Sugar-Free Shopping

[KMMK]

In an effort to improve my health I want to reduce as much sugar consumption as possible. However I don't really like to throw away or give away food I've already purchased. So I've decided to just start with only buying sugar-free food and I'll slowly use up what I have around the house.

Anyone else want to join me?

Here are some details of my plan/situation:

Gluten intolerant, previously vegetarian, but now eat fish sometimes as I feel this is a better choice for my health, and I can't be completely ethical about everything all the time.

Foods I will still buy that have natural sugar - fresh fruit, frozen fruit, dairy.
No artificial sugars (I've always avoided these), no honey, maple, etc.
Try to avoid: dried fruits - too sugar concentrated and sometimes coated, cereal, sweetened almond milk, items like tomato sauce and soups with sugar added.

Substitute items to buy/eat more of instead: Cheese, cream, nuts, seeds, coconut milk, canned legumes (convenience snacks - I do usually use dry), tuna, mayonnaise, eggs.

Challenges:
Do any crackers not have sugar?
Bread? - will probably have to continue to eat some occasional sugar here, though I don't eat a lot of bread.
Granola bars for back-up snacks - will need to do something else - rice cakes and nuts? Make my own?
Pasta sauce - make my own with tomatoes/onions/garlic/seasoning.
Ice cream? Not a big thing for me, but can probably make something with bananas, other fruit, cream/milk that is healthier.
Chocolate - this is tricky. Try to keep chocolate out of the house but if I really need it go for the darkest type. Risky to have any.

Eating out - rare, at least. I've been getting chai lattes a lot lately. Need to substitute tea with milk/cream instead.

So I'll be reporting back on my shopping trips and any challenges that come up along the way. And also when I make the appropriate substitution.

[swick]

Good Challenge!

Makes going shopping a bit frustrating though - lots of hot sauces have sugar added as well.

The crokpot chai that I make, I have been making without sweetener. I find it gets enough from the milk - especially once your body adapts to not having as much.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/fire-drill!-skip-this-week%27s-grocery-shop/msg47338/#msg47338

Interested in hearing your experiences and updates!

[KMMK]

Good Challenge!

Makes going shopping a bit frustrating though - lots of hot sauces have sugar added as well.

The crokpot chai that I make, I have been making without sweetener. I find it gets enough from the milk - especially once your body adapts to not having as much.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/fire-drill!-skip-this-week%27s-grocery-shop/msg47338/#msg47338

Interested in hearing your experiences and updates!

Great idea. I'll definitely be trying your recipe out. I've been meaning to work on my chai at home recipe for a while.

[sisto]

I've been eating that way for over a year now. I found out I was allergic to gluten in October 2014. I also don't consume much dairy either. I stay away from all GMO foods and processed foods. I also try to completely avoid sugar. You can buy the Kind bars that are made with evaporated cane juice. That is way better than processed sugar. They make a good occasional snack for when you need something convenient. I also snack on raw nuts/seeds. Good luck, you should start feeling much better after the first month of doing it.

[kib]

When I'm feeling up to it, I make my challenge simply to buy what I call Whole ingredients.  By which I mean single ingredients as close as I can find to the way mother nature would have made them (and presented them to me.  If it doesn't come wrapped in glass, foil, paper or plastic, that's a plus.)

[KMMK]

When I'm feeling up to it, I make my challenge simply to buy what I call Whole ingredients.  By which I mean single ingredients as close as I can find to the way mother nature would have made them (and presented them to me.  If it doesn't come wrapped in glass, foil, paper or plastic, that's a plus.)

Yep, that's how I try to eat most of the time, but need to do better.

Today's shopping: only sugar was in gluten-free bread. Only 3g in 2 slices, so I'll deal with that. I really needed the bread for tuna and egg sandwiches. Also bought some pomegranate/blueberry juice - just natural sugars. I know juice is really sugary so I normally don't drink juice except when I'm sick or really rundown, and then I treat the juice as medicinal and only have 1/3 cup or so at a time.

[Sibley]

I've been eating that way for over a year now. I found out I was allergic to gluten in October 2014. I also don't consume much dairy either. I stay away from all GMO foods and processed foods. I also try to completely avoid sugar. You can buy the Kind bars that are made with evaporated cane juice. That is way better than processed sugar. They make a good occasional snack for when you need something convenient. I also snack on raw nuts/seeds. Good luck, you should start feeling much better after the first month of doing it.

Just a point that I like to make (because I'm contrary). Unless you're eating wild foods, then you're eating GMO foods. Domestication = GMO. Meaning, just about everything we eat is genetically modified in some way.

Do some research into GMO rather than relying on the current hysteria going around about it.

[meg_shannon]

Good luck!

Sugar is difficult for me. If it's in the house, I have very little self control. While I was single, I just didn't buy treats from the store and limited myself to an occasional dessert out. Now my husband likes to keep sweets around, but he has no trouble limiting himself even though they're readily available. I still haven't found a good solution.

[Erica/NWEdible]

I've been eating that way for over a year now. I found out I was allergic to gluten in October 2014. I also don't consume much dairy either. I stay away from all GMO foods and processed foods. I also try to completely avoid sugar. You can buy the Kind bars that are made with evaporated cane juice. That is way better than processed sugar. They make a good occasional snack for when you need something convenient. I also snack on raw nuts/seeds. Good luck, you should start feeling much better after the first month of doing it.

