Crispy Zucchini Fritters recipe here.
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One of the most important skills in being successful with transitioning to a Low Carb lifestyle is shopping for food.
If you don’t have fresh veggies in the house, you can’t cook and eat them.
Likewise, if you don’t have chips / chocolate / ice cream / popcorn / pasta in the house you’re way less likely to eat them.
Think of shopping wisely as a chance to stack the odds in your favour.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN TODAY:
- How to master the art of shopping.
- My favourite short-cut Low Carb ingredients.
How to Master the Art of Shopping.
1. Find a time that works for you.
Making shopping a regular part of your schedule is the key to developing the habit.
It doesn’t matter when or how often as long as you find a rhythm that suits your life. It might be a Saturday morning trip to the farmers market, or a Monday night super market shop after work, or getting a veggie box delivered or it might be ordering online.
Or a combination of any of these, just as long as it works for you.
I recommend not choosing a time when you’re hungry because you’re way more likely to give in to temptations and load up on less healthy options. I’ve been there myself!
2. Use a list for indulgent items.
One of the keys of being able to reach your health goals and not feeling deprived is to build in indulgences. However it’s super important to plan indulgences ahead AND stick to your plan.
If you really want to have a whole block of white chocolate, that fine. You just have to decide ahead of time when your rational brain is in control, not in the heat of the moment when your emotional brain is running the show.
The decisions you make when you’re shopping are critical for determining what you end up eating. So being strong at the supermarket is critical.
I do this buy writing a list for any indulgent items I want to buy and then sticking to my list for these items. No matter what.
I don’t stick to my list for things like veggies or fish so I can make the most of what looks good. But I’m very disciplined with sticking to my list and only buying that ice cream if it’s on the list.
3. Check out the specials for fresh produce
The easiest way to tell which produce are in season is what’s on special. Like most things, price is all about supply and demand, so when produce is in season and there’s a heap of it around, the price will be discounted.
Be careful, though, the other reason for discounting is when produce is at the end of it’s shelf life. If there are only one or two specimens discounted and they look sad, you know what to do.
4. Seek out good suppliers
There can be a huge variation in quality and price from store to store.
Taking the time to track down the best market, green grocer or butcher is well worth the effort. Developing relationships with your suppliers not only means you’re more likely to be able to make the most of their recommendations, you’ll have more fun shopping as well.
5. Look
We eat with our eyes. You can tell so much about the freshness and quality of produce by the appearance. Look for vibrant colours, glossiness and the absence of wrinkles or bruises.
And don’t forget to look at the surroundings as well.
Fruit flies hanging around are not a good indicator. Be wary of unclean floors and anything else that indicates the proprietors don’t care.
6. Smell
Not every buying decision is going to benefit from getting your nose involved. Even the best potatoes smell like, well earth.
But a fresh fish should smell like the sea (not all fishy) and a ripe strawberry should smell sweet. So don’t be afraid to have a good sniff from time to time.
7. Try to buy organic and grass-fed (pasture raised) but don’t obsess
I either go for organic produce or I try to buy direct from the farmer (some who are certified organic and some who are not). This reduces pesticide, antibiotic and hormone exposure.
But there are times when I just grab whatever from the supermarket.
Remember cooking for yourself is already so much healthier than eating out so you don’t have to spend the extra.
8. Think local but don’t obsess
While I agree flying asparagus half way around the world is a waste of resources, I also don’t think that just because something has been grown locally that it is necessarily the most sustainably produced nor necessarily the best quality.
9. Trust your instincts
If you look at a vegetable or a piece of fish and you just know it’s going to be delicious, go for it. But if something is making you hesitate, give it a miss.
10. Make it fun!
Personally I love shopping for food. Of course strolling around the farmers market is a joy but I also love heading to the supermarket.
If you don’t naturally enjoy food shopping, think of ways to add in a little reward for yourself. Maybe you pick up a favourite magazine or treat yourself to a coffee. Just think of ways to make it a fun habit that you’re going to enjoy for the rest of your very healthy life!
My Favourite Short-Cut Low Carb Ingredients.
- Washed Salad Leaves
- Packaged Coleslaw Mix (Shaved Cabbage)
- Frozen Spinach / Kale / Other Greens
- Frozen Onions – diced and ready to go.
- Frozen Peas – a little on the carby side but so great as a backup vegetable.
- Other Frozen Veg – can be a little mushy in texture but better than no veg!
- Frozen Berries – the best low carb fruit.
- Frozen Cherries – another good low carb fruit option.
- Spice blends like curry powder, garam masala, cajun spice, baharat (lebanese spice).
- Spice pastes
- Hot sauces
- Mayonnaise – check for sugar in the ingredient list.
- Pesto
SUMMARY
Here’s what we’ve covered:
- 10 ways to master the art of shopping. Including finding a time that works for you. Using a list for indulgent items and making it fun!
- My favourite short-cut Low Carb ingredients.
ACTIVITY
Buy fresh food for breakfasts next week.
If you haven’t already, review the breakfast options from Day 4. Decide which 2 breakfasts want to try in the next week.
Write a list of ingredients you need and schedule some time to go shopping following the suggestions we covered today. Don’t forget to make it fun.
See you tomorrow for our first day of rest!
Cheers,
Jules x
ps. If you have any questions or comments from today’s lesson definitely head over to the Ask Jules page.
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