Keto Diet Staples You Will Find In Our Kitchen

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Today, I will explain a keto journey which includes a massive weight loss success Mrs. CBB has had with the keto diet.

I wanted to make this blog post one where you look into how the keto diet works from a success story point of view.

As well, targeting the frugal aspect of the keto diet by sourcing the best-priced keto products online and in-store.

Although we’d love to share her before and after photos, it’s not possible, but I can assure you they are amazing.

I have ten areas of the keto diet below that I will explore with you.

1. Keto Diet Pantry Staples we always keep stocked in our kitchen
2. Costco Canada keto products that are worth buying in bulk
3. Two of our favourite keto coffee recipes
4. What the keto diet is all about?
5. Intermittent and Extended fasts and how they work
6. Keto-approved sugar substitutes
7. Ketone Blood Monitor vs. Ketone Urine Strips
8. What is Ketosis? What are Macros?
9. Keto Meal Plan recipe ideas
10. Importance of reading product labels

There are lots of areas to cover, so let’s get started.

If you want to ask Mrs. CBB or me about the keto diet, please leave us your comments below.

How To Stock Up On Keto Essentials

Our grocery shopping list and meal plan have changed since we adopted a keto diet.

You might also have noted that many of our Sunday frugal recipes include keto recipes.

This new healthy lifestyle has motivated us to learn more about the healthy fats, protein, and vegetables our body needs.

It has also helped us understand the importance of intermittent fasting and being mindful of what we eat.

Back On Track With The Keto Diet

We have taken control of our eating habits and put more effort into what fuels our bodies and how we energize them daily.

Related: Are you overeating food?

I’m not exclusively on a keto diet; however, I follow it as much as possible as my dietary needs differ from Mrs. CBB’s.

Coffee is an excellent start to the day for keto diet lovers.

Many of you might be familiar with Bullet Proof Coffee, and for those of you who aren’t, let me tell you, it’s packed full of fat!

Keto Diet vs. Grocery Budget

Some have asked if the keto diet has interrupted our lean grocery budget of $265 a month for two adults and boys.

The answer to that depends on our monthly keto meal plan and grocery sales.

Update: As of 2020, our grocery budget is $500, which allows us to create more keto recipes and annual increases since I wrote this post.

Update 2021 Our grocery budget will be $550 a month plus our reserve money of $25.

Some months might be great, and others, you go over budget, although having a $25 stockpile budget is handy.

Another factor to consider is price and sales, like any other grocery shop. You may run out of almond flour, and it just so happens to be on sale; you’re in luck.

That’s when you stock up and use that stockpile budget.

I wrote a blog post, “How much does the ketogenic diet cost?” which explores how minor changes won’t break your budget.

It’s basically just eating a clean diet with healthy fats to lose weight and get back to the healthiest version of you. – Mr.CBB

A Little Goes A Long Way

Cutting back on non-essentials has helped our grocery budget.

It has forced us to cook more, prep like pros (even though they don’t always work perfectly), and shop with a frugal mindset.

Bulletproof Coffee Recipe

We make our perfect cup of morning java the keto way.

However, this coffee might seem overwhelmingly odd for keto beginners, but trust me, it is delicious and not in any funky, weird kind of way.

Bulletproof coffee is frothy and creamy comparable to a Tim Hortons hot English toffee or Vanilla Cappuccino.

Just in time for Autumn, you can start to enjoy Pumpkin Spiced Bulletproof Coffee which I’m sharing from The Banting Blondes.

How To Make BulletProof Coffee (BPC)

• 2 cups of black coffee *instant or brewed
• 1 tablespoon butter (grass-fed is best but can be costly. Kerrygold is popular and a Natural Irish Butter.)
• 1 tablespoon Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 444 ml Premium MCT Oil
• 2 tablespoons 35% whipping cream
• 2 sweetener packets, SweetLeaf Sweet Drops Stevia Clear 60ml

Alternative Keto Sweeteners To Buy For Your BPC

We love Erythritol, Allulose, and Sukrin Gold, a brown sugar alternative.

• Splenda 
• Toroni Sugar-Free Syrups, Skinny Syrups Sugar-Free
• Splenda Stevia
• Erythritol
• Monkfruit Sweetener
• Allulose
• Swerve
• Sukrin Gold
• Electric Milk Coffee Frother 

BulletProof Coffee

Make your 2 cups of black coffee, put all the ingredients into our Ninja blender, or use a hand frother and blend until creamy and frothy.

