With South African’s everywhere feeling the impact of Covid-19, we have seen empty shelves in stores and people stocking up for self-isolation periods. For those on a low-carb diet, you may be worried about following your diet during this time. We share some top tips on being prepared and keeping your home well-stocked as we wait for a sense of normality to return.

Keep your fridge stocked with low-carb foods

With lockdowns in place, we will still be allowed to go to the shops but stocking up on some low-carb food will make it easier to be at home and eating healthy foods while you wait for things to get back to a sense of normality again. One thing to remember is that food will still be available in supermarkets, so there is no need to stock up on unhealthy, processed foods. Here are some great low-carb staples to keep in your fridge:

• Eggs – these are a great source of protein and can last up to 5 weeks in the fridge
• Cream – great for cooking with
• Cheese – mozzarella, cheddar and cream cheese will be most useful for snacking and recipes
• Meat/Fish – mince, chicken, chops, steaks and fish fillets are great
• Butter
• Longer-life vegetables – Your hardier low-cab veggies such as zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower tend to last longer than your leafy greens

If you have items in your fridge that are nearing expiry and can be frozen, portion them into smaller sizes and store them in the freezer for later consumption.

Keep your freezer stocked with low-carb foods

When it comes to buying food to stock your freezer with, we’d suggest the following:

• Frozen low-carb vegetables: look for frozen broccoli, zucchini noodles, cauliflower, peas, mushrooms and even cauliflower rice which is available in a frozen form now!
• Meat/Fish: Fresh meat can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Look for steaks, hamburger patties, stewing meat, fish filets and anything else that’s easy and safe to keep in the freezer.
• Cheese: Most cheese can be frozen. If you are buying in bulk to save some money, you can always portion your cheese and freeze some.
• Dairy: Most dairy products can be frozen and defrosted as and when you need them.

Keep your pantry stocked with low-carb options

Keeping a few shelf-stable items in the pantry is always a good idea. Here are a few low-carb items we can suggest:

• Nuts: almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts and Brazil nuts are all great, low-carb options to have.
• Canned and bottled goods: tuna, smoked oysters, whole tomatoes, tomato paste, and chickpeas are all good options to have in the pantry
• Other dry goods: don’t forget about your olive oil and other cooking oils, spices, salt and pepper, onion and garlic.

Times are tough so let’s stick together until we can get things back on track. We’re rooting for you all!