A low carb diet is designed to help you eat well, feel full, get all the nutrients you need and has been shown to help people lose weight when done correctly. Rather than removing all high carbohydrate food from your diet, a low carb diet can help you move to this way of eating a little easier. 

So why would you consider a low carb diet? There are plenty of benefits. Firstly, it can lead to a reduction in hunger. If you’ve ever gone on a diet or tried to restrict how much food you’re eating, you know one of the first things to happen is you get hungry making it pretty hard to stick to any meal plan. Instead, by eating this way you’re swapping foods high in carbs for healthy fats and protein which leave you feeling full for longer. So no hunger!

Secondly, in the short term, low carb diets have been shown to assist with weight loss. If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s not just about slashing your calorie intake or dramatically increasing how much you’re exercising. You need to be getting in the right calories to see the health benefits of any diet.

One of my favorite parts of a low carb diet is that it inadvertently helps you limit processed food. You’ll be cutting back on things like bread, pasta, pastries, donuts, muffins, and sugary drinks. You can switch these to things like coconut flour and low carb tortillas, but don’t focus too much on what you’re cutting out, think about all the delicious foods you’re adding in!

A low carb diet is designed to help you eat well, feel full, get all the nutrients you need and has been shown to help people lose weight when done correctly. Rather than removing all high carbohydrate food from your diet, a low carb diet can help you move to this way of eating a little easier. 

So why would you consider a low carb diet? There are plenty of benefits. Firstly, it can lead to a reduction in hunger. If you’ve ever gone on a diet or tried to restrict how much food you’re eating, you know one of the first things to happen is you get hungry making it pretty hard to stick to any meal plan. Instead, by eating this way you’re swapping foods high in carbs for healthy fats and protein which leave you feeling full for longer. So no hunger!

Secondly, in the short term, low carb diets have been shown to assist with weight loss. If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s not just about slashing your calorie intake or dramatically increasing how much you’re exercising. You need to be getting in the right calories to see the health benefits of any diet.

One of my favorite parts of a low carb diet is that it inadvertently helps you limit processed food. You’ll be cutting back on things like bread, pasta, pastries, donuts, muffins and sugary drinks. You can switch these to things like coconut flour and low carb tortillas, but don’t focus too much on what you’re cutting out, think about all the delicious foods you’re adding in!

Healthy Low Carb Grocery List

Fruits

Fruits can get a bad rap. Yes, they can be high in sugars, that’s why so many of them are so sweet. However, unless you are completely sugar free you can choose fruits that have a lower volume of carbs and still enjoy fruit as part of your diet. This is important as those bright colors are often signifiers of healthy nutrients inside. If you completely cut fruit out, there are some nutrients you may miss. So which fruits should you have on your grocery list, to make your list mostly keto-friendly?

Avocado

First up, yes it’s a fruit. Why does it have to be on your grocery list? Because it’s jam-packed with good monounsaturated fats, which are so important for heart health. Add it to your salads, serve smashed with eggs or add to beans for a classic creaminess that Mexican food is made for. Yes, the fat content in avocados is higher than some other fruits, but it’s still great for you, and it’s keto-friendly!

Scrambled Eggs Lettuce Wraps

225 calories

Ingredients

• 1 Egg, large – 72 calories

• 2 Lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps – 4 calories

• ¼ Bell pepper, green – 6.75 calories

• ¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 84 calories

• ¼ Avocado, small – 58.25 calories

• 1 Salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. In a bowl, crack in and whisk egg.

2. Add into the bowl: sliced cheese, diced bell pepper, and seasonings.

3. Spray a pan with an oil spray.

4. Cook egg mixture ~2 minutes, until cooked through to your desired consistency.

5. Add scrambled eggs to lettuce wraps, top with cubed avocado.

6. No dairy? Use extra avocado.

Watermelon

Is there anything more refreshing than watermelon on a hot summer’s day? Filled with mostly water, this is a must on low carb foods lists. Also, this treat is high in Vitamin A.

Watermelon Feta Salad

415 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories

• 1 Cucumber, small – 32 calories

• ¼ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 99.75 calories

• ¼ cup Pecans (cups) – 188 calories

• 1 cup Watermelon chunks – 46 calories

• 2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) – 35 calories

• 1 Salt, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Chop cucumber into coin shapes.

2. Mix all ingredients.

3. Roasted & salted nuts are fine. No nuts? Use seeds. No dairy? Use extra nuts.

4. Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.

Berries

Berries are a great option with all having a low amount of net carbs. Mix it up to get a variety of nutrients from raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. You can pop in a smoothie, serve with yogurt and don’t be scared of frozen! The nutrients are locked in when they’re frozen so of
ten they retain more than old ones in the fridge. 

Berry Smoothie

149 calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup Blueberries, frozen – 35 calories

• ½ Banana – 52.5 calories

• ¼ cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 1.75 calories

• 3 tsp Honey – 60 calories

• ½ cup Water – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Add ice if you need it.

2. Blend until smooth.

Peaches

Deliciously sweet when they’re in season! You can serve as a snack with some cottage cheese or add them to your salads.

Peach Mozzarella Salad

412 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Leafy greens, arugula, raw – 10 calories

• 1 cup Tomatoes, grape – 32 calories

• 1 Peach – 59 calories

• 2 oz Mozzarella balls, mini – 162 calories

• 1 Tbsp Balsamic glaze – 30 calories

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories

• 1 Basil, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Salt, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Slice tomatoes, cut peach into small pieces.

