Keto Chips: The Best and Worst Options

They're crunchy, salty, satisfying, and easy to eat on the go.

Unfortunately, though, most chip options are a no-go on a low-carb diet like keto. In fact, the chip brands we all know are some of the unhealthiest foods you could possibly imagine (keep reading to learn more).

But don't worry: there is such a thing as keto chips! 

Made from high-fat, low-carb ingredients like cheese or pork rinds—and not fried in unhealthy cooking oils—you can still totally get that satisfying crunch you're after.

Here's what to look for when buying keto chips, the best and worst brands, and 3 types of healthy low-carb chips you can make at home.

What to Look for When Buying Keto Chips

• The main ingredient
• The cooking oil
• Any hidden carbs/unhealthy additives

The Main Ingredient

Unfortunately, the main ingredient in most chips is either potatoes or ground corn. Both of these are high in carbs—a mere 1-ounce serving of potato has 6g carbs in it—so you'll probably want to look elsewhere [1].

On the keto diet, your best bet for chips are those made from high-fat, low-carb ingredients such as cheese, pork rinds, egg whites, coconut, and seaweed.

The Cooking Oil

Skip anything with canola, soybean, cotton seed, corn, or sunflower oil in the ingredients. These are refined oils that contain lots of omega-6 fatty acids, which aren't good for you [2].

These vegetable oils can cause inflammation throughout the body, and even increase your risk of certain diseases (like heart disease) [3][4].

Believe it or not, your best options are chips fried in their own fat—again, cheese and pork rinds are good examples.

Hidden Carbs and Unhealthy Additives 

You might find "keto chips" at the grocery store, but upon further inspection, you'll find that they're packed with sugar, starchy fillers, or preservatives.

Another good rule of thumb: if you can't pronounce an ingredient without googling it, don't eat it. (That applies to all food, not just chips.)

Best Keto Chips

Oh, and they taste good. Almost forgot to mention that.

All of these will work well on your low-carb diet. Enjoy!

• KetoLogic Keto Crisps: Made with 100% natural full-fat cheese and no additives. Comes in 5 delicious flavors: Cheddar Cheese, Pizza, Ghost Pepper, Chili Lime, and Buffalo. 13g of fat, 9g of protein, and only 1g of carbs per serving! 
• FBOMB Keto Krunch: All-natural 100% artisan cheddar cheese crisps sourced from family farm cows. Nothing unhealthy in these chips at all. Popular flavors include Garlic & Herb and Salt & Vinegar. 
• EPIC Pork Rinds: If you're more into pork rinds than cheese, these are the best brand you'll find. Containing nothing more than pork and spices, these chips are so high in protein, you might even consider them a good post-workout snack!
• Quevos Egg White Chips: A little different from the other options, these chips are made with egg whites and three types of keto-approved fats: ghee, coconut oil, and clarified butter. They offer both Classic and Keto brands, with the latter only having 4g of net carbs per serving (which is 35 chips)!
• Flock Chicken Chips: Chicken and salt—that's it. With 13 grams of protein and zero carbs or sugar, these chips are keto, gluten-free and the perfect guilt-free option when you need something crunchy.
• Dang Lightly Salted Coconut Chips: These are both sweet and salty, so they may not be the chips you're used to. But they only contain two ingredients, and since you're eating coconut, you get to reap all the health benefits of MCT oil.
• gimMe Seaweed Chips: With only 25 calories and 1g of carbs per serving, these seaweed chips are another excellent choice. They come in six different savory flavors like teriyaki, wasabi, and avocado oil, and are loaded with iron, which helps keep your metabolism healthy [5][6].

With these all-star options in mind, let's look at which chips you should avoid at all costs.

Worst Keto Chips

But we'll sum it up below:

• Lay’s: A single Lay's potato chip contains 10.6 calories and 1g of carbohydrates. That's one chip! They're also cooked in a variety of at least 3 unhealthy vegetable oils (their website only lists the oils they might be cooked with) [7]. The lack of transparency and alarming calorie/carb count should be reason enough to skip these altogether.
• Doritos: Believe it or not, Dorito's are actually worse than Lay's in terms of carbs (12 Nacho Cheese flavored chips contain 18g—yikes). They also contain 26 ingredients, many of which are listed vaguely to seem healthier than they are ("Natural Flavors" and "Artificial Colors" are two examples [8]).Crazy enough, Dorito's actually make the first option on this list look good!
• Ruffles: Ruffles, for all intents and purposes, are just a thicker version of Lay's. Twelve chips add up to 15g of carbs, and these chips are void of any real nutrients [9]. These empty calories are certainly not keto-friendly.
• Tostitos: These are corn chips, not potatoes, but the same problems arise here. Tostitos have a staggering 18g of carbs and 140 calories per serving. They're also cooked in unhealthy vegetable oils, listed suspiciously like Lay's and Doritos [10]. Better to stay away! 

How to Make Homemade Cheese Crisps

Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or apply with nonstick spray.
2. Using your favorite shredded cheese (cheddar or Parmesan are our two favorites), make small piles of cheese on each tray (about a tablespoon’s worth of cheese). Leave an inch or two between each pile; they’ll spread out as they melt and crisp up in the oven.
3. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 
4. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. You can add light seasonings if you’d like (garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin, or even hot sauce are all tasty keto options).

1. Place cracker-cut cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack) onto a microwave-safe plate with parchment paper underneath.
2. Microwave for 2 minutes.
3. Let cool for 1 minute. 
4. Transfer the crackers to a paper towel so the oil gets soaked up.
5. Add seasonings if desired. Enjoy!

How to Make Homemade Kale Chips

Oven

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Wash a bag of pre-cut kale. Shake well to get all the water off.
3. Spread kale across a large cookie sheet. (If the sheet is too small and the kale is stacked, use a second sheet.)
4. Douse lightly with olive oil or melted coconut oil. Sprinkle sea salt on top.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.*

How to Make Homemade Pepperoni Chips

Oven

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place a cooling rack on a large sheet pan. Arrange 60 to 80 pepperoni slices on the cooling rack (this is important because hot air needs to flow underneath for them to crisp up evenly).
• Bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let sit for 2 minutes. Use a paper towel to absorb excess grease off the top.
• Serve and enjoy!

For more low-carb diet snack options, check out all of our keto recipes!