10 Keto Snack Ideas For Busy Families
Above: A Quick watercolor and ink sketch of Kale, the number one most nutritious food on the planet!
Healthy eating and avoiding illness do go hand in hand, and there are many conditions such as heart disease and diabetes that can be greatly impacted and even reversed by adaptation of a healthy diet. And certainly natural and non processed food choices in the face of any illness is the way to go.The old saying “you are what you eat” has more truth than ever as we are sadly faced with the idea of toxins, hormone additives, chemicals, and contaminants in almost all the standard food choices. As far as educating children (and spouses) about the idea of food impacting health and future health, it can be a challenge, but as with any behavior modification it is first and foremost up to the parents to be the models. That can be a harsh reality check, I know, but sometimes adults need to make adult decisions in order to serve as good examples to their children!
When it comes to choosing a healthy diet that works for you, it can be overwhelming and there is lots of conflicting advice, though generally speaking everyone agrees that sugar, processed foods and junk food should be eliminated entirely or as much as possible. My personal choice for meals that make me feel good is a plant based diet, though my family is much happier with something closer to a carnivore or keto diet. My teens are all, thank g-d, healthy with no weight issues, so they are not about to give up bread and pasta and such, but with the exception of home baked challah made with white flour, we only buy whole wheat bread and pasta. My husband on the other hand is happy without bread or pasta or any flour products during the week, but generally does want to eat meat or chicken for dinner, so the keto diet is actually something that could work for him.
This scenario of a family with a whole truckload of different eating needs and desires can be difficult, not to mention that the teens and kids want snacks, that can derail the adults from their desired eating strategy. In truth, adults are best served by the idea of three meals a day and no snacks, but that isn’t always possible or warranted, when on a long car trip, a strenuous hike or faced with a whole bunch of snackers munching in front of you! Consider providing snacks that fall into the keto category for the whole family, which will eliminate some of the tempting foods while at the same time satisfy the kids, hopefully. Okay, lets take a look at what that entails, exactly.
10 Keto Snack Ideas For Busy Families
1. Raw Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are the best way to add oil to your diet, even if you are focusing on a plant based diet. While a keto diet focuses on lots of fat from all kinds of sources (and in my book plant based fat is certainly preferable to animal fat) non-keto weight loss plans generally limit any kind of fat, as even a small amount of nuts can stall weight loss for some folks. That said, nuts are amazingly healthy, and especially non-roasted nuts which have their nutrients intact and are the way to go.
Grabbing some high-fat macadamia nuts is simple and delicious, and their dry texture means they are a great no-mess snack to-go. Nuts have healthy fats and protein, and compared to unhealthy snacks, nuts and seeds are filling. (Some eating plans allow 2oz of nuts as a protein serving to replace 4oz of meat.) To make the most out of the keto diet, choose nuts with lower carb content, such as:
• Pecans
• Brazil nuts
• Hazelnuts
• Walnuts
Do combine these nuts for a well-rounded snack. The same principle applies to seeds, and low-carb ones like pumpkin and sunflower seeds are the best for a keto diet.
2. Keto Nut Butter
Do you prefer your nuts and seeds to be spreadable? If so, a keto nut butter spread mixes macadamias, cashews, and coconut butter to enhance your bread or crackers. It’s one of the best clean keto snack ideas to buy if you’re traveling or need a quick sandwich option. Keto nut butter has healthy fats and protein like its raw nut counterpart, and they can be fast and satisfying snack for anyone. I love nut butter with celery, as do my kids.
3. Flaxseed Crackers
You’re unlikely to make low-carb flaxseed crackers at home (though if you can, go for it!) but fortunately they can now be found in your local supermarket!
Aside from flaxseed, some brands contain organic cheese mixes, chia seeds, and sesame seeds, so do take a look at the ingredients, especially if you are avoding dairy. Flaxseed crackers are gluten-free and each serving only contains 3 grams of carbs. They go well with meat, cheese, nut butter, and low carb vegetables, and depending on your schedule, eating them alone is often enough. If you’re concerned about your food consumption, use the keto snack selector to optimize your meals.
4. Olives
Olives may not be as desirable as other snack options, but for a low-carb diet, they’re handy if you’re craving for a fatty, salty snack. You can carry them using either pouches or small plastic containers, and eat them either whole, slices or even as a delicious spread. (I make my own olive spread by simply using an immerson blender.) Olives pack a healthy dose of fats, and there are many varieties, colors and sizes to try and enjoy. Here in the Mediterranean region they might even be considered to be a food group!
