Low-carb diets are about reducing the intake of carbohydrates and increasing the intake of proteins and healthy fats. This diet limits foods such as bread, pasta, and sugary treats, while emphasizing nutrient-rich options such as vegetables, lean meats, and healthy oils. It helps regulate blood sugar levels, supports weight loss, and improves overall energy. They are popular among those who want to enhance metabolic health and maintain a balanced lifestyle.
Easy low carb substitutes
Check this table for easy low carb substitutes for some of your favorite foods:
| If you miss | Try |
|---|---|
| pasta | zucchini noodles |
| rice | cauliflower rice |
| mashed potatoes | mashed cauliflower |
| breading (for example, on chicken nuggets) | 1 part almond flour and 1 part Parmesan cheese |
| table sugar | granulated allulose |
| bread, buns, or tortillas | leaf lettuce |
| crackers or chips | celery, mini peppers, or baby carrots |
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Time saving meal-prep tips
It can also be an adjustment and may reduce your options on dining out or ordering in. Here are a few ways making low carb meal prep easy and convenient:
Have a meal plan for the week: Planning for meals in advance makes it much easier to shop for groceries and stick with your diet as things get hectic and busy.
Prep certain foods ahead of time: Likewise, prep as much as possible ahead of time. For example, you can chop up vegetables, brown ground beef, and you can even make a head of time dressings or marinades. You could also prep all your lunches for work over the weekend prior.
Keep plenty of low carb ingredients on hand: Then you can just throw together a quick low carb meal. For example, if you have frozen shrimp, shirataki noodles, and a jar of Alfredo sauce, you can make a low carb shrimp Alfredo any time.
EASY LOW CARB BREAKFAST RECEPIES
1. Egg and veggie scramble
This dish makes a great breakfast that you can enjoy every day. It’s rich in protein and vegetables to help keep you full for a long time.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon (30 mL) coconut oil
- roughly 1 cup (70–150 grams) fresh or frozen vegetables of your choice (I like sliced mushrooms)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- salt and pepper
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Pour in coconut oil to a pan over medium heat.
- Add the vegetables, cook until nearly done or until the bottom is crisp. Frozen veggies will require a little longer time.
- Add eggs, salt, and pepper. Stir continuously so that the eggs scramble and do not burn.
- Remove the pan from heat as soon as the eggs have set completely. Serve the eggs.
Carb content
- varies based on the veggies you include
2.Bacon and eggs
Although bacon is highly processed and may not be appropriate for your everyday breakfast, it’s an excellent treat every once in a while.
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Add bacon to the skillet and then fry over a medium heat, until it crisps up how you like.
- Transfer the bacon to a plate, crack both eggs into the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs in the bacon fat.
- If you like your yolks runny, do not crack the yolks. Turn the eggs when the whites at the bottom have set. Take them off when the whole white is set. If you prefer the yolks hard, it’s easier to crack the yolks.
Carb content
- roughly 1 gram of carbs for two slices of baconTrusted SourceTrusted SourceFoodData Central
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3.Overnight chia pudding
Overnight oats are easy and flavorful but loaded with carbs. One alternative is chia pudding, which is much lower in carbs. Tiny, fiber-rich chia seeds absorb liquid and swell overnight to form a jelly-like texture.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (24 grams) chia seeds
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) unsweetened milk of your choice
- liquid stevia drops (or your preferred sweetener)
- berries for topping (strawberries and raspberries are low in carbs)
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- In a lidded Mason jar, combine chia seeds, milk, and liquid stevia drops. Place the lid on the jar and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, top with berries and enjoy
Carb count
- depends on the type of milk and berries used
- roughly 10 grams of carbs and 9 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons (24 grams) of chia seedsTrusted Source
4.Bunless butter burger
It doesn’t get much easier than a bunless burger that you can dress however you’d like.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon (7 grams) butter
- 1 preformed hamburger patty
- salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Put butter to a skillet then turn the heat up medium-high.
- Add hamburger patty and season with salt, pepper and, Worcestershire sauce.
- Flip the patty after a few minutes and season the other side. Cook it fully, or until the juices run clear.
- Dress the burger with your favorite low carb toppings and serve with a side salad for a complete meal.
Carb count
- A plain, cooked hamburger pattyTrusted Source has 0 grams of carbs
- Toppings and sides may add carbs
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5. Avocado Waldorf chicken salad
Avocado serves as a fiber-rich alternative to mayo in this take on a Waldorf chicken salad. To reduce the carbs even further — for instance, to make it keto-friendly — you can exclude the apple and grapes.
Ingredients
- about 1 cup (140 grams) shredded cooked chicken (you can use a rotisserie chicken for convenience)
- 1 green apple, cored and diced
- 5 seedless grapes, quartered
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 ounce (28 grams) crushed walnuts
- 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and smashed
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) lemon juice
- salt and peppe
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Place together chicken, apple, grapes, celery, and walnuts in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add avocado and lemon juice, mix until the avocado has coated all other ingredients.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Carb count
- contains roughly 23 grams of carbs and 8 grams of fiber per serving
- makes 2 servings
6. Low carb snack board
For an easy meal or irresistible party appetizer, make a snack board with your favorite low carb ingredients and dips.
