In the past couple of months, I was inspired to kick my nutritional journey up a notch and return to a ketogenic-based diet (similar to the Bulletproof Diet, which I’ve done before).
There are many advantages to sticking to this diet now that I am more consistent with my lifestyle choices and meal planning. At the same time, I figured out a way to make coffee, ice cream and NA beer (2-3 “brews” per day) a regular part of my routine.
I am three months in and I’m the lightest I’ve been in over a decade (175 lbs)! Here’s the kicker: I am still drinking all the coffee I want, eating all the ice cream I want, and having a few NA Beers at night. All this with minimal exercise and physical activity… so far.
The why’s and the how’s
Disclaimer: I’m not intending to share health or medical advice, these are just my opinions and my perspective on what has worked for me.
Why?
A Ketogenic, “Bulletproof” Diet changes they way your body fuels itself… using healthy fats to kickstart your brain (and metabolism) more efficiently. Keeping my meals simple and structured has helped me a ton.
I still look forward to each meal and I make simple variations/flavor tweaks (sauces, spices, condiments, dressings, etc.). It makes a big difference to have some variety within my meal planning structure.
It’s a low carb diet and this has made me feel more sustained throughout the day. I am able to have smaller meals, have more energy, and brain fog has been lifted almost every single day in the past month or two.
How?
Here are examples of my meal planning staples each week. Primarily each week I am eating: high quality (unsweetened) Greek yogurt, cashews/nuts, grain-free granola, chicken (A LOT), eggs (A LOT), avocados (crucial in salads and for quick snacks), and all the veggies I desire (this is where the spices, dressings, and sauces come in handy).
Simple changes like trading out tortillas (or buns) with lettuce wraps, and subbing out beans and rice for extra protein, veggies and avocado can make a huge difference in the long run. For example, I can still have a “Roast Beef Sandwich” in a lettuce wrap, and that makes me happy.
I’ve also discovered many Keto-friendly snacks that have been able to replace the tempting carb-heavy ones we’re all familiar with. Instead of chips and crackers, I have seaweed snacks (I love the chili lime flavor), pork rinds (they season them like chips… for example, the salt and vinegar ones are great), and parmesan/baked cheese crips (the original and the 4-cheese ones are incredible) instead of croutons or crackers.
Finding good snack replacements has been very important for me (see my section below on Ice Cream).
Without further ado, it’s time to talk about my “first meal of the day”…. every morning, what holds me over until around 11am each day since I started this diet…
Meal 1 of every day… Butter Coffee
“Butter in your coffee? Now THAT’S gross!”
I’ve heard that statement from many a friend and co-worker… but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! The idea of having “fatty coffee” or butter coffee first thing in the morning originally came from reading the Bulletproof Diet book. Not only does it sustain me until around 11am each day, but it also puts me in ketosis every morning, so I can focus while working and doing chores around the house. By the late morning/early afternoon, I’m ready for a proper meal.
Butter coffee is essentially like drinking a latte every morning but you’re blending in 1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (Kerrygold FTW) and 1-2 tablespoons of MCT oil (it’s like coconut oil but concentrated and without the intense flavor) into your first morning coffee. If two tablespoons of each ingredient is too much for you, try sticking to a 1:1 ratio initially.
You will want to use a quality brewed hot coffee (ideally French Press or Pour-over style) and then let the butter & oil mixture melt into it for 30 seconds or so (pro tip: make sure the butter is a room temperature before mixing!). At that point, you can use an immersion blender or a milk frother (I highly recommend buying both) to mix it all up. Then drink/enjoy it while it’s hot!
With my current diet, what’s worked for me so far is to borrow ideas from keto-friendly (low carb, high fat) diets and make it my own. I haven’t even started tracking my meals or macros and I’m already seeing great results!
Grocery Budgeting & General Tips
Healthy Eating Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
One of the biggest misconceptions about eating healthy is that it has to cost a fortune. While it’s certainly possible to spend hundreds of dollars a week shopping exclusively at premium grocery stores or buying every organic product on the shelf, that’s not the only way to build a nutritious, keto-based grocery haul.
