When you are following a ketogenic diet, you will have to get creative if you want to have similar meals to what you had before, but without the carbs.
Luckily – there are low carb alternatives for almost any carb-heavy food you can think of. From bread and buns, to pasta, and even potato substitutes – we have you covered with this ultimate list of low carb swaps!
Bread And Burger Buns
□ Kale leaves
□ Lettuce leaves
□ Thick sliced cucumbers
□ Roasted Portobello mushroom caps
□ Napa or Chinese cabbage
Save a minimum of 18 grams of carbs per 2 slices of bread and 21 grams for each bun
Wraps
□ Lettuce
□ Kale
□ Cabbage
Save 32 to 43 grams of carbs in traditional wraps and tortillas
Spaghetti And Pasta
□ Spiral cut zucchini
□ Japanese shirataki noodles
□ Spaghetti squash
□ Kelp noodles
Save 37.3 grams of carbs for each 1 cup of pasta
Lasagna Noodles
□ Thick cut zucchini slices
□ Sliced eggplant
Save 21 grams of carbs by replacing just 2 noodles
Potato Chips/Crispy Salty Snacks
□ Kale or Spinach chips
Wash and thoroughly dry leaves, cut into pieces, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt, garlic, or parmesan cheese. Bake at 350F until edges are brown but not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.
□ Crispy green bean fries
Toss green beans in olive oil in a large bowl, add salt, and optional garlic, parmesan cheese, parika or any spice and toss to coat. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy.
□ Almonds and walnuts
□ Crispy veggie sticks
Carrots, cucumber, celery, and jicama
□ Parmesan cheese crisps
Place small piles of shaved or shredded parmesan on a non-stick pan, and cook on both sides until melted and chew, or longer for extra crispy. Place on a plate to cool.
□ Pepperoni chips
Microwave on paper towels until crispy
□ American cheese crisps
Cut into 1×1 squares, place on parchment paper and microwave for 60 seconds or until crispy
□ Pickles
□ Almond flour or coconut flour crackers
□ Flax crackers
□ Roasted seasoned seaweed
(Found in the Asian section of supermarkets, online or in health food markets)
Save an average of 114 grams of carbs that are in 8 ounces of chips
Mashed Potatoes
□ Mashed cauliflower – Flavor with a little cheese, garlic, butter, or sour cream
Save 18 grams of carbs per ½ cup
Hash Browns
□ Use spaghetti squash instead of potatoes, fry up as usual
Save 18 grams of carbs per ½ cup
Potato Salad
□ Use softened cauliflower chunks instead of potatoes
Save 20 grams of carbs with each 1-cup serving
Tacos
□ Put all the fillings on a piece of kale or cabbage instead of tortillas
Save 23 grams of carbs in taco size tortillas
Buttermilk Pancakes
□ Almond flour pancakes
Save 20 grams of carbs in two buttermilk pancakes
Cereals And Breakfast Grains
□ Low Carb Almond Flour Porridge
□ Low Carb Coconut Flour Porridge
□ Low Carb Granola (For example – mix Sunflower seeds, Coconut flakes, Linseeds, □ Almonds, Coconut oil, Pumpkin seeds, Cocoa nibs, Cocoa powder)
□ Low Carb Granola Bars
(*These aren’t quite as direct a ‘swap’ as the others on the list, but they give you some good ideas of alternatives for breakfast!)
□ Eggs any style
□ Cauliflower hash browns
□ Bacon and eggs or sausage and eggs
□ Breakfast sandwiches wrapped in a firm omelet instead of English muffin, bagels or breads, and stuffed with bacon, sausage, cheese etc.
□ Eggs with salsa and flax cracker with cream cheese
□ Bacon, onion and tomato wraps (wrapped in lettuce or kale)
□ Omelets with vegetables, meats, and/or cheese
□ Egg bakes and skillets with meats and veggies
□ Pancakes and waffles made with coconut or almond flour
□ Smoked salmon with cream cheese, tomatoes and onions
□ Smoked salmon scrambled eggs with chives and sour cream on top
□ Flax crackers and cheese
□ Deviled eggs
□ Deviled eggs with a shrimp on top
□ Green smoothie
□ Hard-boiled eggs cut in half with fresh guacamole and bacon on top
□ Flax crackers with peanut or almond butter and a few mashed berries or sugar free jam on top
□ Flourless egg and cottage cheese breakfast muffins
□ Egg frittatas
□ Cream cheese pancakes
Save a minimum of 25 grams of carbs over cereals and other breakfast grains
Bread Crumbs
□ Almond flour
□ Coconut flour
Save 23 grams of carbs per half cup
White Flour
□ Almond Flour
□ Coconut flour
□ Nut crusting
Crushed nuts make a great low carb coating for fish and chicken
Save about 40 grams of carbs in ½ cup of white flour
Croutons
□ Sliced nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts)
□ Real bacon bits
□ Parmesan cheese crisps
□ Crumbled flax crackers
□ Sunflower seeds
Save 15 grams of carbs per ounce
Crackers
□ Flax Crackers
□ Parmesan cheese crisps
□ Almond flour or coconut flour crackers
□ Cucumbers, raw zucchini, celery and carrots
Save 6 or more grams of carbs per 5 crackers
Soda
□ Zero calorie flavored seltzers
Save 39 grams of pure sugar carbs in a 12-ounce serving
French Fries
□ Baked carrot sticks
□ Crispy green bean fries
□ Crispy turnip fries
□ Crispy daikon Fries
□ Crispy zucchini Fries
Save a minimum of 56 grams of carbs in a 1-cup serving
Ketchup
□ Crushed fresh tomatoes
Save 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon
Pizza Crust
□ Portobello mushroom cap
□ Cauliflower Pizza Crust
□ Coconut flour pizza crust
Save a minimum of 16 grams per 2 slices of crust
Sushi
□ Sashimi
□ Sushi cut and hand rolls without rice
□ Cut rolls wrapped in cucumber without rice
Save 26 or more grams of carbs in each roll
Desserts
The list of keto desserts is almost endless!
□ Blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries with heavy whipping cream or double fat yoghurt
□ Sugar free Jell-O™ with heavy whipping cream
□ Milk shake with almond milk, cocoa powder, and nut butter
□ Sour cream with stevia and berries
□ Strawberry with almond or peanut butter
□ Coconut-cashew chocolate truffles
□ Keto Cheesecake
□ Almond flour cookies and muffins
□ Chocolate and flan layered mini cakes
□ Strawberries dipped in sugar free chocolate
□ Strawberries dipped in sugar free caramel
□ Sugar free ice pops
□ Fat bombs
Sugary Cocktails/Beer
□ Straight spirits (vodka, gin, whiskey) mixed with club soda or diet tonic
□ Wine
Save a minimum of 15 grams of carbs per drink
Milk
□ Heavy whipping cream
Save 13 grams of carbs per cup
High Carb Fruit
□ Strawberries
□ Blueberries
□ Raspberries
□ Cantaloupe
