Keto For Families: Getting Started Together

Starting a keto diet for your family can be challenging, especially if you have children. It is important to be aware of the adjustments that need to be made and to plan meals accordingly. Educating your family about the benefits of the keto diet and involving them in the cooking process can help them understand and embrace the change. Additionally, making keto-friendly versions of family-friendly meals, such as lasagna, chili, and personal pizzas, can make the transition easier and more enjoyable for everyone.

Pack school lunches with keto-friendly foods

Packing keto-friendly school lunches can be challenging, especially if you're new to the keto diet. Here are some ideas to help you prepare tasty, filling, and nutritious keto lunches for your family:

Meal Prep and Batch Cooking

Prepare and cook your favourite proteins, such as chicken, turkey, or beef, in advance. You can also make keto meals in an instant pot the night before and store them in the refrigerator. This way, you can quickly pack them into lunches the next day.

Keep it Simple and Varied

Start by keeping your lunch options simple, but be sure to include a variety of foods to prevent boredom. Once you get into a routine, you can start experimenting with different recipes.

Portion Out Snacks

Portion out any dried snacks that keep well ahead of time, so they are readily available throughout the week.

Include Leftovers

Include leftovers such as keto chicken salad, lettuce wraps, or keto pancakes. These can be great options to add to school lunches.

Keto-Friendly Lunch Ideas

• Turkey-Cheddar Roll-Ups: Roll up slices of deli turkey with cheddar, provolone, or dill Havarti cheese. Pack with half an avocado, cucumber slices, blueberries, and almonds.
• Hard-Boiled Egg Snack Plate: Pack two hard-boiled eggs with half an avocado, cucumber slices, French onion dip, and string cheese.
• Zoodles and Meatballs: Combine zoodles (zucchini noodles) tossed in lemon juice and olive oil with chicken meatballs. Add cubed cheddar cheese, roasted almonds, and Babybel cheese.
• Chicken Sausage: Slice pre-cooked chicken sausage and pack it with guacamole, radishes, French onion dip, and almonds.
• Pepperoni Picnic Box: Pack pepperoni slices, half an avocado, celery sticks, French onion dip, and cubed cheddar cheese for an al fresco-style lunch.
• Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Roll-Ups: Spread cream cheese onto thin slices of smoked salmon and roll them up. Slice the rolls and pack them with zoodles, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and almonds.
• Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps: Scoop tuna salad onto sturdy romaine lettuce leaves. Include cubed cheddar cheese, pickles, and almonds for a crunchy and salty combination.

Remember to check for any peanut or other food restrictions that your child's school may have in place, and always include a variety of whole foods with minimal dairy, and options for substitutions if needed.

Plan meals in advance to reduce stress

Planning meals in advance is a great way to reduce stress when starting a keto diet for your family. It is important to note that the keto diet is high in fat, low in carbs, and moderate in protein. Here are some tips to help you plan meals in advance:

Stock Up on Keto-Friendly Foods:

Fill your pantry and fridge with a variety of keto-approved foods. This includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, healthy oils, avocados, nuts, seeds, full-fat dairy, cheese, and non-starchy vegetables. Having these foods on hand will make meal preparation easier.

Create a Meal Plan:

Decide on a weekly meal plan that works for your family. Choose recipes that are keto-friendly and that your family will enjoy. Consider the following when creating your meal plan:

• Breakfast: Consider options such as scrambled eggs, veggie and egg muffins, or yogurt with nut butter and cocoa powder.
• Lunch: Try chicken salad with olive oil and feta cheese, avocado shrimp salad, or almond milk milkshakes.
• Dinner: Salmon with asparagus, pork chops with Parmesan cheese and broccoli, or chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese are great options.

Prepare and Cook in Batches:

Cooking in batches can save time and effort. Prepare larger portions of keto-friendly meals and store them in the refrigerator or freezer for future meals. This way, you always have a ready-to-eat meal on hand.

Involve Your Family:

Encourage your family members to get involved in the meal planning process. This can help them understand the keto diet and make them feel included in the decision-making. Ask for their input on meal choices and let them help with meal preparation.

Be Flexible:

While planning is essential, it's also important to remain flexible. There may be times when your planned meals don't work out, or your family's preferences change. Be prepared to make adjustments and adapt your meal plan as needed.

Seek Resources and Support:

Take advantage of the many resources available online, such as keto-friendly recipe websites, meal planning apps, and support groups. These can provide additional ideas, tips, and encouragement as you navigate the keto diet as a family.

Remember, planning meals in advance will not only reduce stress but also increase your chances of success on the keto diet. It ensures that you always have delicious and nutritious keto-friendly meals ready for your family.