Just a point that I like to make (because I'm contrary). Unless you're eating wild foods, then you're eating GMO foods. Domestication = GMO. Meaning, just about everything we eat is genetically modified in some way.

Do some research into GMO rather than relying on the current hysteria going around about it.

No, no, no.

Hybridization and selective breeding is not the same as transgenic modification, which is what 99% of people mean when they say GMO. Look, I'm as pro-science as they get, but the line that "GMO=plant breeding" or "GMO=domestication" is total bullshit and a giant red herring thrown out by people who want to confuse the issue.

But this is not the point of this thread...so I'll stop now.

[Hamster]

The crokpot chai that I make, I have been making without sweetener. I find it gets enough from the milk - especially once your body adapts to not having as much.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/fire-drill!-skip-this-week%27s-grocery-shop/msg47338/#msg47338

Another easy option for 'chai', instead of mixing all the spices and brewing a concentrate is to buy the masala (chai spice) at any Indian grocery. Just brew a cup of tea, and add milk and powder. All done.

It will be called chai masala or tea spice, and is probably as cheap as buying the various spices individually.

The usual recipe for masala milk chai is about 3 parts water to 1 part milk; add about 1 tsp of loose tea per cup (or bags if you wish), and a little bit of chai spice (maybe 1/8 tsp). add sugar (or not) to taste.

You can also get loose leaf black tea at any indian grocery - typically Lipton red or yellow label, or Tetley's. It is cheaper than bags, with less packaging waste. I have a single cup tea ball and a big tea ball for making larger pots.

Just to be obnoxious:
Chai = tea
Masala = spice mixture
Masala Chai = spiced tea (what most people call chai in the west).
Chai masala = Tea spice
Chai latte - $4 Starbucks version of masala chai with foam.

[Rubic]

I've gone sugar-free, reduced carb, and mostly processed-food free since last June.

My policy has been to just avoid all the sugar substitutes.  It's a waste of time trying to make one kind of food artificially taste like another and interferes with your enjoyment of sugar-free, processed-free foods.

[Nancy]

Good on ya! I've been eating this way for about 6 months, and I've found that I've had to make a lot of stuff instead of buying it to avoid sugar.
I make my own whole wheat no knead bread. Delicious and easy.
The pasta sauce we bought in bulk has no sugar.
For snacks: mostly nuts, fresh fruit and veg, rice cakes, peanut butter (just peanuts), popcorn (I buy the kernels and pop them in a paper bag). Sometimes I buy tortilla chips and salsa or I make my own guacamole.
I make my own desserts using banana or apple sauce (just apples) to sweeten. Or I make fruit "ice cream." Good stuff.

Good luck!

[4alpacas]

I'm trying to reduce the amount of sugar I consume too.

Chocolate - this is tricky. Try to keep chocolate out of the house but if I really need it go for the darkest type. Risky to have any.

I keep cocoa powder in my kitchen.  When I'm craving chocolate, I use half a frozen banana and a lot of cocoa powder.  I made some last night for dessert.  We had some leftover, so I added a little milk and peanut butter to make it a breakfast smoothie for the morning. 

[sisto]

I've been eating that way for over a year now. I found out I was allergic to gluten in October 2014. I also don't consume much dairy either. I stay away from all GMO foods and processed foods. I also try to completely avoid sugar. You can buy the Kind bars that are made with evaporated cane juice. That is way better than processed sugar. They make a good occasional snack for when you need something convenient. I also snack on raw nuts/seeds. Good luck, you should start feeling much better after the first month of doing it.

Just a point that I like to make (because I'm contrary). Unless you're eating wild foods, then you're eating GMO foods. Domestication = GMO. Meaning, just about everything we eat is genetically modified in some way.

Do some research into GMO rather than relying on the current hysteria going around about it.

No, no, no.

Hybridization and selective breeding is not the same as transgenic modification, which is what 99% of people mean when they say GMO. Look, I'm as pro-science as they get, but the line that "GMO=plant breeding" or "GMO=domestication" is total bullshit and a giant red herring thrown out by people who want to confuse the issue.

But this is not the point of this thread...so I'll stop now.

I agree with you Erica. I have the biggest issues with what has been done to wheat, corn, and soy. It's my opinion that it's what's making people sick. That and all of the processing of foods. Other countries were much more healthy until they adopted the American diet. The body's immune system is amazing, but can only take so much punishment. After years of abuse from diet, lack of exercise, lack of good sleep, and an abundance of caffeine and sugar it finally starts breaking down.

[MM_MG]

Zero processed sugar in our house.  Get a minimal amount in honey, fruit and wine.   We found it best just to cut it out as much as possible. 

[Thegoblinchief]

I definitely use sweeteners in moderation. Turbinado, raw honey, maple syrup. But a lot of things that traditional call for sugar don't need any, or greatly reduced amounts. The kids eat tons of fruit, and in summertime we make lots of smoothies and Popsicles.

I've got diabetes on both sides of my family, but all of it was late adult onset, and everyone was pretty obese, so I'm concerned more with general weight, nutrition, and fitness.

I can't do vegetarian. Animal protein and fat is absolutely critical for my satiety mechanisms but research on that appears to be mainly genetic. Some people can't synthesize long-chain omegas from short-chain plant ones. I definitely cook with olive oil, eat nuts, etc but some extra animals products go a long way.

I do only buy pastured or sustainably harvested wild meat. Ultimately I want to raise my own but can't do much on 1/10th acre ;)

If anyone's having a hard time with ideas, I'd be glad to try and help.