Free Trial
Free Trial

Grocery shopping tips

Optimize your lifestyle

Water: The Classic is Back!

August 8, 2022 No Comments

Every animal on the planet drinks water; it works well for hydration. Seventy percent of your body is made of water. It’s all you need to drink, and as you get unhooked from sugar and artificial sweeteners, you’ll come to enjoy it. If you want to go crazy, get some sparkling water. Although you might feel like you might die at first, you really and truly won’t perish if you don’t have some kind of sweet beverage to drink. Water—it’s good. Drink it!

What about bone broth, alcohol, and coffee? Bone broth is fine. It contains some good stuff and can help to satisfy your urge to drink something hot or flavored. However, drinking bone broth isn’t crucial to the success of the carnivore diet. You don’t need to drink it unless you want to. You can get all the nutrients you need without it, but if you enjoy or benefit from it, feel free to indulge.

Alcohol is not a health food. It won’t make you live longer, and it won’t make you any hardier. When you’re deciding whether to indulge in alcohol or skip it, understand that ethanol is toxic. Once in a while, I have a glass of red wine or two. I generally can expect my sleep to be less restful, and my athletic performance often is a little impaired the next day. Neither issue is the end of the world; the important thing is that I understand what the negative consequences of having the wine are and account for them when I make my decision. Most people who do a carnivore diet for a long period report their desire to drink alcohol drastically diminishes. Beer and certainly sugary mixed drinks are a bigger negative than a dry wine or a distilled spirit. Some people even have problems with the grains that are distilled to make the liquor.

Coffee is something I have little experience with. I’ve tried a few cups here and there over the decades, but I’ve never enjoyed it. Perhaps, if you’re a coffee lover, my inexperience is reason enough for you to stop listening to me. Many people find coffee incredibly satisfying and often turn drinking it into a ritualistic experience.

The science on whether coffee is good or bad for us continually changes. Caffeine has some effects on our physiology and acts as a central nervous system stimulant. It also affects the sympathetic nervous system and has been shown to aid in sports performance. However, research has found that it leads to sleep disturbance and can negatively affect gastrointestinal motility and gastric acid secretion. Some people find that caffeine acts to dysregulate appetite, often suppressing it. It may interfere with nutrient and mineral absorption. In all likelihood, though, for most people caffeine probably has a minimal impact in the grand scheme of things.

My suggestion is that you not try to quit coffee or caffeine during the initial phases of the diet. Once you’ve adapted to your new eating habits, give it a go if it’s something you want to take on.

Excerpted from The Carnivore Diet, By Dr. Shawn Baker.

Learn more HERE

Plants Are Out to Poison You!

August 8, 2022 1 Comment

Plants have been on the planet for roughly 700 million years, and they have been successfully fighting off various fungi, insects, and other animals since well before humans arrived some 3 million years ago. Plants have developed all kinds of defense strategies to ensure the survival of their species, including a system of elaborate chemical defenses. If you and I (or perhaps our ancestor, good ol’ Urk) were to go walking in the wilderness, and we started eating random plants, we would very quickly find ourselves either very sick or dead.


Of the approximately 400,000 species of plants on Earth, only a tiny fraction are edible by humans. Among the edible plants, typically only a portion of the plant is safe to eat; the rest is often harmful to humans. Even today, plant poisonings are still relatively common events.

Most of the produce that we see in the supermarket has absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to the plants that would have been available to our ancestors 50,000 years ago. Cruciferous vegetables basically didn’t exist, and our ancestors would have avoided leafy greens because of their extremely bitter taste. Tubers and other starchy “underground storage organs” were not particularly tasty and would have been primarily composed of fibrous, tough material. Nuts and seeds are well-protected physically by a tough outer shell or more subtly by toxic chemical defenses. Unprocessed nuts or beans can be among the most deadly plant-based foods around. Plants are especially protective of their offspring. The fruits we eat today have been manipulated to the point that prehistoric people wouldn’t recognize them.

We know that plants are full of chemicals, many of which serve as pesticides. If we had to introduce those same natural plant pesticides to the market today and subject them to rigorous toxicity testing, many of those chemicals would not be allowed on the market. However, because there is no real regulatory organization that examines “natural substances” in food, we tend not to worry about it.

