If you're controlling your carbs, you'll want to adopt new strategies at the supermarket as well as in the kitchen.

The following tips can help you streamline the process and ensure that you fill your shopping cart with all the right foods.

1. Do the majority of your shopping along the perimeter of the store - that's where you'll find the most nutritious, lowest carb foods.

2. Be careful when selecting prepared salads from the deli counter - even those you might think are acceptable, such as tuna, egg and cucumber salads, can contain added sugar. Avoid salads with pasta, potatoes and grains.

3. Milk is high in carbs and is not acceptable during the initial phases of Atkins. Instead, keep an eye out for a new category of controlled-carb dairy drinks that taste like milk. Low-carb yogurts and smoothies are also available in the dairy section.

4. Be careful with condiments. Almost all brands of ketchup, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, marinades, and sweet and sour sauce contain added sugars. Look for low-carb versions, or stick with naturally low-carb items like oils, vinegar and mustard (although honey mustard is an exception).

5. Many frozen vegetables are swimming in sauces that include starches; plus, butter-flavored and cheese-flavored sauces typically list partially hydrogenated vegetable oils as the first ingredient. Choose plain frozen vegetables and cook them in broth for more flavor, then dress them with a little melted butter.

6. Make sure the frozen fruit you purchase is unsweetened - look for the words "unsweetened," "sugar-free" or "no added sugar" on the label and examine the ingredients list for sugar in all forms, including fruit juice concentrate.

7. Look beyond chicken. Turkey, duck and game hens are readily available whole or, in the case of duck and turkey, cut up. They are full of flavor and, like all poultry, have zero grams of net carbs.

8. Most packaged dips are full of sweeteners and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Instead, buy sour cream and stir in your own seasonings, such as horseradish or chopped chives. Salsa is a good choice; be sure to select a brand without sugar or other sweeteners.