As many know, our family eats a strict Paleo diet, with leanings in the Ketogenic and autoimmune protocol directions. We have studied and shifted our diets over the years, seeking to discern what makes our bodies feel their best. My recommendations are in no way medical advice, and I think that everyone should work with someone trained in health and nutrition who can help them discover what will make them feel their best. A paleo/Keto/AIP diet is what merely what works for our family.

That said, folks ask me time and time again what my pantry staples are, and especially now that there is quarantine and families are home with more time to bake and cook. I will break this into a few separate posts to highlight different areas, but for this post, I’ll stick with baking.

Below I’ve listed things I keep in my pantry for baking at all times. These are only things that I use regularly.

FLOURS

Almond: While Almond flour fits on both Paleo and Ketogenic diet-friendly, it is not approved for an AIP diet, as AIP eliminates all nuts and seeds. Almond flour is my favorite flour to bake with, and I think most closely resembles baking with other traditional flours.

Coconut: Coconut flour is the trickest of all flours I have ever worked with, but it is friendly for Paleo, Ketogenic, and AIP diets. It is highly absorbent and requires a ton of liquid for a minimal amount of flour. For reference, my mom makes a coconut flour cake recipe for the girl’s birthdays, and it uses over a dozen eggs. Coconut is not a flour that can be subbed 1:1 at all, and depending on the brand, it can make a recipe very dry and gritty. Used in conjunction with other flours, it can be a great agent and adds a subtle sweetness.

Tapioca Starch/Arrowroot Starch:  The purist out there will shout at me, saying these two are not the same. And they are not, especially in cooking. But in baking, they can nearly always be used interchangeably. They can act as a replacement for corn starch or similar. These flours are AIP, Keto, Paleo-friendly but should be used in moderation on a ketogenic diet as they are high in carbohydrate and fiber and can raise your carb count if you’re not careful.

Cassava: I own cassava, but I rarely use it as it can cause me indigestion from time to time. Cassava is high in carbs, so I would not use it for a Keto diet(unless in tiny amounts), but it is AIP and Paleo-friendly. It is not as simple as almond flour to use, but it is not as tricky as coconut flour. It comes with nuances, and if planning to use it, I would stick with recipes that call for it.

Not mentioned: Tigernut Flour(AIP, Paleo-friendly, but makes me extremely ill, so I don’t consume it)

SWEETENERS

Honey: We always try to keep local raw honey on hand as a sweetener. It and maple syrup can be interchanged in recipes and is AIP, Paleo-friendly, but not keto. However, keto diets look different for every person. I can consume small amounts of honey, and other natural sugars, and not get kicked out of ketosis as long as my fats are high enough. This is because I’m breastfeeding, and I burn through carbs faster than the average person. My husband cannot eat any natural sugars and expect to stay in a state of ketosis. You need to find what works for you. The reason I like using honey is that it has antioxidants in the form of organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids. It also has antibacterial properties. While consumed in moderation, it is a “healthy” sweetener in my book.

Maple Syrup: This is another sweetener that technically is AIP and paleo, but not keto. Like honey, maple syrup has some health benefits. It contains manganese, zinc, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium. Also, get the highest grade possible and read the ingredients on even organic maple syrup, as some brand will include cane sugar in their ingredients. I look for pure maple syrup, without anything else.

Coconut Sugar: This is by far my favorite granulated sweetener to use in baking. It is AIP and Paleo-friendly. It is low glycemic and has the best “brown sugar/cinnamon” sort of taste. I love using it in crisps and with fruit.

Stevia: Stevia is paleo, keto, and AIP friendly(depending on the brand, again always read the labels), but can be a hormone disruptor when used in excess. I also don’t think it is a good sweetener for baking at all. It just doesn’t hold up against many others, and it is not readily convertible.

Monk Fruit: I have two wishes for monk fruit. 1. I wish I could find a monk fruit extract that doesn’t contain erythritol. 2. I wish I liked the taste. It has a very odd aftertaste when used in baking. Maybe if I used it more, I would grow to like it, but I just don’t. It’s worth a trying though if you’re looking for a low carb sweetener. Monk fruit is ketogenic and paleo, but it is a sugar alcohol, so it may not work for those on an AIP diet. Nathan likes it, so I use it for things he will eat.

Not Mentioned: erythritol (Keto-friendly, but has some questionable health impacts. I know many who use it, but I prefer to avoid it if I can)

FATS

Canned Full Fat Coconut Milk: I love using this in recipes in place of regular milk/cream/etc. It is keto/paleo/AIP friendly! I always have Native Forest brand, Simple coconut milk, because it contains NO guar gum or other additives.

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is AIP/keto/paleo-friendly, and is a good substitute for butter. It has a good shelf life, so it is a staple in our household. It’s especially useful for baking, as it does not tolerate higher heats well required in cooking methods like roasting or frying. I use it for baking all the time, though.

Ghee: Ghee is a clarified butter that is keto/paleo-friendly, and is often tolerated by some AIP folks. It is clarified to remove the lactose, which is why many can tolerate it. We bake and cook with it regularly.

Almond Butter:  If there were one food item, our family goes through faster than anything else, it would be almond butter. We LOVE almond butter and can quickly go through 2 jars in a week. Almond butter is not AIP friendly but will work on a keto/paleo diet. Almond butter is an excellent binder in recipes and creates a very gooey sort of texture in cookies and muffins. I love it.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

Eggs: Eggs are technically not a pantry item as they need refrigerated, but we use eggs frequently in baking. They are Paleo/Keto-friendly, but not AIP. I also recommend buying good quality, cage-free, organic eggs. Pete and Gerry’s is our favorite brand.

Flax Seed/Chia Seed/Hemp Seeds: These seeds are all great at creating texture in baking. They can play with your hormones a bit, so some recommend staying away, but I like to use them to help regulate my hormones by seed cycling. They are keto/paleo-friendly.

Shredded Coconut: Because oats are off-limits, I often use shredded coconut in its place for texture for recipes. It is AIP/Keto/Paleo friendly!

Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides: I use collagen in nearly every recipe I bake. It is an easy way to add healthy gut nourishing protein to a recipe. I really like using Thrive Market’s vanilla collagen peptides because it adds sweetness and flavor to a recipe without needing to add much additional sweetener. It is AIP/Keto/Paleo friendly!

I hope these explanations are helpful as you stock your pantry with some healthy alternatives for spring-time quarantine baking. Another perk of eating these alternatives is that you can most likely find these items in your grocery stores. While white flour and sugar may be sold out, I’d be willing to bet if your store carries specialty items, that they will still have things like almond flour and coconut sugar in stock.

Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite staple not listed here! Or if you love using one of the pantry items I listed!