Keto – Store Cupboard Essentials

Before you embark on a Keto diet, it’s a good idea to spend a couple of days planning and making sure that you have stocked up on some of the products that you’ll need. There are some items that you may not have in your cupboards already, but the good news is that they are widely available. It is a good idea to have a quick check on prices as they can vary between retailers, and there are often cheaper alternatives available.

Electrolytes

As keto is a diet which restricts certain food types, you can be at risk of having too low electrolyte levels in your body. It is therefore very important to ensure that the levels of potassium, sodium (salt) and magnesium you are getting are at the optimum amount. This is achieved through careful monitoring of your food and drink intake, plus supplements where necessary. Aim for 3-5 grams of sodium, 1.5-2 grams of potassium and 500mg of magnesium per day.

Daily Plan

Firstly, I’ll outline what a typical day’s food and drink could look like:

Breakfast – Keto ‘bulletproof coffee’ – americano with double cream, coconut oil and butter

Snack – Bouillon drink

Lunch – Scrambled eggs and bacon

Snack – Chicken thigh

Dinner – Grilled chicken with satay sauce, broccoli and pak choi

Store Cupboard

The key items that you will need to purchase are:

• Coconut oil – for cooking, and in Keto coffees
• Vegetable bouillon powder – for drinking as a snack (high salt content)
• Coarse sea salt – for cooking and adding onto food
• Lo-salt – for creating electrolyte drinks (it is 66% potassium and 34% sodium)
• Macademia nuts – the best nuts for fat content
• Stevia natural sweetener
• Electrolyte supplements – most likely to be potassium and magnesium

It can also be useful to purchase some Keto urine testing strips, so that you can confirm that you are in ketosis (fat burning mode)

Fridge

If you load up on the following items, you will have all you need to be able to make your daily meals

• Eggs
• Bacon (streaky is the best option as it has the most fat)
• Unsalted butter – for cooking and in Keto coffees
• Double cream (full fat)
• Vegetables – cauliflower, broccoli, salad, green beans, courgettes are all good options
• Avocados
• Chicken thighs (skin on if possible)
• Minced beef or lamb, with a fat content of 12% or 20%
• Cheese