Keto Meals: Understanding The Basics Of This Diet

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat eating pattern. It typically includes foods like butter, cheese, eggs, meat, nuts, oils, seafood, and seeds, while restricting fruits, vegetables, grains, and sweets. Keto meals aim to put the body in a state of nutritional ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to weight loss and have potential health benefits, such as improved insulin and blood glucose markers, but it's important to consult a healthcare professional before starting any new diet.

Keto breakfasts

A keto breakfast should be low in carbohydrates and high in protein and healthy fats, with selective use of fresh fruit and low-carb vegetables. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Keto Classic Breakfast Ideas

• Hash browns: crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, with just 3 grams of carbs per serving.
• Quiche: opt for a low-carb pie crust or make it frittata-style without a crust.
• Breakfast casserole: a combination of fluffy eggs, vegetables, savory sausage, and cheddar cheese.
• Avocado toast: use homemade low-carb bread and creamy avocado, topped with an over-easy egg.
• Oatmeal: made with a combination of flax seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.
• Sous vide egg bites: light and cheesy egg muffins, with additions like bacon, spinach, or mushrooms.

Keto Desserts for Breakfast

• Donuts: keto-approved donuts made without yeast or refined sugar, with optional fruit, spices, or a sugar-free glaze.
• Breakfast muffins: rich, chewy chocolate muffins made without flour or added sugar.
• Breakfast cookies: thick, soft, and fiber-packed cookies ready in under 25 minutes.
• Almond flour blueberry muffins: light and fluffy, with a delicate crumb and blueberry flavor.
• Crepes: made with a blend of almond flour, cream cheese, and eggs, resulting in a light and buttery soft texture. Enjoy them sweet or savory.

Keto Pancakes, Waffles, and Breads

• Blueberry bread: made in one bowl with just 3 grams of net carbs per serving.
• Protein pancakes: pillowy pancakes with over 11 grams of protein and 4 grams of net carbs per pancake.
• Pumpkin pancakes: lightly spiced and fluffy.
• Waffles: crispy on the outside and buttery soft in the middle, naturally gluten-free and easy to make vegan.
• English muffins: perfect for breakfast sandwiches with over-medium eggs and crispy air fryer bacon.
• French toast: keto bread soaked in egg and cinnamon, then pan-fried until caramelized.
• Banana bread: a keto recreation of a classic, without bananas but with a similar flavor and texture.

Keto Drinks and Smoothies

• Protein coffee: made with a few ingredients and your favorite protein powder, packing 11 grams of protein.
• Keto smoothie: made with just 3 ingredients in under a minute, with only 2 grams of net carbs.
• Peanut butter smoothie: creamy and sweet, with layers of peanut butter and chocolate flavor.
• Acai bowl: acai puree blended with keto yogurt and frozen strawberries, topped with keto granola.
• Chia pudding: thick, creamy, and surprisingly filling.
• Keto juice: freshly squeezed juice made with celery, orange, and sugar-free simple syrup.

Other Keto Breakfast Ideas

• Scrambled eggs: cooked with extra heavy cream and butter.
• Bacon and eggs: a classic combination, but be careful to choose bacon without added sugar or maple syrup.
• Sunny-side-up eggs on garlicky greens: a pan-fried egg over a bed of nutrient-packed garlicky mixed greens and tomatoes.
• Cheesy avocado omelette: a decadent omelette with red onion, cremini mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese.
• Spinach and goat cheese egg muffins: a low-carb, high-fiber, and high-fat breakfast option.
• Baked eggs with spinach and tomato: a decadent dish with a baked egg and creamy feta cheese in a sauce of onion, spinach, canned tomatoes, and spices.
• Coconut chia pudding: a sweet breakfast option with a fatty element from coconut milk and fiber and protein from chia seeds.
• Shakshuka: eggs baked into a saucy, spiced tomato sauce.
• Turkish eggs with Greek yogurt: a 15-minute meal with a double punch of fat and protein, seasoned with dill, Aleppo pepper, cumin seeds, and grated garlic.
• Shrimp, avocado, and egg chopped salad: a portable salad that combines fat and protein for a satisfying breakfast.
• Healthy herb frittata: a bright green frittata packed with herbs like chives, scallions, parsley, cilantro, and dill.
• Smoked salmon fat bombs: a combination of goat cheese and butter spread on smoked salmon, served with keto-friendly bread or low-carb veggies.
• Summer squash frittata: a seasonal, keto-friendly breakfast made with just five ingredients.
• Almond flour pancakes: a fool-proof recipe that results in a plate of decadent, low-carb pancakes.
• Almond flour keto waffles: a tasty duo of almond flour and butter, resulting in golden, fluffy waffles.
• Breakfast casserole: a keto crowd-pleaser with low-carb broccoli rabe, sweet Italian sausage, and creamy Fontina cheese.
• Chia jam: a keto-friendly jam made with chia seeds, perfect for topping high-protein Greek yogurt and keto-friendly granola.
• Stuffed avocado: avocados stuffed with a runny egg and crispy bacon, a decadent breakfast option.
• Bacon weave breakfast tacos: a fun breakfast taco made with a shell of woven bacon, stuffed with fluffy eggs, cheese, and avocado.
• Chocolate keto protein shake: an on-the-go breakfast option blending almond butter, hemp seeds, and chia seeds for fat and protein.
• Keto cereal: a tray bake of fat-filled almonds, walnuts, seeds, and coconut flakes, served over full-fat yogurt or milk.
• Spinach and prosciutto frittata muffins: a decadent, keto-friendly breakfast option with soft goat cheese, baby spinach, roasted red peppers, and salty prosciutto.

