Quick answer: Good keto snacks are low in carbs and rich in healthy fats and protein. Easy options include nuts and seeds, hard cheeses, avocado, hard-boiled or deviled eggs, vegetables with dip, olives, meat snacks without added sugar, pork rinds, kale or coconut chips, cucumber roll-ups and tuna lettuce wraps.
Key takeaways
Easy keto snacks include nuts and seeds, hard cheeses, avocado, hard-boiled eggs and olives.
Simple homemade options include vegetables with guacamole, deviled eggs, tuna lettuce wraps and kale chips.
Nut and cheese portions add up quickly, and labels can hide sugar, so a little planning helps.
Grab-and-go snacks
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, macadamias, pumpkin seeds
- Hard cheeses: cheddar, gouda, parmesan
- Avocado with salt and olive oil
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Olives
- Unsweetened coconut chips
- Pork rinds with guacamole or salsa
- Jerky or meat sticks without added sugar
Quick homemade snacks
- Vegetables (cucumber, celery, broccoli) with ranch or guacamole
- Cucumber and cream cheese roll-ups
- Deviled eggs
- Tuna salad lettuce wraps
- Kale chips baked with olive oil and salt
- Bacon-wrapped asparagus
- Zucchini fritters with almond flour
- Chocolate avocado pudding with cocoa and a keto sweetener
- A smoothie with coconut milk, spinach, avocado and protein powder
Smart snacking tips
Watch portions of nuts and cheese, since calories add up, and read labels for hidden sugar. Plan ahead (see common keto mistakes), and find more ideas in the keto food list.
Healthy aging lens
Snacks built around protein, fat and fiber keep blood sugar steady between meals.
What the research shows
Snack choices matter on keto. Nuts are the best-studied whole-food snack, and ultra-processed snacks have been tested directly.
Nuts as an everyday food (Aune 2016, meta-analysis of 20 cohort studies). This review pooled prospective studies following large groups of adults over time. Each extra 28 g (about a handful) of nuts per day was associated with 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 22% lower risk of death from any cause. A limitation is that these are observational studies, and people who eat nuts may differ in other healthy ways.
Ultra-processed vs. unprocessed food (Hall 2019, inpatient randomized crossover trial). 20 adults lived at the NIH Clinical Center and ate an ultra-processed diet for 2 weeks and an unprocessed diet for 2 weeks, with meals matched for calories, sugar, fat, fiber and sodium and eaten as freely as they liked. On the ultra-processed diet they ate about 508 kcal more per day and gained 0.9 kg; on the unprocessed diet they lost 0.9 kg. A limitation is that it was a small, short study in a controlled setting, not real life.
Keto and appetite (Gibson 2015, systematic review and meta-analysis). This review pooled studies that rated hunger before and during ketosis in people following very-low-energy or ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets. People in ketosis reported being slightly less hungry and having less desire to eat. The authors note that the changes were small; the main benefit was that hunger did not rise as it usually does during weight loss. A limitation is that appetite was self-rated on scales, and the included studies were small and varied.
Strength of the evidence: Nuts and other whole foods have the best evidence; packaged “keto” snacks have not been studied and may still be ultra-processed.
When to see a naturopathic doctor
It may be time to see a naturopathic doctor if you have diabetes or take insulin, sulfonylureas or SGLT2 inhibitors (risk of low blood sugar or ketoacidosis), or if you take blood pressure medication or diuretics. The same is true if you have kidney, liver, gallbladder or pancreas disease, or high cholesterol, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a history of disordered eating, or if you want a keto plan tailored to your labs and goals.
See a medical provider promptly for nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, fruity-smelling breath with rapid breathing, or very high blood sugar or ketone readings, which can signal ketoacidosis.
Want a keto plan that’s safe for your health?
A free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Kneessi. No cost, no obligation. In-office in Odenton, MD or by telehealth.
Questions to bring to your clinician
These questions can help you get the most out of your next visit.
Do I need snacks on keto, or should I focus on fuller meals?
Which keto snacks would keep me satisfied between meals?
Do I need snacks at all on keto, given my goals?
Which snacks would be easy for me to take to work?
Frequently asked questions
What are good keto snacks?
Nuts, cheese, eggs, avocado, olives and vegetables with dip.
Are nuts keto?
Most are, in sensible portions.
Can I buy keto snacks at the store?
Yes, but check labels for hidden sugar.
Should I snack on keto?
Only if you’re hungry; many people need fewer snacks.
Sources
- MedlinePlus: Carbohydrates
- MedlinePlus: Dietary Fats
- Aune D, et al. Nut consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMC Med 2016. PMID: 27916000. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27916000/
- Hall KD, et al. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metab 2019. PMID: 31105044. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105044/
- Gibson AA, et al. Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev 2015. PMID: 25402637. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25402637/
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not replace an individual evaluation. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting supplements or changing medications, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or managing a health condition.
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