Maintaining a ketogenic diet requires careful planning and stocking your pantry with the right low-carb, high-fat foods. For Costco members, navigating the aisles for keto-friendly options can be both a treasure hunt and a potential minefield. This comprehensive guide will help you create the ultimate Costco keto shopping list, ensuring you stay on track with your diet while taking advantage of Costco's bulk savings.
Why Costco for Keto?
Costco is a true powerhouse when it comes to keto-friendly foods and ingredients. Costco is full of keto-friendly ingredients and meals that are perfect for those on a budget. The store offers a wide variety of keto-friendly ingredients and meals, perfect for those on a budget. You can make a single run through their store and stock your cabinets and pantry for months with low-carb, high-fat foods that are organic, natural, and super healthy. When we first wrote this shopping guide 4 years ago there were nowhere near as many keto options at Costco as you will find today.
Prioritizing Fresh and Whole Foods
One of the best ways to stay on the keto diet is to keep your pantry stocked with low-carb items. When shopping at Costco or anywhere, strive to get a variety of fresh items to meet your body’s nutritional needs. Fresh meat, poultry, eggs, and non-starchy veggies and fruits are must-have foods on the keto diet. When looking for these keto products at Costco, if possible, go for grass-fed, hormone, and antibiotic-free varieties.
Meat, Poultry, and Seafood: The Cornerstone of Keto
Meat is the bread and butter of most keto diets. It’s high in protein and has a decent amount of fat, depending on the cut.
- Bacon: No keto diet is complete without delicious, fatty bacon, and we’d never have a shopping list without it! Kirkland is Costco’s generic brand name, so it’s one of the best deals you can find on this keto staple. This bacon is delicious, naturally low-carb, and high in fat to help you reach your daily fat goal. We recommend stocking up on this bacon when you find it because it’s not always in stock. You can get four pounds of pre-sliced bacon for under $20.
- Chicken: Chicken is a staple of most diets, including keto, and for good reason: it’s full of protein and free of carbohydrates. Most ketoers love chicken, and the thighs are among the tastiest cuts to enjoy. Chicken thighs are an excellent option for a keto diet because they’re high in protein and low in carbs. Unlike other cuts of chicken, thighs are also high in fat, making them an easy option for reaching your daily fat intake goals. This package of chicken thighs from Costco’s brand comes in packages of around 6 pounds and costs under $5 per pound. Some people opt for chicken breast or other lean cuts, but this full rotisserie chicken is more affordable and will provide some healthy fat to maintain your caloric intake. Perdue is a major brand name that you can find in most grocery stores. However, you’ll enjoy savings of up to 50% when you buy in bulk from Costco as compared to other locations. Our final item in the meat department is a package or two of Perdue’s boneless chicken breasts. These packs each contain ten pounds of low-carb, protein-packed chicken breast. Make sure to look for the chicken strips that are NOT breaded.
- Ground Beef: Ground beef is one of the foods we eat most frequently, and we usually try to opt for an organic variety for added health benefits. It comes in one-pound packages that you can use as a single serving or freeze conveniently if you’re the type to shop infrequently and stock up.
- Prosciutto and Lunch Meat: Costco has great deals on lunch meat and prosciutto if you have a family big enough to eat them in bulk. The prosciutto is a great deal since it is certified authentic from Italy.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Rotisserie chickens are ideal for ketoers with minimal time for meal prep or those who struggle to make their food delicious while remaining healthy.
- Salmon: You can’t go wrong with a meal based around wild Alaskan salmon, especially when the filets come individually wrapped, frozen, and pre-marinated like these! You can certainly opt for fresh salmon, but these packages are super convenient and will last for months in your freezer.
- Sausage: Costco will typically carry 4-5 different kinds of sausage that are keto friendly. We’ve basically tried them all and they are all pretty good. While the amount of carbs in the different flavors will differ, most of them are perfectly suitable for a low carb diet.
- Tuna: We love a good tuna lettuce wrap or some fatty tuna salad for lunch, and there’s no better way to be prepared for these meals than with Costco-brand tuna. These cans come in packs of eight, and they’ll last for months without any problems. Costco offers this tuna in both water and oil, but the oil variety is less common.
- Pre-packaged Meat Skewers: Yes, we know that pre-packaged meat generally has some type of carb source added in, plus preservatives and potentially some other nasty stuff you want to avoid. We typically recommend buying whole, unprocessed, and unprepared foods, but these skewers are just too good to pass up.
