifestyle as a challenge or an obstacle.

Or you could try seeing it as an opportunity. Here’s an opportunity to challenge yourself to break out of habits and routines, to find new favorite foods and recipes and meals, to be creative in making your old favorites into new and improved favorites, when it comes to reducing carbs.

It won’t be easy, but it can be done. And believe it or not, you can have some fun discovering new favorites in the process!

What other favorites should we add to this low carb food list?