Going low carb has become a popular choice for people trying to lose weight, and a keto-style regime seems to be leading the pack. Cutting out carbs means giving up sugary or starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta, cookies and cakes, and replacing them with high-fat choices such as cheese, meat, butter, fish, eggs and nuts with the goal to achieve a state of ketosis, where your body burns mostly fat for energy instead of carbs.
If you’re considering following a keto lifestyle and are afraid you won’t be able to forgo all your favorite carbohydrate-rich foods, don’t despair. There are lots of keto-friendly snacks available to satisfy pretty much any craving, from the salty crunch of chips or nuts to the sweet allure of a chocolate peanut butter cup and the toasty goodness of bagels.
To help you find the right snacks for you, we’ve curated a list of some of the best keto-friendly choices out there. Read on to find the ones that satisfy your cravings.
1. Editor’s Choice: Quest Nutrition Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie, Keto Friendly
Many of us have great memories of digging into a bag of cookies when we were kids and washing down a few with a cold glass of milk. But if you’re following a keto diet, those beloved cookies and all the sugar they contain is off-limits … or is it?
If you still crave a cookie now and then and want to respect the low-sugar dietary guidelines of a keto diet, then start pouring yourself a tall glass of full-fat milk and consider these keto-friendly cookies. The chocolate chip cookies are sweet, soft and chewy and each large cookie provides 15 grams of protein, 4 grams of net carbs and less than 1 gram of sugar. And since the protein is dairy-based, you are also getting all nine essential amino acids.
This ready-to-eat keto snack also provides 9 grams of fiber and since they are individually wrapped, it’s easy to throw one in your bag to enjoy on the go. The box contains 12 chocolate chip cookies and for variety, other flavors available are double chocolate, peanut butter chocolate chip, peanut butter and snickerdoodle.
Pros:
- Only 1 gram of sugar
- 15 grams of protein
- Five different flavors
- Large size individually packaged
- Gluten free
Cons:
- Contains milk and peanuts and is processed in a facility that also processes eggs, soy, wheat, and tree nuts
- Texture is a bit dry
2. Runner Up: Hilo Life Low Carb Keto Friendly Tortilla Chip Snack Bags
There’s something special about snacking on chips — the crunch, the salt, the flavorings — it’s no joke that it’s hard to just have a few. But because most chips are made from potatoes or corn and therefore high in carbs, they are a no-no on a low-carb diet — unless you reach for a bag of chips that has keto-friendly ingredients. Then you can happily add this salty, crunchy snack on the “yes you can” list.
This keto-friendly, low-carb tortilla-style chip is made from almond flour, with each one-ounce portion containing 3 grams of net carbs, 10 grams of protein, 210 mg of sodium and 150 calories. This variety pack includes 12 bags of chips in three different bold flavors: four bags of Chili Lime, four Spicy Nacho and four Ultimate Taco. If these flavors don’t suit your taste, you can also choose a variety pack with Ranch, Nacho Cheese and Spicy Salsa. And, if you’re keen on a 12-pack of just one flavor, you can get that, too.
Pros:
- Each one-ounce serving has 3 grams of net carbs, 10 grams of protein
- Only 1 gram of sugar per serving
- Different flavors
Cons:
- Contains almonds, not suited for anyone with a nut allergy
- Small portions
3. Best Flavored Nuts: The Nut Bakery Cinnamon Macadamia Keto Snacks
Nuts are a great keto-friendly snack, almost addictive, right. Plain, salted or roasted and usually almonds or cashews, they are a favorite choice for many people. But what about taking it up a notch with a sweet and salty flavor and a different kind of nut?
These macadamia nuts are deliciously flavored with cinnamon and a touch of vanilla and by most accounts, hard to resist. The crunchy snack is hand-crafted in small batches, with each one-ounce bag filled with healthy artisanal ingredients. The nuts are sweetened with erythritol and monk fruit, adding only 2 grams of sugar alcohol, so you can munch away with no worries. The small pouches are easy to throw into your purse, gym bag or glove compartment for an easy, on-the-go keto-friendly treat.
