1. Pizza & Bread: Outer Aisle Gourmet
I know i'll say this about every product but THESE changed my life. Made with only egg, cauliflower, and a touch of parmesan cheese, they're very low in carbs and protein yet delicious and nutritious. The sandwich thins can be used as a replacement for tons of unhealthy meal additions like toast, ice cream sandwich closers, taco shells, and buns. I also make the pizza crusts at least once a week. Both are SUPER low in net carbs, have the perfect amount of crunch and crisp, and allow me to eat "bread" without that post bread belly.
2. Ice Cream: Wink Frozen Desserts
To be honest an ice cream that is 100 calories a pint, gluten and diary free, plant based and has ZERO net carbs sounds a bit too good to be true. And to be honest - it is -> if you're used to spooning down Ben and Jerry's and you snag one of these bad boys thinking it's gonna be the same experience you're probably going to be disappointed. BUT these pints are 100% guilt free, which is nice for someone like me who cannot help but eat an entire pint in one sitting. Yes, there are brands with a bit of a richer taste, yet they are jam packed with sugar alcohols, dairy, and chemical binders. Wink is a super clean alternative AND I have found a solution to make it taste AMAZING. If you stir in a couple tablespoons of heavy cream (I prefer coconut based), Wink transforms from what you expect a diet ice cream to taste like to something that is rich, creamy, and honestly delicious. To top it off (literally), I always add toppings like pecan or macadamia butter, coconut flakes, cacao nibs, and some seeds and all of a sudden I'm eating a decked out pint sized ice cream sundae completely guilt free.
3. Soda: Zevia
I didn't grow up drinking soda, nor do I ever crave it. Yet, something I did grow up drinking was sparkling water, so I do crave carbonation. Therefore, a few times a week I'll grab one of these instead of a boring old Perrier. Yes, every soda brand has it's own "diet" version - filled with horrible chemicals and sugar alcohols that actually DO have an effect on blood sugar and train your brain to crave sugar again (like xylitol and sorbitol). Zevia, on the other hand, is sweetened with Stevia which isn't a sugar alcohol but a zero calorie natural sugar derived from a plant. It has zero glycemic index and won't spiral you into a whirlwind of cookie and cake cravings after sipping like most artificial "sugar free" sodas do.
4. Crackers / Chips: Flackers
Sometimes a girl just wants to enjoy a few guilt free cheese and crackers or scarf an entire tub of chips and dip. Flackers, an entirely seed-based cracker company, presents us with an amazing opportunity to eat an entire container of guac, salsa, and cheese dip with a crunch for dinner and not think twice about it. It varies by flavor, but most Flackers flavors are about 7.5 carbs per serving with 7 of them being fiber. In other words, less than 1 net carb per serving. Consuming flax seeds are also an excellent way to get your fiber (and even your fat and protein macros) up at the end of the day if you feel like you didn't eat enough fibrous green veggies. I use these for everything - break them up as croutons for salads, top off my smoothie bowls, or to enjoy with nut butter or guacamole as a snack or post workout pick me up.
5. Pasta: House Foods Shirataki Noodles
When it comes to healthy pasta shirataki noodles cannot be beat. They are a Japanese traditional noodle made from a plant called a konjac yam. They are EXTREMELY low in calories, carbs, fat, and protein and are essentially all fiber. Literally an entire bowl of this stuff is 10 calories, allowing the base of your meal to be the caloric equivalent to chewing a piece of mint gum. Although you're basically consuming nothing when eating these noodles, the fiber honestly keeps you super full. I love them paired with a yummy sauce, veggies, and some added protein like shrimp, chicken, and meatballs or even alone as a second dinner if I'm still hungry and don't want to overload on calories and carbs. These noodles also come in a bunch of different pasta forms, allowing guilt free mac and cheese, fettuccini, angel hair, and basically makes whatever pasta preference perks you up feasible and fitting for your diet.
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