Make keto meals fun and engaging for kids

Feeding kids a keto diet can be challenging, especially if you have multiple children with varied tastes and preferences. Here are some tips to make keto meals fun and engaging for your kids:

Make it tasty and fun

Kids love food that tastes good and is fun to eat. Try out some of these tasty and fun keto meals that are sure to be a hit with your kids:

• Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
• Keto Tuna Patties
• Jalapeno Popper Chicken
• Asian Steak Bites – Super quick and easy, and fun to eat with chopsticks
• Fathead Pizza - Kids tend to prefer regular pepperoni pizza but you can use this dough for any toppings
• Mini Pepper Nachos
• Crispy Air Fryer Fish Sticks
• Chicken Enchilada Soup

Sneak in veggies

Sneak in loads of veggies in a tasty dish that your kids will love. For example, you can make a super simple chicken cauliflower fried rice or Mexican cauliflower rice. You can also try garlicky cauliflower mashed "potatoes".

Make it a family affair

Sit together as a family for meals and snacks. Avoid letting your child eat in front of the TV or "on-the-go". This will help create a positive and engaging atmosphere around mealtimes.

Involve your kids in the process

Involve your kids in the cooking process. Let them help prepare the food or choose the recipes. This will make them more excited about the meal and more likely to eat it.

Be creative with presentation

Make the food look fun and appealing. For example, you can cut the food into fun shapes or arrange it on the plate in a creative way.

Offer variety

Offer a variety of keto-friendly foods to your kids to prevent boredom and pickiness. Include a range of proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats in their meals.

Remember, it's important to focus on nutrient density rather than restriction when feeding your kids a keto diet. These tips will help you make keto meals fun and engaging for your kids, making the transition to a keto diet much easier for your family.

Educate your family about the benefits of keto

Educating your family about the benefits of keto is an important step in starting the ketogenic diet as a family. It can be challenging to adopt a new diet, especially if some family members are hesitant or unsure about the changes. Here are some ways to inform and involve your family in the process:

Explain the Reasons Behind the Diet:

Talk to your family about why you want to adopt the ketogenic diet. Explain the health benefits, such as managing epilepsy, improving weight, or enhancing overall health. Help them understand that this diet is about more than just weight loss; it's about improving quality of life and making healthier choices.

Involve Them in the Process:

Encourage family members to participate in meal planning and preparation. Let them help choose keto-friendly recipes, shop for ingredients, and cook meals together. This involvement will make them feel invested in the process and more likely to stick to the diet.

Teach Them About Healthy Choices:

Educate your family about making nutritious food choices. Teach them to read food labels, understand ingredient lists, and identify healthier alternatives to their favourite foods. For example, instead of pasta, introduce them to zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice. Explain the impact of processed foods, sugar, gluten, and carbs on their bodies and how keto alternatives can make them feel better.

Address Concerns and Challenges:

It's natural for family members to have concerns or find it challenging to adjust to a new diet. Address their worries and work together to find solutions. For example, if they are concerned about giving up their favourite carbs, experiment with keto-friendly bread or pizza recipes. If they are worried about eating out, help them navigate restaurant menus and find keto-friendly options.

Share Success Stories:

Share success stories, whether they are your own or those of others who have benefited from the ketogenic diet. Talk about how it has positively impacted your health, energy levels, or overall well-being. Share before-and-after stories or testimonials from others who have successfully adopted the keto lifestyle.

Make it a Positive Experience:

Emphasize that the ketogenic diet is not just about restriction; it's about discovering new, delicious foods and recipes. Involve your family in trying out new keto-friendly dishes, experimenting with different ingredients, and finding enjoyable alternatives to their favourite treats. Make it a fun and exciting culinary adventure rather than a restrictive chore.

Get the whole family exercising together

Exercising as a family has a multitude of benefits, from improving communication and problem-solving skills among family members to boosting kids' self-esteem, school performance, attention, and behavior. It can also help everyone in the family hit their weekly exercise targets, which is 420 minutes for children and 150-300 minutes for adults.

Start Slow

The biggest problem people encounter when starting to exercise is going too hard too soon. It's better to start slowly and increase the time and intensity of your workouts gradually. For example, begin by taking short walks with your family, and then work your way up. You can also incorporate more movement into your daily activities, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Define Family Exercise Goals

Setting fitness goals is a great way to stay healthy together. These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). For example, you could set a goal of walking for 30 minutes a day, four days a week, and create a calendar to track your progress.

Make Family Exercise Enjoyable

Exercise doesn't have to feel like a chore. Find activities that your family enjoys and make it fun! This could include dancing, soccer, running, swimming, jumping rope, or bike riding. Get creative and add little games or challenges to your workouts, such as spotting a certain animal or gathering leaves for a craft activity.

Set a Good Example

Kids often mirror the behavior of the adults around them. So, if you want your children to be more active, try to incorporate exercise into your daily routine as well. This could include kicking a soccer ball around, taking a dance break, or going for a walk after dinner.

Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep allows muscles to recover, so make sure everyone in the family is getting enough rest. Establish a bedtime routine and stick to consistent sleep and wake-up times. This will help ensure everyone has the energy to stay active.

Limit Screen Time

While it can be challenging to reduce screen time, setting limits can help create more opportunities for family bonding and physical activity. Try scheduling screen breaks and using that time to get outside and move your body. You can also incorporate physical activity challenges into screen time, such as doing jumping jacks or sit-ups during a commercial break.

Frequently asked questions