Trader Joe's has become a go-to destination for those seeking unique, delicious, and affordable low-carb options. For individuals following a ketogenic diet, navigating grocery store aisles can be challenging. Trader Joe’s is one of the favorite grocery stores for buying unique, yummy, and affordable low carb foods. While Trader Joe's doesn't have a designated "keto section", it boasts a wide array of keto-friendly foods that can help you maintain ketosis while enjoying satisfying meals and snacks. This comprehensive guide will walk you through a complete Trader Joe's keto shopping list, highlighting over 90 items to fill your cart with.
Keto Staples at Trader Joe's: Meat & Seafood
High-Quality Protein Choices
- 85% Lean Angus Beef: A staple for keto dieters, perfect for burgers, ground beef recipes, and more. TJ’s 85% lean angus beef is a staple of our keto Trader Joe’s shopping list.
- Chicken Drumsticks: Delicious and versatile, ideal for grilling, baking, or air frying. These chicken drumsticks are delicious, perfect for some backyard BBQing, a high-protein snack, or a full meal.
- Turkey Breast: A great alternative to traditional cold cuts, free from nitrates and nitrites. This turkey breast is like cold cuts but without the nitrates and nitrites.
- Bacon (Uncured): A keto essential, perfect for breakfast, salads, or as a topping for various dishes. Bacon is like a keto dieter’s sixth food group. We work bacon into at least one meal a day most days, and this uncured bacon from TJ’s makes us feel good about that.
- Branzino Filets: A lighter meat option, offering a good source of protein and healthy fats. If you’re looking for a great deal on some lighter meat, we recommend TJ’s branzino filets.
Convenient Pre-Cooked Options
- Grilled Chicken Strips: Pre-cooked and pre-packaged for a quick and easy protein source. These grilled chicken strips are pre-cooked, pre-packaged, and super convenient for the keto dieter on the move or with limited time for meal prep.
- Fully Cooked Pork Belly: A flavorful and fatty option for a no-fuss dinner. Pork belly is honestly one of our favorite meats because it’s super fatty and usually very tender. This fully cooked pork belly is perfect for a quick, no-fuss dinner.
Seafood Delights
- Smoked Salmon: Tasty and versatile, pairs well with various seasonings and makes a great keto snack. We can’t get over how tasty this smoked salmon is with one of our favorite TJ’s seasonings. It makes a great keto snack any time of day, and it’s just $5.49 for a quarter pound.
- Albacore Tuna: Eat it on its own, top a salad, get creative! Albacore Tuna Trader Joe's Eat it on its own, top a salad, get creative!
Keto-Friendly Snacks at Trader Joe's: On-the-Go and Delicious
- Epic Bars: Made entirely of meat and seasoning, these bars are a perfect low-carb snack. Epic bars are the perfect snack made entirely of meat and seasoning, so they’re low carb and keto friendly.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: A convenient and protein-packed snack for any time of day. If you love hard-boiled eggs as much as we do but don’t like waiting for them to cook and cool, pick up a bag of these hard-boiled eggs from TJ’s.
- Guacamole Singles: Prepackaged cups of guacamole are ideal for a keto snack on the go. Convenient and easy to store in a small lunchbox, we always have a few of these ready to go at a moment’s notice in the fridge. We love guacamole, and these prepackaged cups are ideal for a keto snack on the go.
- Chomps Beef Sticks: Delicious and nutritious beef sticks with zero net carbs and 9 grams of protein per stick. These beef sticks from Chomps are delicious and nutritious. With zero grams of net carbs and 9 grams of protein per stick, we always stock up on these when we go to Trader Joe’s.
- Oven-Baked Cheese Bites: They're gluten-free (…as they're made from 100% cheese). Have at it. Oven-Baked Cheese Bites Trader Joe's They're gluten-free (…as they're made from 100% cheese). Have at it.
- Crispy Cheese Bites: Always satisfy our urge for something crunchy and comforting. You can grab a bag for under $3, so we always stock up. These crispy cheese bites always satisfy our urge for something crunchy and comforting. You can grab a bag for under $3, so we always stock up.
- Hazelnuts: A simple, single-ingredient snack that offers 17g of healthy fat and just 1g of net carbs per serving. Sometimes it’s best to go basic, and that’s truly the case with these hazelnuts. This is a simple, single-ingredient snack that offers 17g of healthy fat and just 1g of net carbs per serving. You can’t beat that!