Produce: Low-Carb Vegetables and Keto-Friendly Fruits
Next, we’ll be taking a lap through the produce section and the frozen food section to stock up on vegetables and fruits (mostly avocado!).
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- Asparagus: Cooking vegetables can take up precious time in the kitchen, so options like these asparagus spears from Hampton Hills are perfect for someone with time constraints. These asparagus spears come in individual pouches that can be popped in the microwave for easy and convenient steaming. Asparagus is naturally a good option for those on a keto diet because it contains very few net carbs and plenty of fiber and vitamins.
- Avocados: Finally, we arrive in the avocado aisle. Avocado is one of the few fruits that are acceptable on a keto diet because they’re naturally low in carbs and high in super-healthy fats. Avocados can be expensive from other grocery stores, but Costco comes through once again with low prices.
- Blueberries: Blueberries are a superfood packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. Blueberries are usually quite expensive, but the Naturipe packages at Costco cost under $5 for just over a pound.
- Cauliflower Rice: Most people on keto are well-acquainted with using cauliflower rice in just about every meal. This riced cauliflower from Green Giant is very affordable at Costco, and it comes in convenient microwaveable pouches. You can pop one in, heat it up, and be ready to chow down in minutes.
- Lettuce and Spinach: Some people on keto opt for iceberg lettuce or even leafy spinach on their low-carb diet, but lettuce is low in nutrients and spinach can get old quickly.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms have few net carbs but do contain some natural sugar, so it’s best to limit your intake and how many packages of these mushrooms you buy at once. The organic mushrooms from Highline are organic and very affordable.
Dairy & Alternatives: High-Fat Staples
Dairy products are an important part of many keto-friendly meals, although you’ll need to moderate your dairy intake because of the natural sugars found in milk products. However, not all dairy is equal since some dairy products contain more carbohydrates than others. For instance, while butter or ghee has zero carbs, cream cheese has 1 gram of carb per serving. Avoid dairy products with flavors, such as chocolate milk and sweetened yogurts.
- Butter: For the longest time Costco had Kerrygold Butter for the cheapest price around. Recently they have started carrying their own Kirkland brand of grass fed butter that’s EVEN CHEAPER.
- Cheese: When it comes to cheese, which can be expensive, you can’t beat Costco’s brand. Their cheddar cheese has just one gram of carbohydrates per serving, so you can enjoy it with most meals and still not pull yourself out of ketosis.
- Eggs: Our final purchase from the dairy section in Costco is always their bulk eggs. They have a five-dozen container of eggs for $8.79. You read that correctly! Eggs are considered a superfood, as they’re packed with complete protein sources and exceptionally healthy fats.
- Ghee: Ghee is clarified butter, so it contains more fat and zero carbs per serving. Our Costco typically stocks Ancient Organics Ghee, which comes in a 32oz jar that will likely last you several months.
Nuts, Seeds, and Nut Butters: Healthy Fats and Snacks
- Almond Butter: You’re probably seeing a trend here: everything from Kirkland is more affordable! That’s definitely the case with almond butter. This almond butter from Costco is not only affordable but also exceptionally healthy. Almond butters and other nut butters are great for a keto diet in moderation. There is one single ingredient: roasted almonds.
- Almonds: Costco offers bulk almonds from their own brand at an amazingly affordable price. These almonds are roasted and unsalted, but they have a salted option too if you don’t mind the added sodium. They’re packed with nutrients, including 15 grams of mostly unsaturated fat (with just one gram of saturated fat) and nine grams of protein per serving.
- Hemp Hearts: Hemp hearts provide an ideal ratio of protein and fat, and they’re low-carb, so they’re perfect for people on keto. Costco’s hemp hearts offer a great deal, with a two-pound bag costing less than $17.
- Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts are one of the healthier nut options, as they’re full of healthy fats and have a modest amount of protein per serving. Getting fats from nuts, and especially macadamia nuts, can be very expensive.
- Pumpkin Seeds: If you’re looking to add a little variety to your nut-and-seed game, pumpkin seeds are a wonderful option. They help pack in nutritious fats to reach your fat intake and calorie goal, and they provide some protein, vitamins, and minerals as well. These pumpkin seeds are delicious, and they contain zero net carbs per serving, so you can snack on them as much as you want.
Baking Supplies: Keto-Friendly Flours and Oils
Baking on keto involves replacing regular wheat flour with almond flour or coconut flour and using low-carb ingredients like cocoa powder, stevia, butter, coconut milk, and almond milk.
- Almond Flour: Almond flour is a keto dieter’s best friend when it comes to baking.
