Need help finding certain induction foods..

[Whiskyjumper]

I am starting Atkins tomorrow so I went shopping today. And to my dismay I couldnt find any breakfast meats (sausage) or salad dressings without some form of sugar. For salad dressings I do not generally like the oil or vinigar kinds. I like the creamy dressings like ranch, ceaser, etc. I read somewhere that you could eat Ranch, Blue cheese, ceaser, etc. on Atkins but I couldnt find a single one without sugar. Same with the breakfast sausage. Not a single one without sugar. Taco seasoning has the same problem. I had planned on using all these things frequently in my diet plan so I am a little bumbed about it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also can you eat Kraft Singles, or does it have to be the no processed kind?

[Geesebaby]

I used chili powder, cumin, and salt to season my taco meat. No sugar in any of those. I think you just have to account for some of those things in your carb count. I find the one with the lowest carbs per serving.

[williamson_ja]

I buy the salad dressing with 2 carbs or under per serving. Some of it says it has a little sugar in it. I figure that there are carbs in lots of stuff and we are just limiting it as much as we can. I do my own taco seasoning as the PP said. Breakfast sausage is hard. Get something without maple syrup added in there. The regular Jimmy Dean sausage has some sugar, but it's under 2 carbs per serving. I try not to have it more than a couple of times a week. Bacon has no carbs. Just do what you can and keep it under 20 carbs per day. Don't cut everything out because it has a couple of carbs or you'll end up not sticking with the plan.

[LiterateGriffin]

Originally Posted by Whiskyjumper

I am starting Atkins tomorrow so I went shopping today. And to my dismay I couldnt find any breakfast meats (sausage) or salad dressings without some form of sugar. For salad dressings I do not generally like the oil or vinigar kinds. I like the creamy dressings like ranch, ceaser, etc. I read somewhere that you could eat Ranch, Blue cheese, ceaser, etc. on Atkins but I couldnt find a single one without sugar. Same with the breakfast sausage. Not a single one without sugar. Taco seasoning has the same problem. I had planned on using all these things frequently in my diet plan so I am a little bumbed about it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also can you eat Kraft Singles, or does it have to be the no processed kind?

Forget buying salad dressing. MAKE it! Takes about 45 seconds to whip up a jar of your own Ranch dressing from scratch:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.


Taco Seasoning:
2 TBS chili powder
1.5 TBS cumin
1.5 TBS paprica
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS garlic powder
1/8-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on your "heat" preference)

Make some up in advance, and store in an airtight container. Use like the kind you used to buy.

If you are able to find ground pork, you can easily make your own breakfast sausage as well:
2 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch ground cloves
2 pounds ground pork

(Of course, bacon also works as a breakfast meat. Trader Joe's even sells a wonderful uncured bacon!)

You'll find that this way of eating involves a lot less buying pre-made, and a lot more making it yourself. You'll ALSO find that making it from scratch doesn't generally take that much longer, but tastes MUCH better.

[thealything]

I'm following the Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution book where he says to make sure salad dressing is under 1g carb per serving. I can't recall if he mentions sugar. but I think if you get the creamy kinds that are under 1g per tablespoon, and you're not eating like a cup of it every day, you will be ok. most of the full-fat versions of creamy dressings like Kraft, Renee's, Litehouse etc will have some that fit this category. (I'm Canadian so I don't know what brands y'all have there.)

[Whiskyjumper]

Wow, thank for all the advise. I will absolutely try those recipes too. You are all great!

[GonnaBeSlimmer]

While it's true that you are allowed 20 net carbs a day, in the month or so I've been doing this I've really noticed that not all carbs are created equal. Sugar (even in small amounts) really causes me to gain A LOT of water weight and brings back my heartburn.

I've also noticed that a lot of labels are very misleading. I bought a dry BBQ rub that had 0g of carbs. I slathered it all over some chicken breast but when I put it in the oven I noticed a LOT of carmelization. I checked the ingredients and sugar was like the 4th ingredient! I think that if the serving size is small, and it is less than 0.99g of carbs manufacturers can officially call it "0 Carb" even though its really not. I've learned that you have to actually read the ingredients list to be safe and not just strictly go with the carb count.