Other ingredients include macadamia nuts (of course), coconut cream, virgin coconut oil, chicory root fiber, grey sea salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract for a total of 2 net carbs, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, 100 mg of sodium and 180 calories per serving.
Pros:
- Gluten-free
- 2 net carbs per serving
- Hand-crafted in small batches
Cons:
- Not good for anyone with nut allergies
- Small portions
- A bit pricey
4. Best Bagels: ThinSlim Foods Keto Food Bagels
Strictly following a keto diet can be challenging at first. There are so many favorite foods that you cannot eat. Probably one of the most-missed foods is bread in any form, be it sliced bread, buns, baguettes or bagels. Until now.
If you are craving a twice-toasted bagel smeared with cream cheese and topped with smoked salmon, then you might want to try these keto-friendly bagels. Originally crafted for diabetics, the recipe has been lab tested for no blood sugar spikes after consumption. What you won’t find in these bagels is almond or coconut flour, so they are perfect for anyone with a nut allergy, and they also don’t contain flax seed, which can leave some people feeling bloated.
The main ingredients are wheat protein isolate, vital wheat gluten, oat fibre and modified wheat starch, so if you are gluten sensitive or have celiac disease, they you will have to pass. For everyone else, these “everything” bagels also contain sesame seeds, poppy seeds, chopped onion, caraway seeds, minced garlic and salt, with 0 net carbs, 0 sugar, 14 grams of fiber, 14 grams of protein and 90 calories per bagel.
Pros:
- 6 bagels per bag
- 0 net carbs
- Affordably priced
Cons:
- Not gluten free
- Texture is on the dry side
- Some reviewers complained there wasn’t enough “everything” in the bagels
5. Best Beef Jerky: Tillamook Country Smoker Keto Friendly Zero Sugar Beef Jerky
If you really look around, there really isn’t a shortage of good keto-friendly snacks. One favorite grab-and-go option is beef jerky, but like most foods, not all beef jerky is created the same. It all comes down to the ingredients, right? This option allows you to enjoy hardwood smoked beef jerky that contains zero grams of sugar and zero grams of total carbs per serving! Plus, for variety, it’s available in five different flavors so you don’t get bored — original, hot & spicy, black pepper, teriyaki, and spicy jalapeño.
The jerky is handcrafted in Oregon and made from 100 percent premium beef and seasoning from the farm. Each one-ounce serving contains only 70 calories and a whopping 14 grams of protein, which makes it a great go-to snack on a long hike or camping trip. There is a lot of sodium — 500 mg per serving — so if you’re watching your salt intake, keep that in mind in terms of consuming it in moderation. Affordably priced, this beef jerky is gluten free, but does contain soy.
Pros:
- Zero sugar
- Gluten-free
- Affordably priced
Cons:
- High in sodium
- Contains soy
6. Best Budget Dessert Bar: Atkins Gluten Free Snack Bar
One of the things people on a keto diet miss the most is sugar — or at least being able to snack on something sweet that is guilt-free, light and delicious and above all, satisfying without a lot of “empty” calories. Ideally, that calls for an affordable, high-protein option to help get us through that 3 o’clock slump. If this sounds like you, then consider a treat that is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy with a hint of almond butter to round it all out.
These lemon snack bars have been specifically designed to go with the Atkins ketogenic program, so you know it will fit perfectly into your efforts to maintain a keto diet. The affordable option — there are eight bars to a box — includes a light and crispy snack with a twist of lemon flavor, with each 1.41-ounce serving containing 13 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, 3 grams of net carbs, 190 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar.
Perfect for a low-carb lifestyle, you can keep one close at hand any time you’re craving the unique taste of sweet, tang and almond butter. Although these bars are gluten free, they do contain soy and almonds.
