A keto grocery list helps you plan structured meals that meet your macros and avoid impulse purchases, especially foods that can kick you out of ketosis. Ultimately, you’ll eat healthier and be able to stick to keto long-term if you plan ahead.
Whether you’re new to keto, back from a break, or a keto fan who wants to ensure you’re not missing anything, this shopping list covers every grocery store aisle to keep you on track.
Meat
Meat doesn’t have carbs, so feel free to choose the high-quality options you prefer:
- Beef: 0g total carbs
- Chicken: 0g total carbs
- Goat: 0g total carbs
- Lamb: 0g total carbs
- Pork: 0g total carbs
- Turkey: 0g total carbs
- Veal: 0g total carbs
- Venison: 0g total carbs
Meats are a complete source of protein, meaning they have all 9 types of amino acids that your body can’t make on its own. (1) Studies show lean cuts of red meat may even support healthier aging without the previously assumed effects on your heart health. (2)
Seafood
Fish and shellfish are all excellent choices on keto, as most are nearly free of carbs. Here are a few to add to your keto food list:
- Anchovies: 0g total carbs
- Dungeness crab: 0g total carbs
- Mackerel: 0g total carbs
- Mussels: 7g total carbs
- Oysters: 9g total carbs
- Salmon: 0g total carbs
- Shrimp: 0.2g total carbs
- Squid: 3g total carbs
- Tuna: 0g total carbs
Fish are a great source of vitamin D3, which helps your body absorb calcium and omega-3 fatty acids that support reduced inflammation, better gut health, and balanced cholesterol. (3, 4)
It matters how you prepare fish on keto, though. Avoid frying those fillets in heavy white or wheat flour or grilling them in carb-heavy vegetable oils. Almond flour and avocado oil are good alternatives. If you’re looking for omega-3-rich pantry items, try canned fish low in mercury.
Eggs and Dairy
Both eggs and dairy are fine on keto. Stock up on these keto-approved foods:
- Chicken eggs: 0.4g total carbs per egg
- Quail eggs: 0g total carbs per egg
- Butter: 0.1g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Full-fat cottage cheese: 3.5g total carbs per ½ cup serving
- Cream cheese: 1g total carbs per tablespoon
- Heavy cream: 3g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Hard cheeses: 1.3g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Sour cream: 3g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Unsweetened Greek yogurt: 5g total carbs per 100-gram serving
Eggs and dairy provide quality fats and protein, especially for those following a vegetarian keto diet. Just check labels if you’re buying prepared items, as some dairy products may contain unwanted added sugars.
Fruits
Keto-friendly fruits are lower in sugar, but it’s still important to limit how much you eat of them to stay within your daily carb limit. Here are a few options lower in carbs:
- Avocado: 2g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Blackberries: 5g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Blueberries: 12g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Coconut: 6g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Lemons: 6g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Limes: 8.5g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Raspberries: 5g net carbs per 100-gram serving
Sweet-tasting fruits like apples and bananas contain more sugar, which can cause your blood glucose levels to rise and affect ketosis.
Vegetables
Many vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that support overall wellness, but they’re not all keto-friendly. Here’s our list of veggies low in carbohydrates:
- Asparagus: 2g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Bell pepper: 6g net carbs per pepper (or about 100 grams)
- Broccoli: 4g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Brussels sprouts: 5g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Cabbage: 3g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Cauliflower: 3g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Cucumber: 3g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Eggplant: 3g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Garlic: less than 1g net carbs per clove
- Green beans: 7g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Green olives: 1g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Lettuce: 2g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Onion: 5g net carbs per small onion
- Spinach: 2g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Swiss chard: 2g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Tomatoes: 3g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Zucchini: 2g net carbs per 100-gram serving
Generally speaking, above-ground vegetables contain fewer carbs for low-carb meal planning. Choose green veggies instead of very colorful varieties. All of the options above will help you get more fiber on keto to balance your blood sugar and boost satiety.
