Weight Loss
The Atkins Diet: Shopping Tips
By
Jul 11, 2008, 20:12

You say you’re starting the Atkins diet? Welcome to a new world of eating!

You’ll realize how new this world is when you go to the supermarket to shop for your diet foods.

All of a sudden, your old favorites -- bread, potatoes, pasta, macaroni and cheese -- have disappeared from your shopping list.

The first few times, you’ll feel like you're a fish out of water. With a little practice, though, you’ll soon be just as comfortable as you were with your "old" shopping lists.

Planning is the key to successful Atkins diet shopping.

You can find many sources for shopping lists in Dr. Atkins’ books, and also online. List the recipes you plan for the upcoming week, and then list the ingredients needed for each meal. Don't forget to buy some low-carb snacks for between meals.

If you have a family living at home, plan for modifying meals to suit them. It’s not practical to make entirely different meals for yourself and for everyone else.

You can use the main meat dish and vegetables for the whole family, and then add a carbohydrate side dish for those who aren't on the diet. For example, if you're eating braised beef and spinach, you can add some noodles or rice for the other folks.

Now it’s time to hit the grocery. Start by buying your produce and protein first. This may sound silly, but it will make a big difference. When your cart is filled with all the acceptable foods in the Atkins diet, there isn't going to be much room left for other stuff.

Consider buying meat in bulk if you have a family. You'll save a lot of money this way if you buy family-sized meat packages. You can cook meat in bulk too.

If you take time a couple of days a week to cook large quantities of meat, it makes the Atkins diet plan seem simple. Your meat is all cooked and ready to eat when you want it. Small steaks, chicken pieces,ground beef or turkey, and even seafood can be bought in bulk quantities.

If you're able to tolerate cheese, buy that in bulk, too. Many stores carry store-brand cheese in large wheels or bricks.

Read the label if you buy any cheese, to be certain it doesn't contain carbohydrates.

Remember to eat fiber, like raw vegetables or salad, whenever you eat cheese. If you have a large block of your favorite cheese in the refrigerator, you can easily grab a quick snack between meals.

Stay close to the outer edges when you walk around the supermarket. The freshest food is found in the outer aisles. Generally, the meat counter, the produce section, and the deli are all along the sides of the grocery store, with the packaged items in the aisles.

This is an especially useful tip if you're in the beginning phases of the Atkins program.

You will want to steer clear from all packaged food items during the Induction phase, even low-carbohydrate foods. When you're able to add more carb grams to your daily food limit, take a look at the low-carb packaged food items and experiment with some of them.

Here’s another reminder to read the labels! Even though an item is advertised as "low carb," you may see hidden sugars on the label. Check carefully while you're at the store, so you won't arrive home with foods that will cause you to gain those pounds.

When you shop for the Atkins diet, you'll be investigating areas of the grocery store you may not know too well. You will also be buying items you haven't cooked before. Shopping for the Atkins diet is going to take some time to get used to.

However, low-carb shopping is going to become easier with planning and determination. Remember two things: make a list before you go to the grocery, and stay along the outer edges of the supermarket.

There: see how easy it is? You're an accomplished low-carb shopper already!

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