I did a really crazy thing for all of you today. I emptied the contents of my fridge and clicked images of all the things I eat or use in my Ketogenic lifestyle. Most of these pictures are from my kitchen and the others are of products that I often use at home.
Before the questions begin, I must emphasize one more time that these sauces, cheese and other foods cannot be added randomly to your diet. You have to make your diet plan according to your macros. So what might work a tsp for me might work as half a tsp for you or more. But I can tell you for a fact that all food items on this grocery list are low carb and very low sugar. I am really excited about this post as once I took the pictures I realized that we have so much to eat. So grab your shopping note pads and, let’s have a party.
I have divided the food into simple categories, and if I missed out on something please let me know.
1. Butter and Cheese
Amul Butter Amul Butter – Pasteurised, 500g Pack
Amul Cheese Cubes Amul Cheese – Cubes, 200g Pack
Amul Cheese Spread Amul Cheese Spread – Plain, 200g Pack
Amul Cheese Slices Amul Cheese – 10 Slices, 200g Pack
Britannia Cheese Cubes Britannia Cheese – Cubes, 200g Pack
Britannia Cheese Spread Britannia Cheese Spreads – Classic, 180g Box
Amul Butter with Garlic and Herbs
Britannia Processed Cream Cheese
Go Cheese Spread – Olive and Herbs Go Cheese Spread – Olive and Herbs, 200g Pack
Luckily, for us, India is the land of milk and butter. We have different brands of butter and milk in every state and most of them procure milk from the local farmers. Once you get the hang of it, I suggest you survey the different brands and add more variety to your pantry. From my observation, Amul Butter is the saltiest, if you compare it to Britannia and Go. Britannia processed cheese does not become hard on baking, where Amul processed cheese is a big no for baking. Go Cheese, on the other hand, has the least salt and they have a lot of variety in cheese spreads. My personal favourite is Go Cheese Spread – Olive and Herbs. Their triangular cheese cubes are very delightful too and can be carried to work as a snack.
In the picture, you can see a small packing of Amul butter, which I find very convenient to use and to carry while travelling. The idea might sound very appalling to some, but I love to bite into it when it is cold like cheese. Also, let me clarify that Amul is in fact “grass fed butter,” only thing is that it is not mentioned in bold on the pack.
2. Peanut Butter
Zucchero Peanut Butter Cream Zucchero Peanut Butter Creme 200g
ZuccheroPeanut Butter Crunchy Zucchero Peanut Butter Crunch 320g
Skippy Peanut Butter Crunchy Skippy Peanut Butter Crunchy, 340g
Dr.Oetker Fun Foods Peanut Butter Creamy Funfoods Peanut Butter Creamy, 340g
Dr.Oetker Fun Foods Peanut Butter Crunchy Funfoods Peanut Butter Crunchy, 340g
Skippy Peanut Butter Creamy Skippy Creamy(Peanut Butter), 462g
Skippy Peanut Butter Crunchy Skippy Peanut Butter Crunchy, 340g Jar
Buy peanut butter only if you think you have the will power to stop at two or three spoons, or else avoid it. It however can be used to make very yummy fat bombs.
3. Cream
Mother Dairy Cream Mother Dairy Cream, 200ml Pack
The cream can be used as a creamer for your coffee. I also like to have it sometimes just like that with stevia and cocoa. The Amul Whipping cream seems to vanish from the aisles as soon as it arrives, so I always buy it in bulk and then freeze it in ice-cube trays. That way I have cream almost all year round in my freezer. And since we use very little of it, I have seen that the opened tetra pack goes bad in the fridge too. And please remember cream can sometimes cause stalling, so don’t go overboard with it.
4. Cocoa
Hershey’s Cocoa Powder Hershey’s Cocoa Powder, 225g
HERSHEYS COCOA, special dark blend of natural and dutched cocoas HERSHEYS COCOA,special dark blend of natural and dutched cocoas,(226g)
Weikfield Cocoa Powder Weikfield Cocoa Powder,50g
Cocoa should always be there in your pantry. It is used for fat bombs, for sprinkling over cream, in chia seed puddings and sometimes over the Bullet Proof Coffee too. When I started Keto I, more than a year back the Hershey’s unsweetened Cocoa available in the market were imported, but now it is being manufactured in India and is easily available. If you stay in a remote place like me, then in the absence of this brand, our mothers trusted brand Welkfield can be used. I highly recommend the Hershey’s dark cocoa, when you make fat bombs with that they taste like any premium dark chocolate.
