If you're dieting the low-carb way, stock up on low-carb essentials so that when you have a need to eat, you can find healthy, low-carb ingredients. The following list contains recommended items to keep on hand:
| Canned or Bottled Foods: | Grains: |
|---|---|
| Canned tuna, salmon, or sardines (in water) | Whole-grain pasta, long-grain rice, wild rice |
| Canned vegetables (asparagus, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, and so on) | Whole-grain flours and cornmeal |
| Canned fruit packed in light syrup or juice | Oatmeal |
| 100-percent fruit preserves | High-fiber, no-sugar cereals |
| Canned chicken or beef bouillon | Low-sugar granola or homemade granola |
| Canned tomatoes and tomato paste | Quinoa |
| Salsa | Roasted soynuts |
| Ketchup | Seasonings: |
| Canned or dried beans such as pinto, navy, kidney, limas, garbanzo, peas | Salt-free seasonings |
| Fat-free refried beans | Garlic and onion, minced and powder |
| Natural or low-sugar peanut butter | Bouillon cubes or sprinkles |
| Sun-dried tomatoes | Reduced-sodium soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce |
| Artichoke hearts | Sugar substitutes |
| Olives | Oils and Vinegars: |
| Capers | Nonstick vegetable oil spray |
| Marinated vegetables (okra, beans) | Healthy oils (olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or light combination oils) |
| Roasted peppers | |
| Pickles and pickle relish | |
| Horseradish, Dijon, spicy, or plain mustard | |
| Red and white table wine (for cooking) |