One of the most significant benefits of a ketogenic diet is the satiety factor.
But what do you grab in those moments when all you want is a quick bite and not a full-on meal?
Well, we're here to share with you the perfect keto snacks that can satisfy those urges while still maintaining ketosis.
A lot of these keto diet snacks can be found in our keto foods list. Whether you're looking for something to hold you over between meals or munch on while binge-watching Netflix, you'll find one or many keto friendly snacks to fulfill that void.
These can also be great if you're looking for keto movie snacks to enjoy at the theater.
And remember, just because it is “keto friendly,” don't think that gives you a license to eat as much as you want.
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No Prep Keto Snaks
Let's face it; today we're always on the go, sometimes we want quick, wholesome snacks that don't require any cooking or preparation.
While we are proponents of meal prepping, we understand that sometimes life gets busy.
Should that be the case, these keto friendly snacks just might fit the bill.
Pork Rinds. Most varietals you find are no-carb but be wary of flavored pork rinds as some brands have a good amount of added sugars. If you're looking for crunchy keto snacks, this may satisfy those cravings.
I like 4505 and Epic brand pork rinds which are low/no carb depending on the flavor. They also offer baked pork rinds which have less fat, but we aren't about that life.
Beef Jerky. A lot of beef jerky off the shelf contains a lot of added sugar that can add up. That's why we recommend Kalahari Biltong which has zero carbs which means ZERO SUGAR!
A little different than your standard beef jerky, and a lot more tender.
Even between brands I've found Kalahari to be the best tasting and most tender biltong compared to other brands… literally a cut above the competition.
Beef Sticks. Are you a big fan of slim jims? If so, you're in luck because slim jims are keto friendly.
Keto Carne also makes a no carb beef stick similar that fills that spot, but with better ingredients. You might call these the keto slim jim as they're made by a keto oriented company.
I've also seen a similar grass-fed stick at my local Trader Joes by Chomps.
- Check prices and reviews for Chomps Beef Jerky
- Check prices and reviews for Nick's Beef Sticks
- Check prices and reviews for snack size slim jims in bulk
Sunflower seeds. An excellent source of vitamin E and a great past time.
Pili Nuts. Gaining traction amongst the ketogenic community, pili nuts have the richest and most butter-like flavor profile (at least in our opinion).
Pili Hunter has come out with easy single-serving snack packs in a variety of flavors you can quickly grab and go.
Macadamia nuts carry few trace carbohydrates. You can usually find these at your local grocery store or in bulk from wholesale clubs such as Costco.
Other varietals of nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts). Almost any nut is fair game, but the lowest in net carbs tend to be pecans, brazil nuts, pili nuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, and almonds.
String cheese. A great childhood snack makes a great keto snack. Be sure it's the full-fat version without any unwanted fillers.
Stevia-sweetened dark chocolate. There are a lot of new chocolate bars coming on the market now that are either 100% cocoa for us diehards or sweetened with stevia. An excellent alternative for an on the go snack or to cure that sweet tooth.
I recommend Lily's chocolate bars which we've seen go on sale from time to time at our local Whole Foods.
I also did a write up breaking down all of Lily's products to let you know which one is the most keto friendly.
Seaweed snacks. You can usually find small grab and go packets of seaweed snacks at your local grocery store or wholesale club.
Be wary of any added ingredients that contribute extra carbs. You can usually find ones where the only ingredient listed is seaweed or seaweed and salt, but some have additional oils, and sugars added as well.
Olives. Olives are rich in oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid which has been linked to multiple health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and decreased inflammation.
If olives are your thing, then they definitely would make a great high fat keto snack. They even sell a dehydrated version at Trader Joes.
Cherry tomatoes.
Sugar-free Jello. Probably best served for special occasions since they are filled with less than desirable ingredients, you can find snack packs at your local grocery store or buy the box and make a big batch, but of course that requires some prep.
Avocados. Great with a dash of some salt and pepper or eat them straight up.
Sardines. An excellent source of omega-3's and protein, these little fishes are a nutrient powerhouse if that's your thing.
My personal favorite is Wild Planet brand sardines… the boneless and skinless kind.
Cured meats (pancetta, salami, etc.). Again, be wary of added sugars and other trace carbohydrates. We love to grab slices of cured meats and wrap them around our favorite cheese for an easy snack.
Hard-boiled eggs (you can find hard-boiled and already peeled eggs at a lot of grocery stores nowadays)
Cacao Nibs. A great low-carb alternative to chocolate chips.
Nut butter, especially macadamia, pili, and almond butter. Be careful as nut butter tends to be a trigger food for many individuals. You may find yourself opening the jar one minute and scraping the bottom the next.
NuttZo makes a great keto butter with a variety of nuts: brazil, almonds, pecans, macadamia, flax, and chia that is simply DELICIOUS,
Pickles. For a salty snack with some crunch and virtually 0 calories, pickles are an excellent choice.
Cheese Whisps or Parmasean Crisps. Little crunchy bites of goodness. Look for the ones that list only cheese as an ingredient.
My favorite cello whisps which you may be able to find at your local Costco.
Flaxseed crackers. Usually, they will contain just flax seeds and salt.
An easy flaxseed cracker recipe.
Packaged keto snacks like barkTHINS and alternatives are also great.