Nuts and Seeds
Most nuts and seeds are low in carbs, but you need to watch your portion sizes. Big servings can easily knock you out of ketosis. Here are our keto-friendly favorites:
- Almonds: 3g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
- Brazil nuts: 1g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
- Macadamia nuts: 2g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
- Hazelnuts: 3g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
- Pecans: 1g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
- Pistachio nuts: 6g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
- Walnuts: 1g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
Overall, nuts and seeds are great sources of fiber, plant protein, vitamins, and minerals. Snack on them, throw them into your smoothies, or use them to add crunch to your recipes for an added boost of fullness and long-term weight management.
Snacks
The best snacks are high in healthy fats and protein with as little carbs as possible. Here are a few keto-friendly snack options requiring only a few or zero minutes of prep time:
- Boiled eggs: 0.4g total carbs per large egg
- Sliced cheese: 1.3g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Sliced bacon: 1.4g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Dried seaweed: 0.3g total carbs per strip
- Fat bombs: less than 1g net carbs per fat bomb
- Beef jerky: 0g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Pork rinds or chicharrones: 0g total carbs per 100-gram serving
You can always make keto snacks from scratch using ingredients like nuts, seeds, nut butters, eggs, almond flour, and heavy cream, or you can stock up on snacks made for keto dieters. Our Collagen Protein Bars and Nola Bars are delicious options.
Beverages
Water is undoubtedly the best drink on keto to stay hydrated, but sometimes you crave something else. Here are a few options for your low-carb grocery list that are keto-compliant:
- Black coffee: 0g net carbs per cup
- Bulletproof coffee/butter coffee: 0g net carbs per cup
- Unsweetened almond milk: 3g net carbs per cup
- Unsweetened coconut milk: 0g net carbs per cup
- Tea: 0g net carbs per cup
- Bone broth: 1g total carbs per cup
- Sugar-free electrolyte drink: 0g total carbs per cup
Avoid sugary soft drinks and sports drinks with added sugars. If you like a morning smoothie, choose low-carb fruits and veggies, or use our Creamy Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie recipe to make something sweeter.
Read labels on any powdered drink supplements, too, as some brands sneak in additives that won’t do your keto diet any good. Our Keto Whey Protein is a low-carb option to support muscle recovery.
Condiments
Any low-carb and sugar-free condiment is allowed on your keto shopping list. These are generally fine on keto:
- Coconut aminos: 1g total carbs per teaspoon
- Guacamole: 0g net carbs per tablespoon
- Hot sauce: 0.1g total carbs per teaspoon
- Mayonnaise (with no soybean or canola oil): 0g total carbs per teaspoon
- Mustard: 0.3g total carbs per teaspoon
- No-sugar barbecue sauce: 1g total carbs per tablespoon
- No-sugar tomato ketchup: 1g total carbs per tablespoon
To avoid condiments that are high in sugar, make a habit of reading the nutrition facts label. If you don’t like the sugar-free ketchup in the stores, we have a Homemade Ketchup Recipe that could become your new favorite dipping sauce.
Sweeteners
Low-carb sweeteners on keto replace traditional sugar like sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, and honey. Here are a few keto-friendly alternatives:
- Erythritol: 0.4g net carbs per teaspoon
- Monk fruit: 0g net carbs per teaspoon
- Stevia: 0g net carbs per teaspoon
These options won’t impact your blood glucose, either, which means fewer blood sugar spikes, food cravings, and even mood swings.
Fats and Oils
Keto is a high-fat, moderate-protein diet, but the right fats will help meet your energy needs as you transition to the diet. Focus on these healthy fats for cooking and other uses:
- Avocado oil: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
- Beef tallow: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
- Butter: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
- Coconut oil: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
- Ghee: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
- Extra virgin olive oil: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
- Lard or pig fat: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
- MCT oil: 0g total carbs per tablespoon
When you’re starting out on keto, filling up on healthy fats makes the transition to this way of eating easier. They also enhance the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K for overall wellness. (5) Skip bad keto fats like vegetable oil and artificial trans fats.
