Stocking a keto-friendly kitchen

When you begin eating low carb or kitchen, the first and biggest obstacle can be, “What do I eat?”

Use this handy shopping list to help guide you through the grocery aisles. Don’t make it harder than it is, and skip every package labeled, “keto” or “sugar-free”.  Trust me.

This list is taken from my book, Keto Living Day by Day, which is designed to help people learn the basics to be successful on a low carb lifestyle.

If you need meal planning or recipe ideas, please see the more than a dozen meal planning YouTube videos I have available. These meal planning videos give you meal ideas and focus on a budget approach to keto.

Full-fat Dairy

Dairy adds fat, flavor and some protein to each meal. It’s also quick food to grab while on the go. Stores often have cheese sticks in mozzarella or cheddar cheeses, which are easy to pack in lunches.

Enjoy full-fat dairy such as:

Butter                          Sour cream

Heavy cream               Cream Cheese

Full-fat cheeses including:

Mozzarella

Fresh parmesan

Cheddar

Gouda or smoked gouda

Asiago

Havarti

Blue Cheese

Feta

Goat cheese

Meats and sources of protein

 Look first for sources of protein. Purchase meats on sale. Used canned meats to make cold salads such as chicken salad or tuna salad by adding a little mayonnaise, chopped dill pickles, and salt. Canned meats can also be used to make a quick casserole.

Ground beef                   Pork shoulders or pork butts                      pork tenderloin

Ribs                                   Stew beef                                                         Shaved steak

Steaks                               pork steaks                                                      shrimp

Chicken wings                chicken thighs with skin                              salmon

Whole chicken                turkey breast or whole turkey                   flounder or cod

Liver                                 ground pork                                                   ground lamb

Chicken quarters           chicken breasts                                              beef bones for broth

Chicken feet (broth)       beef roasts                                                     pork roasts

Eggs                                   hot dogs                                                          pepperoni

Deli meat                          bacon                                                             sausage

canned tuna, salmon, pulled pork, ground beef, or chicken

Produce

Look for veggies that grow above ground. Lettuces are very low carb, so you can enjoy a salad with some meat and lots of fatty salad dressing. Just skip the croutons. Cabbage fried in bacon fat is another great side dish. Add some bacon for even more flavor! Jalapenos can be stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar cheese and baked in the oven, cauliflower makes a great substitute for mashed potatoes if you squeeze the moisture out and load it up with cream, butter, and salt.

Be sure to use veggies as a vehicle for fat, which will keep you from filling hungry.,

bell pepper                  cabbage                       mushrooms                 onion

cucumber                    spinach                        jalapeno                      broccoli

cauliflower                 avocado                       tomatoes                     brussels sprouts

Romaine lettuce          asparagus                    green onions               zucchini

olives                          sauerkraut                   pickles

Pantry Items

Once you clear the high carb items from your cabinets, you may want to gradually replace them with some shelf-stable items you can use for cooking low carb.

 Fats                                         Vinegars                                             Condiments

Ghee                                        Apple cider vinegar                            mustard

Avocado oil                            White vinegar                                     siracha

Coconut oil                                                                                            mayonnaise

Sesame oil                                                                                             Worcestershire sauce

Olive oil                                                                                                  hot sauce

Bacon fat (rendered from cooking bacon)                                      lemon juice

                                                                                                                 Buffalo sauce

Nuts                                         Canned goods

Macadamia                             tomato sauce

Almonds                                 green beans

Walnuts                                  sauerkraut

Pecans                                     diced tomatoes

 Seasonings and Spices

Garlic powder                                     chili powder                            cumin

Onion powder                                     Italian seasoning blend

Dried onions