Keto Shopping List for Beginners
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.
Deze post kan affiliate links bevatten. Lees meer.
You finally made the decision: tomorrow I will start with the Keto diet. Super!…but where do you start? You understand the idea of high-fat and low carb foods, but in theory it is all a bit overwhelming. Therefore, I have created some handy Keto Shopping Lists for Beginners.
I will be honest with you, yes it can be very frustrating to buy your first groceries on the Keto diet. Suddenly, you cannot rely on the products you have always bought and you have to check all the nutrition labels.
Meanwhile, you see all these delicious recipes on social media and food blogs about bread, muffins, wraps, keto rice and desserts and you think how is this possible?
Well, before I will give you some shopping lists based on different type of people and cooking skills, let’s quickly discuss what the Keto Diet is.
The Keto Diet
Keto is a very low in carb, moderate in protein, and high in fat diet. It typically contains about 75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbs.
Ketosis is a metabolic state that is characterized by higher levels of ketone bodies in your blood or urine (1). This happens when fat provides most of the fuel for the body, and there’s limited access to glucose.
In simple language: because your glucose intake is reduced and you increase your fat intake, as you do on the Keto diet, your body will start to burn fat for energy instead of glucose. This often results in (fast) weight loss.
“Macros” is an abbreviated term for macronutrients. Your macros are your daily intake of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
If you enter this is a macro calculator, you will find that for a 2,000-calorie diet, your macros will be 167 grams of fat, 100 grams of protein, and 25 grams of carbs.
Macro Division on a Keto Diet (2000 kcal)
This means that you have to start reading the nutrition labels and measure the weight of your food, especially in the beginning. You can then see what you can eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
For all the Keto Diet Basics, how you can calculate your macros, and an example of a meal plan, please check our Keto Diet Basics post.
In the beginning, I recommend planning your meals one day ahead. In all our Keto and Low Carb recipes, I showcase an Excel table with the total amount of carbs, protein and fat per recipe and per portion. This will help you fill out your macros app.
Just a quick disclaimer, you should always consult with a doctor or nutritionist to see what’s right for you.
Keto Beginner Shopping List
Once you know how many carbs, protein, and fat you can have on a daily basis, you can start to plan your meals.
Below you can find 3 different Keto Beginner Shopping Lists. These lists are based on the type of person or chef that you are.
Keto Beginner Shopping List - "I prefer healthy"
If you prefer to eat healthy fresh fruits and vegetables and like to cook yourself, then this Keto shopping list could be the one to start with.
On our Keto Lunch and Keto Dinner pages, you can get some ideas on what to cook today!
Below are some suggestions for healthy keto recipes with a lot of vegetables that require some skill of cooking, but are still easy if you follow the steps. You might need to buy more ingredients than on this shopping list.
Keto Beginner Shopping List - "I love baking"
Some newbie Ketoer’s love baking. On social media and Keto food blogs, you see all the delicious recipes of quiches, cheesecakes, and muffins passing by, that make you want to run to the supermarket right away.
If this sounds like you, then this following list with the most common keto baking products could be your starting point.
Don’t forget to browse through our Keto Desserts and Keto Snacks pages to get some ideas!
Here are some Keto baking recipe suggestions. You might need to buy more ingredients than on the shopping list that is shown above.
Keto Beginner Shopping List - "I am not the best chef"
Last but not least, there are a lot of people that actually do not like to cook or simply don’t have a lot of time on their hands.
Well, don’t worry, I also have a list for you. This list contains more ready to eat items, as well as simple ingredients to cook with.
Also, try the below quick and easy recipes if you are not the best chef or if you do not have a lot of time to cook. You might need to buy more ingredients than on the above shopping list.
Tips before you start your Keto diet
Finally, I will give you some tips:
- Try to clear out any products with too many carbs that can be tempting to you. Go to your fridge, the cabinets and your pantry, and throw/give away all the items with too much sugar, all the chocolate, candy, processed foods, bread, crackers, rice, and vegetables that are high in carbs. If you fall off the wagon, it will usually take a few days before you get into ketosis again.
- Use the macro or keto calculator, especially in the beginning.
- Drink plenty of water: Try to drink 3-4 liters / 1 gallon of water a day. It is important to stay hydrated because, in the beginning, you will lose a lot of fluids.
- Add electrolytes to your food or drinks (2): Since insulin levels remain lower in a keto diet due to lack of carbohydrates, the kidneys may excrete critical electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and more.
Therefore, it’s essential for people following the ketogenic diet to increase their intake of these electrolytes through diet or other supplementation.
You can add electrolytes to your water or add pink Himalayan sea salt to your food.
- Take magnesium supplements (3): Magnesium is a mineral that boosts your energy, regulates your blood sugar levels and supports your immune system.
Taking magnesium supplements can help reduce muscle cramps, difficulty sleeping, and irritability, which are all symptoms commonly experienced by people on a ketogenic diet.
I hope these 3 Keto Shopping Lists can give you a head start.
Now it’s time to go to the supermarket and start your keto diet. Good luck!
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Bol.com en het Bol.com logo zijn handelsmerken van Bol.com of haar affiliates.
