Veggie Blog

When you start the Atkins diet, the supermarket changes. The old version of this post said that macaroni and cheese, pasta and bread vanish from the shopping list, and that you may feel like a fish out of water for the first few trips. It also gave tips on planning, buying meat in bulk and reading labels. This rewrite keeps those tips, checks them and adds food-safety and label advice.

How do you plan before you leave home?

The old post suggests listing the week’s recipes first, working out what each meal needs, and adding low-carb snacks for between meals. That is good practice for any diet. It also suggests cooking one main dish for the whole family and giving the others a carbohydrate side, such as half a potato next to the meatloaf, so you do not have to cook two dinners. For snack ideas with real carb counts, see low-carb snack ideas for Atkins and other low-carb plans, and for menus see planning for Atkins.

Where should you shop in the store?

The old post advises filling your cart with protein and produce first, so there is less room for anything else, and sticking to the outer edges of the store, where the produce, meat, fish and deli counter usually are. Store layouts vary, and plain frozen vegetables in the middle aisles are fine too. The old post also said to avoid all packaged foods during the first phase, including low-carb products. Our post on what you can eat on Atkins and how to read the label lists the foods that make up most of the plan.

How do you read a label?

Be careful with “low carb” claims on the front of a package. According to a dietitian at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, “net carbs” is a term created by food companies, and neither the FDA nor the American Diabetes Association endorses it. They advise looking at total carbohydrates on the Nutrition Facts label. Net carbs are usually worked out by taking total carbohydrate and subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols, and it can still be useful to know them if you are counting carbs. The old post warned that some products have hidden sugars, which is a good reason to read the ingredient list too. Learn more in the Ohio State article on tracking net carbs.

Is buying meat in bulk a good idea?

It can save money, as the old post says, but only if you store the meat safely. The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises storing raw ground beef at 40°F (4°C) or below and using it within one to two days, or freezing it. Frozen at 0°F, ground beef stays safe indefinitely, though quality drops and USDA suggests using it within about four months. Cook ground beef to 160°F, and never leave raw meat out for more than two hours (one hour above 90°F). That is why the old post’s tip to cook meat in batches fits well: cook it, refrigerate it within two hours and keep it cold. USDA says cooked ground beef keeps for about three to four days in the fridge, or freeze it. Mark packages with the date. Read the details on ground beef and food safety.

What about cheese and fiber?

The old post says cheese can be bought in bulk if you tolerate it, and reminds readers to eat fiber (salad or raw vegetables) with it. Cheese is high in saturated fat, so keep portions reasonable, and low-carb eating can be low in fiber, which is why vegetables matter. Check the labels on shredded or processed cheese too.

How do you keep costs down?

Low-carb shopping is often expensive. Our guide to eating low-carb on a budget explains how planning, bulk buying and freezing, and choosing good-value proteins can trim the bill. With a list, a plan and a little practice, the old post says you will soon be an experienced low-carb shopper, and that part of the advice still stands.

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Atkins is a low-carbohydrate way of eating, and the foods you choose depend on which phase you are in. The old version of this post gave a muddled description of the “Atkins pyramid” and told readers to rely on the diet’s own products. This updated guide sticks to what Atkins itself publishes, and adds what independent sources say about labels and balance.

What does an Atkins plate look like?

The Atkins company describes the plan in terms of net carbohydrates, which it defines as total carbohydrate grams minus fiber grams, and in its low-carb foods also minus sugar alcohols. Protein foods such as meat, poultry, fish and eggs, together with fats such as olive oil and butter, are the base of each meal. Carbohydrates come mainly from what Atkins calls “foundation vegetables,” which are non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, asparagus, peppers, celery, cucumbers and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. Avocados and olives count too. Root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots and beets are not foundation vegetables. You can see the list on the Atkins healthcare professionals page on foundation vegetables.

Which foods are limited at the start?

In the first phase, Induction, Atkins allows 20 grams of net carbohydrates a day, with 12 to 15 grams coming from foundation vegetables. It asks people to avoid sugar, white flour and other refined grains, whole grains, most fruit (other than avocado, tomatoes and olives), legumes, starchy vegetables and milk. Berries and other foods are added back in later phases. The old post said that fruits are used sparingly in the early stages and whole grains only occasionally, which is in line with this. Our post on Atkins diet basics explains the four phases, and the Induction rules are covered in a separate post on the first two weeks.

Can you rely on low-carb labels?

Not blindly. The old post warned that manufacturers put “low carb” on labels to sell products, and that is a fair concern. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center notes that neither the FDA nor the American Diabetes Association endorses the idea of “net carbs” and that they advise people to look at total carbs on the nutrition label. Even so, it can be useful to know net carbs if you have diabetes or are trying to lose weight. A good habit is to read the Nutrition Facts label and the ingredient list, check the serving size, and subtract fiber from total carbohydrate yourself. See the OSU article on tracking net carbs.

How can you plan meals and shop?

Write a list of acceptable foods and keep it with you, so that you are not trying to remember what you can eat when you are hungry. Plan meals for the week and shop from a list. The old post suggested using Atkins cookbooks and online menu planners, many of which are written by companies selling food, so judge them as you would any diet advice. Our posts on planning meals for Atkins, low-carb swaps and eating low-carb on a budget give practical ideas.

Is it a balanced way to eat?

That depends on how you do it. Plenty of non-starchy vegetables, fish, eggs and nuts can be part of a healthy diet, but a plan built on processed meat, butter and packaged low-carb bars may not be. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian before starting, especially if you have diabetes, kidney disease or take medicine for blood pressure or cholesterol. The Atkins site itself says that the weight loss phases should not be used by people on dialysis and that you should consult a doctor before beginning.

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