20 low-carb snacks under 5g net carbs

Quick, satisfying low-carb snacks for diabetics and keto eaters — every option under 5g net carbs with macros and prep notes.

Written by

Carb Lens Editorial

Nutrition writers & product team

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Alicia Nguyen, RD, CDCES

Registered Dietitian · Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist · 12+ years clinical experience

Published June 13, 2026 6 min readEditorial policy

Snacking is where most "low-carb" days go off the rails. A handful of pretzels, a granola bar, a fruit smoothie — and you're suddenly at 40g of carbs before dinner. Here are 20 snacks that stay under 5g net carbs each.

Savory

**String cheese** — 1g carbs, 7g protein
**Hard-boiled egg + everything seasoning** — 0.5g carbs, 6g protein
**Tuna with mayo on cucumber slices** — 2g carbs, 14g protein
**Pepperoni + cheese slice rollups** — 1g carbs, 10g protein
**Olives (10)** — 2g carbs, 1g fat
**Beef jerky (1oz)** — 3g carbs, 9g protein (pick low-sugar brands)
**Pickles** — 1g carbs, basically free
**Avocado with salt and lime** (½ medium) — 4g net carbs, 10g fat

Sweet

**Greek yogurt 5% with cinnamon** (½ cup) — 4g carbs, 10g protein
**Lily's sugar-free chocolate (2 squares)** — 2g net carbs
**Raspberries (½ cup)** — 3g net carbs, 4g fiber
**Cottage cheese with vanilla extract** (½ cup) — 4g carbs, 13g protein
**Chia pudding** (2 tbsp chia + ½ cup almond milk) — 3g net carbs

Crunchy

**Almonds (1oz)** — 3g net carbs, 6g protein
**Macadamia nuts (1oz)** — 2g net carbs, 21g fat
**Pork rinds** — 0g carbs, 9g protein per ½ oz
**Quest protein chips** — 4g net carbs, 18g protein per bag
**Cucumber rounds + hummus (2 tbsp)** — 4g carbs

Drinks

**Iced coffee + heavy cream** — 1g carbs
**Sparkling water with lime** — 0g carbs

Bottom line

Stock 5-6 of these in rotation. Snacks should bridge meals, not derail them.

About the author

Carb Lens Editorial — Nutrition writers & product team. The Carb Lens editorial team writes practical, source-checked guides on carbs, blood sugar, and everyday nutrition. Every article is drafted by our writers and cross-referenced against USDA FoodData Central and peer-reviewed clinical guidelines.

How we source and review this article

Nutrition figures come from the USDA FoodData Central database. Blood-sugar and glycemic-load framing follows guidance from the American Diabetes Association and World Health Organization healthy-diet recommendations. Every article is medically reviewed by Dr. Alicia Nguyen, RD, CDCES before publishing and re-checked on a rolling basis. See our full editorial & medical review policy.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you're managing diabetes or another condition, always defer to your care team.