Planning Your Menus Around Special Diets

Photo Credit: Jon Sullivan

Yesterday, I posted my menu plan for stocking up. When I wrote that plan, I included in my plan the foods that we used to like to eat pretty regular. The problem with that plan, as I studied it last night, is that I now eat low carbs. Low carbs mean no potatoes, pasta, rice, dumplings, anything with white flour, sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, etc.. And unfortunately, no carrots or beets either, as they are both high carb vegetables. This post will be more a correction of my food list of yesterday. I won't explain low carbing as I have already done that in previous posts.

I follow Dr. Atkins as my low carb diet. I have read all his books and everything he wrote always has proven itself to me to be the truth. He was a doctor who was truly before his time! Since now, there are many other low carb plans to choose from. His works best for me because I just am NOT hungry on it. Even my husband can attest to that fact. On Dr. Atkins' 14 day jumpstart program, known as Induction, if you stick to it, you will lose weight. For me, usually a slow loser, it was pretty quick. But that is not why I follow it. The number one reason I stick with Atkins is that I feel great after I get into my first three days. I admit, the last couple of weeks I have not been following it and I feel lousy. So back on it I go! So this post is going to be a new list with my low carbs. After you have lost whatever weight you want to lose, then you can eat some of those higher carb vegetables such as beans, potaotes, corn, beets.......but in very low amounts and not every day. Maybe once a week. In a previous post I wrote about the low carb plans in this post, Back To Low Carbing.

Photo Credit: Jon Sullivan

So to correct my menu plan to be low carb for both my husband and I, as he will follow it if I prepare it. If it is good, he will eat it! I make sure it is good. You should see my supper dish, full of food! What I need to say here, is that if you follow a certain food plan, just make your list of those foods. Eliminate all the foods that you do not eat. You can compare my list of yesterday with this new list. I needed to do this for myself and my husband and not buy all those high carb foods. In another past post, I wrote about Low Carb Frugal Shopping, so I have dealt with these issues before. I just want to say the low carb food plan is not hard to follow. It is almost always the other people you live with who influence the foods you buy and prepare. So I am going to be influencing my husband to eating low carbs! Now for the menu plan.

My 14 Main Dish Meals:

1. Chicken Thighs with Hot Wing Sauce
2. Steak (or low carb stir fries)
3. Pork Country Ribs
4. Roast Turkey Breast
5. Beanless Chili
6. Tuna Salad 
7. Oven Fried Chicken (almond flour/golden flax seed coated)
8. Pork Chops or Roast
9. Beef Stew (do not eat high carb vegs) (thicken with low carb alternatives)
10. Turkey Salad
11. Baked or Grilled Fish Fillets
12. Ground Beef Dishes (low carb meatballs, meatloaf, hamburgers, casseroles)
13. Chicken or Turkey Stew
14. Zucchini Lasagna (no pasta noodles)

Photo Credit: Jon Sullivan

My Side Dishes:

1. Tossed Salad (Every day...we can not get enough of this!)
2. Cheese (4 oz. daily for low carbs)
3. Asparagus
4. Cauliflower
5. Broccoli
6. Green Beans
7. Mushrooms
8. Onions
9. Spinach
10. Kale
11. Cucumbers
12. Tomatoes
13. Zucchini
14. Yellow Squash
15. Winter Squash
16. Pumpkin (Yep! Low carb for this delightful vegetable!!)
17. Coleslaw (homemade)
18. Cabbage
19. Avocado 
20. Berries
21. Nuts
22. Bell Peppers

Photo Credit: Sam Mugraby

So now, I will work on my ingredient list and work on that for my post next week. I hope this shows you the difference in the post I did yesterday. You make the list centered on what foods you can and cannot eat. My husband will forgo the potatoes and pasta any day in favor of more meat. If you follow a low-fat or a low-calorie diet that is fine, incorporate those dishes into your plan. If someone eats regular high-fat, high calorie, and high carbs and wants to continue that route, include that in your menu plan. You can always change that person's diet by making small changes slowly until they start noticing how much better they feel and look. Good luck with this and I promise I will be back next week with my ingredient list. I will work on that this week-end. Have a happy homesteading day!

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole