Snacking on keto is simple in principle — you want something low in carbs, filling enough to hold you until the next meal, and ideally real food. In practice, most classic snacks (crackers, granola bars, fruit, chips) are off the table. Here's what actually works.

What makes a snack keto-friendly

A keto snack should be low in net carbs. Most people on keto aim for 20–50 g of net carbs per day total (StatPearls), so a snack shouldn't eat up more than 5–10 g of that. Beyond carbs, a good snack has enough protein or fat to actually satisfy you — otherwise you'll be hungry again in 30 minutes.

The best options

Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are about as close to a perfect keto snack as it gets. One egg has 0 g of carbs, around 6 g of protein, and 5 g of fat. Portable, cheap, and genuinely filling.

Cheese
Most cheeses have near-zero carbs. A few slices of cheddar, some cheese cubes, or a string cheese all work. Go for full-fat.

Nuts
Almonds, macadamia nuts, and walnuts are the best choices — lower in carbs and higher in fat than most other nuts. One small handful (about 28 g) is a sensible portion. Watch cashews and pistachios — they have significantly more carbs than the options above.

Avocado
Half an avocado has around 2 g of net carbs and plenty of healthy fat. Eat it as is with a little salt, or pair it with a few slices of deli meat.

Olives
A natural keto snack. Ten olives come in at about 1–2 g of net carbs.

Deli meat and pepperoni
No preparation needed. Check the label — some processed meats have added sugar, especially flavored varieties.

Cucumber or celery with cream cheese
Crunchy and satisfying, very low in carbs. A useful option if you miss the texture of crackers.

Pork rinds
Zero carbs, crunchy, high in protein. Not everyone's favourite, but a popular chip replacement in the keto community.

Dark chocolate (85% or higher)
A small square or two — around 10 g — has roughly 2–3 g of net carbs. Enough to take the edge off a sweet craving without a large carb hit.

What to watch out for

Portion size on nuts. It's easy to eat several servings in one sitting. A single serving of almonds (28 g) has about 3 g of net carbs — but 100 g is closer to 10 g. Pre-portion if you tend to graze.

"Keto" packaged snacks. Bars, cookies, and chips marketed as keto aren't always low in carbs. Check the label yourself and be sceptical of sugar alcohols — some of them (like maltitol) still affect blood sugar more than the net carb count on the packaging suggests (net carbs vs total carbs).

Snacking frequency. Once fat-adapted, many people find they naturally stop feeling hungry between meals — that's normal, and skipping a snack when you're not hungry is fine. Others do better with something small to get through to dinner without overeating. Both approaches work.

Looking for a full list of what to eat? See What to eat on keto and Keto macros: how to calculate yours.

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