Honestly, the keto diet is pretty great when it comes to snacks. Once you accept that you’ll have to break up with sugar (it was time anyway), you can focus on the fact that you get to munch on things like bacon… and cheese… and jerky. Yum. To help you find the brighter side of keto snacking too, here’s a list of some of our fave keto snacks to buy or make when we’re aiming for ketosis:

Guac

If you’re going keto, eating tons of guacamole is basically your birthright. “But wHaT aBoUt ThE tOrTilLa ChIPs?” Listen, you don’t need ‘em. Celery sticks and bell pepper sticks (yes, you can have a few and still stay in ketosis) still have a great crunch. If that’s not for you, you can always dip crispy strips of bacon in your guac instead. Tortilla chips who?

Nuts

They’re an easy keto snack for on-the-go days, and you can change it up endlessly with different flavors. Just try not to stuff your face too much because the incidental carbs can knock you out of ketosis if you overdo it. 

Nut butters

More versatile and arguably more delicious than regular ol’ nuts, nut butter will be one of your go-to keto snacks. Spread it on celery sticks, mix it into your smoothies, or smear it onto your homemade keto cloud bread. There are a ton of ways you can use nut butter while you’re doing keto, and you’ll probably end up trying them all since it’s a yummy, inexpensive way to hit those keto macros. 

Jerky & beef sticks

Gourmet jerky (like say...Country Archer?) provides that punch of flavor you miss from your favorite chips but without all the carbs. Be sure to read your labels to watch out for the sugar content, or just shop our zero-sugar jerky and meat sticks. Pro tip: Zero sugar beef sticks tend to have a little more fat than jerky, so they’re even easier to fit into a keto diet. 

Cheese (all the cheese)

We could probably stop here, but we’ll just say this is your chance to become a CHEESE. EXPERT. Or at least to try a bunch of new cheeses. Instead of sticking to your favorites, venture into that fancy cheese section and change it up. Brie, gruyere, havarti, goat cheese, cambert, you get the idea. You’ll be less bored, and you’ll figure out how to make a killer charcuterie board in the process.

Keto smoothies & shakes

Bananas and mangos are out, but you can still make delish keto-approved smoothies with almond milk, nut butter, stevia extract, and low-carb fruits like berries. 

Frozen blueberries + heavy cream

It’s basically ice cream, and you’re going to love it. This simple combo is a favorite in the keto world – dump some frozen blueberries into a bowl and pour just enough heavy cream over them so that it freezes around each berry. Ah-mazing. Add some vanilla extract to the cream or throw in some sugar-free chocolate chips to make it extra decadent.

Fat bombs

Fat bombs do two things: help you hit your macros when you’re low on fat and satisfy that sweet tooth – no easy task when sugar is off limits. Check out this roundup of the best fat bomb recipes the internet has to offer.

Bulletproof coffee

Don’t tell us coffee’s not a snack because when you load it up with creamy butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil, coffee is 100% a snack. Find the original bulletproof coffee recipe here, or keep the cold brew cans on hand for when you need a boost.

Another thing to keep in mind – keto snacks are meant to complement what macros you’re missing from your meals. It can actually be pretty tough to get all the fat you need to stay in ketosis, and that’s where high-fat snacks like cheese, bulletproof coffee, and meat sticks come in. If your meals have been pretty low in protein, snacks like jerky and nut butter can give you just the right hit of protein to balance out your macros for the day. Many people also find that they’re less hungry on keto and may not need three meals a day, making nutrient-dense snacks even more important. 

Here’s a few examples of how you might round out your meal with some good keto snacks.

Example 1

Breakfast: Fasting

Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil and feta cheese.

Snack: Celery sticks with guac or nut butter  (Lunch and dinner both have plenty of protein and fat, so snack can be smaller).

Dinner: Salmon with asparagus cooked in butter.

Example 2

Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil and goat cheese omelette.

Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder and stevia milkshake.

Snack: Brie cheese and raspberries (Since lunch was lighter, go for a high-fat snack). 

Dinner: Meatballs, mozzarella cheese, and vegetables.

Example 3

Breakfast: Baked avocados with cheese, salsa, peppers, onion and spices.

Lunch: A handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa.

Snack: Keto-Certified Meat Sticks or Zero-sugar beef jerky (Breakfast and lunch were low in protein, so go for a higher-protein snack… Country Archer preferred, duh)

Dinner: Chicken thighs stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, along with vegetables.