Simple, Quick, Easily-Available Foods on Atkins

Sometimes the main cause of people failing to keep to their diet regime is that convenience tends to win over keeping to a set plan. If you do not have a stash of readily available and easy to prepare snacks and meals then you are much less likely to keep to your diet. It is important that you come up with a range of ideas for these snacks and ‘ready meals’ that are compatible with your Atkins diet. Below are some ideas to get you started.

Individual Cheeses in an Atkins Diet

While often a bad option on calorie controlled, and so on most, diets, cheese is very compatible with the Atkins diet and it is a great source of both fats and protein. In particular the small, individually portioned cheeses are a very convenient, quick and easy snack. These are also readily available in supermarkets.


Salad Bars in an Atkins Diet

If your local supermarket has a salad bar these pre-made pots can make a great snack, or complement a meal. Most allow you to create your own and so have exactly what you wish in them, which obviously makes it a much more appealing option. In turn, this makes you more likely to keep to your Atkins diet. However, be careful when choosing your dressings. These can often be loaded with ingredients that are not compatible with your diet. If you are worried, then keep a bottle of your own favourite dressing at home (that you have already checked the content of) so you do not need to take a chance on dressings at the salad bar. As a rough guide though, stick to standard oil, vinegar or blue cheese dressings to minimise your sugar intake.

Deli Foods in an Atkins Diet

Starting at the local supermarket’s deli counter selection is a good way to ensure that your fridge and cupboards are stocked with foods that are low in carbohydrate. Meats such as tuna, prawns and chicken are great to top on salads. If you buy these, or individual vegetable and salad portions, check the sugar content of the sauces so as to make sure they complement your Atkins diet. These can often be used as sandwich fillings however on Atkins it is best if you have wraps instead by putting these ingredients in a tortilla. This quick meal is even better is you make sure you purchase tortilla wraps which have a low carbohydrate content. If you buy sandwich meat to put in these wraps then check that the meat does not contain to many sugars. Similarly check any dips you buy, such as guacamole, for their sugar content so you are aware of how many carbohydrates you are consuming. Make sure that the vegetables you buy (to have with the dip as a snack, for example) are low carbohydrate too. As a rough guide, avoid root vegetables as these tend to have a lot more carbohydrates than other vegetables.

Pre-Prepared Salads in an Atkins Diet

It can be tempting to just grab whatever packaged, pre-prepared salad is closest or cheapest, however you should try and choose salads that complement your Atkins diet. Iceberg lettuce, for example, has very little in the way of nutrients and so it is better to choose other lettuce types to gain the most nutritional value from it. A bag of mixed leaves is mucSh better.

Vegetables in an Atkins Diet

Pre-prepared vegetables are widely available in supermarkets nowadays if you are short on time. If you want an instant snack then make sure you purchase vegetables that you can have raw such as mushrooms, broccoli, green beans, celery and bell peppers. For a more appealing or filling snack you can serve these quickly with a dip (make sure you check that it is low carbohydrate) or with tuna or chicken.

Low-Sugar Fruit in an Atkins Diet

Fruit can be a great snack on any diet, however on the Atkins diet some fruits are best avoided. Any fruit that is high in sugars should be swapped for a low sugar alternative. Based upon this, fruits to avoid include bananas, figs, mangos, cherries, tangerines, pomegranates and grapes. The fruits which have the lowest sugar content, and so are a much more compatible snack on Atkins, include cranberries, raspberries, blackberries and rhubarb. Lemons and limes are also good in small quantities and so can be handy to help make dressings, etc.

Sugar-Free Yogurt in an Atkins Diet

It is quite hard to find a yoghurt brand that is compatible with the Atkins diet. Plain yoghurt is the best option, though some may need to add something to make it into a more interesting snack. Possible complementary ingredients are berries and, if you still require something more, also adding a sugar substitute to sweeten it up.

Sugar-Free Jelly Pots in an Atkins Diet

If you fancy a quick sweet snack then jelly can be a convenient option. Make sure you get sugar free brands though to make sure you stick to your Atkins diet.

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