It’s common to feel hungry between meals when you first start on a ketogenic diet. There are several reasons why this may occur. You might not be eating enough fats and proteins or getting enough water and sleep. It might also take time for your body to adjust to the significant decrease in carb intake.
Before turning to snacks, try pulling different levers in your diet. For example, you may increase your fat or protein intake or drink more water to help combat cravings and maintain satiety between meals. Increasing your fibre intake might also help to curb hunger, but you’d want to go for non-starchy vegetables and nuts with a low net carb content.
Of course, it’s perfectly okay to snack once in a while while you’re on a keto diet. But picking a snack low enough in carbs is crucial so you don’t get kicked out of ketosis.
We’ll explore some of the best keto snack ideas in this article.
19 Best Keto Snacks to Stock Up On
Let’s look at which snacks are suitable for a keto and low-carb diet.
Zucchini Chips
There are approximately 3.2 grams of carbohydrates and 2.1 grams of net carbs per 100 grams of zucchini. This makes zucchini chips a keto-friendly alternative to potato chips.
You can make your own zucchini chips at home. Thinly slice zucchini and pat the slices dry before seasoning with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, place them in the air fryer or oven to crisp them up.
Veggie Sticks with Guacamole
Cucumber and celery sticks are two keto-friendly options to pair with a guacamole dip. Cucumber contains just about 3.6 grams of carbs and 3.1 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. And there are an estimated 3 grams of carbs and 1.4 grams of net carbs in 100 grams of celery.
The main ingredient in guacamole is avocado, a low-carb fruit high in healthy fats, making it one of the best foods to include in your keto lifestyle. Avocados are also rich in vitamins C, B, E, and K, as well as magnesium and potassium.
Guacamole is an easy dip to whip up. Mash ripe avocados with a fork and season them with lime, cilantro, salt, and jalapeno pepper. Aside from veggie sticks, guacamole also pairs well with roasted veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and mushrooms.
Deviled Eggs
One large hard-boiled egg contains just 0.6 grams of carbs. So not only are eggs a great addition to any low-carb diet, but they also deliver a wealth of nutrients and minerals, including protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B, selenium, and phosphorus.
Make your keto deviled eggs at home with just a few ingredients like Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and garlic powder.
Almond Butter
There are approximately 18.8 grams of carbs and 8.5 grams of net carbs per 100 grams of almond butter. Because almond butter is low in net carbs and rich in healthy fats, it’s a suitable choice for a low-carb, high-fat diet. When picking almond butter off the grocery shelf, be sure to read its nutritional label and opt for a product without any added sugar or honey.
Almond butter can be used as a dipping sauce or to dress vegetables like cucumber and celery. Other kinds of nut butter that are great for a keto diet include walnut butter and macadamia nut butter.
Pork Rinds
Pork rinds are one of the most keto-friendly snacking options out there. Since pork contains virtually no carbs and is high in fats, pork rinds fit very well into a keto lifestyle and are unlikely to affect ketosis.
While they are an easy source of fats for anyone on a keto diet, it’s still best to consume them in moderation since they’re nutritionally poor and low in essential vitamins or minerals. They also tend to be high in saturated fats and sodium.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate can be consumed on a keto diet, but this also depends on the cocoa content of the chocolate. If you’d like to enjoy dark chocolate as a snack, it’s important to pick high-quality dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70%. This variation will most likely contain less sugar and, thus, less carbs.
One serving of dark chocolate (around 28 grams) contains about 13 grams of carbs and 10 grams of net carbs, so it can only be consumed in moderation to ensure you stay below your daily carb allotment.
Beef Jerky
This gluten-free keto snack contains about 11 grams of carbs and 9 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. Since beef contains 0 carbs, most of the carbs in beef jerky can be attributed to the sugar and seasonings added. Certain brands offer beef jerky that does not contain sugars and is made to be low-carb.
Alternatively, you can make your own keto beef jerky at home by marinating sliced flank steak with your seasonings of choice and a brown sugar substitute or carb-free monk fruit sweetener.
Edamame
There are approximately 10 grams of carbs and 6.7 grams of net carbs per 100 grams of edamame. This healthy snack is rich in dietary fibre and has a low glycemic index, so snacking on them is unlikely to lead to spikes in your blood glucose levels. Edamame is also especially rich in folate and vitamin K.
Edamame is a source of soy protein, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has noted that soy protein may help lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease [1].
This vegetable snack can be eaten alone. But you can also enhance its flavour by adding seasonings of your choice, such as salt, pepper, parmesan, or vinegar.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds without shells contain about 13.3 grams of carbs and 10 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. They’re packed with valuable nutrients, including fibre, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. These seeds are also high in antioxidants that can help to combat disease and inflammation.
You can enjoy pumpkin seeds raw, though they’re incredibly delicious when roasted.
Pecans
This low-carb snack contains approximately 13.9 grams of carbs and 4.3 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. This nutritional powerhouse is also said to help improve blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease [2].