We like the blender better as it does an excellent job with frothing.

The hand frother or electric coffee frother are both great if you’re in a rush for work or have to get out the door quickly.

Both of them come with an upfront cost which I feel is reasonable but will save you a fortune by staying away from Starbucks.

Keto Iced Dalgona Coffee

Another famous keto coffee is the Keto Iced Dalgona Coffee, a cold version of bulletproof coffee.

You can make Dalgona coffee hot or cold, but I chose the complex version for the blog since we enjoy it.

Dalgona coffee is a whipped coffee where you can add MCT oil and butter to the hot version.

A coffee such as this, with the added fat from the whipped cream, helps keep you satisfied.

Lately, she’s been using unsweetened oat milk that we buy from Costco instead of almond milk.

You can also find Macadamia nut milk at Costco, another substitute for almond milk if you don’t like it.

All ingredients are keto diet staples found in our kitchen.

Dalgona Coffee

What is the Keto Diet?

The Ketogenic diet also is known as Keto or a low-carb, high-fat diet following suit with Atkins and other low-carb diets and meal plans.

Entering your body into ketosis will kick-start burning fat for energy, which helps you lose weight.

What we love about eating on the keto diet is the amount of experimenting we do with the products we purchase.

The hardest part for newbies into the keto diet way of eating is having to eat high amounts of fat.

To some, it may be shocking that Mrs. CBB eats Bacon more than the average person, but it’s the good fats she needs.

Keto Diet Is A Lifestyle Change

Reducing carb intake and increasing fat puts a body into a state called “ketosis,” where your body uses stored fat for fuel.

When we think of the Keto Diet, we consider it a lifestyle change, not a means to lose weight.

However, for Mrs. CBB, the keto diet started as a way to reduce the weight she gained during pregnancy.

Baby Weight Be Gone

After having our first child and gaining over 50 lbs, she knew she had to get back on track to where she was pre-pregnancy.

Running used to be what she loved to do, but that wasn’t in the picture because she was too exhausted with a new baby.

Although running 5k every day hadn’t become part of her daily routine, she incorporated Keto as a new way of eating.

The idea was to get her diet under control by eating high-fat, low carbs and then factoring in walking for exercise.

She has since lost over 100 lbs on Keto and is still losing pounds by practicing weekly intermittent fasting.

Keto Diet Plan

If you want to lose weight, your body needs to be in a state of ketosis using the fat you have stored for energy instead of carbohydrates.

Failing to do this may result in slow weight loss or possibly no weight loss and weight gain.

Keeping your macros at 20 net grams of carbs is the holy grail, although your doctor may recommend you start higher.

Keto Diet Macros 101

What are macros?

Macronutrients are three categories of nutrition that go into our bodies, fats, carbohydrates, and protein.

Counting macros means counting the grams of each of the three categories and keeping track.

If you do cheat, and it may happen, start over and perhaps incorporate intermittent fasting to get back into ketosis fast.

Before you do any form of fasting, it’s essential to talk to your doctor.

Lastly, I want out that bloggers are not nutritionists unless stated they are. I’m not a nutritionist at all.

So, take the macro counts with a grain of salt and calculate them yourself using the nutritional information on your products.

For example, I’m not a nutritionist, and although in many of my recipes I calculate macros, they may differ based on the products used by each consumer.

Fasting On The Keto Diet

Alternatively, as I mentioned above, intermittent fasting will also help get you into ketosis in as little as two days.

Some people use the intermittent fasting 16:8 method, where you fast for 16 hours and have an eating window of 8 hours.

There are many intermittent fasting eating windows it’s up to you to find what works best for your body.

My advice would be to test them out and then stick to what will be attainable for your lifestyle.

The first number is the number of hours you fast, and the second is your eating window.

• 20:4
• 22:2
• 18:6

What is OMAD?

Some people love to do OMAD, ONE MEAL A DAY, where all calories are consumed in a timed eating window.

If you find you are at a stall with your keto diet, intermittent fasting will help get you back into ketosis.

Essentially you do what’s right for you and always consult with your doctor first.

