This post provides tips on how to stock your kitchen to make low-carb meals for 14 days or more.  These recommendations are keto-friendly and gluten-free. By stocking up, you can decrease your trips to the market, helping to keep yourself and others safe.

Staying home during this outbreak is important for your health and the health of others. Many of us have been told to shelter in place. Now, more than ever, it’s important to have a well-stocked kitchen.

Stocking the Low-Carb kitchen for 14 days is different than stocking the typical American kitchen. Most people are recommending loading up on pasta, beans, rice and other high carb items. These do not work for those of us who eat low-carb or are on a keto diet.

I’ve put together some tips and tricks to stock your kitchen so you can make a variety of different meals.

Make a plan

Going to the store without a plan will result in wasting food and money. You will also be tempted to buy off-plan snacks and goodies.

I suggest that you at least have an idea of what you want to have for a main course each night for dinner. If your kitchen is well-stocked, you won’t need to necessarily have every recipe planned out, but you will be able to use what you have to create a meal.

Have an idea of what your family will be eating for breakfasts and lunches as well as dinners. Otherwise, you might run out of food too quickly.

I haven’t put in quantities of items, as that will vary a lot. It will depend on the size of your family and your personal preferences.

Check your kitchen

If you plan to stock your low-carb kitchen for 14 days, you need to start thinking about your needs before you leave the house. Check your kitchen to see what items you have and what items you need. Most of my followers will already have a good number of the ingredients on this list.

If you’re new to cooking, you may want to prepare even more and have specific recipes you want to make. This way you can save money by not purchasing all of these items at the same time.

Another thing to assess is how much space you have in your cabinets and your fridge. Be sure to get rid of any old food that might be a health risk to make room for new food.

Produce Section

When you stock your low-carb kitchen for 14 days, you will need to be thoughtful about what produce you purchase. You can purchase some produce that doesn’t have a long shelf life, but you will need to use it more quickly.

To use up quickly:

Green Onions

Parsley

Cilantro

Salad Greens (check expiration date)

Zucchini

Asparagus

Blackberries

Raspberries

Avocados (I try to get a variety of ripeness. Some ripe, to use now and some hard, to use after ripening)

Foods that last longer

Celery

Celeriac (celery root)

A few fresh Carrots

Radishes

A few Lemons/Limes

Red Cabbage

Cabbage

Brussels Sprouts

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Garlic

Fresh Ginger

Onions

Meat/Fish Department

Fresh

Look for meat items that have long expiration dates. Things like bacon, ham, and vacuum-packed meats will last longer under refrigeration.

I almost never purchase fresh seafood unless I plan to cook it that night.

Plan to either use fresh meat before the expiration date or put it in the freezer for later use.

Here’s what I pop in my cart (I don’t purchase all of these on every two-week trip, but rotate for variety):

Vacuum-Packed Ground Beef

Stew Meat

Beef Roast

Pork Tenderloin

Bacon

Pork Roast

Sweet Italian Sausage

Pork Chops

Whole Chicken

Chicken Legs/Thighs

Lamb Chops

Beef Bones (for making stock)

(any other cut of meat that grabs my attention)

Frozen Meat/Fish

The advantage of purchasing frozen meat is that it will last for several months. I like to stock up on frozen fish and almost always have a bag of frozen shrimp, wild-caught salmon and other varieties of fish in my freezer.

Here is what I often put in my cart:

Wild Caught Salmon

Uncooked Shrimp

Scallops

Frozen Fish

Chicken Breasts

Ground Beef

Whole Chicken (Check out How to make multiple meals from a whole chicken)

Small Turkey or Turkey Breast

(other options that add variety)

Baking Section

If you’re going to be home for 14 days, you may want to do some baking. 

Some of these items may be less expensive and more available online. Be sure to check your pantry to see what you have before you go to the store. Most of the items listed below are in my kitchen at all times.

Flax seeds and chia seeds can be used as an egg substitute in a pinch. I love using chia seeds to make chia puddings for breakfast, a light lunch, or a quick snack.

Super-Fine Almond Flour

Coconut Flour

Sweetener (I use mostly Pyure stevia/erythritol blend and allulose in the recipes on the blog)

Glucomannan (thickener used for puddings and sauces)

Xanthan Gum (thickener and helps with gluten-free baking)

Flax Seeds

Chia Seeds

Sesame Seeds

Vanilla Extract

Almond Extract (as per recipe)

Banana Extract (as per recipe)

Unsweetened Original Flavor Almond Milk

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Plain Gelatin

Unsweetened Baking Chocolate

Nuts (I like pecans and walnuts)

Nut butter (I stock peanut butter and almond butter)

Coconut Milk

Coconut Cream (NOT the high carb stuff in the drink mixer section)

Herbs and Spices

Salt

Pepper

Basil

Oregano

Red Pepper Flakes

Onion Powder

Thyme

Rosemary

Tarragon

Sage

Cinnamon

Paprika

Cumin

Turmeric

Cardamom

Nutmeg

Cayenne Pepper

Cajun or Creole Seasoning Blend

Oils and Vinegars

(I will frequently substitute one for another, so no need to have them all)

White Wine Vinegar

Red Wine Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar

Avocado Oil

Olive Oil

Coconut Oil

Toasted Sesame Oil

Inner Shelves

Whole Grain Mustard

Mayonnaise (Avocado Oil or Olive Oil based)

Gluten-Free Tamari, Soy Sauce (contains gluten), or Coconut Aminos

Tomato Paste

Canned Diced Tomatoes (I use the ones in the carton)

Pizza Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce

Chicken Stock (if you don’t make your own)

Beef Stock (if you don’t make your own)

Frozen Foods

Riced Cauliflower

Broccoli

Kale

Spinach

Raspberries

Strawberries

Blueberries

Dairy /Refrigerated Food Section

Eggs

Butter

Sour Cream

Cream Cheese

Heavy Whipping Cream

Greek Yogurt (I get plain and add sweetener and extract)

Mozzarella Cheese (For mozzarella dough/pizza)

Cheddar Cheese or Mexican Blend

Beverage Section 

These items are optional. I use them in some soups and stews, but you can usually substitute broth or stock.

Dry Red Wine

Dry White Wine

Stock your Low-Carb Kitchen for 14 days to keep you and your family safe.

With the world going crazy as this virus storms the earth, you can be confident that you have food for the next few weeks, no matter what happens. 

With these food items, you will be empowered to make a wide variety of meals for your family. 

What have you stocked up on that I haven’t listed? Let us know in the comments!

Stay well, and stay healthy, everyone!

-Annissa