Funny thing is, if there is something we need that may be in one of those 'inside aisles' like vanilla extract, witch hazel, cocoa, coffee, or something, we are lost, we don't know which aisle to go down. What we want is usually not on those index signs.

OK, full disclosure - - I DO know where the coffee and Russell Stover sugar-free chocolate is.

Bob

Russell Stover sugar-free chocolate . . . I remember when I first went low carb, they were a good source to ease transition. Thing is I had to control quantity consumed or suffer the consequences. Haven't seen them around lately at my supermarket.

When I make the occasional foray into the middle aisles of my SM, I am continually amazed at the variety of products processed for our consumption. It's a sensory overload, and I have no idea how people distinguish among the varieties, which all appear to be the same to me. I like simple, and whole food is simple.

LOL. I am hardcore now, I do Baker's chocolate! Or, the 70-80% range for treat occasions.

Me too, but it should really be next to the Ex-Lax.

Russel Stover uses Stevia now, but the sugar alcohols don't really affect me, except for xylitol.

I also like Lindt 85%. One square isn't that much in the sugar department, but I never eat more than one in a day.

Talk about sensory overload, go down the cereal or the potato chip aisle one day. It's like walking in a Hawaiian shirt!

I used to do Pork Rinds and I almost needed sunglasses to get them

Bob

I'm another perimeter shopper. Our local Save-a-lot has some great bargains. A 10 lb bag of frozen leg quarters ranges in price from 3.99 to 6.99 a pound depending on whether or not it's on sale. Can't beat the price.

I can go into Sainsbury's and buy Montezuma Absolutely Black chocolate. Only ingredient, cocoa mass. It is not my favourite 100% chocolate though, for that I need a health food store.

I get Lindt 85% chocolate. Sure there is a bit of sugar in it, but one square isn't that much (2.25 carbs). To have one every once in a while for me is a nice indulgence and I do it on a day when I have no problem staying under my 20 carb/day limit.

And the net carbs are not just sugar, cocoa has a high fiber count.

Not sure if the 2.25 accounts for the fiber content.

Chocolate has so much goodness.

Having a square on lower carb days hasn't hurt me - or at least it hasn't seemed to. On higher carb (for me) days it's a Russell Stover stevia sweetened chocolate treat.

I'm currently in the upper 170s, my target weight was 185, the line that at my height made me classified as overweight.

I can't do over 20 carbs/day and stay in ketosis. Some folks are luckier than that, and more power to them, but to stay healthy, I have to seriously restrict carbs.

It's worth it.

Bob

I buy JoJo's chocolate bars at Costco (I'm sure you can buy them other places, too). They have a few nuts and things mixed in, but it's mostly high quality chocolate. The whole 2-oz. bar is 8g (net), but given where my sweet tooth is these days and the dense flavor of the chocolate, I find I'm happy with half a bar, so 4g is not a lot for an after-dinner treat. They're made with regular sugar, so there's no weird taste or "after effects."

JoJos also has a new bar that's chocolate, peanut butter and sea salt that I'd love to try.

The company was started by someone who was trying to "eat less sugar" and get her health back on track after being diagnosed with breast cancer. They never really say that she went "low carb" or "keto," but you can read between the lines.

I like a square every now and then of Lindt 85 or Ghirardelli 86 - the two I've gotten. IQ bars are nice now and then too - but I've found I overeat them so I stop buying (until next time).

The more I stay at a ketogenic level of carbs, the darker the chocolate, the better, I even eat Baker’s chocolate. Two big squares for ONE carb.

I can add my own nuts and berries.

85% is about as dark as I can handle and still enjoy it. I also go for chocolate that hasn't been "Dutched" (treated with alkaline) because I read the alkali naturalizes some of the extra healthy antioxidants.

I split up my shopping between a few different stores.
My meat market for instance, has 80-20 ground beef, 50 cents less per pound than any other market.
Aldi’s has vegetables (which are hit or miss) 50 cents less per item, than other grocery stores.
Publix is the most expensive and I go in there maybe once a year, for a specialty item like jarred anchovies.
When I lived in Tennessee, I shopped at Kroger for items that were better priced than say, Aldi’s..

When I was a teenager and living at home, my father and I did the shopping on Saturday mornings. He would drop me off at one store with the exact change and a list of things to buy. He would travel across town to another store for other items and then pick me up when he was done. He was also born in 1932... part of the depression era mentality. But it was he who taught me that not every store had all the items we liked to have during the week. (Guess, it’s instilled in me)

Even to this day, I read all the weekly flyers, decide what my weekly menu will be and then go hunt at the different stores for said items.