Keto Meal Plans

These freeKeto Meal Plansare all easy to prepare, delicious, and family-friendly. You’ll find many different Keto Meal Plans in this post that makes following a Keto Diet easier.

After seeing so many people in groups talk about how complicated following the Ketogenic Diet seemed, I thought that I would share our simple keto meal plan in hopes that it would help those who needed the inspiration to get started. I keep our meal plan very basic as I drink my version of Bulletproof Coffee most mornings instead of eating breakfast. It is just easier to drink coffee full of fat with four kids than worry about making breakfast for myself.

*If you’d like to add breakfast foods to your weekly meal plan, but aren’t sure where to start, here is a fantastic list of deliciousKeto Breakfast Ideas.

To make it easier to find meal plans, you’ll find over 100 meal plans linked at the bottom of this post. These Keto Meal Plans can be followed as-is, or feel free to pick and choose ideas from several different meal plans. Many people reference keto meal plans for inspiration without actually following them. Find whatever works best for you. The key to sticking to a low-carb diet is ensuring you find foods you love and work for your lifestyle.

If you’d rather have all the recipes in one place with a corresponding grocery list in one download, check out my 2-week meal plan ebook.

HOW TO GET STARTED ON A KETO DIET

If you are brand new to the Keto Diet for weight loss it is basically high-fat, moderate proteins, and very low carbs. The goal is to change the source of fuel that your body uses for energy when you get into a state of ketosis. If you don’t know where to start, research is your best friend when beginning any lifestyle change so that you can be your best health advocate. I have compiled a fantastic list of resources for theKeto Diet for Beginnersthat will be helpful. You’ll also want to check out thesetop 5 benefits of the Keto Diet.

HOW DO I COUNT CARBS?

Most people that follow a ketogenic eat between 20-30 net carbs per day. To calculate net carbs you subtract fiber from carbs. Some people count calories while others do not. I personally don’t count calories or track my macros exactly with a keto app. After eating this way for so long I can almost look at a plate of food and know how many net carbs are in it.

WHAT ABOUT THE KETO FLU?

As your body adjusts to using fat for fuel you will begin to have ketones that can be measured by a blood test, breathe analyzer, or urine strips. It generally takes about a week (it varies from person to person) to get into ketosis. During the first few days to a week, you may experience the keto flu and feel sluggish. Make sure to check out keto flu: what is it and how to treat for more detailed information.

HOW DO I CREATE LOW-CARB MEAL PLANS?

When I sit down to write out my ketogenic meal plan, I consider our schedule for the week. As I had mentioned before, I am a mom of four, and my kids are of varying ages, so we are often busy in the evenings with different activities or church. For evenings that we have commitments, I always choose an easy meal like Taco Salad that can be ready quickly and transported if needed to one of the kid’s games.

Then, I go through myKeto Recipe Indexand choose a couple of recipes for dinner that week. Usually, I make extra each night to cover our lunches for the next day since it is easier to cook more at one time than to prepare a different lunch each day of the week. As a homeschool mom, this keeps our lunch break from lasting too long, and we don’t make a huge mess in the kitchen.

Do I Meal Prep Ahead of Time

I know that many people set aside time each week to meal prep one day. On that day, they cook many different meals to last several days that week. I don’t personally do this. I don’t have a day where I have several hours at once. Instead, I do little things when I cook, which makes my life easier. For example, I always buy several pounds of ground beef and brown it all at once, then divide it and freeze it later. When cooking a meal with ground beef, I can skip having to brown it, saving a ton of time. When I make bacon, I’ll make more than one pound at once to last for several days. I also double and triple recipes so that we have leftovers. These are all great time-saving tips that don’t require a lot of extra effort on my part.Five easy keto meal prep ideasis a fantastic resource that details some of these suggestions and a few more.

The Most Popular Keto Grocery Items

There are several items that I use in my recipes over and over that may or may not be readily available at your grocery store. You’ll want to stock these items so that you will have them on hand.

Coconut Flour– I use coconut flour in my recipes due to my daughter’s almond allergy.
Almond Flour– Many use almond flour. It is not a 1:1 sub for coconut flour. It is usually 1/4 cup coconut flour to 1 cup almond flour.
Xanthan Gum– a keto-friendly thickener used in soups, sauces, and some desserts

My Favorite Keto Sweeteners for Keto Desserts

I see questions all the time about the best Keto sweeteners to use in Keto recipes. I’ve listed my favorites below that you can find on Amazon and have shipped straight to your door. My two favorite Keto sweeteners are Lakanto Monkfruit and Swerve. I’ve recently been using the Lakanto Monkfruit brand more as I find it has less of an aftertaste. Both are available in granulated confectioners and brown. In recipes, Swerve and Lakanto Monkfruit are interchangeable.

