Ever since mentioning that I started doing the Keto Diet this summer, I’ve been getting a lot of follow-up questions. I’m hesitant to give any advice on the subject, but I can say that I’ve been really enjoying the approach these last few months. I’ve stopped and started a few times—I took a break around my birthday—and am still trying to figure out exactly what works best for me and what will be sustainable in the long term, but I find cutting sugar a lot easier when I’m adding healthy fats, and I’ve been happy to see and feel a difference.
One of the questions that comes up the most—for me, too!—is about convenience food. I like to snack, I can’t help it. And a snack for me means something convenient: something to grab when heading out to school pick-up, or going out to a movie, or taking a break from work.
These have been my go-tos lately…
Pork Rinds
But not just any pork rinds. I’ve tried quite a few now and, in my opinion, none come close to the 4505 Chicharrones. The barbecue flavor is my personal favorite—a little sweet, a little spicy.
Radishes with butter & sea salt
Gabrielle Hamilton writes about this: “As is always the case with such a simple idea, success is in the quality of the ingredients. Cull any overgrown, cottony, spongy radishes, and keep the good ones fresh with ice and clean kitchen towels. Keep your butter at the perfect temperature, and be graceful on the plate, please.” Okay, so not exactly grab-and-go, but still very convenient. I like to slice mine with a mandolin (super thin) and use a decadent European-style butter. If you’re not used to the spicy flavor of radishes, you might like them better sliced, too.
Parmesan Crisps
I need to try making these on my own at home one day. I hear it’s very simple, and can save some money.
My new favorites are the Everything Parmesan Crisps from Joyfull Bakery. I put some cream cheese and a little extra salt on them last weekend and it was like having an Everything Bagel! So good.
Coffee with Heavy Cream
This counts as a snack for me (and sometimes dessert). Philz coffee uses heavy cream in all of their drinks (and, if you like them sweet, you can swap in Stevia for the sugar), which was how I came upon the pleasure. Now I request it at other places, too.
Speaking of dessert…
Mascarpone Cheese
Mascarpone is a mild and creamy fresh cheese with a high fat content (a little bit like clotted cream). You may know it as the key ingredient in tiramisu, but it’s also delicious with fresh berries—and just about anything else, I imagine. My new favorite treat is to mix in a teaspoon of peanut butter (or any nut butter) and a teaspoon of stevia. The best. You can get Mascarpone at Trader Joe’s or most grocery stores or, apparently, make your own.
Also, on occasion:
Macadamia nuts, Homemade Kale Chips, Olives.
Some options for those who aren’t as keen on dairy as I am.
If you are doing Keto, or some variation of low-carb eating, what are your favorite snacks?
Previous posts: I tried the Ketogenic Diet (& Found a Favorite Keto Recipe) and Going Keto For 30 Days
8 Comments