- Roasted Nuts (Flavored Cashews): Trader Joe’s has a wide selection of roasted nuts that make a perfect keto snack, and these flavored cashews are at the very top of our list as far as keto snacks go. Trader Joe’s has a wide selection of roasted nuts that make a perfect keto snack, and these flavored cashews are at the very top of our list as far as keto snacks go.
- Mozzarella Rolloni: With just about 2 grams of carbs per serving, these seasonal roll-ups are an A+ way to ensure you've got all the protein and fat you need to get through a long afternoon. Mozzarella RolloniTrader Joe'sWith just about 2 grams of carbs per serving, these seasonal roll-ups are an A+ way to ensure you've got all the protein and fat you need to get through a long afternoon.
- Truffle Marcona Almonds: These truffle almonds will make snacking oh so fancy and keto-friendly. Truffle Marcona Almonds Trader Joe's These truffle almonds will make snacking oh so fancy and keto-friendly.
- Everything But The Bagel Nut Duo: Comprised of both almonds and cashews, you won't be able to put this one down. Everything But The Bagel Nut Duo Trader Joe's While the Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend isn't a snack on its own, the Nut Duo definitely is. Comprised of both almonds and cashews, you won't be able to put this one down.
- Roasted Seaweed Snack: You can snack on sheets of this seaweed or use it as a crumbly topping for any of your main dishes. Roasted Seaweed Snack Trader Joe's You can snack on sheets of this seaweed or use it as a crumbly topping for any of your main dishes.
Trader Joe's Keto Essentials: Dairy & Cheese
- Cheese Party Tray: Perfect for entertaining guests with a variety of low-carb cheeses. Having guests over and looking for the perfect low carb snack to serve? Pick up this cheese party tray, and no one will be disappointed!
- Kerrygold Butter: A staple for keto dieters, available in both salted and unsalted varieties. Kerrygold butter seems to be a part of every keto dieter’s shopping list, so we were happy to see that Trader Joe’s carried it. It’s just $3.49 for a half pound, and they carry both salted and unsalted varieties.
Produce Power: Low-Carb Vegetables at Trader Joe's
- Hass Avocados: A great source of healthy fats, essential for any keto diet. Trader Joe’s Hass avocados are usually $1.59 each, which is actually a bit cheaper than we typically find in our local grocery store.
- Zucchini Spirals: A perfect pasta substitute for those looking to remain in ketosis. Looking for a pasta fix but want to remain in ketosis? Give these zucchini spirals a try!
- Frozen Veggies: A convenient way to add greens to your dinner. These frozen veggies from Trader Joe’s are a super convenient way to add some green to your dinner.
- Riced Cauliflower Stirfry: OK, to be fair, this is less snack than it is meal, but it still falls under the Trader Joe's keto-friendly umbrella. Per TJ's suggestion, it's best topped with an egg, some avocado, and hot sauce-still keto! Riced Cauliflower Stirfry Trader Joe's OK, to be fair, this is less snack than it is meal, but it still falls under the Trader Joe's keto-friendly umbrella. Per TJ's suggestion, it's best topped with an egg, some avocado, and hot sauce-still keto!
- Teeny Tiny Avocados: These TJ's avos are teeny tiny enough to eat in one sitting which means no browning in the fridge. Win! Teeny Tiny Avocados Trader Joe's These TJ's avos are teeny tiny enough to eat in one sitting which means no browning in the fridge. Win!
- Green Vegetable Foursome: Broccoli! Peas! Green beans! Zucchini! Green Vegetable Foursome Trader Joe's Broccoli! Peas! Green beans! Zucchini!
Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments: Flavor Without the Carbs
- Keto Pasta Sauce (Pomodoro): Delivers just 4g of net carbs per serving. Keto pasta sauce is sometimes a tricky thing to find, but Trader Joe’s has this pomodoro sauce that delivers just 4g of net carbs per serving.
- Caesar Dressing: Has less than 1g of net carbs per serving. Looking for a low carb dressing that’s still delicious? Look no further. This Caesar dressing from TJ’s has less than 1g of net carbs per serving, so you can indulge guiltlessly.
- Hot Sauce: A versatile condiment to add flavor to any dish. This hot sauce is like our Frank’s: we put it on everything!
- Green Goddess Salad Dressing: Great for salads and as a marinade for chicken and other meats. This Green Goddess Salad dressing is one of our favorites for salads, but we also have used it to marinate chicken and other meats.
- Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip: A two tablespoon serving packs just two grams of carbs, so get dipping. Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip Trader Joe's A two tablespoon serving packs just two grams of carbs, so get dipping.
- Chunky Artichoke & Jalapeño Dip: Whether you enjoy this with your chips, crackers, or with toasted bread, the options for a tasty snack are endless. Chunky Artichoke & Jalapeño Dip Trader Joe's Whether you enjoy this with your chips, crackers, or with toasted bread, the options for a tasty snack are endless.
Baking Essentials for Keto Treats
- Cacao Powder: Perfect for making keto desserts, like fudgy keto brownies. This half-pound bag of pure cacao powder is perfect for making keto desserts, like our fudgy keto brownies.
- Almond Flour: Great for making your baking experiments keto friendly. This almond flour is great for making your baking experiments keto friendly.
- Stevia: One of our favorite keto sweeteners, ideal for coffee and baked goods. Stevia is one of our favorite keto sweeteners, and this vial from TJ’s is just super convenient. It’s ideal for coffee because it always blends perfectly and won’t settle at the bottom. If we plan to use stevia to sweeten baked goods, we pick up this powdered stevia extract from Trader Joe’s.
Other Keto Finds at Trader Joe's
- Breadless Egg and Sausage Sandwiches: Super delicious and have just 3g of net carbs per sandwich. These breadless egg and sausage sandwiches are truly a work of art. They’re super delicious and have just 3g of net carbs per sandwich.
- Cheese Wraps: Low carb and perfect for keto tacos or a small keto wrap. These cheese wraps are low carb and are perfect for keto tacos or a small keto wrap.
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust: Cauliflower pizza at home? Nothing wrong with that! Cauliflower Pizza Crust Trader Joe's Cauliflower pizza at home? Nothing wrong with that!
- Buffalo Style Chicken Dip: Made with minimal ingredients, this is one dip you want mind having too much of on your (pita) chip. Buffalo Style Chicken Dip Trader Joe's Made with minimal ingredients, this is one dip you want mind having too much of on your (pita) chip.
- Chili Lime Chicken Burgers: Probably the lowest-carb burger you'll ever encounter, tbh. Only 4 grams of carbs here, which is heavily outweighed by the 15 grams of protein. Chili Lime Chicken Burgers Trader Joe's Probably the lowest-carb burger you'll ever encounter, tbh. Only 4 grams of carbs here, which is heavily outweighed by the 15 grams of protein.
- Coconut Sesame Seed Clusters: While these clusters aren't the lowest-carb item on this list (8 grams per half a cup), they might be the snack-friendliest. Just a handful of these on a dairy-based snack of your choice and you're golden. Coconut Sesame Seed Clusters Trader Joe's While these clusters aren't the lowest-carb item on this list (8 grams per half a cup), they might be the snack-friendliest. Just a handful of these on a dairy-based snack of your choice and you're golden.
- Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend: Granted, this seasoning also doesn't qualify as a snack on its own, but it's so good it may as well. Plus, it's a Trader Joe's icon. Put it on those teeny tiny avocados. Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend Trader Joe's Granted, this seasoning also doesn't qualify as a snack on its own, but it's so good it may as well. Plus, it's a Trader Joe's icon. Put it on those teeny tiny avocados.
- Giardiniera: Who doesn't love a little pickled veg as a snack? This classic mix is not only super low-carb, but it's also low-everything. Seriously: One serving size yields just 30 calories. Giardiniera Trader Joe's Who doesn't love a little pickled veg as a snack? This classic mix is not only super low-carb, but it's also low-everything. Seriously: One serving size yields just 30 calories.
- Jicama Wraps: They add a nice crunch and freshness to taco night. At first we didn’t love these because they are small and frail. After the 2nd or 3rd time using them we really started to love the jicama wraps. They add a nice crunch and freshness to taco night.
What You Won't Find: Keto Bread & Ice Cream
- Keto Bread: Trader Joe’s does not have a keto section, but they do have a bunch of great items for a keto diet. They key is knowing what to look for while you’re there, since they do not have everything organized into a keto section. Unfortunately not, but there is hope that they will someday carry keto bread. Grocery stores like Sprouts, Whole Foods, and even Aldi have begun carrying keto bread, so Trader Joe’s could follow suit soon. For now you can make our keto bread recipe or order online from The Great Low Carb Bread Company.
- Keto Ice Cream: Sadly the answer is no. They have recently come out with a “Light Ice Cream” but it is not low carb.
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