23 Amazon Keto Supplies
So just like you, I'm getting my supplies in place to help me succeed! You can read more about my results at the end of this post 🙂
==> Also check out our Aldi Keto hopping List – with 75 Keto Finds!
I've been a junk food junkie for ever and ever – but something changed in me on a Tuesday morning last January and I decided to just jump on the Keto bandwagon. Right after I put down my third cup of sugary creamery coffee it was GO TIME!
I have MANY friends and acquaintances who have done keto successfully for the last couple years. They are always offering to help me get started and I'm always like – LOOK FRIEND. STEP AWAY FROM MY BREAD.
But after flirting with the idea for awhile, and because I was my heaviest EVER this past winter, I decided it was time for a change. Keto here I come! I joined this Keto Facebook Group run by a friend and it helped me get started and was/is my support group.
Now that I've done “lazy or dirty” Keto for a full year – I wanted to share a few things that saved me back when I was in this early transition stage. As with any diet – do your homework to see if the Keto diet is right for you! I'm no expert, these products just helped me keep with it 🙂
23 Amazon Keto Products I Love
**Please keep in mind as you're reading these that Keto folks only get to have around 20 grams of carbs a day (varies based on weight and goals). You get it. It's HARD! Anything super low carb is a glorious miracle food!
This is on my Subscribe & Save list and comes every month! I miss my chips and crackers terribly when doing Keto – so a needed a salty, crunchy substitute. One with FLAVOR 🙂 The Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds are my go-to salty snack and at only 2 Net Carbs for a 1/4 cup – they fit right into my daily carb limit! (I'm usually munching on cheese and almonds a couple times a day so I get the nice big bag 🙂 )
2 . Even BETTER – these Planters Pecans.
First of all – they're a little softer and have a sweetness to them that I like. Second of all – they are only 1 Net Carb for a 1/4 cup! That means I can have TWICE AS MANY! Sadly they're kinda expensive so I normally wait for the big bags of raw pecans to go on sale and salt/season/roast 4 lbs at a time. 🙂
KETO LIFE HACK: Mix the almonds and pecans together. The powdery salty flavor on the almonds will stick to the oily pecans and make a great texture mix. You're welcome!
3. Russell Stover Sugar-Free Chocolates
After doing Keto for a few months I started branching out into Russel Stover's Sugar Free bags – my favorites are the Pecan Delights, Strawberry Creams and Mint Patties. They're about 1 Net carb each!
Problem is – they alllll have the dreaded side effect of creating a bit of intestinal discomfort if you overindulge. They use a different kind of sugar alcohol (Stevia and Maltitol) – while the SlimFast Fat Bombs (below) use Erythritol (that's the good one!)
4 . SlimFast Peanut Butter Cups or Caramel Cups
These have a pretty good flavor and they double as a Fat Bomb which helps! The box comes with 14 peanut butter cups and I treat myself to one after dinner when the kids are all eating cookies RIGHT IN MY FACE. They're only 1 net carb!! The chocolate is a little darker and harder than a Reese's Cup – and the peanut butter is drier/chalkier – but delicious considering you sort of thought you were never going to get a sweet treat again.
Also? They're Fat Bombs – which is why they're better for Keto than the Russel Stovers sugar-free candies I also love. That means they have LOTS of good fat and help you feel nice and full. (This is helpful when you're still trying to figure out how to get enough fat in a day at the beginning).
5 . Coffee Sweeteners/Flavors:
Here are three popular sweeteners you can try in your coffee – my favorite by FAR is the Jordan's skinny syrup but it's also not really strict Keto since the sugar alcohol used in it is Sucralose (more likely to spike your blood sugar levels and kick you out of Ketosis.)
Jordan's Skinny Syrup – I was lucky enough to find this at a Tuesday Morning near me, but you can also purchase on Amazon! I love the Hazelnut but also they have a million yummy sounding flavors. The bigger bottle is a great deal! It doesn't spike my blood sugar- so I choose it for it's extra-yummy flavors and big bottles 🙂
SweetLeaf Sweet Drops – My mom just loves her Sweet Drops in Chocolate, so I finally ordered some. They're okay – I need about 8 drops to get my coffee how I like it.
