So if you’re anything like me then you live on your phone while grocery shopping. I am on my carb manager app scanning everything to make sure it fits into my keto lifestyle. So instead of making the mistakes I once made, I went ahead and created a “must have” list that is essential for your keto diet.
As you get more and more used to following the keto diet you will find more advanced techniques, tips, and recipes. However for now here is a basic core grocery list.
Butter
I know I know you were programmed to think butter was bad for you. But that is the complete opposite from the truth. Butter is a healthy fat. It has all of the fat-soluble vitamins and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Did you know butter is the most available form of quality animal fat? You can go named brand or generic store brands. I personally go generic brand. I get the sweet cream salted butter sticks.
If you are looking for a dairy free option for butter then maybe try Ghee. Ghee is clarified butter so the milk solids have been removed, and is suitable for a dairy-free diet.
Avocados
Avocados are delicious (especially with himalayan salt or made into a keto based guacamole). They really are the perfect keto food. Avocados are an instant high-fat side food that takes little to no time to prepare. I usually buy 4 or 5 at a time from Aldi’s. These are for days I wanna go Mexican with maybe a simple breakfast burrito or something.
If you are a keto beginner it is understandable if you get confused about the amount of carbs an avocado has. Yes they are high in carbs but remember we talked about net carbs? Since an avocado is high in carbs and high in fiber you just subtract the two and use that towards you daily carb limit.
A medium avocado will only have between 3-5 grams of net carbs. Also an avocado is high in potassium which is good for fighting that pesky keto flu.
Heavy Cream
Heavy cream is great for coffee instead of milk. I personally use it in my iced coffee which gives it that creamy taste. However you can also use it to cook with. I have cooked mushrooms and chicken in heavy cream and boy was that delicious.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is great to cook with because it’s high in saturated fat. There are also proven benefits that we will discuss in other blog posts so stay tuned for that 🙂 There are a few options to consider. I like unrefined virgin coconut oil but everyone has their preference.
Beef
Beef is by far my favorite protein source, especially ground beef 73% 27% lean to fat ratio. It’s also considerably fattier than chicken, fish and pork. So hitting your macros is much easier, especially once you start eating less and becoming more full.
Obviously steak is also beef and great for keto. The only thing you have to keep in mind is having a nice cut of steak the protein will be considerably high. Just something to consider when following your daily macros. Remember if you go over your protein limits it is not the end of the world. Just be mindful
Cheese
This is one of my favorites. I legit use cheese in so many foods like eggs, burgers without the bun, also use it to make taco shells (you will see in my recipe section). Do stay away from american cheese and focus on the others. I personally stick with raw or unpasteurized myself.
Eggs
Eggs are another budget friendly food that are packed full of nutrients. They are rich in choline, which most Americans do not get enough of. I personally eat eggs on a daily basis. Sometimes I even will do a 3 to 4 day egg only fast. That’s a little more advanced and for a future blog post.
If you can get eggs from a local farmer or farmers market they will be the freshest and probably the best priced. Not to mention you are supporting your local community as well as circulating the money within the community.
Spinach
Spinach has always been my favorite veggie. Especially on keto because it is so good sauteed in butter. It’s probably a good idea for beginners to pick up spinach on your first grocery store trip. Spinach is the most nutrient dense of the vegetables. Collard greens, and kale are also acceptable options.
Fatty Fish
Fish and other seafoods are an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon and sardines are 2 of the best for omega-3. We like to make sure to get at least 1 serving of seafood per week at a minimum and typically more like 2-3 servings.
Some of the things I like to are fried salmon croquettes (using almond flour and fry in coconut oil), or a nice baked salmon filet with sauteed spinach.
Pork
If you don’t like bacon, then you’re crazy! Ok I am kidding, but if you don’t then there are other cuts of pork that will suffice. The fat on pork alone already makes it very tasty. However pork also carries a strong nutrient profile. Most common is vitamin B.
If you do like bacon just read the labels make sure you are getting the one with the least amount of sugar. Or if you have the budget and don’t mind paying you can buy pork belly instead.
This is really good, but as a person who’s on a fixed income, sometimes you have to go to other supermarkets to buy your food. Some stores are out of reach, like whole foods and Aldi.
I definitely understand that. A lot of times I went with bulk packaged keto foods like hotdogs, breakfast sausages, eggs. My first full year of keto I lived off of eggs and hotdogs. Hotdogs and breakfast sausages have carbs so I had to watch that for my daily intake other than that it works great 🙂