Help me shop? Grocery list essentials
 
            
                
                    TTopless                
                
                    Posts: 16 Member                
            
                        
            
                    Hello! It's been a long time since I took care of my weight ie my diet, and so I'm naturally at my worst! On a whim, I found that motivation deep inside this week to begin again.   As I went to the store in order to frantically stock my part of the fridge with "survival foods," I found I took forever reading labels and put most everything back, emerging with only salad, eggs, and frozen vegetables.  I need to make my lunch for work too.  I was wondering if you all had some "must haves" that keep you on the straight and narrow.  I need to lose 75lbs.  And hopefully, it can be fun.  In the past "the same foods" over and over got to me over time.  This time I hope to get some suggestions from the get go.  Thanks!                
                0        
            Replies
- 
            Here's a shopping list I gave to a friend starting LC not too long ago:
 Almond butter
 beef roast
 Blue cheese dressing
 block cheese
 Broccoli
 Butter
 Chicken
 cream cheese
 cucumbers
 Eggs
 green beans
 green onions
 hamburger
 lettuce
 mayonnaise
 Nuts (not peanuts)
 peppers
 pork chops
 Pickles (dill not sweet)
 radishes
 ranch dressing
 Salami
 shredded cheese
 Sour cream
 Spinach
 steaks
 string cheese
 Tuna (canned or fresh)
 Whipping cream
 0
- 
            I always have bologna, ham, or salami and cheese. They keep well and are very handy for me for snacks and last minute lunch with pickles. I like to microwave the meat and cheese till they bubble up and get crisp it gives a whole new flavor.
 Also
 Almonds
 Bacon
 Coconut oil
 Grass fed butter
 Eggs
 Hot sauce
 Hot dogs
 Sausage
 Ground beef
 Chicken
 Bell peppers
 That's all I can think of right now I'm sure I'm missing a million things0
- 
            And here's a more comprehensive list I found online at ketogenicdietresource:
 Meats, Poultry, and Seafood: Staples on a Low Carb Grocery List
 A low carb grocery list includes any type or cut of fresh animal products, but for the best health, choose grass fed or organic meats and poultry to avoid antibiotic, pesticide and grain residues. Examples include:
 Beef, all cuts such as roasts, ribs, steaks and tips
 Bacon, ham and sausage; check carb counts on these meats. Should be 1 carb or less per serving.
 Pork, all cuts including roasts, ribs, loin, chops or steaks
 Lamb, mutton
 Venison and other wild game
 Buffalo
 Poultry which has been pasture raised is a better choice:
 Chicken - whole or parts
 Turkey- whole or parts
 Duck- whole or parts
 Other birds such as Quail, Cornish hens, goose, ostrich
 Deli Meats - good in a pinch and better than high carb alternatives on a low carb grocery list (check for added sugars):
 Cold cuts such as turkey breast and pastrami
 Pepperoni sticks or slices
 Salami and bologna
 Proscuitto
 Seafood: any type or kind. Examples include:
 Fresh or frozen fish of any kind, including cod, trout, salmon, swai, tilapia or tuna
 Canned fish such as sardines, tuna and salmon, water or oil packed
 Fresh or frozen shellfish such as shrimp, scallops or crab
 Dairy Products
 Eggs
 Heavy cream
 Sour cream
 Cream cheese
 Butter
 Cheese: hard cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan
 Cheese: soft cheeses such an muenster and farmer
 Greek yogurt, plain, full fat. Carb count should be less than 7 per serving.
 Low Carb Vegetables
 Bell peppers
 Broccoli
 Cucumbers
 Cabbage
 Cauliflower
 Lettuce: large leaves to act as the "bread" for sandwiches
 Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale
 Onions and garlic: for flavorful cooking
 Sprouts for salads
 Summer squash such as zucchini
 Nuts and Seeds
 Nuts: coconut, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, and especially macadamias. Nut flours are good to have on hand for baking. These can last a long time if you keep them in the freezer.
 Seeds: sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds.
 Be aware both nuts and seeds are high in inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids, so don't go crazy with these.