For most, a grocery budget of $120–$200 per week can go surprisingly far when you prioritize nutrient-dense foods over more convenient items. Rather than filling your cart with processed snacks, frozen meals, and impulse buys, focus on ingredients that can be used across multiple meals throughout the week. Lean proteins, fresh or frozen vegetables, lower carb fruits, grain-free granola, yogurt, eggs, etc. provide significantly more value than many pre-packaged alternatives.
Quality Over Quantity
The goal isn’t to stock up on groceries—it’s to buy groceries that work for you.
A few packages of chicken thighs can become lunch, dinner, and meal prep for a few days. A large container of Greek yogurt can be breakfast, a snack, or a base for toppings. Frozen veggies can offer the same nutritional benefits as fresh ones while lasting much longer and reducing food waste.
When you start looking at groceries this way, you begin investing in food that fuels your body instead of simply filling your pantry.
Put Grocery Costs Into Perspective
It’s also helpful to compare grocery spending with everyday expenses.
I could easily spend $60 in a single day just commuting into the office between gas, coffee, lunch, parking, tolls, and public transportation. A nice dinner for two in Boston can easily run you $200–$300 before you know it.
When you compare costs, spending around $200 on groceries that feed two people for 1-2 weeks suddenly feels more reasonable. Those groceries don’t just provide one enjoyable evening—they support multiple breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks that help satiate and fuel you throughout an entire week.
Where to Shop for Affordable, Healthy Groceries
You don’t have to shop exclusively at Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh or Trader Joe’s to eat well.
While Trader Joe’s, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods carry excellent products and can be great options depending on your budget, you can find plenty of high-quality ingredients at more affordable grocery stores like Market Basket, Wegmans, Aldi, Costco, or other local spots.
Another often-overlooked resource is your local Asian grocery store, such as Super 88 or H Mart. These markets frequently offer an incredible selection of fresh vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, seafood, tofu, noodles, spices, and frozen items at prices that are often significantly lower than traditional grocery chains. They’re also a great place to discover new ingredients that simply aren’t available at stores like Target, Walmart, or Stop & Shop.
The best grocery store isn’t necessarily the “fancy one”… it’s the one that lets you consistently buy nutritious foods that fit your lifestyle and your budget.
Build Habits, Not Perfect Grocery Lists
My goal isn’t to convince everyone to buy the most expensive ingredients or to perfect a routine shopping list. It’s to show that healthy eating is accessible for almost any budget with a bit of planning.
Start by buying foods you’ll actually eat. Build meals around versatile ingredients. Shop where the prices make sense for you. Over time, you’ll likely find that investing in quality groceries not only supports your health, but may even save you extra money by reducing the amount of times you dine out, the amount of food you waste, and unnecessary DoorDash/Grubhub orders.
Keto-Friendly Ice Cream (NOT kidding!)
Rebel Ice Cream: Why It’s my Favorite
If you’ve spent any time trying to find a healthier ice cream that doesn’t taste like a frozen disappointment, you’ve probably discovered that many “healthy” options sacrifice flavor, texture… or both. After trying many brands, one consistently rises to the top of the list for me: Rebel Ice Cream. Whether you’re following a low-carb lifestyle, watching your sugar intake, or simply looking for a more satisfying dessert, Rebel has become a go-to product in my house. The rich, creamy texture is remarkably close to traditional ice cream, making it one of the few healthy alternatives that actually feels like a treat instead of a compromise.Why I Keep Coming Back to Rebel
One of Rebel’s biggest strengths is its variety. From classics like Cookie Dough and Cookies & Cream to more indulgent flavors like Peanut Butter Caramel Chip and Butter Pecan, there’s something for just about everyone. Unlike many “diet-friendly” desserts, the flavors are satisfying rather than oversweetened or artificial-tasting. Rebel Ice Cream is available online and has become easier to find in grocery stores throughout the Boston area, including Whole Foods, Wegmans, Market Basket, Shaw’s, Stop & Shop to name a few. Prices typically range from $5.99 to $7.99 per pint, depending on the retailer. A bit more expensive than conventional ice cream but the quality, ingredients, and overall experience make it well worth the splurge, especially when compared to the cost of grabbing dessert at a fancy restaurant.Taste Tests
My “Keto-themed” rating system gives Rebel Ice Cream a solid… 5 out of 5 🥑 Avocados! 🥑🥑🥑🥑🥑 (5/5)- Taste: Rich, creamy, and genuinely satisfying.