5. Tangy Sauces
Real Thai Sauce – Fish Real Thai Sauce – Fish, 200ml Bottle
Real Thai Sriracha Extra Hot Chilli Sauce Real Thai Sriracha Extra Hot Chilli Sauce, 430ml
Real Thai Black Pepper Wok Sauce Real Thai Black Pepper Wok Sauce, 150 ml
Real Thai Sesame Hot Sauce Real Thai Sesame Hot Sauce, 200ml
Now since we cannot have the normal sugar laden tomato sauce in Keto, so you only have two choices either you make your own Keto Tomato Sauce at home or you look for brands that are low on carbs and sugar and high on flavour. Once boiled eggs with just salt and pepper got really boring, I too went out exploring the stores in Chandigarh. I found that Real Thai, was a nice brand, not very expensive and they have a very wide range of products too. The flavours suit our Indian palette pretty much and it is easily available too. But just cos you got a sauce that is low on carbs doesn’t mean that you make a meal out of it. In Keto little restraint goes a long way. I have used all these four sauces, and am very pleased with them. The fish sauce takes a little getting used to but can be used to make soups richer and goes very well in Thai food.
6. Thai Quick Meals
Real Thai Curry Paste Sachets Combo (Yellow, Red and Green, 50g each)Real Thai Curry Paste Sachets Combo (Yellow, Red and Green, 50g each)
Real Thai Red Curry Paste Real Thai Red Curry Paste, 227g
Real Thai Green Curry Paste Real Thai Green Curry Paste, 227g
Real Thai Yellow Curry Paste Real Thai Yellow Curry Paste, 227g
I have just recently developed taste for Thai food and I admit it is a welcome change. Thai is very fuss free cooking and all it asks for is a little getting used to. The taste I admit is very different from our basic Indian food, but if you tweak it a little it turns out to be a bowl of Keto goodness, with very low carb figures. Most Thai dishes ask for addition of palm sugar, which I replace with stevia. And they ask for a lot of coconut milk, but I have always used half the quantity and it tastes just fine. You can experiment and see what intensity you prefer.
7. Coconut Milk and Buttermilk
Amul Masti Butter Milk – Spiced Amul Masti Butter Milk – Spiced, 200 ml Carton
Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk Hommade Coconut Milk, 200ml
Spanish Pitted Green Olives Loreto Spanish Pitted Green Olives, 430g
Sliced Jalapeno In Brine Loreto Sliced Jalapeno In Brine, 220g
Real Thai Coconut Milk Real Thai Coconut Milk, 400ml
Another thing that you will always find in my fridge is coconut milk, soya milk and buttermilk. The coconut milk can go into your late-night coffee, it is added to your soups, stews and Thai foods. It can also be used to make your decent cup of tea, meat gravies and can be added to your chia seed puddings. The buttermilk is a life saviour when you want to have something cold and refreshing. I have tried buttermilk from Amul and Mother Dairy, and I prefer the latter more than the former. Dabur Coconut milk is easily available in all stores, sadly not in my sleepy town, but you can choose any good brand, even homemade will do.
If you allow a can of coconut milk to stand overnight, when you open it in the morning the top layer is the coconut cream which is rich in fat. Again like cream, the milk goes bad even in the fridge, so always buy small tetra packs and use quickly. In my fridge, you will also find green olives pitted and jalapeno all year round. I like to add them to my mayo salad, to my omelettes and also to my paneer.
8. Pickles and dips
Fun Foods Dip – Tartare Fun Foods Dip – Tartare, 225g Jar
Fun Foods Sauce – Garlic Chilli Fun Foods Sauce – Garlic Chilli, 250g Bottle
Keya Mangalore Fish Pickle Keya Mangalore Fish Pickle, 270g
Ching’s Sauce – Schezwan Stir Fry Sauce Ching’s Sauce – Schezwan Stir Fry Sauce, 250 g Bottle
Keya Malabar Chicken Pickle Keya Malabar Chicken Pickle, 270g
Keto food in the absence of ginger, garlic, onions and tomatoes can get very boring. In order to spice it up you can add a spoonful of pickle sometimes. While I do not recommend any kind of mango pickle or chutney as it is very high in carbs, any pickle that has a vinegar base, or is made with dried red chillies, green chillies, lime juice is a safe option. Tamarind is very high in carbs and should be avoided. Keya is a Goanese company and I first saw their products in Westside Chandigarh. But now they are easily available everywhere. They have all kinds of pickles and chutneys to offer and why I personally like them is because they also offer non-vegetarian pickles. My personal favourite is their fish and chicken pickle.
As a rule, always check the label of whatever you buy and eat. And whenever you are eating something readymade, eat in moderation, going overboard can sometimes backfire very badly.