 Fruit
 Avocados: great snack with lemon juice or balsamic, or make guacamole for dipping low-carb veggies
 Fruit: Optional once weight and health are stabilized. Some people can handle the sugar in fruit and still be healthy and slim, others can’t.
 If you indulge, pick fresh local fruit in season, and stick to berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries which are lower in sugar.
 Eat fresh fruit with a fat (peanut butter, whipped cream, cheese). It slows the blood sugar spike.
 Pantry and Condiments
 Canned tuna, salmon, crab, shrimp, sardines, anchovies
 Vienna sausages, canned luncheon meat (Spam or Treet) (good in a pinch, but go light on processed meats, as real meat is healthier.)
 Tomato products: canned tomatoes and tomato paste (look for the brands with the lowest carb count)
 Sauces: Pasta sauce, pizza sauce and alfredo sauce with no added sugar or thickeners
 Low-carb veggies: green beans, greens, okra (check labels for no added sugar), sauerkraut
 Canned vegetables: green chiles, roasted red peppers, chipotle peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes in oil (a little adds lots of flavor), hearts of palm
 Chicken and/or vegetable stock
 Nut butters (natural, unsweetened). These need refrigeration after opening.
 Sugar-free dill pickles or relish: use for tuna or egg salad
 Mustard (except sweetened mustards, especially honey mustard)
 Cider and wine vinegars (use balsamic vinegar sparingly)
 Most bottled hot sauces (such as Tabasco)
 Most salsas
 Tamari soy sauce (avoid soy sauce if you are gluten sensitive)
 Mayonnaise – look for the brands with the lowest carbs
 Sugar-free salad dressings
 Capers
 Horseradish
 Olives
 Lemon or lime juice (1 gram of carb per tablespoon)
 Pork rinds (crushed, these are a good substitute for bread crumbs)
 Beef jerky or beef sticks0
- 
            Things I keep stocked:
 Bacon
 Eggs
 Several varieties of cheeses, block, shredded and slices
 Jalapeño string cheese
 SF Cherry jello for sweet emergencies
 Kerrygold butter, unsalted
 Heavy cream
 Sandwich sized pepperoni, thin sliced from deli
 Cream Cheese
 Canned tuna
 Canned corned beef
 Canned salmon
 Various meats in freezer, steaks, pork chops, chicken, salmon, ground beef
 Broccoli
 Cauliflower
 Green beans
 Canned collard greens
 Spring mix for salads
 Blue cheese dressing
 Coconut Oil
 EVOO-dont use this as much
 Lard
 Minced garlic
 onions
 Peppers
 Almond flour
 Stevia, powder and drops
 several different flavoring extracts for my coffee, vanilla, caramel, peppermint
 I can throw several different meals together with the above stuff. And still manage to keep variety with such a small list. I do tend to repeat meals that I like. There are some great meals listed in the thread http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10274397/what-does-your-low-carb-meals-look-like#latest and recipe links on the Launch Pad.0
- 
            Oh thank you! Thank you! These are great lists. I shall print this. There are things listed I have not heard of before ie "almond flour.. and ..extracts...mmmmm! I forgot about cream cheese too, this opens a whole new world.0
- 
            Oh thank you! Thank you! These are great lists. I shall print this. There are things listed I have not heard of before ie "almond flour.. and ..extracts...mmmmm! I forgot about cream cheese too, this opens a whole new world.
 I have only used the almond flour to make a fathead pizza so far. It was delish. I have seen some recipes for mug cakes, I think on ruled.me, great recipes there too. I am just starting to explore baking with almond flour. I kept things simple starting out and stuck mainly with meat, salads and steamed broccoli with butter. I am venturing out in the recipe world now and I have not been disappointed.
 I do the bulletproof coffee and add caramel extract and it tastes just like a caramel latte. I also use the extracts to make peppermint mochas using unsweetened cocoa powder, heavy cream, stevia and peppermint extract. I never would have thought to add extracts to coffees. Can't remember where I seen it, but it was a low carb site.
