One of the benefits of the ketogenic diet is that the high-fat intake rarely leaves you feeling hungry. However, it would seem wrong to watch a movie and not have a little snack, wouldn’t it?
It’s not easy to have some snacks when you go to the movie houses because keto-friendly snacks are almost non-existent.
We understand that snacking while watching a movie, especially when you’re on keto, may seem impossible. But that doesn’t mean you deprive yourself or compromise your goals.
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What’s Wrong With Cinema Snacks?
Lots of restaurants and food stands have jumped on the low-carb bandwagon. Nowadays, they offer healthier and keto-friendly options.
But it is not the same as in the movie theaters.
Cinemas seem to know that watching movies and eating junk food goes hand-in-hand. Most people are okay with this, but what about us low-carb eaters?
Unless you sneak your snacks in, you can enjoy a nice cold bottled water, and that’s about it!
Here is a list of common foods that are sold at cinema concession stands:
- Hot dogs
- Ice cream
- Chips
- Popcorn
- Nachos
- Candy
- Pizza
- Soda
- Soft Pretzels
Some movie theaters even offer beer and wine or have a full bar. Most people stay home to watch their favorite movies, and cinemas try to compete for their business.
If you’re on a low-carb diet, then there is not much you can order here while staying within the limits of your keto diet.
Luckily, we’ve come up with a list of low-carb snacks that you can sneak into your favorite cinema or make at home for movie night.
What Makes a Good Keto Movie Snacks?
Before we get into the actual snacks, it is essential to know what makes a good keto movie snack.
The key to successfully staying in ketosis is to eat low-carb or no-carb foods. Therefore, you will be consuming more foods that are rich in fat and protein.
The following keto-friendly foods will help keep you full and often help cravings subside.
The next time you’re at the movies, leave the popcorn and Milk Duds alone and reach for one of these snacks instead:
Zucchini Chips
These crispy and yummy crisps can never be replaced. Everyone has a hunger for chips, whether it is a fried version or a baked one.
Store bought veggie chips contain flours, dehydrated vegetables, and oils. This is the reason it’s high in calories and carbs. Zucchini chips, on the other hand, have only vegetables and some spices.
If you have ever been to a nutritionist, you must know how important it is to fill two-thirds of your plate with fruits and veggies. Vegetables are low in calories, less in fat, and high in fiber, making them perfect for including in a weight loss diet.
Apart from offering the best nutritional benefits, there are many other reasons to include more veggies in your diet. Including rainbow-colored vegetables provides tremendous health benefits too.
Eating more vegetables will lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. These fiber-rich foods have a tremendous effect on reducing the risk of type-2 diabetes.
Although vegetables have carbs, they seem to reduce blood sugar even after excess consumption. People with high blood pressure will benefit because of the high potassium content of vegetables. High potassium reduces the risk of kidney diseases, too.
Zucchini Pizza Bites
These keto zucchini pizza bites are easy, flavorful, and ready in less than 30 minutes and with less than ten ingredients!
If you’ve been missing pizzas or pizza bites since you’ve started the keto diet, then you will love this recipe. You can enjoy these as a snack or a side and even a quick little fun and healthy snack for the kids!
These are a healthy keto snack made of zucchini slices, pepperoni slices, cheese, a seasoning that is easy to pop into your mouth.
These are very popular for low carb diets as a low carb substitute for regular keto bites.
This recipe is not only delicious, but it is also easy to make and requires only ten ingredients:
- 20 thick slices of Zucchini (Roughly three small zucchinis sliced)
- ½ tbsp Olive oil
- ½ cup Keto-friendly low carb marinara sauce
- 1 cup Mozzarella shredded cheese
- 20 Slices pepperoni
- Italian seasoning to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese to garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
It’s low in carbs at only three net carbs per serving, but it is also low in calories. For each serving of these low-carb pizza bites, which are four bites per serving, you can expect 125 calories.
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Homemade chicken nuggets are far better than what you get in Mc Donald’s and KFC outlets.