   Combine all ingredients.

2. No dairy? Use prosciutto.

Vegetables

Vegetables are a great thing to add to your grocery list, to make it more keto-friendly. Their fat content is usually very low, they have tons of vitamins and nutrients, and most of them are keto-friendly. There are some that are higher in carbs, but these recipes will showcase all of the amazing veggies that can be on your low carb or keto grocery list.

Cucumbers

I am a huge fan of a big Greek salad, so there are always cucumbers in my fridge. If you peel them, you will reduce the amount of carbs from 3.63 grams per 100 grams to 2.16. But even with the peel, they’re still quite low. 

Oven Baked Feta and Cucumbers

419 calories

Ingredients

• 3 oz Feta, block – 225 calories

• 1 oz Olives, whole – 50 calories

• 2 Cucumber, small – 64 calories

• 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced (Tbsp) – 0 calories

• 1 tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories

• 1 Basil – 0 calories

• 2 Tbsp Tzatziki sauce – 80 calories

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with an oil spray

3. Add sliced feta and olives on top. Season with seasonings.

4. Bake 20-25 minutes, until feta is browning.

5. Serve with sliced cucumbers and tzatziki to dip, on the side.

6. No dairy? Use tofu instead of feta, and oil instead of tzatziki.

Cauliflower

This veggie is definitely having a renaissance thanks to low carb diets! It’s a great veggie to include in a normal meal, but you can also use it as a replacement for many foods that are higher in carbs. Grate it with a box grater, put it through a food processor or buy it prepped to turn it into rice, pizza bases and more.

Egg, Feta & Spinach Bowl with Cauliflower Rice

328 calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 7 calories

• 2 Egg, large – 144 calories

• ⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 133 calories

• 1 cup Veggie noodles/rice, cauliflower “rice”, raw – 38 calories

• 1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 tsp Sesame seeds – 6 calories

Instructions

1. Spray pan with an oil spray. Add in cauliflower rice.

2. Stir fry on medium heat until you see some browning. Top with garlic salt.

3. Remove from pan and add to bowl.

4. Spray pan again with an oil spray and fry eggs until desired consistency.

5. Add eggs, feta, spinach, and seasonings and bowl with cauli rice.

Meat

If you choose to eat meat, you’ll be pleased to know most of it doesn’t contain any carbohydrates. Stick with unprocessed meats and avoid things like burger patties or bacon cured with sugar to make sure. 

Chicken Scampi with Spaghetti Squash

550 calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups Squash, spaghetti – 90 calories

• 5 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories

• 12 tsp Parsley, fresh – 0 calories

• 1 oz Cheese, Parmesan, shaved (oz) – 111 calories

• 1½ Tbsp Butter (Tbsp) – 154.5 calories

• 2 Tbsp Lemon, juice – 4 calories

• 1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Using a knife, poke holes in the spaghetti squash and wrap with damp paper towels. Microwave  ~5 minutes or until soft enough to cut in half.

3. Scoop out seeds of spaghetti squash.

4. Line baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper, spray it with an oil spray.

5. Bake spaghetti squash, cut side faced down, for 35 minutes.

6. Shred spaghetti squash with a fork when it has cooled down for a few minutes.

7. While spaghetti squash is baking, add butter to a medium sized pan. Heat on low until butter has melted. Add in lemon juice and cheese.

8. Slice chicken into bite sized pieces. Cook chicken for 8-10 minutes on medium heat, until cooked through.

9. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

10. No chicken? Use tofu, fish, or beans. No dairy? Use oil instead of butter, and dairy free cheese.

Ratatouille

377 calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup Eggplant slices – 17.5 calories

• ¼ Zucchini, medium – 8.25 calories

• 1 Tomato, medium – 22 calories

• ½ cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 25 calories

• 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings at once. So double or triple the ingredients above, and then divide into two or three equal sized servings when ready to eat.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

3. Slice eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes into thin strips – as thin as you can while being safe!

4. Add oil to a pan. Stir fry beef until no longer pink, ~7 minutes, on medium heat.

5. Add canned tomatoes and beef to a baking dish, spreading out evenly.

6. Line up eggplant, zucchini, and tomato slices in a repeating pattern on top of the tomato and beef mixture (as shown in the picture).

7. Top with seasonings.

8. Cover dish with tin foil or an oven safe lid; bake for 45 minutes.

9. Uncover the dish, bake for another 20 minutes.

10. No beef? Use ground turkey, tofu, or beans.

Fats And Oil

For a long time, we’ve been told to avoid full fat when we head to the grocery store. But, science is starting to show that we do need some good fats in our diet to full satiated (full) and have the energy we need and that just because the fat content of an ingredient may be higher, it doesn’t mean you need to avoid it. So, you need to focus on the good ones when you’re grocery shopping. Look for olive oil, avocado oil, or butter!

Dairy

Most dairy products don’t contain carbohydrates, so you can add them to your shopping list. Keep an eye on processed or “low-fat” options as these often have sugar added to replace that fat. Flavored yogurts also should be avoided if they’re high in sugar. Instead, buy plain and add some berries so you’re getting the fibre and other goodness alongside the sweetness. Cream cheese is definitely a favorite for low carb diets and keto diets. So, definitely add cream cheese to your keto food list.

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