I’m not saying that researchers have never studied these naturally occurring plant compounds in everyday fruits and vegetables. In fact, there are numerous studies on this topic. In 1990, famed toxicology researcher Professor Bruce Ames investigated the use of pesticides in food production and compared manufactured pesticides to naturally occurring plant-chemical pesticides. Shockingly, Ames found that 99.9 percent of pesticides we consume by volume comes from plants themselves. When he examined some of these compounds in more detail, a majority were shown to cause cancer in animal models. We shouldn’t run away from all fruits and vegetables because of a potential cancer risk. However, it does show us that there are plenty of chemicals in the plant foods we eat, and many of them have a potentially negative effect.

Plants Waging Chemical Warfare
The list of chemicals found in the plants we commonly consume is extensive, and I’m not going to list them all. However, I’m covering some of the more common ones so I can talk about the potential and documented effects. Remember, researchers have studied many of these compounds in limited capacities, and we likely will never know all the potential interactions and issues that may be related to them. It’s also important to note that although a particular compound may cause a major problem in one person, another person may not experience any obvious issues.

Oxalates
Commonly found in leafy green vegetables, some fruits, nuts, seeds, and even French fries, oxalates are a pretty common antinutrient. They can lead to medical problems—particularly when people ingest them in higher doses. One of the most common issues is kidney stones, which often are comprised of oxalates. Oxalate crystals in the body can become very needlelike, and some research has associated them with gastrointestinal irritation. The crystals may lead to leaky gut syndrome and potentially can lead to autoimmune issues.

Lectins
Lectins, recently made popular by Dr. Steven Gundry’s book, The Plant Paradox, are a fairly ubiquitous plant compound, but they’re particularly concentrated in things like grains, nuts, corn, quinoa, fruits, nightshades, vegetable oils, legumes, beans, and squash. The trouble with lectins is that they can lead to a leaky gut situation and likely contribute to all the potential downstream effects of leaky gut.

Glycoalkaloids
Glycoalkaloids are in nightshade plants like potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Limited evidence suggests these compounds have a connection to leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune problems like psoriasis. The foods that contain glycoalkaloids—particularly the nightshade vegetables—have been reported to worsen symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Goitrogens
Goitrogens are substances that can interfere with the function of the thyroid. Thyroid dysfunction is particularly common among women, and some researchers believe that high amounts of goitrogen-containing foods may play a role. Foods like soy and cruciferous vegetables tend to be high in these substances. Perhaps all those years of forcing ourselves to choke down broccoli and cauliflower were not kind to our thyroids.

Cyanogenic Glycosides
Cyanogenic glycosides are in common foods like almonds, flaxseed, linseed, lima beans, cassava, and certain stone fruits (such as cherries, peaches, and plums). Cyanide poisonings can and do occur, commonly with consumption of cassava root; sometimes death is the result of poisoning. Chronic exposure to cyanides is postulated to contribute to chronic diseases such as impaired thyroid function and neurological disturbances.

Phytic Acid
Phytic acid is in grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes. It can lead to mineral deficiencies, particularly deficiency of zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Deficiencies in these minerals can lead to a host of potential problems, including heart disease, depression, infertility, impotence, hair loss, and compromised immune function. On the beneficial side, phytic acid has been shown to lower blood glucose and potentially lessen the formation of kidney stones.

Protease Inhibitors
Protease inhibitors are in most legumes, particularly soy; cereals; fruits such as kiwi, pineapple, papaya, bananas, figs, and apples; and vegetables such as cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The protease inhibitors interfere with the activity of enzymes involved with protein digestion, such as trypsin, and in animal studies, they have been shown to lead to poor growth in subjects. Conversely, there is some evidence to show these compounds may have a positive role in limiting cancer.

Flavonoids
Flavonoids, which are responsible for some of the pigment found in plants, are commonly found in citrus fruit, cocoa, blueberries, parsley, onions, and bananas. They’re potentially beneficial at low levels, but in higher doses, they’ve been noted to cause genetic mutations, oxidation that leads to free radical production, and inhibition of hormones.

Saponins
Saponins are in legumes, beans, garlic, alfalfa sprouts, peas, yucca, and asparagus. They have been shown to cause digestive disturbances, thyroid problems, and damage to red blood cells. Fun stuff indeed!