Making KFC style chicken nuggets at home is straightforward to make. This means that you can have the perfect nuggets that are crispy on the outside and soft inside.
Homemade chicken nuggets always score better than the one you pick from any joints. No wonder it’s love by kids and adults and makes a freezer-friendly snack.
That said, chicken nuggets are an excellent make-ahead party appetizer. All you need is take them out of the freezer to thaw, and then fry them when it’s about time.
The crunchiness you’ll get is from panko bread crumbs. It’s so satisfying and so addictive too. Using panko bread crumbs to coat the chicken pieces is crucial to achieving crispy out chicken nuggets.
Homemade chicken nuggets are not at all hard to make. Plus, all you need are budget-friendly and straightforward ingredients. So feeding kids as much as they want is not going to bother you.
Spicy Maple Rosemary Roasted Nuts
These nuts are so special because of the combination of flavors. We’ve got sweet maple syrup fused with a kick of cayenne pepper for some sweet heat; then, there’s fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt added to the mix.
That complete sweet-salty-spicy thing can get you every time, and the rosemary makes this festive for the holidays as well as all winter long.
These Spicy Maple Rosemary Roasted Nuts have it all. You can even make them ahead as they keep in an airtight container for a few weeks.
They’re so versatile and can be one of your go-to appetizers because they always please the crowd.
No-Bake Keto Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
These low carb protein bars are so delicious and easy to make you’ll want to make these over and over again!
When it comes to low carb protein bars, you can always buy them. However, if you want to ensure that what you’re eating is indeed keto-friendly and healthy, then making your low carb bars is your best bet.
These delicious keto-friendly protein bars are not only tasty, but they’re also swift to prepare and ideal for a pre-workout snack.
Having enough energy to face your workout or your day-to-day work is essential. And if you’ve been using protein bars before, you don’t have to give up on them just because you started the keto diet.
You need to make a few adjustments, and you’ll have some great low carb bars that don’t contain all the carbs and sugars.
The best part? These keto protein bars only contain 6.5 grams of carbs per bar, making them perfect for the keto diet!
Crispy Almond Flour Crackers With Sesame Seeds
They’re the perfect little dippers.
And what’s amazing about a low-carb diet is you can make crackers and chips substitute from wholesome nut flours, seeds, or cheese.
One of the best ways to make these paleo almond flour crackers is with sesame seeds.
Spicy Roasted Cashew Nuts
These spicy roasted cashews are a quick and simple snack. Roasted cashew nuts are one of the simplest and quickest snacks to throw together for entertaining. They can be sweet or savory, spicy or herby, or a combination of these.
Raw cashews are mixed with spices such as cumin and paprika and roasted to a crunchy ending. Served with a cold drink or two, these roasted cashew nuts will be a friend’s and family’s favorite!
There are two methods to make roasted cashew nuts:
- Dry Roasted Cashews: The first method is dry roasting them in a frying pan. You dry roast them in a pan over low heat, turning them often so that they don’t burn. This method is ideal if you want a quick fix of roasted cashews.
- Oven Roasted Cashews: The second method is to roast them in the oven. This is the method much preferred when entertaining guests.
Suitable for people following Gluten-Free, Paleo, Low Carb, and Vegan diets. And they smell incredibly delicious as guests arrive at a table of lovely drinks and a big bowl of these.
Just make sure that you have plenty as the bowl tends to empty as fast as you can fill it.
Other Low-Carb Movie Snacks
Mixed Nuts
Mixed nuts are the perfect snack food for any diet, but they are especially great for low-carb dieters.
Nuts are high in healthy fat and fiber to fill you up quickly and low in carbs to keep your waistline trim. Plus, they’re easy to sneak into the movies with you, and no one will even notice!
Some cinemas may offer mixed nuts at the concession stand, but be careful not to buy the kind that has vegetable oil and added sugars.
We recommend buying raw nuts or a brand of nuts that has coconut oil and sea salt instead. You can even make your roasted nuts at home and bring them with you to the movies.
