New for 2012!

In the produce department you can find freshly made salad dressings (read the labels to check for added sugars). It’s also sometimes the best place to find bargains on bulk packages of natural nuts such as pecan and walnut halves, whole almonds, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds. (Always buy raw or plain nuts, as the dry-roasted snack varieties cost much more and are coated with starches.)

If your store has a salad bar, that’s a great way to save time after a busy day – just buy precut veggies and fruits that are ready to go. If you are cooking for only one or two, you can actually save money, especially on items for stir-fry dishes, by buying only what you will use for that meal.

As for fruits, you definitely need to avoid high-sugar culprits such as watermelon, grapes and oranges, and bananas. You can add back in other fruits such as Apples, pears, peaches, and plums as you get close to your desired weight, although you should avoid them at first.

From the produce isle, I continue on to the deli counter, where I usually pick up a rotisserie chicken for a quick dinner or lunch. You can’t go wrong with sliced deli ham, turkey breast, thick sliced bacon without nitrates, Italian dried meats and sausages such as proschiutto or capicola, and salami, pepperoni and Mortadella are all great!

Better brands are usually your best bet for the lowest carb deli meats, but you must ask to check the labels. They should read 0 or 1 gram carb per serving at most to be acceptable. And unless the store makes it’s own and lists the ingredients, I avoid premade salads such as chicken or tuna, as most are processed with sugars and starches.

This is also where you can order some of this and some of that and put together a Last-Minute Antipasto Platter for an impromptu party get-together.

In the fresh seafood department, I usually buy whatever looks so fresh it jumps out at me. Pretty much everything is a great low-carb catch in this department, from salmon (preferably wild) to shrimp, lobster, scallops, mussels, and clams, to any fish fillet.

In the meat department, I look for sales and family packs to save money and usually pick what can go on the grill and be ready in minutes. We all know about hamburgers and hot dogs (make sure they are all-beef and 0 gram carb), but you can also opt for boned skinned chicken breasts and London broil. And then there are those 10-pound bags of chicken leg quarters. I use the legs to make chicken salad and soup, and then I bone the thighs for marinating and grilling. You can buy boneless pork loins in whole large pieces for a fraction of their usual cost when sold cut, and then use them for several different meals – say, center-cut pork chops, roasts, or stir-fry dishes. Make a simple baked ham or beef roast for dinner. Then use the leftovers for lunches at a fraction of the cost of sliced deli meats.

The sky is the limit in the meat department, so widen your horizons and enjoy Italian and lean turkey sausage, turkey cutlets, veal and lamb steaks and chops, Cornish game hens, pork and beef tenderloin, and so on.

Now it’s on to the dairy department, where the main rules are to avoid milk, read all labels carefully for added sugars, and usually buy whole-fat products. (If you do decide to limit your fats by purchasing lower-fat dairy products, check carefully for sugars, usually added to replace the lost flavor and body of the removed fat.)

We all know eggs are in and cheeses for the most part are 0 carb; just make sure to buy real cheese such as deluxe American slices, and not processed “cheese food.” I also pick up staples such as sour cream and half-and-half and heavy cream for baking and cream cheese and ricotta cheese, which are great for making simple snacks.

Moving on to the frozen food section, you will find some great time saving options: inexpensive bags of spinach, broccoli, or cauliflower, which offer easy fixings for dishes such as cauliflower mashed “potatoes,” and frozen berries, which can stand in when the fresh ones aren’t available. And lastly, once you have shopped the outer aisles for all your fresh foods, you will need to shop carefully for low-carb pantry and baking items, making sure to read labels for carbs and added sugars. (Click Here for pantry list.)

As a chef, this long listing of fabulous healthy foods is exactly what made it all “CLICK” for me. I hope it does the same for you as you shop with a wider view of what naturally low-carb foods truly are available to everyone; fresh foods that have ALWAYS been there and aren’t going anywhere!