- Coconut Oil: Most people on keto opt to replace refined vegetable oils, and this coconut oil from Costco is an easy and affordable way to do just that.
Snacks and Beverages: Staying Satisfied on Keto
Snacking is fine on the keto diet and can be very helpful if you feel hungry in the middle of the day or after a workout. A healthy keto diet isn’t about restricting snacks and tasty drinks; it’s about working healthy foods and beverages into your diet while remaining under your daily carb goal. Some Costco keto snacks - like Kirkland Signature’s whole dried blueberries - can kick you out of ketosis if you’re not careful about serving sizes. Be sure to check how many grams of carbs are there in one serving.
- Coffee: We might not follow a fully keto diet if black coffee wasn’t carb-free and low calorie! The cold brew is delicious, and it’s super convenient because it comes prepackaged in cans.
- Keto Friendly Cereal: You can read our full guide to keto friendly cereal here. Wonderworks is a cereal made by General Mills and is available at Costco and Walmart.
- Keto Granola: More and more keto friendly granola is popping up at grocery stores. This option by NuTrail definitely cracks the list as one of the top options.
- Keto Peanut Butter Cups: If you’re a Reese’s Cup lover then look no further. Costco now carries this variety pack of no sugar added keto peanut butter cups. While the flavor is strong and quite distinct, most people have said they really enjoy these.
- Kale Chips: We almost put these roasted kale chips in the vegetable section because the only ingredients are kale, sea salt, and olive oil. These are one of our favorite keto-friendly snacks because they’re incredibly tasty, convenient, and affordable.
- Moon Cheese: We can confidently say that we’re addicted to these. And how could you not be? These have less than one gram of net carbs, seven grams of protein per serving, nine grams of fat per serving, and are heavenly.
- Almond Flour Chips: This is definitely our top pick of all the keto specialty items now at Costco. These are crunchy and flavorful chips made from Almond flour. They compare closely to Dorito’s and make for great dipping chips.
- Protein Coffee: While it’s not a favorite of ours, some people swear by it. It’s a mixture of coffee and protein and could be a great way to start your day if you’re short on time.
- Blueberry Muffins: These might be worth a try if you love the soft and sweet combination of a blueberry muffin. While I’m not the biggest fan of them, some people love them.
- Keto Cookies: If you love Famous Amos cookies growing up then this is the healthy alternative that you have been looking for. They’re gluten free, no added sugar, and very low in net carbs.
- Coconut Clusters: While these aren’t our favorite, they might be a winner if you love coconut. The ingredients are not quite as good as we’d like and the flavor is a bit disappointing. There are a couple of items by Inno Foods as Costco and they tend to disappoint. From both a quality and taste perspective they leave a lot to be desired.
- Keto Chocolate: Another keto chocolate option carried by Costco. This is further down our list, but for the true chocolate lovers it might be worth picking up a bag.
- Pancake Mix: This gluten free pancake mix made from almond flour is a huge hit at our house. It took us a few times to figure out the best way to use it but we’ve finally nailed it.
- Brownie Mix: This is a new find, and it is quite good. While it is on the expensive side, it makes creating fudgy and flavorful brownies simple!
Condiments, Dressings, and Sauces: Adding Flavor Without the Carbs
Condiments, dressings, and sauces are a great way to add flavor to your meats, salads, low-carb chips, and pasta. The key is to find options that are naturally low in carbohydrates.
- Mayonnaise: Keto dieters are usually very health-conscious, which means most of us avoid refined vegetable oils as much as possible. Unfortunately, that means no mayonnaise in most cases. Don’t fret! This mayo alternative has just 1.5g of saturated fat per serving.
Things to Be Careful About
Take note that frozen and processed items, in general, may contain added sugars and other additives to improve their taste and texture.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
- Granola: Granola isn’t normally keto-friendly since it’s made of a combination of rolled oats, honey, chocolate chips, fruits, and other sweeteners. But one thing that makes Costco a favorite among keto dieters is that it carries granola products with just 2-3 grams of net carbs per serving.
- Crackers: If you’re craving something crunchy and salty, you may try these crackers. For example, eating 17 crackers or 30 grams of Simple Mills gives you 16 grams of net carbs, so you can have 8 crackers instead to get only 8 grams of net carbs.
Conclusion
Use this keto shopping list Costco as a helpful guide to start and stay on the keto diet if you’re a member at Costco. Costco is a true powerhouse when it comes to keto-friendly foods and ingredients. You can make a single run through their store and stock your cabinets and pantry for months with low-carb, high-fat foods that are organic, natural, and super healthy.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto