Keto Pantry Staples – Top 10 Pantry Items for Keto

 

When my husband and I started the Keto way of eating our pantry was given a serious overhaul. With the exception of a few things for the kids, almost everything was given away or just thrown out. We felt it would be easier to stick with our new diet if all of the bad food wasn’t around to tempt us. This approach worked very well, except we were still learning about Keto and at a loss about what should be on our shelves. Thankfully you don’t have to fumble around like we did! We are here to help and this list of Keto Pantry Staples should put you on the right track.

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Keto Pantry Staples

In the Cupboards

Cooking Oils

Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is a must-have in your keto pantry. Coconut oil is full of medium chain triglycerides, otherwise known as MCT’s. MCT’s are one of the easiest types of fat that your body can to convert into energy. Since your body will no longer have access to Carbs while on Keto you will need this fat. Adding Coconut oil to your diet while following Keto will keep you full and help with weight loss if that is your goal.

We use Coconut oil for many things in our family. we even add it to our coffee in the morning for an extra boost of energy. Coconut oil can be used in place of most cooking oils. You can use coconut oil to Bake, roast or saute vegetables and meats. Of course, it is also a primary ingredient in many Fatbomb recipes such as our – Strawberry Heart Fatbombs.

Olive Oil – Olive oil is loaded with health benefits. Olive Oil has been linked to anti-inflammatory properties and contains a high amount of antioxidants. It is also full of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. Not to mention the good amount of vitamin E (Great for your skin) and K (Great for your bones).

Olive Oil is very useful in creating Low-carb salad dressing. I love to toss vegetables with olive oil and roast them with some salt and pepper, In fact, that is my kid’s favorite way to eat Brussel sprouts and asparagus! Olive oil does have a low smoke point however so it is best substituted with coconut oil when it comes searing meat at high temperatures.

Baking Mixes

CarbQuick – Okay. So Carbquick might not be the healthiest addition to your shelves. People who are really truly wanting to follow a clean eating diet might want to skip on the Carbquick. I consider Carbquick an indulgence and it should be used in moderation as it does still have some Carbs.

It is the best alternative to ‘biscuits’ that I have found. And some meals just really call for a biscuit. I also believe that the best way to stick to a diet is to never actually feel like I am being restricted and CarbQuick helps with that. I also use Carbquick as a breading when making ‘Country fried steak‘. Although there are other breading alternatives in many keto recipes I often find them too salty or they don’t crisp up properly. Simply dip your meat or vegetable into a beaten egg, coat with CarbQuick and bake.

Simple CarbQuick Biscuit Recipe 

• 2 cups CarbQuick
• 3/4 Cup water
• 6 chunks of cheese (Cheddar or smoked gouda is our favorite)

Mix your CarbQuick and water until a soft dough forms. Roll into balls and place on parchment paper (Or my personal favorite a Silicone baking mat).  Push a piece of cheese into the middle. Fold the dough over the top so the cheese is well hidden. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes and enjoy! Sometimes I add a bit of Garlic butter or garlic seasoning to the top of my biscuits. Really you can add whatever seasonings to this mix that you fancy.

Flours

Almond Flour – Almond flour or Almond meal is a great substitute for regular wheat flour. Almond flour is both gluten free and low carb. It also benefits from being high in fiber and protein. Almond flour can be substituted for Regular all-purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio. It might require some extra egg or another binding ingredient, however! I find that almond flour makes a great pie crust when whipping up Keto friendly pies! Simply mix it with some melted butter until you get a crumbly wet mixture and press into the bottom of a pie pan.

Coconut Flour – Like almond flour, coconut flour is low carb. It is also high in fiber, protein and healthy fats. Coconut flour has a slightly sweeter taste and is great in dessert recipes. It can be tricky to cook with however and I recommend following recipes designed specifically for coconut flour. If you want to try converting a much-loved recipe however then Coconut flour is normally substituted at  1/4-1/3 cup of coconut flour per 1 cup all-purpose flour. You will also need to increase the eggs in any recipe.

Sweeteners

Erythritol – Erythritol is a sugar alcohol and while most sugar alcohols are low calorie, Erythritol has zero calories. It is also non-glycemic and does not raise your blood sugar making it a suitable sugar substitute for just about anyone. Erythritol can be substituted for sugar in most recipes on a 1:1 ratio.  I use Erythritol in most baked goods including Keto cheesecakes and fatbombs. You can even use it to sweeten your coffee or tea.

Swerve Confectioners – Swerve confectioners is made from Erythritol and has many of the same benefits. It still measures cup for cup like sugar but its fine powdery form makes it best for use in keto icings. There are just some recipes where the grainy texture of regular Erythritol just won’t do and this is where Swerve will save you. If you want a smooth and creamy texture in your baking (Icings, Ice creams, Puddings) then swerve confectioners is your best bet.

In the Fridge

Kerrygold Butter – Alright, any butter will do. But Kerrygold is the best unless you are lucky enough to live somewhere you can buy grass-fed butter straight from a local farm. Butter made from Grass-Fed cows is significantly higher in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin K2.  Grass-Fed Butter is full of a Fatty Acid known as CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). CLA is a popular fat loss supplement and studies have shown that grass-fed butter contains up to five times the amount of CLA then butter made from grain fed cows.

Heavy Whipping Cream – Yes, Heavy Whipping Cream does have carbs (Even if your container says zero there are some in there) but the ratio of high fat to low carbs per serving still make it an excellent choice for Keto. Because it is so rich a little bit goes a long way and you don’t need as much as you would if you were using milk! Heavy Whipping cream is so useful in cooking.  We use it to replace the creamers in our coffee and to make a more keto friendly whipped cream for desserts. Heavy Whipping Cream can even be used to make a white gravy for various dishes.

Eggs – Eggs get a bad rap in a lot of diets but they are perfect for Keto. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and contain only about 1g of carbs per egg. Eggs are low in calories but high in nutrients which makes them the perfect food for this way of eating. As a bonus, there are so many ways to make eggs that its unlikely you will get bored of them anytime soon. Check out our Keto Breakfast on the Go for some ideas!

Where do I go from here?

Eating Keto can be overwhelming when you first start. When you see the number of carbs that is in everything you eat it can be daunting. But Keto can be easy and I want to help you make it easy. This Keto Pantry Staples list is just a start, you can get more information by joining our mailing list and receiving our Free Keto Starter Kit. The Keto Starter Kit contains a detailed list of Keto Pantry Staples in the form of a shopping list, great recipes and an easy to use conversion chart!

If you are interested in how and why I started Keto then you might like this article – Keep calm and Keto On. How I lost 36Ibs in 4 months. Keep Calm and Keto on contains basic Keto information for those who are still in the researching phase. If you are interested in why a low carb and Keto diet might be a good choice for you here is a great article which may provide some insights – 19 Heath Benefits of Low Carb and Keto Diets.

Regardless of your diet choices, I wish all my readers the best of luck in their goals. No matter what those goals may be! Take a step today to make you feel better about you!