I am a 54 year old man so I know this sounds a little strange to ask for help on shopping BUT i was wondering what to start out with freezer or cupboard stock for the BSD i have read the book and looked at every page at the recipies but don’t know exactly where to start , i will add i like everything so am not bothered if anyone has any unusual suggestions , again its easy to do a “normal” shop but i want to begin on the right track and as we all know even after the weight has been lost and blood sugar levels reduce will by then be on the right track to stay healthy. One thing i have done is to order a spiralizer from Lakeland (wow i hear you all cry) as i love the idea of dumping pasta for a more healthy way. So once again any tips would be appreciated then i can plan and carry it out, and what about Christmas that’s due all that temptation ,any healthier recipes all welcome. Thanking you all in advance….. oh i assume it is ok to use frozen items so as they keep longer than the fresh

best way to get the best out of these forums is using the search box, top right of the screen – “Shopping list” will bring u[ numerous previous threads

to get started with shopping, eggs, full fat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese) a selection of low carb vegetables and whatever fish or meat you are planning to eat. Olive oil if you don’t have any.

My fridge is full of courgette, cauli, red pepper, green pepper, mushrooms and spinach. My favorite lunch is roasted chicken breast served on a bed of spiral courgette (not spaghettied but very fine slices) with roasted red pepper and roasted asparagus with a dressing made from greek yoghurt, lemon and a little olive oil. Yes, don’t forget the Greek yoghurt, full fat, none of that low fat low calorie rubbish, a bottle of olive oil, the best you can afford, a bottle of rapeseed oil, better and cheaper for cooking with. Chicken, pork chops (no fat here), lean mince, steak and eggs That’s just to start with. You know when you are doing well when the salad drawer has little or no salad (cucumber and lettuce are just water and tomatoes are high in carbs and sugars) and your veg takes over the fridge. Forget about fruit for now, maybe some frozen berries, they are really good mixed in with yoghurt.
Ooops nearly forgot the cheese and cream cheese.
Good luck

Hello Tom

Not a silly question at all. I have started the BSD today – but planned it all a few days ago. I was in the same predicament as you – loved the look of the recipes, but what do I actually buy ?

I found it easiest to work out my meal plan for the first week, then drew up a shopping list of all the ingredients that I needed to buy in for it. It took a little longer – but some of those ingredients won’t be on the list every week – a few of the bags of nuts and the seasonings and some of the cheese. I think after this first week’s shop it will be a little easier. Also – if you are on your own – try and buy frozen chicken breasts and frozen cod fillets for example. then you won’t end up throwing away any fresh stuff because you didn’t use the pack up in time. I took a chicken breast out of the freezer last night. thawed it out in the fridge overnight/today on a plate in the fridge. And I have just cooked the Chicken in Parma Ham dish, which was very easy and totally delicious !

Good luck with it all.

thanks for the replies so far all useful , and i did the shopping list in the search bar that was very useful

I found this diet quite expensive at first because one day it was one veg, the next another and I wanted to keep the variety going so was buying lots of different types of veg. Now I look in my fridge and plan my recipes around what I have available rather than going out and buying fresh. Also, nothing goes to waste in my house, I have frozen melon, avocados (yes they freeze well) chunks of cheese etc, all ready for another day.

I wouldn’t be too quick to dismiss lettuce and cucumber as they’re easy and quick to prepare. Cucumber is handy to add crunch to some meals and I use lettuce as an alternative to wraps or bread in burgers, fajitas etc. As for them being just water, remember lettuce and cucumber have around 96% water and courgettes (a favourite on this site) actually have around 95%.

Anyway water’s good for you.

Once you get your head round it you’ll find it liberating. And you can cut out so many aisles in the supermarket that are full of processed food. It’s truely enlightening when you realise that food is now coming from the fresh aisles. Although frozen food is also useful.

I don’t follow recipes and I aim for 50g of carbs a day, so not very low but it’s sustainable. I’ve lost 2 stone in 9 weeks.

Here are my staples

Salad – all – cucumber, lettuce, leaves, spring onions, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, herbs such as chives, coriander, parsley, mint

Fruit – plums, nectarines, apples, berries. I tend to buy 2 types each week.

Protein – feta cheese, salmon, tuna, sea bass, trout, prawns, chicken, gammon joint, pork and lamb

Veg – brocoli, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, and for soup – spinach, watercress and courgettes or parsnip (1), swede (small), leeks, carrots, shallots – chosen because they are my favourites rather than any particular carb or nutritional count.

Drinks – tea or coffee with skimmed milk, lemon and mint in hot water, sparkling water, tap water, low cal fizzy drinks such as diet coke or sugar free tango.

My treats – for when I get a real urge – small packet of pork scratchings – they really hit my spot and at 111 calories a packet I can fit them in a few times a week. Sometimes I’ll have half a packet if calories are tight. Eat natural bars – I am studying at the moment at college and take 1 bar and 1 apple and feel very satisfied. Every now and then I buy Bury black pudding to have with my breakfast eggs.

Quick meals – I love fish with a knob of herb butter, stuffed mushrooms and pre-cooked chicken that I have for lunch or for a snack – thighs and spicy chicken breast are my favourites.

Today I’m doing a roast which I don’t make very often. I may have 1 small roast potato if they turn out really well. And I’ll have a small amount of gravy.

Hope that might help a bit.

Elaine

Hi all, I am new too. LianieUK, do you eat all your suggest in 800 c a day. I am finding it
All a but hard but wondering if I am looking at it too deeply and i should simplify everything ?

Rosieha …. have you read the 8 week Blood Sugar diet book?
The book actually should give you a pretty good idea of what this is all about ….. then you can really know if this does apply to your situation …. and how it applies to your personal situation …. and how and which of the diet plans will work best for you.

We can describe what we do …. but what we do may not be best for you.

Hi Rosie

Yes, I do but more so over the course of a week so daily it varies from about 750-850. Although in the first week or so I found I wasn’t hungry but now I need everyone one.

What works for me is to do a weekly menu so an example for me is

B’fast – feta, green pepper and spring onion omelette with a grilled tomato
Or scrambled eggs, grilled tomato, black pudding (lower calorie version from Bury)
Or porridge with half skimmed milk, half water – I love porridge but have it on lower carb days as it is quite night in carbs

Lunch – salad with chicken and coleslaw or avocado and prawns or salmon
Or courgette, pea and watercress Home-made soup with chicken or gammon on top
Or vegetable soup with chicken breast cooked in it

Dinner
Veg or salad plus chicken, fish or filled mushrooms

Snacks
1 piece of fruit or berries and faje yoghurt and ground nuts

Basically

Eggs for breakfast and salad or soup plus protein for lunch and veg or salad with protein for dinner and ‘a little something of whatever I fancy’ for a snack.

Planning helps enormously with making good choices. I mostly log my food on a calorie counting app in advance so if carbs/cals are getting a bit too high too quickly then I choose a lower carb dinner and snack.

It is very straightforward and you’ll see that after a few days. You don’t have to be perfect.

Elaine

That’s really helpful LainieUK, thank you! (new starter today so while I have the next few days planned it’s always nice to hear what other people eat/buy!