Make it work with a pantry full of delicious low-carb options.
A successful low carb lifestyle starts in the kitchen, with the pantry being the cornerstone of your dietary success. The goal is to stock your pantry with smart, delicious staples to keep your low carb meals exciting, satisfying and easy to prepare. Keep reading for tips on the ultimate pantry overhaul.
10 Tips for Your Low Carb Pantry Overhaul
Your goal is to eliminate high-carb temptations and replace them with the essentials for your low carb lifestyle. Start by tossing the obvious: White rice, pasta, that instant macaroni and cheese much loved by children, the snacks, the temptations. Then it’s time to find your inner low carb foodie and get creative:
- Go for next-level proteins. Stock up on a diverse range of canned and dried proteins, such as various types of fish, shellfish, and plant-based options like tempeh and seitan. Step outside the box with tinned anchovies if you dare! Make it convenient with packets of tuna or chicken in various low carb flavors such as lemon pepper.
- Boost flavor with a variety of oils. Think beyond olive oil. Consider coconut oil, avocado oil, walnut or sesame oil for different cooking methods and flavor profiles.
- Spice it up. Transform simple ingredients into exotic dishes with turmeric, curry, Italian-blend spices, Moroccan Ras el Hanout, Ethiopian berbere, Mexican Tajin and Indian garam masala.
- Add flavor with vinegar. This is not something you’d normally think of, but vinegar can add serious flavor to salad dressings and marinades without carbs. Try red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
- Shake up your snack section. Fulfill your salty and sweet cravings. You still need a shelf of go-and-grab snacks, whether Atkins bars, treats, protein chips or nuts, seeds, seaweed snacks, keto crackers, cheese crisps, jerky or pork rinds.
- Sauce it up. Stock Asian-inspired sauces like tamari or fish sauce and pastes like curry or harissa that can instantly add depth to your dishes.
- No-sugar sweeteners. Look beyond stevia and erythritol; try monk fruit sweetener or chicory root fiber for different sweetening needs.
- Cultivate a tea and coffee corner. A selection of herbal teas and quality coffee can offer comforting alternatives when cravings hit.
- Invest in high-quality canned vegetables. Artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and olives can add texture and flavor to salads and other dishes.
- Supercharge with superfoods. Keep a stock of chia seeds, hemp hearts, and other superfoods that pack a nutritional punch without the carbs.
Pantry-Inspired Low Carb Recipes
Shop your pantry for these easy low carb recipes utilizing all the ingredients you have on hand.