Weight After Fasting

Recently Mrs.CBB completed a two-week extended fast of just water and black coffee and dropped nearly 30lbs.

Of course, her goal was Autophagy and an entire body cleanses, but the weight loss was excellent.

She has managed to keep the weight off over the years and drop pounds.

These days she does weekly 72-hour fasts but alternates them weekly to shake the body up a bit.

Extended Fasting For Autophagy

What is Autophagy?

If you want to do a full-body reset, a 72-hour fast-only consuming water, black coffee, and tea is a great way to get back to basics for your gut health and introduce Autophagy.

In simple terms, Autophagy is a state where your body cleanses itself of old cells and rejuvenates new healthier cells.

Autophagy is “self-eating,” where Auto means Self and Phagy means to eat.

Again, consult with your doctor.

Popular Online Keto Doctors And Coaches

Two of Mrs. CBB’s favourite doctors to follow on YouTube are Dr. Mindy Pelz and Canadian Dr. Jason Fung.

Dr. Fung’s book The Obesity Code is a book you will want to read.

Everything you believe about how to lose weight is wrong. Weight gain and obesity are driven by hormones—in everyone—and only by understanding the effects of insulin and insulin resistance can we achieve lasting weight loss.

In this highly readable and provocative book, Dr. Jason Fung sets out an original, robust theory of obesity that provides startling insights into proper nutrition.

In addition to his five basic steps, a set of lifelong habits that will improve your health and control your insulin levels, Dr. Fung explains how to use intermittent fasting to break the cycle of insulin resistance and reach a healthy weight—for good.

You may want to check out Dr. Eric Berg, Thomas DeLauer, and Dr. Ken Berry all on YouTube, for keto expertise.

Keto Urine Strips

Last year Mrs. CBB bought keto sticks from the pharmacy that test the number of ketones in your urine.

You may be familiar with these if you’ve been pregnant, as most doctors ask pregnant women to check their ketone levels during doctor’s visits.

You can buy a 200 Keto test strips bottle for $10-12 at Shoppers Drug Mart or from Amazon Canada.

It’s not 100% accurate, but it will give you a good estimate of whether you have reached ketosis.

All you need is a bit of colour change in the stick to be in ketosis; however, when you become fat-adapted, you may not register.

Sometimes people think the darker the urine stick colour, the further into ketosis you may be.

Unfortunately, it could be the other way around, and you are dehydrated.

It’s essential to keep hydrated on a low-carb keto diet because of all the fibre you eat.

The last thing you want to happen is to get constipated, which is another issue that is hard to deal with (no pun intended).

Testing Ketones with a Blood Monitor

The best method for testing your ketone levels is a ketone blood monitor specifically designed to test ketone levels.

You can get a prescription from your doctor if he/she supports your keto journey, which your work health benefits may cover.

We use the Freestyle Precision Neo test monitor from Shoppers Drug Mart.

The test strips for the blood ketone monitor cost around $25-$30 for a box of 10 or on Amazon Canada for $26.99.

How Do You Know You Are In Ketosis?

When using the blood ketone monitor, if your aim is weight-loss, you will want an optimal reading between 1.5 to 3.0 mmol/.

If you are measuring 0.5-1.5mmol, this is also putting you into ketosis, but you won’t see the best results as you would in the optimal level above.

Our Keto Diet Meal Plan

Mrs. CBB didn’t start with a meal plan for the keto diet; however, we experimented with different recipes and then added our touch. 

We’ve learned that you need it if you stock all the main staples of a keto diet in your pantry and refrigerator.

We purchase produce, meats, and dairy, and we’re all set.

Related: How to save money buying meat at the grocery store

Some of our more popular keto diet recipes on the blog have been favourites we’ve been enjoying.

The recipes below are Keto, gluten-free, sugar-free, and low-carb, perfect for the keto diet and maintenance.

• Mozzarella Stuffed Italian Keto Meatloaf
• Keto Baked Zucchini Egg Roll
• Baked Cheesy Cauliflower Tots
• Simple Keto Baked Chicken Wings
• Creamy Keto Radish Soup
• Creamy Asparagus Soup
• Keto Salted Caramel Cheesecake
• 10 Flavours Of Keto Chaffle Waffles
• Keto Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
• Sugar-Free Keto Lemon Cheesecake Squares
• Peanut Butter Keto Protein Cookies
• Keto Coconut Macaroons
• Bacon Fried Keto Lupini Beans

You can find all our Keto Diet Recipes on our Free Recipe Index Page.