They’re also an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fats, magnesium, calcium, and fibre, not to mention that they have a low-glycemic index and are unlikely to lead to blood sugar spikes after consumption.
Macadamia Nuts
A hundred grams of macadamia nuts contain around ~13.4 grams of carbs and 5.4 grams of net carbs. Compared to other kinds of nuts, these are lower in carbs and higher in healthy fats, which makes them an excellent addition to a keto diet.
Macadamia nuts can also contribute to a lower risk of heart disease, as research has found that they can help to improve cholesterol levels by reducing total cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels in the blood [3].
Cheese Crisps
Cheese crips are one of the simplest keto snacks to make. You can quickly prepare this snack at home using shredded cheddar cheese—and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for extra flavour. There are approximately 1.3 grams of carbs in 100 grams of cheddar cheese, so these cheese crisps contain negligible carbs.
Go for shredded cheese rather than sliced cheese to obtain a crispy texture. You may also swap out cheddar cheese for other keto-friendly options, including mozzarella and Colby cheese.
Avocado Chips
This easy-to-assemble snack can be made by mixing five to six simple ingredients, including a ripe avocado, parmesan cheese, and seasonings such as salt, pepper, lime juice, and garlic powder.
A large avocado contains about 17.1 grams of carbs and 3.6 grams of net carbs and can yield about five to six servings of chips.
Kale Chips
Baked kale chips are another delicious keto snack that’s easy to put together. All you’ll need is kale, sea salt, and olive oil. Kale is extremely low in carbs; there are approximately 4.4 grams of carbs and 0.3 grams of net carbs in 100 grams of kale.
You can buy a packet of kale chips from the supermarket, but the calorie and carbohydrate content may vary from one brand to another. Homemade kale chips tend to contain the least calories.
Chicken Salad
Chicken breast contains zero carbs, so they’re great for a keto lifestyle. The amounts of carbs in chicken salad vary depending on the vegetables and dressing you use. Low-carb veggies like dill and celery are perfect for a keto-friendly chicken salad.
This healthy snack is packed with proteins and fibre, which will help to maintain satiety between your meals.
Plant-Based Chia Seed Pudding
A hundred grams of chia seeds deliver around 42.1 grams of carbs and 7.7 grams of net carbs. Since they’re extremely high in fibre, the net carb content of chia seeds is low, making them suitable for the keto diet.
To make a keto-friendly chia seed pudding, opt for plant-based milk instead of cow’s milk to reduce the total carb content. Examples include almond milk, macadamia milk, and coconut milk. You can also use a keto-friendly sweetener like monk fruit or stevia and sugar-free vanilla extract in your pudding.
Raspberries
Raspberries and strawberries make a healthy keto snack as long as they’re consumed in moderation. Blueberries can also be part of a low-carb diet, but you’ll need to be mindful of your portion size.
Their carb content is as follows:
- Raspberries: ~12 grams of carbs and ~5.4 grams of net carbs per 100 grams
- Strawberries: ~7.6 grams of carbs and ~6 grams of net carbs per 100 grams
- Blueberries: ~14.5 grams of carbs and ~12.1 grams of net carbs per 100 grams
Berries are an impressive source of various vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C and K, as well as manganese and fibre. They’re also rich in antioxidant compounds, and some research has shown they have the highest antioxidant activity among common fruits [4]. In addition to reducing oxidative stress, these antioxidant compounds may help reduce disease risk.
Keto Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to boost your intake of fibre and fruits. Of course, you’ll have to be mindful about which ingredients to include in your smoothie.
Start by picking a low-carb fruit like avocados or strawberries, and choose your preferred plant-based milk. Unsweetened macadamia milk and almond milk are naturally low in carbs. If you’d like your smoothie to be sweeter, opt for a low-carb sweetener like stevia or monk fruit.
Keto Fat Bombs
Keto fat bombs are a type of snack packed with high-fat ingredients, such as peanut butter, almond butter, coconut oil, MCT oil, dark chocolate chips, or cheese. Other commonly included ingredients are almond flour and cocoa powder. The nutritional values of these snacks will vary widely depending on the type and amount of ingredients included in them.
They tend to be high in calories, so some keto dieters might consume them to replace a meal rather than as a snack. However, it’s important to note that keto fat bombs should not be consistently consumed as a meal replacement, as they do not provide the optimal amount of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
You can make your own keto bombs at home or purchase them online or at your local supermarket.
Picking the Perfect Keto Snack
What’s most important is reading the nutritional label before adding a snack to your grocery cart. To calculate the net carb content of a snack, subtract fibre from the total amount of carbs on the label. For example, if the total carb content of the product is 15 grams, and the amount of dietary fibre present is 10 grams, the net carb content would be 5 grams.
Feel free to check out our comprehensive beginner’s guide to a keto diet, as well as our list of the best keto meal providers in Australia.
Explore in more detail
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