Ingredients
- Meats and proteins: hard-boiled eggs, jerky, pepperoni, salami, deli meats
- Cheeses: pepper jack, Gouda, Parmesan, cheddar
- Nuts and seeds: walnuts, pecans, almonds, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
- Fruits: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries
- Vegetables: olives, celery, baby carrots, mini peppers, raw broccoli, raw cauliflower, cherry tomatoes
- Dips: cream cheese dips (unsweetened), sour cream dips, hummus (in small amounts only)
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Choose any of the ingredients above and assemble your board in a visually appealing fashion.
- Optionally, garnish with fresh herbs or dried herb bundles.
Carb count
- varies depending on serving size and ingredients chosen
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EASY LOW CARB DINNER RECEPIES
7. Weeknight chicken wings
These wings take very little prep and are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 grams) raw, unbreaded chicken wings
- seasoning blend or rub of your choice
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Rub the chicken wings with spice blend of your choice.
- Bake at 360–395°F (180–200°C) for around 40 minutes, or until each wing is cooked through.
- To finish, broil the wings until browned and crunchy, flipping as needed. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
- Serve with ranch dressing, celery sticks, and carrot sticks.
Carb count
- Unbreaded chicken wingsTrusted Source are carb-free
- Still, certain rubs or spice blends may contain carbs
8. Shortcut fajitas
This quick low carb meal uses shredded rotisserie chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) coconut oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) shredded cooked chicken (from a rotisserie chicken, if available)
- fajita seasoning, salt, and pepper
- water, as needed
- lettuce
- tomato
- sour cream
- low carb tortillas
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and bell peppers and cook until some parts are browned but the veggies retain some crispness.
- Add chicken and seasonings, plus 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 mL) water if needed to help the seasoning stick to the meat and vegetables.
- Once chicken is cooked through, remove from heat.
- Serve with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and low carb tortillas.
Carb count
- The fajita filling contains approximately 9 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber per serving
- This recipe makes 2 servings
- The carb count may increase, depending on tortillas and toppings
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9. Low carb chicken nuggets
Using an easy breading mixture and an air fryer, you can make healthy, low carb chicken nuggets to rival those from your favorite restaurant.
Ingredients
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup (48 grams) almond flour
- 1/2 cup (45 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into nugget-size pieces
- olive oil cooking spray
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Put the whisked egg into a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix almond flour, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in the other medium-sized bowl.
- Toss chicken pieces in beaten egg, then bread each piece with almond flour-Parmesan mixture.
- Place nuggets in an air fryer basket sprayed with cooking spray, and spray nuggets with cooking spray to brown the nuggets.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes, then toss or flip and bake at the same temperature for 5 more minutes.
- Serve with a low carb dipping sauce and a side salad.
Carb count
- Carb count depends on the size of the nuggets, which affects how much breading adheres to them
- Still, these nuggets contain minimal carbs from the almond flour and cheese
10. ‘Meatza’
If you miss pizza on your low carb diet, you’ll love this crustless “meatza.”
This recipe is easy to modify, and you can add any low carb ingredients you want — veggies, mushrooms, cheeses, and so on.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound (225 grams) ground Italian sausage
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) pizza sauce
- 1/3 cup (40 grams) shredded pizza cheese
- your preferred pizza toppings
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- On a nonstick rimmed baking sheet, form ground sausage into a thin square or circle and bake at 375°F (190°C) until it’s cooked through.
- Pour off any excess fat from the sheet. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings to the sausage.
- Return the sheet to the oven until the cheese is melted and browned, 10–15 minutes
Carb count
- varies based on sauce and toppings chosen
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11. Cauliflower rice taco bowls
Tacos are still possible on a low carb diet — just opt for taco bowls loaded with low carb ingredients instead of using taco shells.
Ingredients
- cauliflower rice
- cooked, taco-seasoned ground beef
- red onion
- lime wedges
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- cilantro
- guacamole
- salsa
- lettuce
- radish slices
- taco sauce
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Set out all ingredients, family-style.
- Let each member of your household prepare their bowl to their liking.
Carb count
- varies based on portion size and ingredients chosen
12. Easy zucchini spaghetti
Using a premade no-sugar-added pasta sauce, you can easily make a low carb zucchini spaghetti.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 grams) lean ground beef
- salt
- 4 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 1 (24-ounce / 700-mL) jar no-sugar-added spaghetti sauce
- grated Parmesan cheese
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
- Cook the beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned.
- While the beef cooks, salt zucchini noodles in order to absorb excess moisture.
- Drain excess fat from beef.
- Heat reduced to low; sauce added to pan with beef.
- Pat the zucchini noodles dry and add them to the pan. Let them heat through.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.
Carb count
- contains about 10 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber per serving
- makes 4 servings