Keto Diet Food List

This list has grown over the years, so you may find updates to this blog post.

Your keto grocery list may differ from someone else depending on food allergies, grocery budget, and availability.

What I find interesting about the Low Carb Keto Diet is that it encourages people to cook; otherwise, you will fail.

The Keto Diet is a masterpiece of dishes that will satisfy your tummy for hours.

We also shop at Costco for many of our Keto staples which I’ve created a massive blog post with photos.

It’s one of the top Keto Costco Canada product reviews on the web right now and worth reviewing.

Related: The Ultimate Keto Costco Canada product guide with Photos

Another popular read is Keto Costco Canada Products We Buy To Save Money

Pork Rinds Are An Important Keto Diet Staple

We use plain for keto pork rind nachos and breadcrumbs for our recipes that require breading or a binder such as a keto meatloaf or keto meatballs.

NEW: The Ultimate Guide: Our COSTCO KETO GROCERY LIST with PHOTOS.

Everything we buy at Costco Canada for the Keto Diet.

Other Keto Products We Buy From Amazon Canada

Below are a few products Mrs. CBB uses and recommends as part of her keto lifestyle and for anyone on a keto diet.

If you don’t, I’ll take a photo of our overflowing pantry, haha!

Building up a keto pantry will take time, so don’t get overwhelmed with all products.

We bake and create recipes quite often, so we must have all keto ingredients stocked.

We also tend to avoid buying pre-made keto foods as they are very pricey, and you can make them at home at a fraction of the cost.

Our Keto Diet Pantry Must-Haves For Success

I will add to the list as we find more Keto diet pantry items that we use and feel could benefit any keto pantry.

Some products may seem pricey, but a little goes a long way, and paying for quality is essential.

• Collagen Peptides for hair, skin, and bones.
• Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa
• Krisda Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips (Our favourite made with Stevia)
• Coconut Oil
• Avocado Oil (You will use this quite a bit)
• Everland Natural Baking Powder
• Everland Natural Baking Soda
• Ketone Strips to see if you are in ketosis
• Keto + MCT oil Drink (mix with water.)
• Mrs. Butterworth’s No Sugar Added Syrup
• Nutrilite Dark Chocolate Spread
• Cocao Nibs Great for smoothies, cookies, or any baking.
• Swerve Sweetener Ultimate Sugar Replacement
• Crazy Mooskies No Sugar Added BBQ Sauce
• FATSO Cocoa Butter – High-Performance Natural Peanut Butter w/ Unsweetened Chocolate Flavor & Plant-Based Superfats – MCT Oil, Avocado Oil, Flax, Sweet Tapioca & Chia (500g) Keto-Friendly Nut Butter
• Almond Butter
• Pink Himalayan Salt
• Tomato Paste in a tube
• Organika Bone Broth Chicken or Beef
• Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar Replacement
• Premium MCT Oil
• Eat Smart Sweets Gummy Bears or Red Fish (sugar-free)
• Suzy Good Fats Bars Box of 12 (Different flavours to choose from)
• Better than Noodles Konjac Pasta
• Moon Cheese Pepper Jack Cheese Snack
• Keto BOMB Coffee Whitener
• Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener
• Yupik Raw Pumpkin Seeds
• Xanthan Gum
• Almond Flour
• Coconut Flour
• Coconut Milk
• Coconut Cream (great for making whipping cream)
• Cacao Butter
• Coffee Grinder is a MUST kitchen tool but just a cheap one will do to grind up sugar substitute to powder and other spices.
• Electric Milk Frother for your Bullet-Proof Coffee
• CALM Ionic Magnesium Citrate Powder in Raspberry or Lemon helps you sleep better, stay focused, and helps relieve constipation
• Dash Mini Waffle Machine to make Keto Chaffle Waffles
• Sliced Black Olives or stuffed green olives
• No Yolking Egg White Powder – Make my 3 ingredients amazing protein bread

Costco Canada Keto Diet Food List

I also put together an extensive Costco Canada Keto Food List which also includes photos so you know what you’re looking for.

It has been one of the most popular Keto education posts on Canadian Budget Binder that I update often.