Beef Jerky
Instead of indulging in a hot dog, try bringing some beef jerky with you to the movie theater. It’s hearty, salty, and great to munch on. Plus, it contains no carbs.
The only problem is that your beef jerky may be a bit, well, smelly. It’s not a good idea for a first date! You might want to ask your friends if they mind when you unwrap your stick of beef.
Sunflower Seeds or Pistachios
If you like a snack that takes some effort, then consider munching on some nuts and seeds that have shells, such as sunflower seeds or pistachios.
They are salty and crunchy, and you won’t even miss the popcorn. Plus, you’ll have to unshell them, so your hands will be busy doing something productive instead of reaching into a popcorn bucket!
Just make sure to buy a brand that does not have vegetable oil or added sugars.
Keto Flaxseed Chips
Instead of snacking on potato or corn chips at the movies, try bringing your keto flaxseed chips. These chips are low-carb and high in good fats.
Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- 1 cup flaxseed meal
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
To prepare, mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Press the dough onto a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes.
When they are slightly warm, cut them with a sharp knife into squares.
These will remain fresh for several days. Make a batch a day before the movie. Throw a bunch into a plastic bag and bring them with you!
Healthy Alternative Movie Snacks
Prepare ahead and pack a few satisfying, low-calorie snacks to eat during the movie. The key is to find treats that are both crunchy and creamy, so you don’t feel denied while everyone else is munching on popcorn or eating chocolate.
Try the following suggestions:
- Apple slices with the skin with some peanut butter spread on every slice. The fiber in the apple and the protein in the peanut butter makes it more filling.
- Raw veggies and some low-fat cheese cubes. Again, fiber helps you feel stuffed, and cheese is satisfying.
- Reduced-fat cheese on whole-grain crackers will hold your blood sugar on an even keel and hunger at bay.
- Yogurt has enough protein for staying power, too. Sprinkle some low-fat granola or chia seeds on top to up the satisfaction factor.
- Kale chips are salty, crunchy, and packed with nutrition. You can make them at home to have the calorie count low.
- Calorie-controlled snack packs of cookies, pretzels, or chips. Please make your 100-calorie snacks at home or buy them at the store.
- Nuts like almonds or walnuts are packed with nutrition and easy to carry. Just be sure to measure your serving size, so you don’t overdo it.
Tips and Tricks
Are you wondering how you can appreciate your favorite flick and still fight fat?
You know that the movies aren’t almost as fun without snacks, especially when everyone else is munching away around you. So here are a few ideas for creative ways to keep your weight loss plan on track:
- Work for your food: Find snacks that you have to unwrap. Why? Because it will take you longer to consume the food if you have to unwrap each item in the dark. You’ll end up eating less with separately wrapped treats.
- Pack a protein bar: If you love candy bars, chocolate, and crunchy nuts or crispies, skip the snack bar and pack a protein bar instead. There are low-calorie protein bars that taste as good as the one you buy in stores. Plus, they are better for your body.
- Sucking saves calories: If sugary treats are your favorite movie snack, then bring a lollipop or hard candy to suck on. They are generally lower in calories and take longer to consume.
- Choose chewy sweets: Some movie snacks won’t break your diet if you eat them in moderation. So, how do you enforce portion control when you’re distracted by a good flick? Choose foods you have to chew.
Final Thoughts
Going to the movies is one of everyone’s favorite things to do. Unfortunately for low-carb dieters, there isn’t much in the way of low-carb food to snack on at most cinemas. It will ruin your diet plan.
Gathering great keto movie theater snacks is not as hard with this list of dos and don’ts of low-carb snacking!
Your two options are to bring something with you or to suck it up and watch your friends enjoy their popcorn. We recommend bringing keto bars, low-carb chips and crackers, and mixed nuts to snack on during your favorite movie.
You can also use these low-carb suggestions for movie nights at home. Just be sure to stay away from prepackaged snacks that contain vegetable oils and added sugars.
The keto diet is different for everyone, so pick snacks that work for you. We hope you enjoy your next movie night, guilt-free!