Salicylates
Salicylates are in many fruits and vegetables and some spices. They’re often responsible for sensitivity reactions that can trigger asthma, gut inflammation, and diarrhea.

Humans survived an Ice Age, which means our ancestors’ habitat was like Iceland, not Costa Rica. If we’re willing to set aside our arrogance about how much we think we know and apply some commonsense observations, we can see how impractical a diet full of indigestible fiber and nonessential phytonutrients is. We need fat, protein, and some vitamins and minerals. We require no other nutrients to live or—I’ll argue—to thrive. We require zero carbohydrates, zero phytochemicals, and zero fiber.

Excerpted from The Carnivore Diet, By Dr. Shawn Baker.
Learn more HERE

Might I Suggest the Carnivore Platter

August 8, 2022 2 Comments

I’m sure you’ve been thinking, “What food can I eat?” Generally, if a food comes from an animal, you can eat it: beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, deer, bison, fish, shellfish, pork, caribou, whale, shark, elephant, snake, crocodile, whatever. Most people on a carnivore diet limit what they eat to the animals that are available in the same geographic region where they live.

Eggs work for many people, but they’re problematic for other people. I recommend that you use eggs as a side dish, perhaps in the classic form of steak and eggs for breakfast. I eat eggs once in a while—often when I’m traveling. In general, they’re a nutrient-rich food, and they make for a nice addition to your meals if you tolerate them.

Dairy is unpredictable. Some people do poorly with it, perhaps because of lactose intolerance or some other sensitivity. Other people find they can handle nonbovine dairy foods, such as sheep’s or goat’s milk dairy. Other people claim to do better with raw dairy or A2 dairy (dairy that contains only A2 beta-casein). Remember: Like many plant foods, dairy was relatively a late addition to the human diet. If you struggle with health issues, I strongly recommend that you consider forgoing dairy for at least a trial period.

Aside from different tolerances to the various types of dairy, people sometimes find they tolerate some dairy styles better than others. For example, many people tolerate hard cheeses better than they tolerate softer cheeses or milk. Some people don’t tolerate cheese or milk, but butter and especially ghee don’t cause any problems for them. Fermented dairy products, such as kefir and yogurt, can be fine for some people but cause issues for others. If you choose to use these products, don’t use the varieties with added flavoring or sugars. I’m not convinced you always need to choose high-fat products versus other products; it depends on the ingredients. If the food includes a lot of gums, stabilizers, or sweeteners, I generally avoid it.

People often ask me about cooking oils. My simple answer is that you should use animal fats, period. Use butter, ghee, lard, tallow, suet, duck fat, and so on. Plant oils are generally garbage for us; there’s no need for them. And, honestly, the animal fats taste and cook better anyway. My apologies to any keto folks in the audience, but I suggest you dump the coconut oil, MCT oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. Although these oils are generally better options than corn, soybean, and canola oils, they still can contain compounds that might be problematic—for example, salicylates in coconut oil, which, cause a rash, digestive upset, headaches, or swelling for some people. Here’s a trick I often use when I’m cooking: Heat a pan. Touch the fatty edge of the meat I’m cooking to the pan until the fat melts. By doing this, I get a nice layer of fat to cook the meat in.

Spices and seasonings come in handy, especially for people who are transitioning into the carnivore diet. Many people do fine with spices and seasonings over the long term, although just as many people tend to find them less desirable over time. I often use only salt on my steaks, and I’m quite happy with that. Sometimes I add some spice to the meats and consider the meal to be a bit of a special occasion. I suggest you avoid sauces that are heavily laced with sugar, vegetable oils, soy, gluten, MSG, and other ingredients that have the potential for problems. If you want to add flavor to your meats, the best option is to make homemade rubs, spice blends, or marinades. Cooking with herbs or vegetables also can add a nice flavor, but you need to be objective about how they affect you and eliminate anything that causes a problem.

Excerpted from The Carnivore Diet, By Dr. Shawn Baker.
Learn more HERE

How Much Meat is too Much?

August 8, 2022 2 Comments

This question is perhaps more common than any other question I receive. My smart-aleck answer often is, “Enough.” Although that might sound flippant, it’s truly a very honest and simple answer. But how do you know what is enough?