Pyure Vanilla Stevia Drops – These are ok – I've tried a few varieties to keep my mornings exciting. But the pyure drops have more of a “diet sugar” aftertaste to me that I don't love.
As a newbie I had no idea if eating this new way was putting me in ketosis or not. These strips told me I WAS in ketosis and it was such a morale booster! Plus it will let me know when I go out of ketosis, so I can figure out what food caused it.
7 . Whisps
Seriously – if you are a cracker or chip addict, do yourself a favor and grab a bag to try. These are JUST cheese that's been baked into little crackery chips. I took a ziploc baggy of them with me when we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant on Sunday. I dipped them in salsa and munched away so I wouldn't be too tempted. It worked so well! (I was so proud of myself for not giving in to the chips)
By the way – you get to eat 23 of these and it's only 1 carb! You can make your own “whisps” by dropping little piles of shredded cheese into a skillet – or a microwave – or an oven – but if you're looking for convenience, it's a nice thing to have on hand. The Pepper Jack is BEST!
8 . Mission Carb Balance Tortillas
My VERY favorite I can only find at Target and they're the soft-taco-size whole wheat – at only 2 carbs per tortilla. Keep in mind this CONTAINS WHEAT – so if you're doing strict Keto for anti-inflammatory benefits – this is not for you! If you're doing “lazy keto” for weight loss only – feel free to try it out!
9 . Keto Friendly Bread and Buns
Since I started Keto – my biggest blessing has been the introduction of many Keto-Friendly bread and buns to the market. Aldi has this Zero Carb Bread and it is MIRACULOUS – if you have an Aldi near you go stock up your freezer! And Walmart has these 1 Carb Buns that are AWESOME – I will take one in a ziploc bag in my purse if I'm going out to eat so I don't have to have a bunless burger 🙂
If you DON'T have an Aldi or your Walmart doesn't carry the buns- here are some Amazon alternatives:
10 . Lilly's Chocolate
So let's address the elephant in the room. These are expensive for chocolate chips. Also – I DO NOT CARE.
Guys – when you're really excited about losing weight and you know what normally trips you up (sweet tooth here) – you can talk yourself into anything. I found these before I found the SlimFast or the Russell Stovers candies – and I was just grateful that I was able to have chocolate period.
- Lily's Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (0 Net Carbs)
- Lily's Milk Chocolate Chips (2 Net Carbs – but worth it bc these are the BOMB)
- Lily's Dark Chocolate Chips (1 Net Carbs)
There are a gazillion recipes out there where you can make yourself some keto candy with these – like Keto Almond Bark. (YUM) You'll also want to pick up some baking essentials if you plan to make your own Keto-friendly cookies, muffins, etc…
11 . Almond Flour or Coconut Flour
If you're sticking to a gluten-free Keto lifestyle – you'll want to try almond or coconut flours to produce any breads you make. You can actually make coffee mug bread in the microwave with almond flour! WHAT??? I will show you!!
Check out my Almond Flour Coffee Mug Bread Recipe here! (NOTE: I never make this anymore ow that I've learned how to make chaffles – just because it's not as yummy. See below for a chaffle recipe!)
I use my bread circles for mini pizzas, little sandwiches, I toast it and cut it up like “croutons” to sprinkle in soups, or to add texture to other dishes, etc… My next goal is to figure out almond flour tortilla chips 😉
12 . And if you want to get REALLY happy about bread-like things – get yourself this Mini Waffle Maker.
Now that I've done Keto for nearly a year – I've learned that meal prep is everything for staying on track.
This mini-waffle maker is a game changer. I use mine to make “chaffles” and I use them for buns and little pizza crusts. You can even make thin ones for taco shells!
I often make a batch of Chaffles (waffles made mostly of cheese/egg) on Sunday and get them ready for mini pizzas, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, garlic bread, etc… to help me stick to my way of eating for the week. This Mini Pizza Chaffle recipe is my go-to!