Above: This is a photo of my Kale and mushrooms watercolor sketch before I painted out the mushrooms word, as it was too busy…..
5. Seaweed and Kale Chips
Baked seaweed and kale chips are low-carb snack options akin to potato chips, but allow you to stick with your ketosis goals even while in transit. These snacks have a better nutritional profile but retains its light, crunchy texture. Do be aware though that they might lead you down the road to craving potato chips, so if that is the case, don’t go there! Some seaweed snacks contain 20 calories and a gram of carbs for each serving. Others provide nutrient boosts, packed with vitamins A, B12 and C, iodine, calcium, and iron. This also applies to kale chips, making them a healthy source of micronutrients. But the only drawback of kale is their higher carb content, do if you want to make the most out of your low-carb diet, your first choice is seaweed. Also, for those who need to limit salt, this is not likely a wise snack option, or at least check out the salt content before purchase.
6. Coconut Chips
A keto diet isn’t complete without coconut oil, and crunchy coconut chips are perfect snacks. Shaved and toasted coconut meat pieces have a light, delicate sweetness despite having zero percent sugar content. Each serving contains five grams of carbs, but its fat content makes up for it, with 15g of healthy fat per serving. Combine coconut chips with nuts and you’ll be in high healthy fat keto heaven!
Okay, now for the sweeter, and less healthy options that will make the kids happy and hopefully be something everyone can enjoy in small quantities:
7. Keto Bars
Faced with a whole bunch of junk food choices that are tempting and you just need a sweet treat, or else? (Hello rest stops, yikes!) If so, Keto bars are one of the best keto snack ideas around, as their packaging and maybe even their taste mimics the junk options. Their formula specifically caters to a keto diet, with fewer carbs compared to most diet bars in the market. If you’re one of the 34.2 million Americans who suffer from diabetes, get a keto bar formulated to prevent blood sugar spikes. The best part is that most keto bars taste like real dessert but the ingredients are natural. If you can stop at one keto bar, go for it, if not, hmmmm.
8. Keto Chocolate Bark
You need not give up on chocolate when committing to a keto diet. All you need is to get a version without sugar. That’s where keto chocolate comes into the picture. Some chocolate brands are sugar-free while retaining a low carb content, and there are both milk and non-dairy options. You can also choose options that use stevia as a sweetner. Do take note however, that no matter what brand you choose, portion control is the key. If you aren’t mindful, you’ll lose ketosis. Sometimes, all it takes is doubling your serving, sorry about that.
9. Roasted Cacao Nibs
This is a form of chocolate, before manufacturers mix other ingredients like sugar and milk. When roasted, cacao nibs taste like chocolate but with a crunchy texture. Cacao nibs are minimally processed meaning they retain the antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients found naturally in cacao. Each cacoa nibs serving has two grams of carbs with zero percent sugar. This actually makes it a healthy snack instead of a guilty pleasure, and this may just be your weight-loss treat that satisfies your sweet tooth without driving your crazy.
10. Keto Cakes and Cookies
Most keto veterans use mug cakes as well as keto cookies as part of their weekly keto meal plans. Store bought keto cakes and cookies are of course processed, but certainly preferable to their carb loaded standard counterparts. Depending on your chosen flavor, keto cakes have a two to four grams carb content.
With stevia and monk fruit as a substitute for white sugar, keto cakes have a gram of sugar per serving. Cookies are the epitome of grab-and-go snacks, and with modern advancements, keto-friendly cookies are becoming the norm. Each cookie has an average of 90 to 110 calories but with zero percent sugar and four to five grams of carbs. There are also GMO and gluten-free options for these cookies, which is recommended.
Note: There are many folks who would put meat sticks and jerky, as well as pepperoni on this list, because people just love them, and they are simple, and easy to come by, but sorry, I just couldn’t knowing how totally unhealthy some of those things can be. It is true there are “organic” dried meat products without nitrates, so do be on the lookout for those, and please don’t accustom your kids to eating things with nitrates in them, or at least only once in a blue moon, which I’ll admit does happen in our home, say for a summer bar-b-que, which happens maybe twice a year.
I hope this little introduction to the idea of keto snacks has been helpful, here’s to making wise food choices and to feeling great because of them!
