The Shopping List

Back when I was actively Vlogging on YouTube, I had a lot of requests to talk about Low-Carb grocery shopping. I will be the first to admit - when I first started this way of eating I was a bit intimidated by the grocery store. I have compiled a list of things that *I* like to keep stocked. Some of this may differ for you. I really love to cook and create new dishes so I like to have a myriad of ingredients on hand. I have tried to separate them into categories to make it a little easier.

Dairy

• Eggs
• Butter
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Sour Cream
• Cream Cheese
• Assorted Hard Cheeses (cheddar, colby, swiss and pepper jack are my favs)(blocks not shredded!)

Condiments/Oils

• Mayo (full fat, check your labels for sugar content)
• Olive Oil - Extra Virgin (EVOO) is bold and flavorful for salad dressings and such, Virgin (VO) is great for cooking. It has a much milder flavor. (These can be infused with other flavors, I will make a future post about how it's done)
• Salad Dressing of your choice (just check the labels! Most serving size is 2 Tbsp - I don't go above 2g/2Tbsp)
• Reduced Sugar ketchup (I use Heinz reduced sugar - it has 1g/Tbsp)
• Mustards (I keep a variety of them! Dijon, Spicy Brown, etc... just check your labels!)
• Hot Sauce - I LOVE it so I keep a variety of them
• Vinegar - I keep white/apple cider/red wine and balsamic on hand.  Balsamic is a little carby but a little goes a long way for adding a lot of flavor to a dish
• Sherry Cooking Wine - this is a must have in my kitchen! 
• Coconut Oil - Refined is pretty much tasteless, Unrefined has a mild coconutty flavor. I like to keep both on hand (I will make a future post about my love for Coconut Oil! - You can also infuse these with your own flavors as well. I keep a jar of rosemary coconut oil just for chicken!)

Fresh Veggies

•  Salad Greens - try a variety of them, they can really make the difference between a salad and a GREAT salad!
• Radishes (if you like them - I don't)
• Raw Spinach, Turnip and Collard Greens (these are also good in a salad!)
• Jicama if you can find it (great for dips!)
• Peppers - I like bell peppers and hot peppers best 
• Cucumbers
• Squash (zucchini and yellow)
• Broccoli
• Bok Choy
• Cabbage
• Fennel
• Turnips
• Tomatoes
• Avocado (Haas - the ones with the black skin)
• Cauliflower
• Mushrooms 
• Green Beans (I am very fond of the fresh french style)
• Celery (I don't keep this because I don't like it but for those who do, I recommend it)
• Onions - the yellow variety and the spring variety (green onions)
• Garlic - I prefer whole bulbs of fresh but the jarred minced stuff is good too
•  lemon and lime juice (I get those little yellow and green fruit shaped containers)
• Sauerkraut - the kind in a bag of liquid, usually found in the refrigerator section

Frozen Veggies

Frozen Veggies are a much healthier option then the canned ones. They also keep much longer then fresh so I do use quite a bit of frozen veggies even though I always prefer the fresh ones.

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Green Beans
• "Stir Fry" blends (just read the labels and avoid any that contain carrots, corn and peas)
• "Fajita" blends - basically just frozen onions and peppers
• Asparagus
• Brussel Sprouts
• Spinach
• Yellow Squash

 Canned/Boxed/Jarred Stuff

I typically make my own broths but it is helpful to have some on hand that isn't frozen. Typically, the canned stuff is LOADED with chemicals but there are a couple of brands that are "all natural". These would be ok. I usually buy the "all natural" that is sold in cartons (you can find them in the same place as the canned stuff). I keep both chicken and beef broth.

• Chicken and Beef Stock
• Tomato Paste
• Spaghetti Sauce (look for the absolute lowest carb count that you can find - I use Wolfgang Puck's Four Cheese - it has 7g/per 1/2 cup Hunt's Garlic & Herb in the can, it is 5g per 1/2 cup! )
• Salsa (check your labels!)
• Chiles in Adobo Sauce (they are just smoked jalapenos in sauce)
• Black Olives
• Pickles
• Dill Relish (make sure it is DILL and not "sweet")
• Banana Peppers (check your labels!)
• Mushroom pieces
• Tea Bags - I love hot tea so different types of tea are a must have for me. I also use some of them in marinades!
• Canned Fish - ( I love Tuna, Salmon, Kippers and Sardines!)
• Hot Dog Chili (check the label, make sure it has no beans)

 "Specialty" Items

• Splenda (or whatever AS you prefer, I'm a splenda girl)
• Flaxmeal (which is finely ground flax seed - I prefer golden)
• Almond Flour (pricey but so worth it!)
• Coconut Flour (pricey but so worth it!)
• Sugar Free Coffee Syrups (Davinci or Torani) I keep an assortment of these because they are so versatile and since they are made with liquid splenda, many of them are virtually carb free
• 100% Unsweetened Baker's Cocoa (the powder, I prefer the dark chocolate)
• 100% Cocoa Baker's Chocolate (the bar, unsweetened)
• Low Carb Tortillas (these vary from place to place, check your labels and look for 5g or less (after subtracting fiber) per tortilla - the lower the better)
• Unsweetened flaked coconut
• Slivered Almonds/ Chopped Pecans/Walnuts (I only buy these in the small packages b/c I still have portion control issues with nuts)I also use these only occasionally and very sparingly.

Meats

The meat found in my freezer depends highly on what happens to be on sale that week. I *try* to keep an assortment of pork, poultry, fish and beef but sometimes it just isn't financially possible. I have been known to have what I call "chicken" weeks around here because chicken is so cheap here and when money is tight, chicken is all we get! I just prepare it differently each time I cook it so we don't wind up with chicken fatigue!

• Bacon (check your labels, I buy the brand that says no added sugar in the top corner)
• Ham (check your labels!!! A lot of ham is "sugar cured")
• Sausage (again, check your labels lol)
• Fish (I love Tilapia and Salmon)
• Poultry ( I bake whole chickens/turkeys pretty often as they are usually cheapest this way)
• Beef - cheaper, tougher cuts of beef can be made into tender, delicious cuts with the aide of a crockpot!
• Pork - I prefer pork ribs over beef ribs so I get these when I find them on sale, I also really love bone-in pork chops. 
• Hotdogs (check the label - I have found them 1g/dog - look for the ones that boast "no fillers")
• Bratwursts (check the label - I will go as high as 3g/per on these b/c we love them so much and they are so versatile)

Now just like any grocery list - I am sure I forgot a few things!! This is really just meant to be used as a guide - add to it or remove a few things - that's totally up to you :)