 0
- 
            @SoosannahK I have never thought to do that either. That's brilliant! I suggested to another friend to use mint extract in a smoothie for chocolate mint but didn't even think to do that with my coffee. I'm so stealing this idea thanks for sharing 0 0
- 
            Thanks for this post, TTopless. This is a "need to know" item for me also.0
- 
            My food list:
 Chia seeds.
 Eggs
 Wasabi flavoured sesame seeds
 Seaweed nori, avocado, cucumber, prawns (I make hand rolls)
 Salmon, chicken and/or a white fish
 Canned tuna for lunches
 Green leafy veg such as kale, spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and arugula
 Cauliflower
 Coconut oil
 Olive oil
 Greek yoghurt
 Philadelphia cream cheese or HWC
 Coconut milk and coconut cream
 Almond milk (unsweetened)
 Benefiber (until i build up enough fiber thru' leafies)
 Maccadamias, almonds or cashews. In small groups for emergency rations in my handbag.
 Pickwicks rooibos tea (liptons is too sweet imo)
 I am yet to use the almond flour that I bought. I am trying to eat fresh foods where practical. Love bacon and dutch rookworst so they are a once a week item. Red meat is also a once a week or so pricey addition.
 BTW this morning I perfected my loaded hot chocolate: 3g cocoa, 5g dark chocolate, 12g choc protein powder, 40g HWC, 10g coconut paste, 100ml coconut milk, 10g benefiber, 150ml boiling water. Blended then add heat in microwave. 350cals kept me full for over 5 hours, despite walking the dog and obligatory post walk cafe visit at 1pm where I had just a cup of tea. 330pm lunch.
 0
- 
            Great list for those of us starting out, thank you. I have printed it out and will be taking it food shopping with me tomorrow.
 Anyone in the UK have any LC shopping staples that they have discovered within our supermarkets not listed above?0
- 
            @mormas I'm in the UK, I tend to keep things pretty simple though and mainly just by raw ingredients and I shop my local farms as much as I can. I've managed to find most of the foods I can't get at the grocery store on Amazon and at my local Asian grocery store, in particular: Shirataki Noodles, Bonito based miso soup (lower carb than normal miso soup), coconut oil, ghee, nori, almond flour, Quest bars, nutritional yeast and various seasonings and spices. I also go to a local oil shop to buy my extra virgin olive oil, they import single estate olive oil directly from the farm, so it's as close as I can get to feeling safe buying olive oil in the UK.0
- 
            Great suggestions and info!
 I find out what I'm eating and work backwards. What do I need to make what I eat?
 It is a surprisingly short list.0
- 
            @lowjax75, @SoosannahK, @SamandaIndia, @auntstephie321 Your lists ROCK! Nice job!
 SamandaIndia mentioned Pickwicks rooibos tea, I would just add to try as many herbal teas and experiment with green tea, oolong tea, and of course the obvious, Water --bubbles or no bubbles.
 Canned salmon was mentioned, I also have done smoked salmon and rolled it with cream cheese for lunch. This thread is a keeper!0
- 
            My stash includes:
 fresh greens - collard/mustard/turnip/kale greens with smoked neck bones and/or fatback for seasoning (I'm a soul food girl)
 misc fresh/frozen veggies - variety is important; including avocado, tomatoes, peppers, onions in moderation
 berry fruit - fresh and frozen
 fresh eggs
 various meats - seafood, beef, pork, etc. Fresh pork neck bones and bacon are staples.
 full fat dairy - heavy cream, sour cream, cream cheese, misc grated cheese (mozzarella, parm, etc), salted butter
 misc fats - olive oil, mayonnaise
 baking - almond flour, flaxseed meal, coconut flakes - for mug muffins
 salty snacks - salted cashew nuts, pickles (dill, spicy, garlic), pork skins, powdered broth
 sweets - TruVia, sugar-free gum/mints (for keto breath), cocoa powder, dark chocolate (86%)
 beverages - seltzer water, coffee, decaf tea
 vitamin/mineral supplements, fiber additive (as needed)
 0
- 
            I use a lot of tinned mackerel for lunches, small leafy salad & a boiled egg. Is so filling.
