Need a quick reference on what foods are allowed on a ketogenic diet?  Something you can hang on your fridge?  Stick in your planner?  Save as screen saver?  Pin on your pinterest board?

Let’s keep it straight and know the basics of what food groups you can eat in order to be successful on a keto lifestyle.

What to Eat on Keto Diet

Food List

The entirety of your diet is composed of the 75-20-5 macros breakdown.  That’s 75% fats, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.  If you’re a beginner, stay focused on just your carb intake to avoid being overwhelmed and aim for just 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day (if you can push it to <20 grams, the better).  This will kickstart your ketosis and you will see immediate results even being mindless at your caloric intake.

Meat: If possible, eat grass-fed meat.  Beef (burger patty, ribs), chicken (especially dark meat), pork (bacon, ground pork, sausage), lamb, goat, eggs

Fish/Seafood: If possible, eat fatty fish and seafood. Sardines, salmon,  crab, lobster, oysters, shrimp, scallops, tuna

Veggies: artichokes, asparagus, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, olives, mushrooms, pickles, spinach, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, onion, lettuce, , zucchini, snow peas, cilantro, squash, okra, string beans, kale, parsley, garlic, seaweed, tomatoes

Fruits: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, avocado, coconut

Fats: coconut oil, fish oil, olive oil, ghee, butter, tallow, lard, avocado oil

Nuts: pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachio

Seeds: sesame, sunflower, chia, flax

Drinks: coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, coffee, unsweetened tea, water, sparkling water

Flour: coconut flour, almond flour

Dairy: heavy whipping cream, sour cream, mayonnaise, greek yogurt, cheese, cream cheese

Sweetener: Stevia, Erythritol, monk fruit

Social life should not be sacrificed.  We are after all humans.  If you find yourself in a gathering and would want to enjoy or if you want to have some treats, here are some allowable treats that you can enjoy in moderation.

Alcohol: Martini, Gin, Manhattan, Bloody Mary, Vodka, Tequila, Gin, Whiskey, Rum, Scotch, Brandy, Cognac

Desserts: dark chocolate, unsweetened cocoa for baking

Foods to Avoid

Some of these foods will not just kick you out of ketosis, it is also bad for your overall health.

Drinks: cocktails, sodas, energy drinks, fruit juices

Starches: bread, crackers, pasta, popcorn

Sweeteners: sucrose, honey, agave, HFCS

Most desserts with a lot of sugar: cakes, ice cream, pastries…you get the point

Grains: cereals, corn, oats, quinoa, rice

Fats: Mostly all containing trans fat and hydrogenated oil.

Keep in mind that there really is no such thing as a “keto food.”  Anything that you put in your mouth is technically allowed as long as you keep your macros on point and you have less than 20 or up to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day (and if you don’t really care about processed foods).

TIP: I use MyfitnessPal to look up carbs of certain foods/drinks.  

Ketosis is a metabolic state that subject your body to.  The food itself is NOT KETO and does not determine whether you get yourself into ketosis or not.  It’s how much carbs you eat.

The point of this list is to provide you with a guide to ensure that you are keeping your carbohydrate intake as low as possible without really thinking too much into it.

FREE Keto Food List Printable

As promised, click here to download “What to Eat on Keto Printable” so you can use it as a quick reference guide when you’re grocery shopping to ensure that you stay low carb high fat! #lchf

Click here to download “What to Eat on Keto Printable”

Also read this article to check out my own experience through my first week of trying out keto.  If you’re not yet a member of the family, click the button below to get access to our growing collection of printables.

Happy Grocery Shopping!