13. Sugar Substitutes
The two most popular sugar substitutes for Keto folks are the following:
- Monkfruit (which lots of people swear tastes the best for baking)
- Swerve (which the other lots of people swear tastes the best for baking)
- This Swerve 2-Pk is a great sweetener to have on hand! (You'll use the granular Swerve like regular sugar, and the Confectioner's Swerve to make icing and whatnot)
I've tried BOTH and I like BOTH – although they do both give a slight cooling effect in your moth – which doesn't bother me much.
Supplements:
14 . MCT Oil Powder & Collagen If you pick only ONE SUPPLEMENT to take – I would take MCT Oil Powder + Collagen. These were the two most HELPFUL things to me and getting them in one combo powder helped me fit both into my coffee routine. If you can only get one at a time that's fine too!
In my quest for regularity, I was told my multiple folks to add MCT oil to my coffee. Other side effects include boosting your energy and clearing your brain fog. Honestly, I DO actually have more energy after having this in my coffee for two days in a row.
The brain fog might take more than 2 days to clear 🙂 This one was an investment – but since I'm also testing things for the rest of us I thought it was worth it.
Collagen powder is another supplement you can stir into your coffee – and it will help with hair, skin, nails and joints and I took it daily for the first several months. For many people – it will help prevent your hair from thinning or even thicken it up! I am restocking now that I'm about to hop back into Keto. 🙂
COFFEE TIP: When mixing powdered collagen and mct oil into your coffee – I find nothing blends it as well as a handheld milk frother – which is inexpensive and super handy!
15. Magnesium – About a week and a half after I started Keto I started getting some achey legs at night. I asked MANY people who had been on Keto for a long time, and I found out that I was likely low on electrolytes and magnesium. I ordered this Nature Made Magnesium Citrate – and it even had a nice Amazon coupon! (Make sure to get Magnesium Citrate and not Magnesium Oxide. They're more expensive but the body absorbs them much better!)
16 . Biotin
Biotin is one of the B vitamins and will help you metabolize fats, carbs and proteins better. Big bonus – it will help keep your hair, skin and nails nourished and healthy while you completely overhaul your way of eating. I had never in my LIFE had long fingernails until I started Keto and began taking Biotin!
More Keto Snacking Favorites:
17 . Giant Queen Olives or Pickles
These are my 11pm go-to (along with the last item on the list). Almost no carbs. Like I can eat 2 or 3 and it's still less than a carb. They're that salty, briney and kinda crunchy thing I'm craving around 11pm. If you're a pickle person – it's sort of the same thing with those! Those Olives to Go or Olive Snack Bags would be super handy too!
Want to know the perfect I-have-all-the-cravings late night snack? Put several giant olives on a plate, a handful of pecans/almonds/pistachios or whichever nut I'm loving that week, and a Slim-Fast PB cup. Snuggle up with a good book or some social-media stalking, and make your way slowly around the plate a few times. You're welcome 😉 (Only like 2 net carbs!)
18 . Coke Zero
Please don't judge me friends. I'm just being honest here – if I weren't able to have a sip of Coke Zero now and then (which has no carbs) then I might be a meaner mom. It makes me “lazy keto” because it's not a natural sugar – but that's a-ok with me!
Ketchup is my best friend – and I really needed it to come on this journey with me – but did you know regular ketchup has about 5 carbs per squirt? That's ONE THIRD OF MY DAILY ALLOWANCE!
The sugar free ketchup really helped me stay on track – and I even took it with me to restaurants. When I get a big bunless burger covered in cheese and mushrooms, and I know I can dip it in ketchup, I can be a happy woman 🙂
**NOTE: Not everyone's carb limit is 15 per day – mine was based on my height, weight and goals – given to me by a free tracking app I used called Carb Manager 🙂
20 . Sola Granola + Atkins Vanilla Shake = Milk and Cereal
If you love cereal – I hope this helps you out! I didn't NEED to have this – but I have a bag I've eaten out of about 4 times and it's just nice to know it's in the cabinet for when those milk and cereal cravings hit 🙂 I like the Vanilla and Almonds Sola Granola (only 5 Net Carbs) and a healthy splash of an Atkins Vanilla Shake (almost no carbs).
