Top Keto Food Hacks
What is Keto?
The ketogenic diet focuses on helping the body break down protein and fat to use as energy sources rather than relying on carbs. To follow this diet, you’ll need to cut back on eating and drinking easily digestible carbohydrates, like soda, white bread, pastries, fruit and anything else with sugar. But that doesn’t mean you have to cut back on flavor. Here are some easy keto diet hacks to make the diet more enjoyable and easier to follow.
Keto Alternatives for Popular and Common Foods
The keto diet places restrictions on what you can eat. Some foods you should reduce or eliminate while on the keto diet include grains, sugars, fruit, beans and root vegetables. While you may miss out on eating certain foods, there are many great alternatives you can use to make your favorite dishes keto-friendly.
Cauliflower
When you want to eat rice, pizza or mashed potatoes, cauliflower is an excellent keto alternative. Cauliflower is a whole food packed with nutrients and low in carbs. You can cook cauliflower and shed it into the consistency of rice and mashed potatoes or use it to form a pizza crust.
Nuts and Seeds
Unless it’s natural and without added sugars, peanut butter isn’t very keto-friendly. Other nut butters, like almond, macadamia nut or hazelnut, are better low-carb spreads for a keto diet. Nuts and seeds also make great flour alternatives since the ketogenic diet limits the intake of grains. Some of the best nuts and seeds to incorporate into your keto diet include pecans, chia seeds, macadamia nuts, flax seeds and walnuts. These options are high in healthy fats and low in carbs.
Vegetable Noodles
Traditional pasta is high in carbs, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut noodle-based dishes from your diet. You can replace the noodles in your favorite recipes by spiralizing vegetables.
Zucchini is one popular vegetable used for noodles, but you can experiment with other veggies, too. Try using cabbage, fennel, eggplant and butternut squash for different flavors and textures. You can also replace spaghetti noodles by switching the pasta out for the flesh of spaghetti squash.
We also stock veggie pizza crusts made out of cauliflower, zucchini, or broccoli so all you have to do is pile on the garlic, cheese and pepperoni.
5 Quick and Tasty Keto Dishes
Now that you know some of the best keto alternatives, you can make easy, tasty dishes that fit your diet. Whether you plan to meal prep or cook every night, here are some keto dishes you will enjoy.
1. Keto Mac and Cheese
You can turn a classic mac and cheese dish into a keto-friendly version by switching out a couple of the ingredients. Luckily, cheese is acceptable on the keto diet, so choose your favorite varieties like you usually would. You can replace the pasta in the dish with cauliflower. If you’re a fan of baked mac and cheese, you can leave off the bread crumb topping and add crushed pork rinds instead.
2. Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Wraps
Of all the ingredients that make a Philly cheesesteak delicious, the roll is the least important. You can make just about any sandwich, hoagie, sub or grinder keto-friendly by using lettuce instead of bread. To make a keto Philly cheesesteak, cook your beef, onions and peppers using a keto-safe oil, like olive or avocado oil. Then, melt your choice of cheese on top. Once your filling is complete, you can scoop the mixture onto lettuce leaves to construct your Philly cheesesteak lettuce wraps.
3. Zoodle Alfredo
If you’re in the mood for some decadent pasta, consider making a zoodle dish. Zoodles are zucchini noodles made using a spiralizer or by cutting the zucchini into bite-sized strips. If you’re in a hurry, you can even get precut zoodles in many stores.
Alfredo is a delicious sauce that’s made from low-carb ingredients like heavy cream, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic, so it’s often keto-friendly. If you’re using a premade sauce, just be sure to read the ingredients to make sure it’s genuinely keto. You can also make your own sauce.
If you want to add some protein, chicken alfredo is a classic dish. Bacon is another excellent source of protein and fat that pairs well with alfredo.
4. Pork and Green Pepper Stir-Fry
Stir-fries are quick, easy ways to cook vegetables and protein for healthy keto meals. To create a flavorful dish, you can fry some pork, green peppers, onions and almonds in a wok or skillet. If you want to fill the stir fry with even more nutrients, you can add broccoli and bok choy.
Add some soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper flakes to make a spicy sauce and add more flavor to the dish. If you like to serve your stir-fry over rice, cauliflower makes a great low-carb substitute that works for a keto diet.
5. Avocado and Tuna Salad
If you want a quick, budget-friendly keto meal, an avocado and tuna salad is sure to hit the spot. It’s also easy to meal prep big batches ahead of time.
Cut up an avocado, red onion, red or yellow peppers and celery. Add a can of tuna to make a robust salad full of nutrients and flavor. Be sure to use tuna in water instead of vegetable oil to keep the dish keto. You can toss the salad in a dressing made from olive oil and lime. For additional seasoning, crack pepper over the salad. You can eat it on its own or scoop it onto lettuce to make tasty wraps.
Five Easy Keto-Friendly Snacks
When you’re hungry but don’t want to make a meal, there are plenty of keto-friendly snacks you can have. Here are some great snacks that are easy to prepare.
1. Kale Chips
Whether you buy them through a store or make your own, kale chips are a healthy, keto-friendly alternative to regular potato chips. You’ll receive the nutritional value from the leafy green while crunching on a delicious snack. If you plan to make your own chips, you can quickly dehydrate and crisp them by baking them in the oven or using an air fryer.
2. Veggie Sticks With Guacamole
You can’t beat the ease of snacking with veggie sticks and guacamole. While some veggies, such as root vegetables, can deter your progress on the keto diet, there are plenty of others you can enjoy. Cut up some celery, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower and peppers to eat with guacamole for a quick, healthy snack. If you buy guacamole, ensure the ingredients are keto-safe. You can also make your own.
3. Flax Crackers With Cheese
Cheese and crackers are another easy, classic snack. You can enjoy a keto-friendly version by using flax seed crackers. Flax seeds are a great way to obtain your daily nutrients, including fiber and omega-3 fats. While you can easily make the crackers from scratch using ground flax seeds, you can also buy them already made. When you pair the crackers with your favorite cheese, you’ll have a great snack full of flavor.
4. Fat Bombs
Finding keto-friendly desserts can be challenging, but you can make your own. People on the keto diet use the term “fat bombs” to describe low-carb energy bites that are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with the right ingredients. They are full of essential fats that provide energy to those on the keto diet. Many people make fat bombs using healthy fat bases like coconut oil, avocado oil, nut butter or cream cheese.
You can make savory fat bombs, too. It all comes down to the ingredients you use. You can add dark chocolate and nuts for a sweet fat bomb or cheese and bacon for a savory version.
5. Stuffed Mushrooms
If you want a heartier snack, stuffed mushrooms are full of flavor and nutrients. You can stuff mushroom caps with a cream cheese mixture, ground sausage or any other keto-friendly ingredients. You can leave the mushrooms raw or bake them depending on the filling you choose. Either way, you’ll end up with an indulgent snack to keep your energy levels up.
You can make stuffed mushrooms a whole meal by using portabella mushrooms and stuffing them with pizza ingredients. Placing tomato sauce, cheese and a few pepperoni slices on the mushrooms gives you another option for keto pizza if you’re not in the mood for a cauliflower crust.
Find Your Keto Ingredients at Feeser’s Food Distributors
When you need to purchase keto-friendly products and ingredients, Feeser’s is here for you. We offer a wide range of keto-friendly products you can use to make meals and snacks. Based in Central Pennsylvania, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional products and services locally and throughout the entire Mid-Atlantic region.
At Feeser’s, we ensure every customer receives personal care and attention. We’ll help you find the best products to make your everyday operations a success. You can browse our product catalog to see the keto products we offer. If you’re looking for a new food distributor, contact us today!