I have been using store bought dressings though with no problem.

[Divinexheirocity]

Originally Posted by Whiskyjumper

I am starting Atkins tomorrow so I went shopping today. And to my dismay I couldnt find any breakfast meats (sausage) or salad dressings without some form of sugar. For salad dressings I do not generally like the oil or vinigar kinds. I like the creamy dressings like ranch, ceaser, etc. I read somewhere that you could eat Ranch, Blue cheese, ceaser, etc. on Atkins but I couldnt find a single one without sugar. Same with the breakfast sausage. Not a single one without sugar. Taco seasoning has the same problem. I had planned on using all these things frequently in my diet plan so I am a little bumbed about it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also can you eat Kraft Singles, or does it have to be the no processed kind?

As stated in the post by literategriffin, to really get something the way you want it (no sugar, minimal sugar etc) you are probably better off making it yourself. I live in CA and have no problem finding condiments and seasonings with appropriate carb counts. If you have a pantry full of individual spices, you should be able to create almost any commercial blend out there!

[camel?]

Litehouse brand blue cheese has no sugar added
(Its the one in the glass jar usually in a refrigerated section of the produce area)

[JDob]

Jones "golden brown, all natural sausage, breakfast links, are out now. Fully cooked to put in the microwave. They are delicious! Check in your local market meat dept.

I take Hellman's and mix it with vinegar (any amounts that meet with your taste). Makes a great, almost 0 carb, dressing.

[JDob]

Sorry...I'm new at this

The sausage, as noted in the title, is 0 carbs.

The Hellman's is Hellman's mayo...mixed with a little vinegar and sometimes I throw in some garlic powder. Almost 0 carbs.

[LiterateGriffin]

Welcome aboard, JDob.

Hellman's mayo is great stuff. Read the ingredient list lately? You probably HAVE all that stuff in your fridge, except for the ONE preservative at the end. GOT to love that in a food!

What's scary is when you pick up their "olive oil" variety, and read the label on THAT one! ~shudders~ I almost bought it once, recently, until I read the labels on both. The "regular" one is made with real foods. The other -- supposedly healthier -- formula is made with a bunch of things I couldn't pronounce. Guess which one I took home?

I think Jones may be a semi-local product. I grew up in the Adirondacks, and there's a ton of things that were ubiquitous there ("Hellavagood" cheese, for one) that I simply cannot get out here. I have never, EVER, seen Jones sausage out here. And I've looked over every breakfast sausage in every store I could find.

That is not in any way to knock your advice. Maybe others are luckier. That's just me telling you I'm jealous of you for finding it. (And also that I miss the food from home... What I wouldn't give for a REAL cheddar... Out here, they think cheddar is orange. And they sell it WAY too young.)

[Whiskyjumper]

Thank you all for all the great advice. I will be making some of those recipes. I have already tried your taco seasoning LiterateGriffin, and it's great. Having it for lunch today in fact. As for Jone's sausage, I don't think we have it around here (MO), but I'll sure be looking for it.

[jmh1007]

If you have a Sam's Club near you they have a sausage that is good. Swaggerty is the brand. I'm in Missouri too.

[Whiskyjumper]

Thanks jmh1007! We do have a Sam's Club, but strangly enough I have never beent there. I think that it's time. : )

[Whiskyjumper]

Ok I'm back to this thread because now I have to add bacon to the list of things that I can't find without sugar. I am really down about this as breakfast meat was one of the main things that I was looking forward to on this diet, and bacon most of all. I solved the sausage issue by making my own with LiterateGriffin's recipe from above (which is great). Bug after looking at every single package of bacon in two or three different stores I couldent find any without sugar. Not even the ones at the meet counter. Most had nitrates as well. I see in several threads where lots of people eat bacon. Any ideas of where I can find any without the sugar? My local stores are Wal-Mart, Hye-Vee, Price-Cutter, Aldies, Dillens, Food 4 Less, etc.

