Are you looking for low carb foods to stock your pantry and refrigerator? Here are our Low Carb Kitchen Favorites from meats and vegetables to low carb baking essentials and our go-to must have products and where to get them.
Note: We use referral links to products we love.
How to Stock a Low Carb Kitchen
Cris here.
For quite a while readers have been asking me to share more about my low-carb go-to products for my kitchen pantry and refrigerator for enjoying a low carb lifestyle.
A few disclaimers right off the bat. I eat low carb/high fat, not specifically keto. While many of my recipes are keto friendly, I primarily seek to cut net carbs and curb hunger by adding fat to my diet. I am not a health professional, nor do I play one online. I am simply sharing products I have found and enjoy. These are the items that help me stay on track.
Please note, my needs and goals may be significantly different than yours, so always seek professional advice when it comes to that department. While this lifestyle has lead to weight loss for me, my main personal goal is to feel healthy, have energy and avoid feeling constantly hungry.
With that said, I began eating low carb almost 3 years ago after reading a book that literally changed my life and how I thought about food. Gary Taubes’ Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It was the first “diet” book that actually made sense to me and my personal life experience. I felt like I was reading my life long struggle right off his pages.
When folks ask me the deeply personal question of “how much weight have you lost?” I often answer, “I’ve lost the massive weight of guilt and shame”. THAT is what Taubes’ book did for me. It helped me understand how I was fueling my body and how I might need to rethink a lot of what I thought I knew.
Our Favorite Low Carb Meats & Proteins
When folks think “low carb” they oftentimes think of the classic Adkins Diet and the mental association of bacon and eggs along with butter. And, while we definitely enjoy all three of those, there is a world beyond bacon (just don’t tell Mikey). Some of the meats we enjoy include:
- Bacon & Eggs
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh ( and Bone-In Thighs & Drumsticks)
- Ground Beef
- Ground Sausage
- Steak & Pork Steaks
Bacon & Eggs
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (and Bone-In Thighs & Drumsticks)
Ground Beef
Ground Sausage
Steak
Low Carb Veggies and Fruit
We enjoy a variety of vegetables in our low carb lifestyle and occasionally we incorporate some fruit. We enjoy fresh, frozen and canned veggies. Below are some of our favorites.
Fresh Vegetables & Fruit
- Bagged Salad (Typically Spring Mix)
- Zucchini and Yellow Squash
- Bell Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Green Onion
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Cabbage
- Mushrooms
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
Frozen Vegetables
- Brussels Sprouts
- Broccoli Florets
- Whole Green Beans
- Riced Cauliflower
Canned Vegetables
- Green Beans (Italian Cut and French Cut)
- Pepperoncinis
- Mushrooms
- Dill Pickles
- No Sugar Added Bread & Butter Pickles
- Sliced Olives
- Pimentos
- Freeze Dried Garlic
Low Carb Baking Essentials
Low Carb baking is something I gradually added into my low carb lifestyle. I literally had my plate full learning the ropes for regular meal times so I waited a long time before adding a lot of these ingredients to my pantry. We find a lot of these items on Amazon and Netrition. However, once I was ready, these products help me kiss traditional carb-laden sweets good-bye forever. Here are the items I now keep on hand:
- Carbquick
- Sukrin (Sugar Substitute)
- Sukrin Icing (Powdered Sugar Substitute)
- Sukrin Gold (Brown Sugar Substitute)
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Xanthan Gum
- Oat Fiber (Note: Brand really impacts flavor/texture on this product.)
- Low Carb Boxed Brownies
Low Carb Pastas & Bread
My carb-loving family and friends are happy that I have figured out some low carb alternatives to traditional pasta. The following products are carb-lover approved and low carb enough for me to enjoy too!
Our Favorite No-Pasta Alternative Recipes
Our Low Carb Favorite Cheeses
We enjoy a variety of cheeses as a part of our low carb diet. Below are some of our favorites:
- Block Cheddar (Shred at home with our favorite easy to use food processor).
- Block Mozzarella (Shred at home)
- Fresh Mozzarella and Snack Size Fresh Mozzarella
- Block or Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Cheddar Cubes or Sticks
- Pepper Jack Slices
- Havarti Slices
- Cream Cheese
- Cottage Cheese (in small portions)
Additional Low Carb Kitchen Favorites
Below are additional low carb pantry items we always keep on hand to keep us on track.
Coffee Essentials
Miscellaneous Items
- Rao’s Marinara
- Low Sugar Ketchup
- Sugar Free Pancake Syrup
- Sugar Free Reeses Cups
- Atkins Peanut Cluster Bars (Similar to a PayDay )
- Planter’s Roasted Pecans
- Hint Watermelon Water (Watch Target for regular sales)
- AuJus Gravy Mix
- Dill Ranch Mix
- Chive Onion Mix
- Sugar Free Whipped Cream
- Rebel Ice Cream
Do you have some low carb kitchen favorites that we missed? We’d love to hear about your favorites below.
Low Carb Crock Pot Recipes for Beginners
Are you looking for more recipes to incorporate into your low carb lifestyle? Here are some of our favorites for beginners.
Have you signed up for our low carb recipe newsletter?
We have a Monday through Friday newsletter option that is dedicated to low carb. Sign up for it here. NOTE: If you are already signed up for the main newsletter, you will need to update your email preferences from one of the emails you have received. Contact Cris if you need help.
- You’re Signed Up: Weekly Meal Plan - July 17, 2023
- You’re Signed Up: Cooking for Two Tuesdays - July 17, 2023
- Cooking for Two Tips: Downsizing Your Crock Pot - July 17, 2023
Great post. I’m new to your blog & to my Ninja Foodi Grill. You offer great, simple, easy, low # ingredient healthier recipes The Crock recipes are also yummy.. Everything I’m looking for in a blog and glad you merged them all together in one daily email post, Thanks for all you do!
Great resource! Thank you!