12 low carb cooking essentials
Published on 8th Jun, 2022
When switching to a low carb lifestyle, it can be useful to have some essential ingredients on hand to create some quick and easy meals. This article includes some of the basic ingredients you can use to stock your cupboard.
Jars and Bottles
- Olive Oil – use non-virgin olive oil a basic cooking oil and extra-virgin for drizzling over cold vegetables or salads.
- Mustard – enjoy as a condiment or for adding a kick to sauces and marinades.
- Vinegar – having a bottle of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar on hand can be useful for adding to a marinade or making a quick salad dressing.
Baking
- Ground Almonds – if you’re a fan of baking, ground almonds can make an excellent lower carb substitute to flour.
- Cocoa Powder – not necessarily an essential, but cocoa powder can be great for whipping up some nutty chocolate brownies.
- Baking Powder – a staple for many baking recipes.
Seasonings
- Salt – one of the most essential ingredients for seasoning cooking and baking.
- Pepper – another staple for seasoning meals, freshly ground black pepper can add more taste to meals than pre-ground pepper.
- Herbs and Spices - these can vary between person to person depending on the type of meals or cuisine you enjoy cooking. Paprika, chilli powder, thyme and basil are just some examples to get you started. Although not technically a herb, fresh garlic or garlic powder is also a useful ingredient to have on hand.
Tinned Foods
- Chopped Tomatoes – essential for making sauces, soups, stews and casseroles.
- Chickpeas – chickpeas are a good source of protein for vegetarian meals and are good for making a quick salad. Try our chickpea Greek salad for some inspiration. Chickpeas and other beans contain higher levels of carbohydrate so may need to be eaten in moderation on a low carb diet.
- Coconut Milk – a staple for Asian cuisine, it also makes a good dairy free substitute.
Discover more examples of low carb cooking essentials when you join the Low Carb Program.