[Jaded62]

I buy A brand called Gwaltney Bacon. It has NO sugar and is reallygood. It does have nitrites.Kroger, Walmart,Food lion and Foodcity all carry it,here. HTH

[Whiskyjumper]

Originally Posted by Jaded62

I buy A brand called Gwaltney Bacon. It has NO sugar and is reallygood. It does have nitrites.Kroger, Walmart,Food lion and Foodcity all carry it,here. HTH

I don't recall through all of my searching ever seeing that brand but I will be looking for it. Thank you very much!

[Jaded62]

I buy DUKES mayo.It has NO sugar.It taste great. It is in all the stores I said in above post. You might want to go to their websites and see what stores they are in in youe area. HTH.

[50by60]

Hello Jaded62. I have wondered where you were. Thanks for the product names for bacon without sugar. I am in Middle Tenn. and will check them out today. I have lost almost 70 pounds in one year with Atkins Induction. I lost most of it last summer, stalled or maintained during the winter and have started going to WEIGHT WATCHERS and using Atkins as the choices. I wanted some type of accountability for my summer grazing and thought that the lectures and selection choices would be good for me. School is out and I am loving the summer in Tennessee. I weigh in on Wed. evenings and hope to have dropped enough ounces since last Wed. to reach my first goal (10 pounds or 10%) today. I was -9.6 a week ago and hope to see the loss today. Hope you are well and enjoying your summer too.

[Geesebaby]

Whole Foods has nitrate free bacon, don't forget the deli case. Our grocery stores have them in the deli case with the lunch meat that you have to have weighed by the clerk type.

[kempmuhlbauer]

Very interesting thread. I read through and thought I would add my 2 cents.

Bacon: I use regular store bought nitrate bacon. If I am at whole foods(or whole paycheck as we call it in Texas) I will pick up some no nitrate bacon. The sugar is so minimal in the bacon I do not count it. Of course I do not buy the maple cured bacon, but just regular bacon listed as zero carb seems OK to me.

Sausage: I use Tennesse pride hot breakfast sausage, zero carb and it is very good. I do not believe it list sugar and I pick it up at Kroger. The owens and jummy deans all have carbs listed in the nutrition chart so I steer clear of them.

Dressings: I use newmans and hidden valley. Ranch, blue cheese or Cesar. I read the carb count and if is 1 carb or less per 2 tablespoons I will eat it. I know they all list sugar as and ingredient but no enough to worry about. They have zero carb out there but .5 carbs per tablespoon is doable for me. And I keep my total daily carb at 5 or less most days.

Mayo: My favorite ingredient for everything. I love the dukes as mentioned earlier in this thread. If for some reason they do not have it then I will get hellmans regular mayo.

I know atkins says to read ingredients but if sugar is listed way down on the list and the count says zero for carbs I will have a portion with out sweating it.

That is my 2 cents worth hoped it helped.

[JDob]

Gosh..I went down a size in just 14 days. Being 69 years old...that is a lot more than I even hoped for. But...I've been strictly staying @20 carbs, drinking tons of water and taking a vitamin every day...plus being more active. Certainly is encouraging! (lost 12 lbs). 45 lbs to go! Going to try zucchini lasagna tomorrow...can't wait

[50by60]

JDob- I too am in my 60's and feel better than I did when I was 50. Low carb is the only plan that allows me to be able to move and breathe. When I eat carbs I have ashtma attacks and joint pain so bad I can not walk. I am going to Weight Watchers because my low carb eating has gotten out of hand and I have been at a stall since Thanksgiving of 2011. Weight Watchers is teaching me to weigh and measure, journal or track my food choices, and makes me accountable at an official weigh in every Wed. I enjoy listening to the leader and others tell about how many points a particular carby food is worth-ice creams, vegie chips, fast food menu items. They know I am making choices from the POWER FOODS (low carb) choices but do not understand why I devote daily points for real mayo or for bacon. Oatmeal is a 4 point food for breakfast, bananas are 2 points...for 6 points I can have two eggs and 3 slices of bacon or three ounces of cooked steak/pork chop. I do not have to defend my selections at the meetings since no one really talks about what they choose. When I dropped 5 pounds one week, they asked how and I told them-I ate low carb...the leader said that was the way she ate for one year on this plan and the crowd was speechless.