You Have Decided on the Keto Diet, Now What?
So, you just found out about the keto diet, and it sounds like something you might want to try. Now what? You need to hit the store and to do that you will need to be armed with a comprehensive list of keto pantry staples. Having these items on hand will allow you to craft delicious and nutritious recipes that will leave you feeling full and help you meet your health and fitness goals. Here is my list of keto pantry staples that should help set you up for success!
Where to Start
To begin with, let’s talk about meat. On the keto diet, you will tend towards fattier cuts of meat such as dark meat chicken or ribeye steak. Seafood offers another source of healthy animal fat.
The Meats:
- Chicken thighs
- Ribeye steak
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Ground beef
- Pork chops
- Salmon
- Tuna
In the dairy department, you will want to stay away from yogurt and milk. These contain lactose, which is milk sugar, and so they are higher in carbohydrates. Cheeses, however, are relatively low in carbs, and a good choice for keto dieters!
From the Dairy Department:
- Cheese (Most cheeses are low in carbs and a great option for the keto diet. Get all of the cheeses!)
- Butter and Ghee
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Cottage cheese
- Eggs
There are a lot of vegetables that are high in carbohydrates, so there is a common misconception that veggies are not a staple of the keto diet. It is my firm belief that if you are not making room in your daily carb count for the lower carb veggies that you can consume on keto, then you are not doing keto correctly.
Produce:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Green leaf lettuce
- Broccoli Raab
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Mushrooms
- Radishes
- Eggplant
- Asparagus
- Zucchini
- Cabbage
- Spaghetti Squash
- Green onions
- Garlic
- Cauliflower
- Bell pepper
- Green Beans
- Avocados
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
Oils are a great way to infuse your diet with a sufficient amount of healthy fats. Olive oil, avocado, and coconut oil are popular for keto dieters. Oils to avoid include soybean, canola, corn, peanut, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, and grapeseed oils. Most vinegar is keto friendly, but balsamic vinegar will have a higher carb count then most, and should be omitted. I prefer to mix up fresh homemade dressings most of the time, but when I am in a hurry there are plenty of low-carb dressing options to choose from!
Oils and Dressings:
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- MCT oil (Native Path MCT Oil Powder is a really clean product.)
- Nut butter (I like this low-carb Keto Peanut Butter!)
- Mayonnaise (This no-nonsense brand made with avocado oil is my favorite!)
- Rice vinegar
- White vinegar
- Red wine vinegar
- Sugar-free salad dressing (All of the stuff from Primal Kitchen is great!)
- Worcestershire sauce (use sparingly)
There is some debate about whether or not snacking should be permitted on the keto diet. I am a firm believer that if one is hungry one should snack! Keto snacks that I enjoy include pickles, nuts, olives, and keto-friendly jerky. Be wary when it comes to jerky, as many brands will add sugar to their products!
Keto snacks:
- Pecans
- Brazil nuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Almonds
- Pork rinds
- Low sugar beef jerky
- Cheese chips
- Peanut butter
- Olives
- Dill pickles (This is my recipe for the BEST keto quick pickles!)
- Dark dark dark chocolate in very small quantities or Lily’s brand sweetened with stevia!
- NuTrail Keto Nut Granola
- Fat Snax Keto Crackers
I love to bake, and taking on the unique challenge of keto and low-carb baking has been a fun project for me! There are a few key ingredients that you should include in your baking arsenal to really elevate your keto baked goods. Flour and sugar substitutes are important, but perhaps more important are the substances that serve as binders in the absence of the glutenous proteins that are found in wheat flours. These binders include xanthan gum and ground psyllium husks.
For baking you will need:
- Finely ground blanched almond flour (This one works well.)
- Coconut flour (I use this.)
- Xanthan gum
- Ground psyllium husks
- Granulated sweetener (This could be stevia or monk fruit. You will have to find out for yourself which sweetener you prefer)
- Brown sugar replacement
- Powdered sweetener (This trio has powdered, brown and granulated sweeteners!)
- Lily’s sugar-free chocolate chips
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
Herbs and Seasonings:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
Kitchen Gadgets:
- Dash Mini Waffle Maker
- Ninja Blender with smoothie cup attachments
- Air Fryer
This list is not meant to be an exhaustive reporting of what is and is not ok to eat on the keto diet, but armed with this list, a newcomer to the keto diet could confidently venture out to the store and come home ready to whip up some good grub! And a little bonus, every item you need to make my Keto Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff and a batch of my Keto Almond Joy Cookies is on this list! Head on over and check out these and happy snacking!
Let me know in the comments below if this list was helpful!
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