Low Carb Programme

Meal Planning Guide

Is it important that you eat adequate amounts of healthy protein,
vegetables and natural fats at each meal in order to fill you up and help
avoid unplanned unhealthy snacking. Use the guide below, alongside
our low carb food list on the next page, to help you plan your meals.
Be aware that many processed foods and ready meals will be low on
protein, fibre and natural fats, and high in sugar and starchy carbohydrates.
Choose unprocessed real foods where possible.

Pick a Pick some low carb Add

Protein Veggies Fat
for satiety and to for fibre and for flavour, satiety
build and repair micronutrients and to absorb fat
soluble vitamins
Meat Fill up on vegetables Add fats from the green zone,
All types of meat including from the green zone. including olive oil, butter,
beef, pork, lamb, duck. Add in additional coconut oil and cream.
veggies from the
Poultry amber zone to eat And/or include protein
Chicken, turkey instead of higher foods that are also good
carb foods. sources of natural fat
Fish including oily fish, nuts
All types of fish including
and seeds, dairy foods
fresh, frozen and canned. AVOID potatoes and such as yogurt milk and
Eggs sweet potatoes cheese, eggs, meat as
Cook them the where possible. well as avocado pears.
way youlike them.
Include non-sugary dressings
Dairy Note: Some plant-based and sauces such as
Full fat milk, yogurt, protein foods such as beans, mayonnaise and pesto.
cheese * nuts and seeds also provide
a good source of fibre.
Plant based protein AVOID margarine and
Beans and pulses vegetable seed oils.
Tofu
Quorn
Nuts and seeds
 Red, Amber and Green
foods & drinks
Green foods are things that you can
have as much of as you like
Vegetables Protein
• Eggs
• Asparagus
• Fish: fresh, frozen, tinned
• Aubergine
(avoid breaded or battered fish)
• Avocado
• Meat: beef, lamb, pork
• Broad beans
• Meat substitutes: Quorn, soya, tofu
• Broccoli
• Nuts: almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts,
• Brussels sprouts hazel nuts, macadamias, pecans
• Cabbage • Poultry
• Cauliflower • Seeds: flaxseeds, chia seeds,
• Celeriac pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
• Celery
• Courgettes Fat
• Cucumber • Butter
• Green beans • Cream
• Green leaves (any type) • Olive oil
• Kale · Leeks · Lettuce • Coconut oil
• Mange tout
• Mushrooms
Dairy
• Olives
• Full fat milk
• Onion
• Full fat plain yogurt
• Pak Choi
• Full fat cheese
• Pepper
• Radish
• Spinach
Drinks
• Water
• Swiss chard
• Soda water
• Tomatoes
• Coffee
• Watercress
• Tea

Fruit
• Berries
Other
• Fermented vegetables (ie sauerkraut)
• blueberries, raspberries, cranberries,
strawberries, blackberries • Herbs and spices
• Blackcurrants and redcurrants • Almond flour, coconut flour and gram flour
• Coconut • Marmite
• Grapefruit • Sauces such as mayonnaise
and pesto
• Rhubarb
 Amber foods are foods which
are ok in moderation

Vegetables Dairy and milk substitutes

• Coconut milk, almond milk
• Butternut squash
and soya milk (choose
• Parsnips unsweetened versions)
• Peas
• Swede
• Sweetcorn
• Turnip Drinks
• Diet drinks
• Red or white wine
Fruit • Spirits with diet mixers
• Apples • Cocoa
• Cantaloupe melon
• Cherries
• Figs
• Galia melon
Other
• Dark chocolate (min 80% cocoa)
• Honeydew melon
• Sweeteners: Stevia,
• Kiwi
erythritol, xylitol
• Melon
• Nectarine
• Orange
• Pears
• Plums
• Watermelon

Protein
• Beans and pulses: Lentils,
kidney beans, chickpeas,
black eyed beans etc

• Nuts: cashews, pistachios,

chestnuts

• Processed meats: bacon,

ham, sausages
 Red foods are foods to avoid
as much as possible

Vegetables Dairy and milk substitutes

• Low fat cheese
• Low fat milk
• Potatoes
• Low fat yogurt
• Sweet potatoes
• Fruit yogurt containing sugar or sweetners
• Rice milk and oat milk

Fruit
• Bananas
• Dried fruit
Drinks
• Beer
• Fruit juice
• Cider
• Grapes
• Cordials
• Mango
• Fizzy drinks
• Pineapple
• Fruit juice
• Tinned fruit in syrup or juice
• Sports drinks

Starchy carbohydrates Sweet and processed

• Bread
• Cereal: Weetabix, cornflakes, granola etc foods
• Cous cous • Biscuits
• Pasta • Breadsticks
• Rice • Cakes
• Rice based products: rice cakes and bars • Chips
• Wheat based products: wraps, • Crackers
pitta bread, flat bread, pizza • Crisps
• Wheat flour • Honey
• Ice cream
• Jam
• Maple syrup
Fat • Milk chocolate
• Vegetable seed oils: rapeseed, sunflower, • Milkshake
cottonseed, Canola • Pies and sausage rolls
• Margarine • Protein bars
• Low fat spreads • Sugary sauces
• Low fat cooking spray • Sugary drinks
• Sweeteners (apart from those listed
in the amber zone)
• Sweets