20 things you need to start the Keto Diet
Whether you are new to keto or looking to take your keto game to the next level, the 20 items on this list will help!!
Ingredients and tools needed to make basic keto recipes are linked so you can easily add them to a shopping cart to be delivered or picked up! That means, no excuse not to get started!!
Keto is more than a diet. It is a lifestyle. To maintain that lifestyle, make it easy. If you have these ingredients and tools at the ready, preparing delicious meals…and desserts…will be simple. That is how you not only reach your goals but maintain them.
Without everything on this list, I wouldn’t have been able to drop 65lbs of fat and then gain 10lbs of lean muscle. I dropped the fat in just under 2 months and have now kept it off for 3 years!
When making keto food is difficult, you are going to be tempted to do something easy, and finding something easy that is low carb, sugar free and keto friendly is HARD. Make sure you keep some of the Macadamia Nuts I link below on the ready, and if you are really in a bind, a bun free burger can hit the spot!
I believe in loving yourself, no matter your size. That said, the discipline you learn in following the keto diet bleeds over to other parts of your life. You need focus, commitment, planning and will power. On top of that, feeling at home in your skin is empowering and feeling healthy is worth more than any bowl of French fries out there!!
I hope you will grab some of what is listed, try some of the recipes I share and leave a comment!!
There are numerous apps that you can use on both ios and Android to track your macros…and I have tried most of them. For the first few months on Keto, I used the MyFitnessPal app and it is great!! What sets the Carb Manager App apart for me was the ability to scan food in the grocery store and not only get the macros but also a grading scale that makes deciding what to put in your cart easy. (Less math, yay) You can also search for or import recipes you are cooking at home so you can track them in your daily macros. It is easy to use and sped up my decision making process around dinner time.
Many recipes you encounter are going to have, at least, portions of the recipe listed out by weight in grams or ounces. Don’t be like me and have 1/2 your ingredients in your mixing bowl and get to an ingredient that is only listed in grams before you decide to grab a scale. Do it now!! This not only helps with the accuracy of the macros you record, it also is key when baking so that you get your wet/dry ratio perfect!!
3 – Swerve Sugar Replacement
Swerve is a life saver. No matter what you are cooking, baking, drinking, etc. If you were going to add some sugar to it, Swerve is your answer!! It is a 0 on the Glycemic index, which just means it won’t spike your blood sugar and cause you to produce insulin. You always want to keep…at least…one pouch in your pantry so you are ready to bake those cookies at a moment’s notice! Swerve comes in granulated, powdered and golden/brown varieties. Each recipe may call for one or all varieties. You can substitute the powdered version for granulated with a 1 cup granulated to 1 3/4 cup powdered ratio. (I honestly do this very often as I find my baked goods come out with a better texture when I do, depending on how long they are going to bake for.) Swerve also makes some pre-packaged cake, waffle/pancake and cookie packages that you should check out!
4 – Monk Fruit Sweetener
Since Swerve, or Erythritol, is not for everyone, I wanted to give an alternative. Lakanto makes a great Monk Fruit sweetener that is a 1-1 replacement for sugar, and many say tastes more like sugar, while still maintaining a 0 on the glycemic index. I keep both sweeteners in my pantry, but if I’m honest, that is mainly so I don’t have to do math in the middle of baking if I come across a recipe that calls for one or the other. My friends and family definitely comment that Swerve gives my baked goodies a “cooling” effect that they don’t experience with Monk Fruit. Most recipes you come across will probably have Swerve or Erythritol in the ingredient list and you will have to adjust the amount if you substitute Monk Fruit. Lakanto also has prepackaged baking mixes, some drinking chocolate and some sugar-free syrup that are worth taking a look at!!
5 – This Almond Flour
The biggest horror story you hear about going Keto is the cold turkey giving up of anything we might casually refer to as bread. It isn’t a lie, and to get in and stay in ketosis you CAN NOT cheat. This is not a diet that you can have those “cheat days” on, and anyone who tells you otherwise is leading you astray. Do not worry though, there is a sub for almost everything you think you might miss when you go keto – including BREAD! The staple of a Keto kitchen, and all bread dishes is going to be almond flour – make sure you get finely milled, you don’t want Almond Meal (unless a recipe, like Keto Chips, calls for meal, which is a coarser grain.) This is my favorite brand as it is finely ground (though I still suggest sifting it into anything you are making) and a great value.
6 – This Coconut Flour
Coconut Flour is the 2nd most common flour alternative that will show up in your recipes. I know a lot of people prefer the flavor, but hit the brakes, as they aren’t the same and if you are going to sub in a recipe, you better be good at fractions. There are several recipes you will come across, some of my favorites that I will share, that include both Almond and Coconut Flours, so it is good to keep both on hand.
