Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Ready-Made Foods on a Low-Carb Diet

There is a variety of low-carb, ready-made foods and grab and go meals for people on a diet. You can choose from premade salads, salad bars, deli food, home-delivered meals, and more.

At the deli counter, for example, you can try shrimp, chicken, or tuna salad in a tortilla or have it on its own. You can also look for alternatives to high-carbohydrate snack mixes and crackers at the grocery store. The problem is that readymade products contain high amounts of sodium, and few of them are low-carb or carb-friendly. One idea is to cook several meals during the weekend and freeze them. Meals that freeze well include quiches, veggie lasagna, and soups. If you don’t have time to cook, you can either try some quick low-carb recipes or order home-delivered meals. There are plenty of quick meals you can make – salmon burgers, roasted broccoli with lemon, beef and noodle broth, etc. Some meals take just 15 minutes to prepare. You can make peppered lamb chops or tuna salad, for example.

Home-delivered meals and packaged diets are another option, and there are different brands to choose from. Packaged diets have become quite popular among dieters who have chosen to follow low-carb meal plans or count calories. Many find it easier to stick to a packaged diet than to cook meals. Dieters can choose from different options such as low carb, vegetarian, and low fat. There are different calorie levels depending on one’s individual preferences, and dieters can customize their meal plan of choice. In addition, dieters can choose from lunch and dinner only and 3 meals and a snack 7 days a week. Companies that offer packaged diets deliver frozen food, with breakfast items and snacks packed in separate plastic bags. A sample menu may include cranberry juice, applesauce, and mixed berry crepe at breakfast, and veggie salad and bacon cheeseburger meatloaf at lunch. At dinner, you can have carrot coins and Apple Penne Pasta. Balanced meals include lean protein and smart carbs, and dieters can exclude certain products, based on allergies and preferences. Source: http://www.lowcarbfoods.org/