The keto diet is tough to stick to. Many find it great for managing hunger and keeping calories in check, but it is strict: at least 50 percent of one’s calories need to come from fat, and most keep their carbohydrates as low as 30 grams or less per day.
Strict dietary requirements make snacking and eating on-the-go a very difficult task , but these companies have come out with innovative foods that can help to stay in ketosis… and they don’t taste bad either.
Best Jerky
Mission Meats Keto Grass-Fed Jerky
There’s plenty of crossover between keto adherents and a passion for grass-fed, sustainably raised meat. That’s a big reason why Mission Meats is a preferred source of jerky: not only is the beef grass-fed and grass-finished, 10 percent of their profits are donated to social good organizations. Your jerky might help fight deforestation in Haiti or create an entrepreneur in East Africa.
Add all that to the fact that they’re free from nitrates, GMOs, sugar, and gluten, and you’ve got some very legit jerky.
Pros
- 10 percent of the company’s profits are donated to charity.
- The beef is completely grass-fed, which may produce more Omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised beef.
- It contains no sugar, gluten, MSG, or artificial ingredients.
- Mission Meats’ jerky comes in five different flavors.
Cons
- To get 30 grams of protein, you’ll consume over half the recommended intake of sodium (if that’s a concern).
- Many complain that it’s frustratingly tough to open the packaging.
- Sometimes the meat is sourced internationally, which some people don’t love if they prefer their beef from the United States.
An all natural jerky that's made with grass-fed meat — and 10% of all profits go to charity.
Best Bar
Perfect Keto Bar
The scrumptious bars from Perfect Keto provide almost twice the amount of fat as they do protein, plus they’re made from all natural ingredients that deliver just one gram of sugar.
Made from all natural ingredients, the bars are made with a base of almonds and are available in five different flavors.
Pros
- There are five flavors available: Almond Butter Brownie, Salted Caramel, Lemon Poppyseed, Cinnamon Roll, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
- There are no artificial flavors or sweeteners in these bars.
- Each bar delivers over 20 percent of the recommended daily intake of fiber.
Cons
- As they contain collagen, the product isn’t suitable for vegetarians.
- Some keto fans prefer to limit tapioca fiber, which is a prominent ingredient in the bars.
A handy, high fat bar that's delivers a lot of fiber and no artificial ingredients.
Best Chocolate
ChocZero’s Keto Bark
Craving chocolate, but no fan of all the sugar? This high fat chocolate has absolutely none of it, with the sweetener taking the form of monk fruit extract. This means not only is it sugar free and low carb, but it doesn’t contain the sugar alcohols that many of these sorts of products contain. (They can cause indigestion among a small portion of the population.)
Add all that to the fact that it’s free from GMOs, soy, gluten, and artificial ingredients, and this is a very crowd pleasing chocolate.
Pros
- This chocolate bark contains 2 grams of net carbs per serving with 10 grams of fat and 1 gram of protein.
- There are no artificial ingredients, gluten, soy, or GMOs.
- The product is free from sugar alcohol, which some find hard to digest.
- Keto Bark is available in four different flavors.
Cons
- All the flavors are either nut heavy or contain peppermint; there’s no plain chocolate for those who want something simpler.
- The product contains soluble corn fiber, which might be off limits in certain diets.
- Some report that the chocolate breaks easily during shipping and melts easily at room temperature.
This high fat chocolate is sweetened with monk fruit extract, so it's keto friendly and has no sugar alcohols.
Best Granola
Low Karb Keto Nut Granola
Sure, it’s a little tough to eat granola on the go, but if it’s your go-to snack and you miss the carb-y graininess of granola, Low Karb has a great offering. With just 2 grams of net carbs per serving, this nut- and seed-heavy combination delivers 18 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein as well, with no artificial flavors or sweeteners.
Pros
- This granola has a variety of nutritious whole foods like almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, and pecans.
- It provides a satisfying crunch without containing any grains and remaining very low in carbs.
- The product contains no gluten or GMOs.
Cons
- There’s a small amount of sugar alcohol present, which a small minority of people have trouble digesting.
- Note that this granola is on the pricier side.
- Many find the bag difficult to reseal once opened.
Full of almonds, seeds, and butter, this is a great, crunchy treat for keto fans who miss grainy granola.
Best Cookies
HighKey Snacks Keto Mini Cookies
Keto cookies are real and they’re here. One serving of these tasty mini cookies provides 14 grams of fat and just 2 grams of net carbs. They manage this feat by making the cookies from almond flour, adding coconut oil, and sweetening them with erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia.