6 – This Xantham Gum
I know, I know, bare with me. Xantham Gum is an emulsifier and you’ll read reviews about this ingredient saying it can cause upset stomach. I’ll leave that there and let you decide. It can be key to getting some great bread-like, well, bread, and you’ll find it occasionally listed on cookie recipes (and what is life without a few cookies, after all??). It is handy to have in your pantry, this is a great brand and the value is fantastic.
7 – This Keto Collagen Protein
Trust me, your skin will thank you! Throw this into your morning cup of coffee instead of your flavored creamer, maybe with a little Almond Milk if that is your jam. It adds sugar-free flavor, includes MCT-oil that will increase your daily fat in your Macros, and there are numerous benefits to supplementing your diet with collagen.
8 – This Almond Milk
I go through soooo much almond milk! I put it in my coffee, protein shakes, etc. This is not something I typically use when cooking, but if you love coffee like I love coffee, then you’ll go through this! Dairy isn’t technically a Keto no-no, unless you are going STRICT Keto, but dairy does cause inflammation, so if part of your Keto journey is about managing any auto-immune, cut out that dairy. Either way, limiting dairy is going to be important to speeding up your success.
9 – This Baking Chocolate
If you are a chocolate eater, which I admit before going Keto I really was not, you are going to want these. I find myself turning to chocolate chip cookies frequently as a snack, and sometimes on a hot afternoon, nothing hits the spot quite like a handful of these guys fresh out of the refrigerator! Yum!
10 – This Psyllium Husk
Ok, so this may seem like a weird one again. Most of you have probably never heard of Psyllium Husk, and those who have probably recognize it as a fiber supplement. In this powder form, you are going to use it in the BEST KETO BREAD RECIPE you will ever try, so trust me, get it, go find my bread recipe and thank me later. If you want to be successful with Keto, you need to find subs to your normal foodstuffs. I’ve tried so many bread recipes. Nothing compares!!
11 – This Himalayan Pink Salt
Not your average table salt, this is nutrient rich and will be really important when you first start Keto, as you will first drop water weight, which strips you of electrolytes that this salt can replenish. You have probably heard of the “Keto flu”, this will help you prevent that feeling, so stock up!!
12 – These Macadamia Nuts
You are going to want an occasional snack. These nuts are very high in good fat, and also calories fyi, so snack sparingly. They will help keep you in ketosis if you are struggling to get your daily macros in order! (plus they are delicious!!) I’ve tried numerous brands, and this brand is always the most affordable and just salty enough.
13 – This Uncured Bacon
You may not be a bacon lover, and that is fine, you can skip over this one if that is the case. If you do love bacon, then I wanted to make sure I pointed out that you don’t want bacon (or any meat for that matter) that is cured with sugar (brown sugar, honey, etc.) – what you are probably used to without even knowing it!!
14 – This silicone Loaf Pan
Since you are going to be baking your own bread, you are going to want a loaf pan, and if you go through your bread like I do, you are going to be baking at least twice per week and who wants to scrub a loaf pan that often. (not me) This Silicone pan is non-stick, which means your bread will pop right out leaving barely any residue behind, that a quick run under a faucet will rinse clean.
15 – This Silicon Muffin Pan
There are countless uses for a muffin pan! I use mine most often to make delicious egg bites (think Starbucks Egg Bites). They slip right out of these silicone cups, making them effortless to clean.
16 – This Silicone Cake Pan
You probably gathered by now I love desserts, so obviously I bake a lot of cakes (especially cheese cake. I’ve also used this to make brownies – check out my Cheesecake Brownie recipe!! I am all about the silicone bakeware, which rinse clean in minutes!!
17 – These Silicone Utensils
Much like the bakeware, these utensils get a lot of use and are simple and fast to clean. (two of my favorite words!!)
18 – This tiny egg frying pan
Eggs are such a staple in my diet. I have one of these tiny egg frying pans that I use every morning. Whether I want a little omelette or eggs over easy, I turn to this pan, which rinses clean in just a few minutes! I also have one of these tiny spatula turners so it doesn’t look oversized next to the pan.
19 – This Dutch Oven from Tasty
If you have been through my social media at all, you will note that I eat a lot of Keto chili. It is easy to make (30 minutes tops) and lasts me at least a week! The macros are perfect, but ultimately I just love the flavor. I make it at least a month, and it was a staple of my weekly diet when I first began Keto. This is dutch oven is always on my stovetop, ready to go!!
20 – These Mixing Bowls
You are going to do a LOT of mixing. It is worth investing in a nice set of mixing bowls, preferably with some silicon inside so they rinse clean easily…especially if you are going to work with something like peanut butter, and I hope you will!