If you’re looking for even more inspiring keto products to add to your kitchen, it’s a must-read.

We’ve found loads of grocery budget savings buying bulk from Costco, especially food products.

Eating Good Fats Keeps You Full For Longer

The idea is to keep whole, so you’re not snacking in between unless necessary or over-eating, which most people do.

Be cautious when we eat the wrong foods that spike our insulin levels.

It can be hard to beat the carbohydrate giant, especially when hidden carbs are in many food products.

Not all stores often care about keto diet foods, so opting to purchase online is the next best option.

Not all keto diet foods and supplements are purchased at the grocery store unless they have an Organic/Health section where they may be available.

Reading Keto Food Product Labels

Reading food labels and ingredient lists is critical when leading a keto lifestyle.

For example, Costco has a Keto Approved Bar called Choc Keto Snaps that people are raving about; however, it has cane sugar if you read the ingredient list.

Cane sugar is sugar and not keto-approved, so I’m not sure how companies get away with labelling products by cheating consumers this way.

Just be cautious about the ingredient list; if you are unsure, Google it or ask your keto friend network for help.

However, if you still want to eat products that fit in your macros and don’t kick you out of ketosis, do what you do.

Keto is not a one-size-fits-all and is different for many people.

Keto Approved Sweeteners

This great chart shows you the good and bad sugars and sweeteners on the market.

When using keto sweetener alternatives, always research to find what works best for you.

Keto Diet Approved Sweeteners

You can find more info at: How Much Does The Keto Diet Cost

• Stevia
• Monk Fruit
• Splenda
• Allulose
• Swerve
• Erythritol
• Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar
• Swerve Brown Sugar
• Xylitol (low-carb)
• Bochasweet U.S.A only

Where to buy Keto?

We often end up at the Bulk Barn, Costco Canada, and Popeye’s supplements to stock up on deals.

You can order keto products from Amazon Canada with free 2-day shipping if you’re a Prime member.

Always watch their daily deals as we’ve picked up some significant savings.

Popular online and brick-and-mortar stores for keto products that we recommend are: 

• Low Carb Grocery Canada\
• Switch Grocery Canada
• Low Carb Canada
• Ketolibriyum
• Sugar Daddies Bakery in Ontario
• Goodness Me
• Healthy Planet
• Natural Food Pantry Canada
• Sweet and Sprouted Canada

Talk To Your Doctor Before Starting A Keto Diet

Almost everything Keto or low carb is gluten-free, so talk to your doctor if you think you’d like to try this way of eating healthy.

I plan to make a master keto grocery shopping list to share prices and tell you why we buy what we do where we do in an upcoming blog post.

Keep an eye on the blog, or subscribe, so you get an email when I publish a new post.

If you’re not keen on ordering online, most grocery stores have a health-food section where you may find some of the same products.

Printable Keto Diet Staples List

Keeping your pantry organized and using a grocery list will help you know what you have stocked up on and what needs to be refilled.

You may find like we have that many of the keto diet products go a long way, so you’ll only buy them once or twice a year.

You can also download our 30 keto staples list printable and put it on your refrigerator for reference and motivation.

Remember that our Keto Diet/Low Carb pantry staples list is not inclusive as many other items add to our meal plan.

You can also find online keto grocery stores such as Low Carb Canada that deliver right to your door.

Since the pandemic, just about every store that carries keto diet staples will deliver, so be on the lookout for coupon codes and discounts.

Personally, we find Amazon has the best prices for keto products, especially when they go on sale, become an add-on, or are a lightning deal.

Plan To Be Successful On The Keto Diet

These essentials are great to start with when you are new to the Keto Diet lifestyle.

Eat Eggs, Eat Bacon, and Eat your good Fats!!!

Ideally, you would create a keto meal plan and purchase the keto diet staples you need.

This will help you purchase unnecessary keto diet products that will go to waste.

You can find many keto ideas on Pinterest as well. I’ve posted our keto recipes on the blog.

Eat Fat, Get Thin!!

Beginners Keto Food List

New 2021: Beginners Keto Food List Printable

Discussion Question: What are some of your favourite keto diet staples that I haven’t listed, and what is the best place to buy or order them in Canada?

Please leave your comments below.

Thanks for stopping by to read.

Mr. CBB

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