Pros
- These taste delicious and contain just two grams of net carbs per serving.
- Everything is made in the United States with ingredients from local farms.
Cons
- A small minority of people have trouble stomaching sugar alcohols.
Made with almond flour and coconut oil, this is a spectacular, keto-friendly option for cookie monsters.
Best Chips
Whisps Cheese Crisps
Practically nothing but cheese in these tasty, low carb chips. The cheese is melted, flattened out, and dried to produce crispy, crunchy cheese slices that can be as satisfying as potato chips but with that umami fat taste that keto dieters enjoy — and it’s even available in five different flavors.
Pros
- The product comes in five different flavors.
- A serving has a remarkable 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of calcium.
Cons
- Some of the flavors, like Tomato Basil, contain ingredients like natural flavors and sugar. The carbs stay very low and keto friendly, but some consumers prefer their chips with nothing added. For that, go with the Cheddar Cheese Crisps or Parmesan Cheese Crisps.
- With 30 percent of the sodium RDI per container, some find them a tad salty.
Tasty, salty, crunchy crisps that are made from just cheese and flavorings.
Best Vegan
Dang Toasted Coconut Chips
Whether you want a break from meat-heavy keto meals or you just miss the crunchiness of carbs, these coconut chips make for a great snack. It’s available in five flavors, but the lightly salted flavor is best suited for keto folk with 15 grams of fat and 5 grams of net carbs per serving.
Pros
- The product is gluten free, non-GMO, and preservative-free.
- Dang, the company that makes them, is B Corp Certified, a rigorous certification that means the company ensures their production line meets strict guidelines for ethics and sustainability.
Cons
- The chips are quite thin and wafer-like, so they break apart easily — some people receive bags with a lot of little chips piles up at the bottom.
- Many of the flavors contain cane sugar, so keto dieters may want to stick to the lightly salted, unflavored version.
Simple, non-GMO coconut chips with an unusual commitment to sustainable production.
Best Nut Butter
Onnit Fat Butter
Maybe you already thought of peanut butter as keto-friendly, but Onnit has taken your classic nut butter and given it an upgrade. Whether you’re picking the Snickerdoodle flavor, which is packed with macadamia nuts and hemp seed, or Creamy Peanut, which has macadamia and chia, Onnit has ensured the products have fewer Omega-6 and more Omega-3 fatty acids than your standard peanut butter.
Pros
- Fat Butter has a better balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids than your standard peanut butter, and getting that balance right is often a priority for keto dieters.
- There are no artificial flavors or sweeteners in the product — and no added sugar either.
- Fat Butter is non-GMO and gluten free.
Cons
- For a jar of nut butter, these are certainly on the pricier side.
- As it’s all natural, it needs a lot of mixing before consuming because the fat separates from the solid.
A nut butter with a better balance of Omega fatty acids than many competitors.
BarBend Tips
- While all these snacks are tasty and portable, they’re not super high in vitamins and minerals — remember to keep your intake of low carb vegetables high.
- Everything here is gluten free, so some of the snacks crumble more easily than you standard cookies and bars.
- Many find that supplemental ketones and/or MCT oil can help to mitigate the “keto fatigue” some feel during the early stages of their diet.
- Make sure you speak to a physician before changing your diet and supplement regimen.
Wrapping Up
The days of carrying around Tupperware full of mayonnaise to dip celery sticks into are gone. Well, they don’t have to be if that’s the kind of keto snack you prefer, but the good news is that the diet has become so popular that countless companies have produced a keto version of almost every variety of snack you might crave on your low carb journey. Bon appetit!
FAQs
What is the keto diet?
Keto is shorthand for “ketosis,” a state in which the body is burning more fat for fuel than carbs/sugar. To achieve ketosis, one needs to have a very low carbohydrate intake, achieved either through fasting (for a brief stint in ketosis) or, for longer term ketosis, a high fat, low carb diet.
What macros are ideal for ketosis?
A ketogenic diet is very high in fat. Typically, one consumes 50 to 60 percent of their calories from fat, 20 to 30 percent of their calories from protein, and the rest from carbohydrates. Over several days with such a low carb intake, the body switches to burning fat for fuel instead of carbs.
What foods do people eat on a keto diet?
Foods that are high in fat with a decent amount of protein. Staples include ribeye steak, bacon, cheese, salmon, nuts, and oily salads. (Don’t forget to eat plenty of leafy greens for your vitamins and minerals.) Keto dieters typically limit or entirely eliminate grains, legumes, and fruit.