If you’ve jumped on the keto diet bandwagon in 2020 and need a little help in the snack department, you’ve come to the right place. Following keto can feel limiting, especially if you’re used to consuming lots of carbohydrates. It can take a while to figure out the keto lifestyle, but it gets easier as you stick with it.
Before you start planning out keto snacks, however, there are a few things you should know. For one, keto is not a one-size-fits-all diet. “Like most ways of eating, each individual’s macros aren’t the same,” says Suzanne Ryan, author of the book Beyond Simply Keto (who lost 120 pounds on the keto diet).
Carb limits for most people following keto are around 20-30 grams per day, but there’s no hard-and-fast rule saying you have to break that down equally for each meal, says Ryan. If you do choose to follow that method, however, you might break your eating down into five meals a day: If you have 25 carbs to consume, you could allot yourself 5 grams of carbs per meal (or snack, if you’re doing three meals and two snacks a day).
You may find that, over time, your appetite decreases when following keto, because you’ll feel fuller longer with more satisfying high-fat meals, says Ryan. And one major change you might notice: “You’ll learn to eat or snack when you are hungry,” she adds.
If you decide to include snacks in your diet, they should include the same types of keto-compliant foods that you’d include in your main meals, with an emphasis on healthy fats, says Josh Axe, DNM, CNS, keto expert and author of The Collagen Diet. (This means staying away from snacks high in sugar, unhealthy oils and carbs.) And if you find that you're consistently hungry for snacks throughout the day while following keto, you may need to boost your overall fat or calorie intake to make more ketones.
“There's a chance you might be feeling fatigued or moody—and therefore craving snacks—because you're struggling to produce enough ketones,” says Axe.
Top Keto Snack Ideas
Hard-boiled eggs
These are probably the single easiest keto snack you can make, with one ingredient you’re sure to have on hand.
Cheese
Fresh cheese is a delicious snack, but if you need something that doesn’t require refrigeration, reach for a prepackaged snack like Moon Cheese.
Sliced avocado
Pair with fresh veggies for a tasty snack that won’t weigh you down.
Nuts
Reach for raw varieties like cashews or almonds.
Seeds
They don’t have to be boring. These organic spouted pumpkin seeds have a hint of sea salt and are delicious on top of a salad or alone.
Sugar-free jerky
There’s not a single carb in these grass-fed beef snack sticks, which are ideal for traveling and pack 10 grams of protein.
Fat bombs
This fat bomb recipe is packed with good-for-you fats as well as energy-boosting maca powder.
Nut butter
Peanut butter technically isn’t allowed on the keto diet (it’s a legume), so stick with no-sugar almond butter or cashew butter.
Unsweetened coconut chips
Dip a spoon into a jar of almond butter, then sprinkle coconut on top for a rich treat.
Bone broth
While it may seem odd at first, sipping a warm cup of bone broth as a snack can fill you up and provide 10 grams of protein with no carbs.
Protein shakes
made with grass-fed protein powder (this protein shake comes in delicious flavors like cinnamon churro) are an easy way to snack on the go.
Keto cookies
It’s hard to believe these tasty little bites from Fat Snax only have 110 calories and 4 grams net carbs a piece.
Smoked oysters
Nutritionist Summer Yule says she eats these oysters straight from the tin. As a bonus, they’re also rich in zinc, protein and iron, and you can save the olive oil they’re packed in to make salad dressing.
You can make your own keto-friendly yogurt by using this probiotic freeze-dried starter. It takes a little bit of extra prep, but you can choose your own milk, and it’s worth the effort, says Yule.
