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Grocery Shopping... Stella
Style!
Shop
The Outer Aisles First
Simply put, shopping Stella Style
means sticking with the outer aisles of the grocery store,
as that is where you will find all the fresh, healthy, and
naturally low-carb foods that have always been there.
I love vegetables, and it seems my shopping
cart always homes in first on the produce aisle. I just
don’t think we hear enough about veggies on low-carb diets,
especially since about 98 percent of all vegetables are
naturally low in carbohydrates.
Ones to avoid, at least in the beginning, are
carrots, corn, white potatoes, and peas. And you may wish to
avoid certain beans and legumes, such as lima beans or navy
beans, at first; you can always add them back to your diet
as you approach your desired weight.
When you’re starting out on a low-carb diet,
you should use vegetables that have natural sugars, such as
onions and tomatoes, in moderation. And if you are limiting
your carbs to 20 or 30 grams a day, you can’t go wrong with
lettuces, which have just a couple carbs for a couple cups.
I love those bags of prewashed salad mixes, which offer
great convenience and which you’ll often find on a
two-for-one sale.
.
Some of the lowest-carb vegetables that we use
almost daily are celery, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow
squash, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers,
spinach, eggplant, and my favorite, mushrooms.
The list also includes cabbages, spaghetti squash (great as
an alternative to pasta), pumpkin, asparagus, snow peas, all
fresh herbs, garlic, scallions, and more. |
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Navigating the Produce Aisle
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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.
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You can’t go wrong with the lowest-carb fruits,
which my family enjoys all the time – all berries, cantaloupe
and honeydew. Strawberries are the best choice at about 1 gram
carb each; next come raspberries. Blackberries, and
blueberries, all loaded with antioxidants. Lemons and limes
used sparingly in cooking are totally acceptable. |
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Hit the Deli Counter
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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.
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Fresh Seafood
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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.
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Fresh Meats and
Poultry
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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.
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Rules
For the
Dairy Aisle
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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.
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Frozen
Foods
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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!
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