I’m going to throw out some general numbers; don’t take these as gospel. I’m merely giving you some ballpark starting figures; they aren’t concrete:

  • Males: Around 2 pounds of meat per day
  • Females: Around 1.5 pounds of meat per day

When you first start, aim for the suggested amount and then adjust as needed. For instance, many small females can put away 4 to 5 pounds of meat in a day without a problem. I don’t think you should shy away from that quantity if your appetite directs you there for a while. More often than not, females have a long history with diet and caloric or nutrient restriction, and they have some catching up to do to replenish their bodies with nutrients.

Remember, protein is used to build our bones, internal organs, muscles, and skin. If those tissues are depleted, plenty of food is necessary to bring them back to normal function. Also, remember that weight loss is not the short-term goal of the carnivore diet; instead, get healthy and stop with the constant anxiety created by day-to-day fluctuations in weight. Just relax and enjoy the freedom of eating.

If you eat and find that you’re still hungry, eat more. If you find your energy or performance is lagging, then eat more. If you find your mood is low, then eat more. The typical gnawing in the stomach and the “I’ve gotta eat something in the next five seconds or someone is going to get hurt” sensation of hunger will go away. Hunger often becomes a subtle signal that maybe you should eat something soon rather than it being a sign of cellular crisis of impending glucose depletion.

How Often Should I Eat?

In the beginning, your meal frequency should be whatever it needs to be to keep you satisfied. Do you feel peckish an hour after throwing down a 24-ounce porterhouse steak? Fire up another steak or line up a pound of bacon. Do what it takes to quench your appetite. Beat back the craving demons and learn to fill up on nutrition, not entertainment. Over time, you’ll find that your cravings will diminish; eventually, they’ll likely disappear.

At that point, you’ll see the emergence of a regular, well-regulated appetite that meets your nutritional needs. I know I keep saying this over and over again, but the carnivore diet isn’t a quick-weight-loss scheme. Trying to fix a malnutrition problem by starving yourself is a recipe for disaster. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, and instead you gain 5, but you now enjoy life, don’t have back pain, and are no longer a slave to processed food, you’re far better off with the 5 extra pounds for now.

Excerpted from The Carnivore Diet, By Dr. Shawn Baker.

Learn more HERE

New shopping habits to thrive by coach Kiki F

February 14, 2021 1 Comment

Shopping is Not What It Used to Be

For many of us shopping and grocery shopping have changed a great deal since our childhood. Growing up in London and New York City, my family mostly shopped at small old fashioned proprietor owned shops, like the butcher, the green grocer, a bakery. Additionally we might visit specialty shops specific to a country or culture like an Indian, Asian, Greek or Polish shop where we bought traditionally specific foods and delicacies of those cultures. And of course there were cheese shops, bagel shops, donut shops and delicatessens. 

 

I’ve always enjoyed shopping this way, going to each specialty shop for specific needs. Very often the foods came from behind the counter in a brown bag or a paper wrapper with no labels or brand names. When I was a kid in London in the mid 1970s, fruits and vegetables were never wrapped in anything (unless they were fragile and high priced like a rare taste of Belgian asparagus or Italian peaches then they were wrapped in plain paper) – the vendor removed the produce from the scale and placed them in the mesh produce bag that each shopper carried to the market. Even in those days – in contrast to the USA – grocery chains did not supply free grocery bags, a plastic bag cost a few pence and the responsible homemaker (from what I observed) did not buy these but rather carried her own bags just as we popularly do today. 

 

When I was grade school aged and even through my high school years, large grocery stores were still quite small. There were not gargantuan sized boxes and oversized packaging, no 1/2 gallon sized containers of mayonnaise or 2 litre bottles of soda.

 

Shopping was simpler, more enjoyable, quite old fashioned, and uncomplicated.

Besides where would we store such giant containers or multi-packs of food? Our one car garage was old and just barely fit our one car. There were no mega development homes with 3 to 5 car garages or large kitchens with center islands and dozens of cupboards. Everything was simpler and smaller. And the most important family food – milk, was delivered to the home and left in a cooler box outside the back door or along the hall. In the UK there was no cooler box, daily milk was delivered and even drunk at room temperature. 