Besti Sweeteners

Besti by Wholesome Yum has a ton of great new sweeteners that I really love. My favorite is their Monk Fruit Allulose Blend. You can find all of the different types here.

Swerve

Lakanto Monkfruit

Pyure– I use this liquid sweetener for my coffee

KETO DIET FOODS GROCERY LIST

Meats:

Ground Chuck (an 80/20 ground beef is best)
Steak (look for nice marbling – New York Strip and Ribeye are good)
Pork Chops, Pork Belly, Pork Roast, Bacon
Chicken Thighs, Chicken Wings, Chicken Breast (Thighs are best for fat content)
Ribs
Salmon or other fatty fish
Hot Dogs, Sausage, etc. (in moderation if it fits into how you follow keto)

NOTE: Grass-fed beef is better in the long run if you’re sticking to a clean grain-free Keto diet plan

Healthy Fats for cooking:

Coconut Oil
Avocado Oil
Olive Oil
Grass-fed Butter, Butter, or Ghee

Fresh Produce:

You’ll want to avoid any starchy vegetables. The list below includes low-carb produce that is keto friendly.

Lettuce and Greens (Spinach, Kale, etc..)
Avocado
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Celery
Fresh Green Beans
Mushrooms
Radishes
Zucchini
Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, and Blueberries
Garlic
Bell peppers
jalapenos
onions (in moderation)

Dairy Products:

Eggs
Heavy Whipping Cream
Butter or Ghee
Sliced or Block Cheeses-(cheddar cheese or other variety) it’s best to grate yourself (not American or processed cheese)
String Cheese
Ricotta
Sour Cream
Cream Cheese
Greek Yogurt – low carb variety
Almond Milk (non – sweetened

Deli:

Sliced Meats (beware of added sugars in honey ham, etc.)
Deli-Sliced pepperoni, salami, chorizo, prosciutto, turkey, etc.
Sliced Cheeses
Some Convenience Foods: Prepared Guacamole, Hard Boiled Eggs, Etc.

Nuts & Seeds (great for snacks):

Nuts: Pecans, Almonds, Macadamia Nuts, Walnuts, Hazelnuts are best
Seeds: Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Seeds
Nut Butters: Almond is better, unsweetened or Peanut Butter (with no added ingredients)

Packaged/Frozen Foods:

Canned & Frozen Veggies: Green Beans, Okra, Artichoke Hearts
Pickles and Olives
Beef Jerky (Look for kinds with no sugar – they’ll sneak it in!)
Canned or Pouches of Tuna. Salmon, Crab Meat
Tomato Sauce (Be careful of added sugars. Look for Rao’s, Mezetta’s, or ALDI’s marinara sauce for the lowest carb count and no added sugars)
Frozen riced cauliflower

Condiments

Sugar-Free Ketchup
Unsweetened Mustard
Mayonnaise
Sugar-free salad dressing
Buffalo Sauce
Salsa
Hot Sauce
Sugar-Free Maple Syrup

Keto Grocery Shopping Printable List & Store Specific List for Keto Meal Plans

There are many Keto-friendly foods that you can find at your local grocery store. Below, I’ve included links to a general shopping list and store-specific lists for your convenience. Make sure to print outThe Very Basic Keto Shopping Listto keep handy when you go shopping. Remember, you won’t need every item on this list; you can stock your Keto pantry as needed.

Amazon Keto Shopping List
The Bery Best Basic Keto Shopping List
Walmart Keto Shopping List – Top 16 Keto Items
Costco Keto Shopping List
Sam’s Club Keto Shopping List
ALDI Keto Shopping List
Target Keto Shopping List

Keto Meal Plan Free Master List

Don’t feel like you have to follow an entire meal plan as is. I create these merely for inspiration as I know each person has different tastes and foods they prefer. Use these as a great way to create a keto diet plan. There are over 100 Free Meal Plans to choose from.

If you’d rather have all the recipes in one place with a corresponding grocery list in one download, check out my 2-week meal plan ebook.

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If you’d rather have all the recipes in one place with a corresponding grocery list in one download, check out my 2-week meal plan ebook.