Although there are plenty of tempting dishes that have the potential to send your daily net carb intake sky high, there are many delicious low-carb options that everyone will enjoy (even for your friends and family who aren’t doing Atkins).
If you’re entertaining at Home:
Hosting the party at your house is the easiest option, of course, and gives you control of the menu. Here are some tips:
Hit the deli;
• Cheese and meat platters
• Veggie trays (make your own low-carb dip)
• Antipasto trays (olives, peppers, marinated artichoke hearts and mushrooms, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes are a low-carb dieter’s dream)
• Relish trays
Make your own:
There are plenty of delicious low-carb recipes in The New Atkins for a New You Cookbook: 200 Simple and Delicious Low-Carb Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less. Start with (just to name a few):
• Speedy Spinach Dip
• Spicy Black Bean Dip
• Chili-Cheese Crisps
• Classic Chili con Carne
• Lemon-and-Basil Chicken-Veggie Kebabs
• Peppery-Spicy Baby Back Ribs
• Shrimp Diablo
You can also search our Recipes section on this site for many other delicious low-carb appetizer, dip and side dish options that will turn any party into a guilt-free feast.
If you’re Away from Home:
Try the following tips:
- Have a plan. If there is one food you simply can’t resist, allow yourself one very small serving, and leave it at that. If you know even that one small serving will open the floodgates to a carb free-for-all, resolve to stick with low-carb options.
- Eat before you go. Have a filling low-carb snack or meal before you head to the party. You can try an Atkins bar or shake, or one of our new Atkins frozen meals. This way you won’t be starving, and makes it easier to resist temptation.
- Bring your own. Offer to bring a veggie tray or meat and cheese tray, and/or prepare one or two of the tasty low-carb -friendly recipes listed previously. Knowing you will have a few low-carb choices that you love makes it much easier to enjoy the party (and the game) without guilt or hunger.
- Don’t beat yourself up. So you had a slip-up? Instead of using this as an excuse to call yourself a failure and forgo all the great progress you have made so far on Atkins, make your next meal a low-carb one. Your next step? Plan your next weeks of meals and snacks, which should help you get right back on track. Add in a little exercise to give yourself an extra boost.
With a little planning ahead, you can win at making the weekend Atkins-friendly. Most likely, you won’t feel like you’re missing a thing. Have a great weekend!