 

Shopper Beware

Grocery shopping today is a whole other experience. Most grocery stores are super-sized behemoths with endless rows of packaged and manufactured foods and seeming miles of shelf space and an enormous amount of brands, sizes, and choices. These super stores – though they may seem to save time with the opportunity to shop all of our home needs in one store – they really exist to market as many products to the shopper as possible. Those towers of sale items, the billboard sized display of Tide boxes, boxed cereals mega-brands and bottled salad dressings, the easy to entice and grab candy bars next to the queue that we brush against and smell, and begin to crave as we wait on the slow check out line – all off these are expertly placed and marketed to get the shopper to buy, buy, buy. To buy more than we want, to buy what we don’t even need, to capitulate from even the strongest mindset and transgress budget, health, and diet. 

 

The Shopping Drug – A Modern Way to Feel Good 

Roving through massive grocery stores, discount clothing shops, and mall food courts looking and waiting for something to speak to us, to inspire us to eat or purchase in a search of comforting ourselves or treating ourselves with an emotional reward, a boost or a perk is a new way of shopping. Cinnabon Brand counters blast out that irresistible aroma of fresh baked sugary iced buns over the entire mall. If you resisted at one mall, wait until the next visit, or at the airport and there is Cinnabon ready to break your resolve and capture your dollar and undermine your rational. This kind of marketing is just one of many potential snares to buy and eat food we do not want!

 

You Are Being Targeted

If you are a modern shopper in the giant superstores it is important to know that billion dollar food companies and food marketing companies are engaging shoppers (you) to buy more, and to eat more. It is done persuasively and effectively. Take a look around at the other shoppers and see what it is in their carts, or watch shoppers wander around looking to get their appetites simulated and respond by buying foods with boosted engineered flavours and colours that have already made an impression on the shopper with big ad campaigns they’ve already been exposed to through the media. 

As for going to a giant superstore like Costco where samples are being offered – this is further enticement to taste, swallow, and now to buy foods that are NOT on the shopping list. 

 

Eye On The Prize

Why am I sharing all this? To get you armoured and ready and on a strategic shopping mindset to extricate yourself from all these effective marketing strategies and avoid the minefield of shopping and eating mishaps that are always at the ready to topple the shopper from lofty goals and good self-esteem. I want you to know – if you fall off the wagon, it you buy foods that seem to knock you out of control, it is NOT you! You are not bad, weak, a loser or stuck to never have your health goals. You are like the rat in the scientist’s maze – and great psychological marketing is going to keep you in the maze. But you can get out of the maze – by NEVER going into it! Shopper, keep your eye on the prize and focus to purchase only the nutritious, healing, satisfying super foods of the animal kingdom that make up the Carnivore diet and that will support your success in your health transformation. 

 

The True Value of Your Time

Superstores are a giant time suck. The travel time to get there, park, shop, stand in line, and the time to get out and finally back home to the enjoyment of preparing my oxtail stew, or grilling a steak and to eating delicious fatty meats to satiety – that’s what I really want to do with my food time. I want to eat food that is delicious and share meal prep and mealtime eating with ease and calm and enjoy mealtime with friends, family or my own quiet mind. 

I hate food shopping in superstores. They are loud, overly bright, hard to navigate, crowded – even traversing the parking lot to park, push a cart, or haul grocery bags is a giant accosting experience. Especially when I only purchase four or five foods over and over again (beef, some other meats, salt, sparkling water, limes). It can take 2 – 4 hours to do this whole trip from start to finish. What a waste of my time! Of YOUR time. 

Consider how often you might say – I don’t have enough time, or I never have any free time, or where did all the time go?

Value your time highly and spend it (time is money after all) in the way that is most meaningful to you and with those that are most meaningful to you.

If you have had a habit of going to the grocery store and doing other shopping often, running to the store every time you need only one or two ingredients, or wandering in stores for some emotional boost or bump – change this now!

 

Budget Shopping Hours and Stock Up

To really succeed at lifestyle change, and to welcome the great gifts of mental clarity and self esteem that accompany the Carnivore diet, create a shopping plan that is one day a week. Even less if you can manage it.

Now you will have more time for what you love (no more saying I just never have enough time). 