- Texture: One of the closest healthier alternatives to traditional ice cream.
- Value: A bit pricey, but worth it for the quality.
- Would I buy it again? Absolutely! My freezer usually has at least a few pints waiting for me.
Flavors
I felt compelled to do a taste test with a bunch of their flavors one night to share in this post. Some flavors were ok, but some were better than the real thing… I’m not even kidding. Below are my ratings and summaries of each flavor I’ve tried so far:Pistachio 🥑🥑🥑 (3/5)
Too subtle for me. Not bad, but as a hardcore fan of pistachio ice cream, this one was a harder sell for me.Cookies N’ Cream 🥑🥑🥑 (3/5)
Another one that was subtle for me. This is my favorite flavor of ice cream ever (Oreo) so I had to be a tougher critic on this one… it was less creamy to me than the other Rebel flavors. The “cookies” being replaced by chocolate chips/chunks was a nice touch, but not close enough to the real thing for me.
Cookie Dough 🥑🥑🥑🥑 (4/5)
As someone who doesn’t seek out cookie dough ice cream on the regular, I absolutely LOVED this. It was the closest to a “real ice cream” between the consistency, flavor of the ice cream and how well it worked with the cookie dough in the ice cream itself.
The only downside is that this one has been harder for me to find online… I know that Walmart carries this, but Amazon does not for some reason.
Cherry Chip 🥑🥑🥑🥑 (4/5)
Another flavor that I don’t seek out normally with traditional ice creams. The cherry is a bit subtle in flavor, but I think that’s why it works so well. Unlike the Cookies N’ Cream variety, I think the chocolate chips/chunks work perfectly with this ice cream. This is one of the Rebel flavors I keep buying on a regular basis.
Now, for my 2 favorites:
Salted Caramel 🥑🥑🥑🥑🥑 (5/5)
As someone who goes out of their way to avoid caramel in all forms: macchiatos, desserts, ice creams, etc., I was hesitant to even order this one… verdict: it is so good, it has become one of my favorite ice creams, Keto-friendly or not. I highly recommend y’all try this one. It is available on Amazon Fresh.Butter Pecan 🥑🥑🥑🥑🥑 (5/5)
Ok, brace yourselves: this is my new favorite ice cream… of all time! Rebel, you crushed it with this one. This one is also available on Amazon Fresh, in case you were wondering.
As a hardcore fan of quality Maple Walnut ice creams, this one satiates my cravings for it and that has been significant in keeping me on-track with my diet and lifestyle changes. The flavor profile, nuttiness, sweetness, and consistency of this ice cream is all excellent. Every element I was looking for in a Keto-friendly ice cream, this variety has it.After a crazy day (or week) of work, I’ll scoop 2-3 of these Rebel ice cream flavors into a bowl, top with some whipped cream & cashews and indulge: guilt-free. Chef’s kiss… cherry on top optional, but encouraged.
Bonus Section: Following a Keto Diet Without Giving Up NA Beer
One question I get is, “Can you still enjoy non-alcoholic beer while following a keto diet?” The answer is yes… but, like most things, it comes down to moderation and informed choices.
Some NA beers contain more carbs than their alcoholic counterparts because of how they’re brewed, so it’s worth checking nutrition labels before cracking one open. If you’re following a strict keto diet, you’ll want to budget those carbs into your daily intake just like as would with any other treats.
For those taking a less compliant low-carb approach, an occasional NA beer can absolutely fit into a healthy lifestyle. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s finding sustainable habits you can enjoy for the long haul!