Pros:
- Gluten free
- Affordable
- Contains 3 grams of net carbs and 1 gram of sugar
Cons:
- Contains soy and nuts
7. Best Nut and Chocolate Combo: Munk Pack Keto Nut & Seed Bar | Plant Based Keto Snacks
For many people, the perfect storm of taste and snack satisfaction comes with the blend of chocolate, nuts and seeds for a sweet, salty and crunchy confection. And while you can probably find this combination anywhere, we choose this option because unlike some other brands, the sweetener used here is allulose, which has no aftertaste and virtually no impact on blood sugar.
This Sea Salt Dark Chocolate keto nut seed bar comes in a 12-pack of 1.23-ounce, individually wrapped treats. Each serving contains less than 1 gram of sugar, 3 grams of net carbs, 150 calories, and only 5 grams of protein.
The low-glycemic snack is totally plant-based, non-GMO, contain no sugar alcohols and is gluten and soy free. Plus, if sea salt and dark chocolate is not your thing, there are five other flavors to choose from: Caramel Sea Salt, Coconut Almond Dark Chocolate, Macadamia White Chocolate, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate and Pumpkin Seed Cinnamon Almond.
Pros:
- Plant-based ingredients
- Contains so sugar alcohols
- Has less than one gram of sugar and 3 net carbs
Cons:
- Not suitable for anyone with a nut allergy
- A bit pricey
8. Best Indulgence: SlimFast Keto Fat Bomb Snack Cup
Some things are so delicious, it’s impossible to have just one, so we warn you right from the get-go that these fat bomb snack cups can be addictive and really are “the bomb.”
This peanut butter chocolate treat is a sumptuous layer of rich, creamy peanut butter coated in delicious chocolate flavor that will satisfy even the most demanding sweet tooth. But with only 1 gram of sugar, 2 grams of net carbs and 90 calories in each 0.6-ounce serving, you can throw two into your purse and enjoy them guilt-free during the day when you need a quick and satisfying pick-me-up.
Each keto fat bomb is gluten free and made with MTC oil, whey protein and collagen, is sweetened with stevia and erythritol and has no artificial colors or flavors. This keto-friendly snack is available in five other flavors including Mint Cup, Coconut Cup, Iced Lemon Cup and Caramel Cluster. And while this can be a low-calorie option, as mentioned earlier, they are hard to resist, so eating too many will add up in calories quickly.
Pros:
- 1 gram of sugar, 2 grams of net carbs
- Available in six different flavors
- No artificial flavors or colors
Cons:
- When shipped in the summer, the product can melt
What to look for when choosing a keto snack:
If you are looking to follow a keto-style diet, it’s always best to first consult with your doctor to make sure the diet is suitable for you and doesn’t interfere with or negatively affect any health conditions you may have. That’s because the diet recommends a low daily consumption of fruit and vegetables, all of which are healthy for a balanced diet and optimum nutrition because they are rich in vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. While you can lose weight on a keto-style diet, it takes a certain amount of effort to be able to calculate the right combination of daily carbohydrates, fats and protein to get into a state of ketosis, which is what you want to be able to burn fat for energy, instead of sugar. Although it’s individually specific, generally, you will need to limit your carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and fill up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils. Sugar is a no-no, as are bread, pasta, cakes, cookies and most fruit, and you have to be careful with the amount of protein you eat, as it can interfere with ketosis. However, with all that being said, it is still possible to enjoy a wide range of keto-friendly snacks to curb and satisfy your cravings while still remaining in line with the tenets of the diet, as long as you take some things into consideration.
Read the label for net carbs, sugar, fat and protein: In the delicate balance that is the keto diet, you’ll need to pay special attention to the ingredient labels of the snacks you choose. If what you wish to purchase doesn’t have the net carbs listed, here is an easy way to figure it out for yourself: Subtract the total grams of carbs from the total grams of fiber, and you’ll get the net carbs.
Also, if you have food allergies or sensitivities, ingredient labels will let you know if a product contains, soy, gluten or additives.
Taste: The bottom line on keto snacks, after knowing the amount of net carbs, fat, sugar and protein, is always the taste. Your personal preference on what you like to snack on is the number-one reason to make a purchase. Luckily, whether you’re a fan of sweet, salty, crunchy or chewy, there are a lot of choices out there to suit your mood.