One of the great things about dieting the low carb way is that snacks are allowed – provided of course that they are low carb snacks. On most versions of the diet you can have a snack any time that you are hungry.
Of course, on a low carbohydrate diet you will almost certainly find that you are not as hungry as you are used to from other diets. So that may mean you hardly need any snacks at all. However, if you like to eat a lot of small meals rather than the regular three meal a day plan, some of those small meals are going to be more like snacks.
Low Carb Snacks From The Refrigerator
These snacks are great for a hungry moment at home, in the office or anywhere that you have access to a refrigerator.
Smoked salmon and avocado rolls
Just what it sounds. Roll up some slices of ripe avocado in smoked salmon, or if you prefer, mash the avocado with a teaspoon of mayonnaise.
Check packaging, but smoked salmon is usually zero to 0.1g net carbs per slice. 1 average California (Hass) avocado counts 2.6g net carbs. Mayonnaise can vary widely. Avoid low fat mayo which is high in carbs, avoid specialty flavored mayos, and you can usually count around 0.1g carbs per teaspoon.
Eggs
Keep a couple of hard boiled eggs ready in the refrigerator for those moments when you cannot even wait 5 minutes while something cooks.
You might want to keep some egg salad too, and roll it up in lettuce leaves for your low carb snacks.
Cheese
A slice of hard cheese is another good staple snack for low carbers. But if your diet has a daily cheese allowance, be careful not to go above it.
Low Carb Snacks To Go
Whatever your plan for the day, it is a good idea to take some low carb snacks with you when you go out anywhere. Here are some ideas for snacks that you can carry in your purse or pocket.
Jerky
Beef or turkey jerky is usually low carb, but check packaging. Some brands contain sugar.
Canned fish
Small cans of salmon or tuna make great low carb snacks. As long as they are canned in salt water or oil with no other ingredients, they have zero carbs. Don’t forget to carry a can opener too!
Nuts
Nuts are not allowed in Phase 1 of most low carb diets, but you can usually have at least some nuts after the first two weeks. Avoid cashews, which are much higher in carbs than most other nuts.
If you find it hard to stop eating them, look for the smallest packs or split a large pack into 2oz/55g portions and freeze all but one portion. 2oz is a generous portion that should satisfy most nut lovers.
These are the net carb values for 2oz (55g) of different nuts (unroasted, unsalted): macadamia 2.9g, brazil 2.7g, walnut 4.0g, filbert (hazel) 4.0g, peanut 4.3g, almond 4.5g, cashew 15.2g.
Of course, you can also buy ready made low carb snacks such as Atkins(R) bars. However, many people following low carb diets have found that these bars cause their weight loss to stall. It’s better to stick to whole foods 90% of the time and only use packaged low carb snacks in an emergency.
