There are certain foods that have become low carb Keto staples in our home. These are food items that we typically buy or use each week because we know they are fairly ‘safe’ and taste great!
Fortunately for us, #KetoHusband is a backyard gardener so some of these things we won’t actually have to buy depending on the time of year. So it saves us a little money from time to time. Every penny counts right?
It’s simple to just put a list together of some of the food that is okay for a low carb keto diet, but this list is more of the staples. These are things we need or I use in recipes weekly. Save this list to your Pinterest page and you can pull it up when you might be starting your shopping list for the week.
We know there are certain vegetables that our bodies react to better than others. So, we try to incorporate a healthy vegetable into every meal that won’t raise our blood sugar. Not only for nutrition, but to also to be able teach our kids which vegetables are friendly for our bodies. And it’s a good opportunity to show them and briefly mention why we are eating the vegetables we do. Let’s be real, kids don’t really care to talk about vegetables, so obviously it’s a brief mention, but I remember the saying ‘teach ‘em young’.
Below are the staples for vegetables, but I have another post that is much more comprehensive about good Green Carbs that are keto friendly on my blog. Please check it out!
Vegetable Staples
- Romaine lettuce – This lettuce gives much more volume to your plate and since most people eat with their eyes, this makes you feel like you are eating more food. Which in the beginning of keto is helpful since during the beginning stages, it can be hard to figure out what to eat. I typically use this lettuce on Tuesday’s for #TacoTuesday so we have a side salad.
- Broccoli – This is our number one veggie! It’s quick and easy to steam, and it’s a vegetable winner with the kids. Steam it and add salt and butter and you are good to go in the vegetable department. The butter adds a good amount of fat so it helps you get your macros in for the day if you are lacking in the fat department.
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- Cauliflower (Click for my Cali-Mash recipe) – Typically we use cauliflower as a mashed potatoes substitute, but occasionally we will just eat it as we do broccoli and just steam it and add salt and butter.
- Green Beans – Steamed green beans topped with butter. Mmmm.
- Avocados – While technically not a vegetable – I will still list them under vegetables. We eat a TON! Cut them in half, add salt and pepper and viola!
- Cabbage – Excellent for making Cole Slaw and upping your fat for the day.
- Zucchini – These are still a little carby if you eat a lot, and while not a weekly option, I’ll still include it on the staples list because of its use in Keto Lasagna and Zoodles for noodle replacement.
- Onions – Brings a lot of good flavor to recipes without having to use a lot. Onions can still be high in carbs, so I only buy the white onions and not the sweet ones.
Refrigerated Staples
- Butter – Kerrygold Irish butter is the only butter we buy. It’s made from the milk from grass fed cows and it is by far the best tasting butter you will eat.
- Eggs – Free-range organic eggs are packed with nutrients that you just can’t get from those other eggs. Our go to brand is Pete & Gerry’s and we go through a lot of them! Keep in mind that free-range is not the same as cage-free.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Mostly used for coffee and occasionally ice cream
- Cheese – Various kinds for recipes, but also for snacks (cheese squares or string cheese)
- Full Fat Sour Cream – Great for a taco salad topping or with hot sauce on an egg scramble with peppers and cheese in it.
- Coconut Amino Acids – We don’t use soy sauce so this is the replacement to avoid the soy and you wouldn’t really know the difference. I use it just like soy sauce when sauteing onions or mushrooms for hamburger or steak toppings. Click here to see what the Coconut Aminos bottle looks like. They are available on Amazon, but I have also found them at Publix (our local grocery store).
- Pico de gallo – Tomatoes are one of the fruits that are higher in carbs so we use them in moderation. I found a fresh pico de gallo in the deli department in Publix that is packed full of flavor and not too processed. I use it as a topping/dressing for taco salads and egg scrambles because you don’t need much to get the flavor of fresh tomatoes.
- Mayonnaise – Be sure to look at the ingredients of the mayo you buy. A lot of mayo has sugar added to it and while it’s still a good fat, the carbs in it can be deceiving.
- Ketchup – Just an FYI about ketchup. (It’s not a staple in our home, but I know it is for many.) Traditional ketchup is full of carbs so beware if you are a ketchup lover. It’s adds up quickly. I have seen several low carb or sugar free ketchup’s on the market, but they are usually made with artificial sugar. Just just be cautious if you try to avoid those type of sweeteners.
- Hot Sauce – Frank’s Hot Sauce is a staple for sure! It’s a zero carb dressing, sauce, topping… we use it a lot for flavor on many things. Amazon even sells travel packets of Frank’s!
- Apple Cider Vinegar – We use Bragg’s because there are so many health benefits! But… yes… it’s hard to swallow! 1 tbsp mixed with a cup of water a couple times a day is how we usually get it done!
- Olives – Good fats and excellent addition to salads and omelettes or just as a snack.
Meat Staples
- Chicken – Organic if possible
- Beef – Grass Fed beef has more heart healthy Omega-3 in comparison to non-grass fed. So when possible I try to buy the grass fed products.
- Turkey – While not high in fat, we still prefer turkey meat with homemade taco seasoning for our tacos and taco salads
- Bacon – Because… uh… bacon! This is awesome to fry up a couple packs ahead as prep and then freeze it for an easy add on to breakfast or for snacks at work.
Pantry Staples
- Sukrin Gold – This replacement for brown sugar is the bomb! I actually use it in my coffee with heavy whipped cream and it’s delicious.
- Sukrin Pink – Similar to confectioners sugar, you can use this sweetener to make icings.
- Swerve – I use this when I make my Peanut Butter Cookies. This sweetener is probably the most readily available for people. I can find this in my local Publix which makes it super convenient.
- Erythritol – The granular form is used in a lot of baking recipes for sweetener just like sugar.
Almond Flour – Great for baking cookies and for using in crusts for cheesecake or dessert bars. - Coconut Flour – Hello pancakes!!! This flour is super tasty, but be careful because it absorbs a lot of moisture from the liquid ingredients in your recipes so it is NOT a 1:1 for flour replacement.
- Almonds – A handful is a great snack and they are full of good fats!
- Macadamia Nuts – This is by far my favorite nut! They have a nutty buttery taste and a light coating of salt. But beware, it’s is waaaaaaay to easy to eat too many. LOL Amazon carries a cute snack pack of cans too!
- Lilly’s Chocolate (bars & chips) – Chocolate made with Stevia is an excellent way to still enjoy chocolate guilt free. Lilly’s brand makes chocolate chips and has chocolate bars in about 10 flavors. My favorite is the salted caramel one! Amazon carries them in cases, but you can also buy individual bars at Whole Foods and Publix Supermarkets.
There are tons more low carb keto diet friendly items, but these tend to be our most eaten at the moment. Remember to keep your foods simple because simple is easier, and easier is good! And try not to over complicate your food, especially in the beginning stages of keto. If you can have some go-to-recipes that are satisfying and easy to make you can make sticking with keto much easier.
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