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Carb Counting Tips

Carb Counting Tips From KRAFT:

  1. Stock up on veggies.  Keep plenty of precut vegetables in the house and at work.  A 120g serving of broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes has 3 grams or less carbs per serving.
  2. For a new twist, wrap your favourite sandwich fillings in a lettuce leaf. 
  3. Dry Roasted Peanuts are a great snack when on the go.  A 28g serving contains 3 grams of net carbs.  (6 grams total carbs less 3 grams fibre)

Carb Counting Tips From You!

  1. The thing my husband and I found most helpful was to keep a package of cheese sticks handy for times when we needed a snack.  The cheese sticks are satisfying and portion controlled, so we don't go overboard.
  2. Have a good set of measuring utensils; cups, spoons, etc.  Measure your portions of the foods containing carbs.  Pretty soon you won't need to measure.
  3. Just eating 1 piece of bread with a sandwich is a simple way to cut down on carbs.
  4. Though it may sound 'nutty,' I 'bread' my pork chops and chicken breasts (skinless, of course) with crushed peanuts!  Keeps in the moisture and gives a great flavour, too.
  5. Cream cheese or peanut butter stuffed celery sticks make excellent carb-counting options as part of on-the-go breakfasts and are a nice change from the usual egg based breakfast foods.  
  6. I keep low carb snacks in my office and I make sure to eat something mid morning and mid afternoon so that I don't get too hungry.  I keep things like string cheese, hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese in the office refrigerator and unsalted nuts at my desk.
  7. I use olive oil to cook with, sauté with and sprinkle over salads.  Balsamic vinegar is excellent over veggies and salad!
  8. I take a slice of salami or ham, spread it with cream cheese, sprinkle with a few nuts (your choice) and roll up.  I send these with my husband for his mid-morning or afternoon snack.
  9. Don't be afraid to experiment with lots of different spices to change the taste of your meals - a little cumin in your hamburger - mint in your salad greens - dill on your salmon - if you change the spices in your daily meals, it keeps surprising your taste buds. 
  10. I eat a handful of pecans or other nuts to satisfy my hunger in-between meals.
  11. Cut fresh fruit (strawberries, grapes, raspberries, etc) into a whipped dessert or yogurt.  A tasty treat and fools the mind into believing you have eaten a treat loaded with carbs.
  12. When trying to estimate a portion of meat without weighing it, I was told to visualize a deck of cards and you will be within your portion control.  
  13. Instead of using breadcrumbs to coat boneless chicken breasts for sautéing, I dust them with Parmesan cheese and then sauté as usual.  Another choice is to roll the chicken pieces in ground nuts before sautéing.  
  14. I eat one half of the food on my plate at a time.  Save the rest for your next meal. Drink lots of water.  It takes 15 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain it's full.  
  15. Liven' up your cottage cheese.  Put a serving of cottage cheese on a lettuce lined plate.  Sprinkle with a no cal sweetener and a dash of cinnamon.  Chop 3 strawberries on top.  Voila - cheesecake.  
  16. For a nice snack, put some grapes in the freezer.  Then munch on them when you have a taste for something sweet.    
  17. If I get home late (and haven't defrosted something), it's always easy to whip up a quick cheese and veggie omelette.  I like using chopped tomatoes and basil, but keep it simple.  
  18. Use a lettuce leaf instead of a hamburger bun for that burger we just have to have. 
  19. If you miss mashed potatoes but love cauliflower you'll love this!  Steam cauliflower as usual but when it's done you can mash them like you would potatoes.  It's the same texture but with a great flavour!  
  20. Add 2 tablesponns of sunflower seeds to your salad - it gives it the 'crunch' we are all looking for!  
  21. I measure out the appropriate amounts of low carb snacks.  (I always put the same count of carbs in each) I then put this into snack size bags.  I keep these in a container on the kitchen counter. 
  22. Make 'lasagne' using real thin slices of courgette cut the long way instead of noodles.  Add sausage and other veggies, as desired.  
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Carb Counting Tips