Best keto snacks that require a little prep
Bacon. Oven baked, pan crisped, raw (if that's your thing)The possibilities are endless. Pederson farms used to make a great ready to go cooked bacon in individual packaging… the next best thing I found was this hickory smoked bacon meat snack from Western's Smokehouse.
They are similar to the Nick's sticks and Slim Jims… except bacon!
Kale Chips. Store-bought or homemade, kale chips make an excellent and nutritious powerhouse keto snack that you can take with you anywhere.
Here is an easy kale chip recipe if you want to take a crack at it on your own.
Fat Bombs. I usually leave fat bombs for when I need some extra calories and have a craving for dessert. Fat bombs are high fat keto snacks typically packed with healthy fats that are easy to make.
Make a bunch and store them in your freezer or fridge for when you need a little calorie boost or want to cure a sweet craving.
Guacamole. What's better than avocados? More avocados.
Eat guacamole straight up with a spoon or use it as a topping on anything. We like to take some avocados and mash it up with some salt and pepper, a little bit of lime, and some chopped onion for some added texture.
Jalapeno poppers. Excellent keto snack for the big game or a movie night in. You can stuff them with cream cheese and wrap them in pork or turkey bacon for a nice handheld bite of spicy goodness.
One of my fav jalapeno popper recipes to bring to potlucks
Deviled eggs. If you want to spice up your hardboiled egg game, deviled eggs are sure to be a treat. These also make an excellent keto snack dish to bring to potlucks and picnics.
Meatballs. Another favorite game day or super bowl keto snack. Take your favorite ground meat and mix it with your other favorite keto ingredients then roll them into a ball and bake them till they're cooked.
Take it up a notch and make an aioli to go alongside or dip it in the guacamole you just made earlier.
I used to make these ones years ago… I just forego the mango dipping sauce now.
Bulletproof Coffee aka Keto Coffee. Caffeine itself has a been shown to promote fat burning and suppress appetite among many of its other beneficial effects.
Combine the power of coffee with a bit of MCT oil and grass-Fed butter for an appetite smashing and delicious latte-like beverage.
Lettuce Wraps. Wrap your favorite meat in some lettuce leaves.
Bone Broth. A perfect alternative to coffee or tea when you want something warm and comforting. Take it up a notch and make it bulletproof with some MCT Oil and grass-fed butter.
Keto Friendly Store Bought Snacks
When you're active or don't want to do ANY prep whatsoever, these products are keto friendly, taste great, and you can easily buy them packaged ready to eat.
Let's face it; sometimes you want a keto snack that you can unwrap and start munching on immediately. These fit the bill but don't overdo them since they can quickly add up in carbs and sugar alcohols.
Moderation is key.
We like to save them as a once in a while treat or indulgence or as traveling keto snacks.
Nui formerly known as Keto Kookie. With the classic flavors such as chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, double chocolate, and my favorite – peanut butter. Depending on which flavor they have about ~3g of net carbs per TWO cookies.
Also, if you're looking for what candy you can eat on keto, I did a write-up of a lot of my favorite keto friendly sweet treats.
Keto Meal. Perfect as a meal replacement or a snack. Comes in the classic flavors chocolate or vanilla and has BHB Salts included. Drink it as a shake, make protein pudding, or turn your keto meal into some delicious and easy pancakes.
Quest Hero Bars. One of the best tasting bars. 15g of protein and ~4g of net carbs. Sweetened with the new kid on the block allulose, it has the same taste and texture profile as sugar but with fewer calories and less metabolic impact.
MCT Bars. High fat and low sugar bar that contains 4.7g of MCT Oil and contains collagen protein.
Pili Nuts. Possibly the highest fat lowest carbohydrate nut, to our knowledge at least. Pili Nuts from Hunter Gatherer come in 3 flavors, Himalayan salt, raw cacao, and turmeric black pepper (my favorite).
They come in individual single serving size packs for an easy to take on the go keto snack.
Cheese Bars. These low carb snack bars are made from 100% cheese and fulfill that crunchy texture craving we tend to miss out on a low carbohydrate diet.
Fat Bomb. These are little snack packs of mixed nut butter such as coconut & macadamia and macadamia & pecan. Think of these as those energy gel goos you see runners take, but keto friendly.
I took these convenient snack packs during an ultramarathon, and they worked out like a charm.
Keto Bark. 100% stone-ground premium cocoa beans sweetened with monk fruit. These come in small individualized snack packs with only 2g of net carbs.
Not all keto snacks are created equally
Just because something is labeled, “low-carb” doesn't mean it is keto-friendly.
Many snacks you will come across online or on grocery shelves labeled low carb are loaded with ingredients that are less than desirable. Some of these ingredients can cause blood sugar to spike just like sugar plain ol‘ table sugar would.
Remember, try to stick to whole foods when possible.
A keto diet doesn't mean eat ANYTHING, because it's high in fat. You still want to consume foods that nourish and fuel your body, such as avocados and coconut oil or fats that come from meats.
SOME SIMPLE TIPS
- When in doubt, opt for the high fat snack. A lot of “low-fat” items tend to have added fillers in the form of carbohydrates or undesirable ingredients.
- The fewer the ingredients, the better. Try to stick to 5 or less and preferably under 3.
- Take time to prep quality snacks. It'll pay off.
Well, there you have some of our best recommendations when it comes to snacks that take no prep, little prep, or can be bought outright.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE KETO FRIENDLY SNACKS, LET ME KNOW DOWN BELOW?