Huge Shoutout to Rationale Brewing!
If you’re looking for a top-notch brand in the non-alcoholic craft beer space, Rationale Brewing deserves a spot at the top of your list. First off, a personal thank-you to Tyler, who sent me two cases of Rationale for me to sample, free of charge!
Tyler’s kindness, enthusiasm, and passion for the craft made every interaction with the brewery memorable. It’s refreshing to see people who aren’t just making a product—they’re building a community around mindful drinking and helping to normalize & build momentum in the ever-growing NA movement.
The NA beer & mocktail movement has gained more traction over the past few years, and for good reasons. More people are looking for ways to enjoy the social experience of a great drink without the alcohol, whether it’s for health, fitness, recovery, or simply feeling better the next morning. Brands like Rationale Brewing are proving that NA ales and lagers can still be high quality products.
More Than Great Beer
Rationale Brewing doesn’t just produce excellent NA beer—they’ve built an identity that stands out in an increasingly crowded market. Their collaborations, including projects with Modern Times, showcase the creativity and quality that go into each release. From their striking can art and modern branding to the beer itself, everything feels intentional and thoughtfully crafted. It’s the kind of brand that makes you excited to try whatever they’re gonna release next.
Speaking of that…
Taste Tests
Rationale gets a solid: 🥑🥑🥑🥑🥑 (5/5 Avocados)!
- Flavor: Full-bodied and satisfying without tasting watered down.
- Craftsmanship: Outstanding attention to detail from recipe to presentation.
- Branding: Easily among the better-designed cans and brand identities in the NA beer world.
- Would I buy some again? Without hesitation!
One Disclaimer Before I rate beer styles
As much as I enjoy trying every style of beer, my palate has definitely changed over time. These days, I tend to gravitate toward lagers, darker beers, smoother malt-forward styles, and drier, more balanced flavor profiles. While I still appreciate a well-made IPA, overly bitter or aggressively hop-forward beers just aren’t my preference anymore.
That’s important to keep in mind when reading my beer reviews. Taste is subjective, and what earns a great rating from me may be very different from what someone who loves intensely hoppy West Coast IPAs is looking for. My goal isn’t to declare one style “better” than another—it’s simply to share honest impressions and help folks discover their next favorite NA beer.
Below are my ratings for each style:
West Coast IPA 🥑🥑 (2/5)
Oddly enough, this one seems to have more of a British hop profile to me. It might be because of the subtle changes to my palette in the past year or two, but I do prefer Best Day’s West Cost IPA to this one a bit more.
Hazy IPA 🥑🥑🥑 (3/5)
This one reminds me more of a dank, West Coast IPA hop-wise. Think Stone IPA. I do prefer this one if I had to choose between one of their IPAs at a bar/concert venue.
Mexican Style Brew 🥑🥑🥑🥑 (4/5)
At first I thought this beer was “just okay,” but on the 2nd try, it was very good! A great beer to pair with meals. I recommend letting it warm up a bit as well. I tried to compare it to Athletic Brewing’s Mexican Copper Lager at first but it’s different… definitely a light lager that is more complex (and tastier) than a Corona.
Now, for my favorites:
Kölsch Style 🥑🥑🥑🥑 (4/5)
Just as good as Best Day Brewing’s Kölsch. As this is one of my favorite beer styles, I’m so glad that Rationale makes such a great NA Kölsch!
Japanese Style Dry 🥑🥑🥑🥑🥑 (5/5)
This style is incredible… This is my new favorite NA Beer! The dry finish and the hint of cherry blossom makes this beer unique, versatile and very enjoyable. For me, this rivals Guinness 0, Best Day Brewing’s Kölsch, and Athletic Brewing’s Mexican Copper as one of my favorite NA beers on the market.
Shameless Plug: See my Athletic Beer Mocktails post for more summery, NA beer inspiration/beer mocktail recipes! They’re not necessarily Keto-friendly but they’re generally guilt-free and great on a hot summer day.