21 . Beef Jerky
I didn't eat beef jerky very often – but I kept a few sticks in my purse for emergencies. Beef Jerky is super tricky because they like to sneak sugars in there – so read the label carefully! Here are a couple good options
- Tilamook Country Smoker Sugar Free Beef Jerky (0 carbs!)
- Slim Jims (1 Carb for 4 Sticks! Very purse-friendly…)
- JackLinks Zero Sugar (1 carb)
22 . Pork Rinds and Queso Dip
UGH. I wanted to like Pork Rinds but I could not for the life of me get on board with them when I started. You can get really creative with them, subbing them out for breadcrumbs to make chicken nuggets, and all sorts of things – and obviously as a crunchy snack to replace popcorn and chips.
I finally found that dipping them in queso really made a HUGE difference. I like (and “like” is a relative term here friends) the 4505 Chicharrones and Epic brand pork rinds the best because they're light and fluffy and don't have as many hard pieces. I get a queso dip similar to this one from the refrigerated dairy section of the grocery store.
When everyone else is munching microwave popcorn during family movie night – I have myself something to fall back on 🙂
MY KETO PROGRESS
January 2019 vs July 2019
Over the first 7 months of doing “dirty” or “lazy” Keto (January – August) – I lost 56 lbs. I lost a bunch of inches. I lost my constant heartburn (what a fun benefit!) and I gained a lot of confidence and joy 🙂
My friend Tessie did Keto with me and that was a major factor in my success, I just know it. We meal prepped together and shared our dishes (that way we didn't get too burnt out on the same things). We were always checking in and being encouraging and celebrating little wins (I went to the movies with my popcorn eating family and managed to stick to eating the Smoked Almonds in a ziploc bag in my purse – WIN!)
Here's my friend and I during our first month – trying to get out and get more active!
If you don't have a support friend like that – this is the Keto/Low Carb Facebook Support group that I love and have belonged to since day 1. It's a welcoming, safe place to ask all your questions and get new ideas for recipes, etc…
Fast forward to August….. Very, very, ecstatically, unbelievably happy to be in a size 6 jeans after starting at a 16 – I decided I was content there and began my maintenance phase. 🙂 I researched a TON before deciding to try to slowly phase in foods that were high carb, but only in short bursts. I am still successfully maintaining that weight loss by doing Keto during the week and enjoying carbs on the weekends. Keep in mind – this might not work for everyone – but it's been working for me (knock on wood!) for the last year.
Typically I eat out with my family and relax on Sat/Sunday (for instance, I can have chili WITH all the beans!). When I wake up on Monday I do intermittent fasting and drink lots of water until late afternoon. Then hop back into Keto eating with renewed energy.
When I do intermittent fasting – I allow myself lots of water and coffee. I use no creamer, but add in some Jordan's Skinny Syrup or other sugar-free sweetener (which doesn't spike MY blood sugar but may spike someone more sensitive). Giving my body time off from calories lets it burn through the weekend's carbs so it can get on board with fat burning again during the week.
If you like the idea of an on again – off again relationship with carbs – good news!
Laurie actually uses a diet plan that incorporates keto a couple days a week and it's called Faster Way to Fat Loss – you can check that out here! She sincerely loves it guys – no kidding. She tells her whole success story here if you want more information before jumping in.
Looking to do strict Keto the right way?
If you want to do Keto with some extra hand holding – Our friend Jennifer offers this great Get Started course! It is super inexpensive and she holds your hand through the whole process 🙂
Now I really want to know – do you have any favorite keto foods or products that help you stick with it? What about recipes? I truly want to hear what they are – please leave me a comment so I can try it out!
More Keto Posts:
- What it was like those first couple of weeks 🙂
- How it all changed around week 3 😮
- and What happened when I had a massive cheat day around week 8 🙁
- Also this Almond Flour Coffee Mug Bread saves me weekly
- I also love saving money on Keto-friendly foods by following this Keto Shopping List for Aldi
The post Jamie’s 22 Favorite Amazon Keto Products – BACK ON THE BANDWAGON! appeared first on Passionate Penny Pincher.