 For UK people;
 Tinned mackerel in brine or oil
 Lamb cutlets
 Full fat greek yogurt
 Cream cheese (Boursin minis are like little fat bombs)
 Sour cream
 Extra thick double cream
 Spinach
 Caverelo nero cabbage
 garlic
 onion
 Cheddar
 Bacon
 Pickles
 Kerrygold butter
 Pure coconut oil
 Cashew nuts (unflavoured from LIDL)
 Lidnt 90% cocao dark chocolate (for bulletproof chocolate & also half a square curbs sugar craves)
 0
- 
            Everyone else has provided great lists. I will just mention a strategy that is working for me. I need to lose at least 100lbs and am almost halfway there since beginning LCHF back in Oct. You could consider skipping lunch totally. This has been a revelation for me. Lunch was often my downfall as sooner or later I would forget to pack one and end up eating poorly (ie Macdonald's). Now I simply cook and eat an enormous breakfast with three eggs, three strips of bacon. I cook the eggs in the bacon fat and I usually add some heavy whipping cream to the eggs. With that size breakfast I am not hungry until dinner and therefore just skip lunch. It took a little getting used to and for awhile I would have som almonds around 3pm but now I don't even need those. On days when I must eat lunch (with clients) I skip breakfast and make sure lunch is keto friendly. Basically, what I'm saying is that we don't need to eat three times per day, or on any particular schedule. Just eat when you're hungry. Good luck.0
- 
            ncprice1, I want to come to your house for dinner. I love soul food.0
- 
            daylitemag wrote: »Everyone else has provided great lists. I will just mention a strategy that is working for me. I need to lose at least 100lbs and am almost halfway there since beginning LCHF back in Oct. You could consider skipping lunch totally. This has been a revelation for me. Lunch was often my downfall as sooner or later I would forget to pack one and end up eating poorly (ie Macdonald's). Now I simply cook and eat an enormous breakfast with three eggs, three strips of bacon. I cook the eggs in the bacon fat and I usually add some heavy whipping cream to the eggs. With that size breakfast I am not hungry until dinner and therefore just skip lunch. It took a little getting used to and for awhile I would have som almonds around 3pm but now I don't even need those. On days when I must eat lunch (with clients) I skip breakfast and make sure lunch is keto friendly. Basically, what I'm saying is that we don't need to eat three times per day, or on any particular schedule. Just eat when you're hungry. Good luck.
 Wtg! Have you been exercising too? Congrats on reaching your halfway mark. I need to lose about 80 pounds. Well I'll be honest after the holidays let's make it an even 100. Ugh!0
- 
            daylitemag wrote: »Everyone else has provided great lists. I will just mention a strategy that is working for me. I need to lose at least 100lbs and am almost halfway there since beginning LCHF back in Oct. You could consider skipping lunch totally. This has been a revelation for me. Lunch was often my downfall as sooner or later I would forget to pack one and end up eating poorly (ie Macdonald's). Now I simply cook and eat an enormous breakfast with three eggs, three strips of bacon. I cook the eggs in the bacon fat and I usually add some heavy whipping cream to the eggs. With that size breakfast I am not hungry until dinner and therefore just skip lunch. It took a little getting used to and for awhile I would have som almonds around 3pm but now I don't even need those. On days when I must eat lunch (with clients) I skip breakfast and make sure lunch is keto friendly. Basically, what I'm saying is that we don't need to eat three times per day, or on any particular schedule. Just eat when you're hungry. Good luck.
 I am like you in that I am a breakfast skipper. If I eat breakfast, I put on an instant 15 lbs. and I have to force myself to eat it. Then, I am ravenous all day. I eat a snack when I get home from work some days, but mainly it's actually part of my dinner. "Stoking the fires" of metabolism by eating small meals all day has never worked for me---nor has a low fat diet! Thanks for this --and do you have any other tips?
 0
This discussion has been closed.
            