You will also keep to a minimum the time spent in a grocery store with all the potential to buy what you do not need or want. You will strengthen your mind by giving it less opportunities to succumb to powerful food marketing and undesirable internal food messages. You will give yourself the best chance of building and maintaining new habits around Carnivore lifestyle. With the most important outcome of shopping, food choices, food prep and food eating – YOUR renewed health, energised lifestyle, and your optimal mindset and brain function. Happy healthy YOU. Day in and day out. 

 

Your List

Make a list for all meaty, eggy or cheesy meals – what suits your digestion and health the most – and plan these same meals for every other member of your family! If you have an idea that you are going to eat Carnivore style while the rest of your family eats chips, ice cream, frozen pizzas, and pasta, then your success will be greatly threatened. The longer you stay with a Carnivore diet, you will become a warrior to defend and support your best health BUT until then get all your family on board.
Packaged foods, snack foods are engineered to make us eat them.  Our brains  – when carb-fueled – are unable to limit or restrict carbs – the brain can drive us out of control. Your success is of utmost importance. Every time the dieter feels failure, esteem erodes. Your children or husband or wife does not have different optimal health food needs than you do! The whole human family can eat this way. That is the biggest gift you can give them! Your whole family – even if they do not recognise the necessary health changes that you have, will all be thriving very quickly.

 

Stock Up

Buy more than enough for a week of meals – do not give yourself a chance to slip because you ran out of burger or bacon and now have to dash to the dangerous superstore while you are hungry! Do NOT restrict meal size! Do not limit  calories. Eat and enjoy.

When you buy all fresh food, be willing to freeze it for a few days if needed. Then thaw as you go. So you always have enough, more than enough, meat to satisfy your hunger, nourish your body and brain and get you feeling happy, focused and vital. And to fill up the kids at home, and other family members. When you cook – make extra. This means you and everyone else can grab a fatty meat snack (leftover bacon or sliced steak) at any time in the day or night. 

 

An Extra Gift

So now you are shopping only once a week or less. You are laser focused in the store and get only those things that are on YOUR Carnivore plan. The added benefit of this? All that time that you used to spend shopping, now that is free time on your new schedule! So let’s use that time for the things you love to do.  Implement some new projects or activities with YOUR free time. Now that you are Not shopping every other day – fill this new time slot with crafts, reading, DIY house project, volunteer work, a side gig to earn some extra income, a cultural outing, playtime and projects with friends, kids or grandkids. DO the things you never had time to do and prioritise them in your schedule. 

The Best Use of My Time, Mindset and Meals

These past nearly 3 Carnivore years of my new life, I rarely go food shopping. My boyfriend does 95% of the shopping. He has been in the animal protein and organic food biz his entire adult life. For him shopping is also enjoyable research with an opportunity for professional and creative insights.

We both eat in the same way, though he can tolerate more cheese and pork and sour cream than I can (sigh), his bringing those foods home along with our steaks, burger, oxtail and sparkling water does not throw me off plan (in the beginning I would ask him to eat these things in my absence when out on his social outings). These days, I am happy to see him enjoying these foods.

His weekly family gathering of taco Tuesday turned into Steak Tuesday. All of the family approves and digs in to real nutrition. 

I still love exploring a fish market, a local butcher shop and even getting to know the butcher/meat section and the butcher at a giant superstore. 

I always have more than enough food on hand and I never tire of my Carnivore menu. 

The sick person only dreams of one thing – health. Health is truly wealth.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this shopping strategy. Find me at Wednesday’s Meat and Mindset meeting here on Carnivore.Diet.

Simple grocery shopping tips by coach Tracy K

December 29, 2020 No Comments

Simple is the key word here in shopping! Skip all aisles in the grocery stores except for the meat department, dairy department, and maybe the cleaning aisles as needed. You’ll be so much happier just going for the nutrient dense foods and skipping all the junk, temptations, and crowds of people!

Also, prior to heading to the store, be sure to make a list and plan your meals so that you have in mind what you need to purchase and cross it off as you put it in your grocery cart! Stick to your plan and you’ll spend less money and time! It’s the most minimalistic lifestyle! There’s a big plus!