9. Herbs and Pink Salt
Keya Kashmiri Paprika Powder Keya Kashmiri Paprika Powder, 55g
Keya Oregano Keya Oregano, 7g
Urban Platter Pink Himalayan Rock Salt Urban Platter Pink Himalayan Rock Salt Powder, 950g
Naturesmith Thyme Naturesmith Thyme, 40g
When you saute your meats and eggs you look for spices and herbs that give it a delicate flavour, without adding additional carbs. If you break the fixed ideas of adding haldi, mirchi, dhania powder to all you eat, then there is a whole world of herbs and spices out there. Just put on your creative shoes and be ready to experiment.
The most essential ingredient of all your foods should be Himalayan Granulated or Powdered Pink Salt. It is not “sendha namak”, and it is not our regular kala namak. This salt is rich in minerals and will help you in maintaining the right electrolyte balance inside your body.
10. Garlic and Onion Powder
On1y Pink Salt Grinder On1y Pink Salt Grinder, 100g
Urban Flavorz Onion Powder Urban Flavorz Onion Powder, 70g
Instant Garlic Powder Snapin Instant Garlic, 55g
The reason I am sharing the picture of the salt grinder is so that you know that this is an easy way to carry pink salt with you. It can be kept in your desk, dashboard and can be added to all you eat, even drink. The onion and garlic powder are also essentials for bachelors and other people who don’t have fully equipped kitchens. And for the reason, that onion and garlic in powder form are much stronger in taste and flavour. And you need to add very little to any meat or veggies that you are cooking.
11. Essential Oils
Patanjali Coconut Oil Patanjali Coconut Oil, 200ml
Figaro Olive Oil Tin Figaro Olive Oil Tin, 200ml
Like many of you, I got hooked to Bullet Proof coffee from day one. And I think that was mainly because I picked a coconut oil that had no smell at all. I have tried other oils too but I keep coming back to Patanjali as it has no smell at all and also because it is easily available and economical too. I use coconut oil in my coffee, tea and sometimes for sauteing chicken and lamb. I use olive oil for marination as coconut oil becomes hard in Shimla. Butter gets burnt in a pan on so I always add that to my boiled eggs or have it hard and cold. You can pick any good brand of olive oil, just ensure that it is not “pomace”.
12. Teas
Brooke Bond, Taj Mahal Leaf Tea Bags Brooke Bond, Taj Mahal Leaf Tea, 100 Tea Bags
Keya Chai masala Bottle Keya Chai masala Bottle, 60g
Taj Mahal Fresh Lemon Tea Bags Taj Mahal Fresh Lemon Tea Bags (25 Pieces)
Gaia Assorted Green Tea Gaia Assorted Green Tea (25 Tea Bags)
If you are Indian you can’t do without tea, like me. There is nothing more comforting than a hot cup of tea, on a rainy day, on a gloomy day or for that matter any day. I start my day with a cup of green tea followed by my coffee. Somedays I skip the coffee and have tea instead. I make it with coconut milk or simple black. At my desk, you will always find Taj Mahal tea bags and stevia. Surprisingly, the tea bags taste better than the tea leaves. The lemon tea is very decent too and gives you a good break from green tea. I recently added the Keya Chai Masala, to my pantry and if you like masala tea then you will totally love this masala.
13. Coffees
Nescafe Classic Coffee Nescafe Classic Coffee, Glass Jar, 100g
Recently I invested in a Mocha Pot and now on Sundays, I have a big mug of Lavazza coffee. Once you start exploring you will realise that there is a whole world of coffee out there. Same goes for tea when you travel the length of India you will discover many new brands.
14. Nuts and Seeds
Chia Seeds / Flax Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds / Almond Seeds
Urban Platter Chia Seeds Urban Platter Chia Seeds, 200g
15. Sugar Free and Stevia
Sugar Free Natura Powder Sugar Free Natura Powder (100gm) Pack of 3
Gaia Stevia Sugar Free 100 Tablets
Stevia is an essential part of our Keto Lives. There are many brands in the market today that you can choose from. Where I live the only brand that I get easily is Gaia and I must tell you that it has no after taste. You can try different brands and then settle for one that you like the best. I also keep Sugarfree powder, sachets and liquid at home as a backup. You can use Sugar-Free for baking and for making fat bombs. But personally, I would suggest that you stick to stevia as a safe and long-term option.
This brings me to the end of this exhaustive list. Do let me know if I missed out on any essential ingredients and if you use other low carb brands do share them with me.
Keep Calm, Keto ON!
