These Are the Simple, Low-Carb Snacks You Should Always Have in Your Kitchen

It's much easier to stick to a low-carb diet when you keep your fridge and pantry stocked with healthy foods, including snacks to keep you satisfied between meals. But you'll need to be selective, even when you're not reaching for processed goods.

"If you are trying to follow a low-carb diet, you'll want to avoid foods naturally high in carbohydrates such as breads, pasta, grains, cereals, candies, and other sweets," registered dietitian Lauren Cadillac told POPSUGAR. For less-obvious offenders, you should still read the label. "Many unsuspecting foods contain added sugars," she said. These include salad dressing, ketchup, yoghurt, nut butters, and more. "Check the label for words like cane sugar, coconut sugar, agave, syrup, glucose, fructose, or anything else ending in '-ose,'" Lauren explained.

Depending on how low-carb you're trying to go, you may need to limit (or carefully track) your intake of fruits and starchy veggies, too. "Fruits and starchy vegetables contain important nutrients, so make sure you are working with a qualified dietitian before embarking on a low-carb diet," Lauren said. "This will ensure you are not deficient in any of the nutrients your body really needs."

The good news is, as long as you choose the right foods, "you can have snacks every day on a low-carb diet," she said. Here are some of Lauren's simple yet satisfying favourites:

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Beef jerky (Lauren loves Epic Bars)
• Macadamia nuts
• Pickles
• Olives
• Homemade chicken salad
• Cottage cheese (Lauren recommends Hood Cottage Cheese)
• Avocado (try it with sunflower seeds and a sprinkle of goat cheese)
• Deli turkey roll-ups