Lastly, if you love buying meats at a bargain, be sure to scour all the latest grocery store ads and check the clearance area of your favorite supermarkets for the best deals on meat! Additionally, check out your local ranchers or farmer’s markets for great deals on meat, plus many of these great ranchers do regenerative farming practices on their lands which is great for our bodies, the animals and great for our world.

Carnivore grocery shopping tips by coach Elizabeth B

December 27, 2020 No Comments

It’s best to go grocery shopping after a meal or a snack. If you go when you are hungry, you may end up buying carbohydrate foods that give quick energy. They stock the carbs in the front of the store and in the check-out aisle to temp tired and harried shoppers. 

Squeezing in time to shop between other important tasks may cause stress and, you may not be able to concentrate as well as you want to on what you want to purchase. Larger grocery chains also layout stores to ensure that you pass carbohydrate and sugary foods in between where you really want to do your shopping—in the meat, fish, egg, and dairy sections. 

The bigger the store, the more confusing it may be. The profit margin for snack foods is much higher than the profit margin for steak and salmon, so there will be aisle after aisle of these. If you can, find a store with a dedicated meat and fish counter, so it will be easier to avoid the bread and cookie aisles. 

When you are starting out, depending upon where you live, going to the butcher and fish market would provide you with only animal-based foods. The owners can also offer you guidance on different cuts of meat and types of fish they have available. When you go to the store, bring a list you have made at home beforehand, stick to it so, you don’t end up buying something you didn’t plan on buying.

Carnivore grocery shopping tips by coach Michele F

December 27, 2020 No Comments

When grocery shopping, it helps to walk directly to the meat section and fill your cart or basket! You will find that there are so many choices within the meat section – different cuts and beautiful pieces you have yet to try! 

It is exciting to be able to spend your grocery time and money exploring the meat section. Choose different cuts or types of meat. You’ll be resetting your palate and relearning (or possibly even learning for the first time) how these meats taste. It is a fun adventure and exploration. 

I like to purchase large cuts (like roasts) because they tend to be less costly, and then I cut it up into smaller pieces at home. I put those smaller cuts in my broiler. If you have a pressure cooker, you might consider purchasing tougher cuts of meat to pressure cook. Family packs of meat can be a great option and are often sold at a discount. 

Some people recommend checking online or in the store’s ad for sales. However, if researching sales feels time-consuming, it can be most helpful to avoid complications and just go directly to the store. Buy meat that looks delicious to you and fits within your budget. Peruse, find what’s appetizing, and experiment by coach trying different cuts and types of meat. Remember to also peruse the seafood section, if you can tolerate seafood. 

The frozen food section often has packages of ground beef burgers, which are great to keep in the freezer for quick, easy meals. You can mix and match – such as enjoying a delicious plate of scallops, with butter and sea salt, alongside your steak! It is exciting to try new meats! That excitement will keep you motivated for your next grocery shopping trip!

Most importantly when shopping, go directly to the butcher area/meat/seafood section. Ignore the other sections that are filled with cardboard and cans. Who wants to eat cardboard or cans? Yuck! Proceed directly to the meat department and don’t look back. You’ll find many fresh, beautiful choices of real food in the meat department.

Carnivore grocery shopping tips by coach Dana S

December 27, 2020 No Comments
  1. Buy the best you can afford.  Eggs are usually inexpensive if you can tolerate them.
  2. Look for sales and stock up.  Freeze what you won’t use within a few days.
  3. Buy in bulk whenever possible.  Split the food up and freeze what you won’t use in the next few days.  Food savers or airtight containers work well for this.
  4. Shop the perimeter of the store only.
  5. Shop directly from a rancher or farmer.  Many resources can be found on Revero resources.
  6. There are several apps or even websites depending on your location which will help you navigate sales.
  7. Shop ethnic stores.
  8. Ask for fat trimmings directly from the butcher.  Sometimes they will just give this to you or sell it at a low rate.
  9. Don’t shop hungry or when samples are most likely being offered.
  10. Go with a friend who will support you if you feel weak.  Don’t go with someone who will encourage you to buy or sample something not healthy.
  11. If purchasing processed animal foods, be sure to read the labels.
  12. Let someone else do the shopping if they can also be supportive and not return with garbage food.

Categories

Book A Carnivore Coach Now

30 minute zoom call - only $17.99

Book Now