Baking Essentials
Baking on the keto diet differs significantly from regular baking, as you’ll need to replace high-carb ingredients common in baked goods. Here are the best flours for baking keto-friendly foods:
- Almond flour: 1g net carbs per tablespoon
- Coconut flour: 4g net carbs per tablespoon
- Flaxseed meal: 1g net carbs per tablespoon
- Lupin flour: 0.7g net carbs per tablespoon
- Psyllium husk powder: 7g net carbs per tablespoon
As for sweeteners, bake with stevia or monk fruit. Just make sure to tweak recipes to account for those substitutions, as you may need less or more of a keto-friendly ingredient over the classic version. You can also start with keto-friendly dessert recipes like our Keto Chocolate Cake.
That’s right — chocolate isn’t completely off-limits. Opt for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa and keep servings reasonable. (An ounce of 70-85% dark chocolate has about 10g net carbs.)
Pantry Staples
We’ve already included a few keto-friendly essentials in the categories above, but here are a few more basic supplies that you may want to pick up for keto meals and snacks:
- Herbs and spices (black pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin): 1g net carbs per teaspoon
- Canned sardines: 0g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Canned chicken breast: 0g total carbs per 100-gram serving
- Chia seeds: 3g net carbs per ¼ cup serving
- Nut butters (e.g. almond butter, macadamia butter): 1g total carbs per teaspoon
- Shirataki rice or noodles (konjac rice or noodles): 0g net carbs per 100-gram serving
- Pork rind breadcrumbs: 0g total carbs per 100-gram serving
Ready to shop? Our keto grocery list is available as a PDF that you can print and take with you on your next trip to the grocery store.
What to Avoid Buying
Off-limits foods on keto include anything highly processed with added sugars that kick you out of ketosis and additives that can cause inflammation and health problems. You should also limit your consumption of high-carb fruits, legumes, grains, and starchy vegetables. Here’s our list:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Beans
- Bread
- Cakes
- Cherries
- Chickpeas
- Cookies
- Corn
- Fruit juice
- Grapes
- Green peas
- Honey
- Ice cream
- Lentils
- Mangoes
- Maple syrup
- Margarine
- Melons
- Pasta
- Potatoes (including sweet potatoes), taro, and yams
- Rice
- Soda
- Vegetable oils (e.g. canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil)
Grocery Shopping Meets Meal Prep
Maximizing your keto-friendly grocery haul means focusing on versatile, long-lasting ingredients that work across multiple meals. Opt for proteins like chicken and eggs that store well and can be prepped in bulk for clean keto eating.
Freezer-friendly items like frozen shrimp and pre-cut veggies save time and reduce waste. Plan meals around overlapping ingredients to minimize extra shopping trips and keep your keto diet on budget.If you’re having trouble with keto meal prep, start with easy-to-follow recipes that keep your macros balanced and boost ketosis. Our Skillet Chicken Breast and Keto Caesar Salad are easy staples to add to your weekly rotation.
FAQs
What should a beginner buy for keto?
Keto beginners should stock up on essentials that keep them in ketosis. That includes low-carb foods like eggs, chicken, and fatty fish for protein and healthy fats like avocados, butter, and olive oil. Stick to low-carb fruits and veggies and replace pantry staples with lower-carb versions like sugar-free sweeteners and keto-friendly flours. If you’re meal prepping, buy in bulk and freeze the extras. Keep snacks like no-sugar jerky and nut butters on hand to keep cravings at bay.
What should I include in my keto grocery list for weight loss?
For weight loss on keto, stock up on proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, and grass-fed beef, healthy fats like olive oil and butter, and low-carb veggies like broccoli and leafy greens. The idea is to keep your diet low-carb but nutrient-dense to avoid cravings and promote fullness.
Anyone who’s embarking on keto follows the standard keto macros of 5% or fewer carbs, 70-80% fats, and 20-30% protein. That means limiting your carbs to less than 50 grams. Some keto dieters go lower to reach their weight loss goals faster, but doing so may be less sustainable.
Take On Keto With Confidence
With the right grocery list, following keto becomes simpler and more sustainable. Prioritizing high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and low-carb vegetables ensures you’re fueling your body while keeping cravings in check.
Stocking up on keto staples like eggs, avocados, nuts, and cheese helps you stay prepared for quick meals and snacks. Planning ahead and buying in bulk can also save you time and money. If you need more inspiration to help you meal prep, browse our keto recipes for delicious options that set you up for keto success.