Keto lunches

Lunch is an important meal of the day, and it can be tricky to figure out keto-friendly options, especially if you're not at home. Here are some delicious and satisfying keto lunch ideas to keep you on track:

Salads

Salads are a great option for a keto lunch as they are portable and can be made ahead of time. Try a steak salad with a punchy Dijon vinaigrette, or a chicken cobb salad. You can also make a loaded summer cauliflower salad with bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, and roasted cauliflower. For a simple option, toss together a Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes.

Wraps and Sandwiches

If you're craving something more substantial, try making lettuce wraps. You can fill them with anything from turkey taco filling to tuna salad. For a heartier option, use low-carb keto-friendly flatbread or cloud bread. Make a sandwich with your favourite meats and cheeses, or try a BLT with bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts.

Bowls and Boats

Create your own deconstructed egg roll bowl or try a zucchini boat filled with everything you'd normally put in a burrito. You can also make spaghetti squash boats with spicy sausage for a keto-friendly twist on pasta.

Hot Meals

For a hot lunch, try a pan-fried salmon or a chicken pesto bake. You can also make a keto-friendly version of mac and cheese using cauliflower or a pizza frittata. If you're short on time, a simple omelette is always a good option.

Snacks

For a lighter lunch or to supplement your meal, try a snack box with deli meat, cheese, berries, nuts, and vegetables. Hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and nuts are also great keto-friendly snacks.

With a bit of creativity and preparation, sticking to your keto diet during lunchtime can be both tasty and satisfying!

Keto dinners

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat eating pattern. It typically includes foods like butter, cheese, eggs, meat, nuts, oils, seafood, and seeds. Here are some delicious keto dinner ideas to get you started:

Creamy chicken, bacon, and cauliflower bake

Try this gluten-free, creamy bake with chicken, bacon, and cauliflower.

One-pot keto vegetarian zucchini alfredo

A low-carb, creamy 'spaghetti' dish with zucchini "pasta" that can be made in just 10 minutes with only seven ingredients.

Keto fish and chips

A keto-friendly take on the classic. Use almond meal instead of breadcrumbs and avocado instead of potatoes.

Keto chicken parmi bowl

Another keto-twist on a classic. Cheesy chicken parmigiana coated in almond meal and served with cauliflower mash.

Keto Beef Stroganoff

A keto-friendly take on the classic comfort dish. Swap out the egg noodles for cauliflower rice.

Keto Chicken Parmesan

Chicken coated in almond flour and lots of Parmesan cheese—a keto-friendly and irresistible dish.

Keto-Friendly Lasagna Dome

This recipe swaps out traditional noodles for cabbage leaves, creating a keto-friendly meal with all the flavors of lasagna.

Skirt Steak with Mustard Sauce

Juicy skirt steak, seared to perfection, then sliced and topped with a creamy mustard caper sauce.

Garlic Butter Steak

Salt, pepper, butter, garlic, and herbs are all you need to transform a slab of steak into a rich and luxurious meal.

Mississippi Roast

A slow cooker recipe that will give you delicious, melt-in-your-mouth meat.

Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash

A low-carb take on a classic weeknight chicken dinner.

Sheet-Pan Garlic Butter Salmon & Asparagus

A simple sheet-pan supper with salmon, asparagus, and onions that's ready in as little as 30 minutes.

Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Wraps

A low-carb version of the classic Philly cheesesteak, made with provolone and served in lettuce wraps.

Keto desserts

No-bake desserts

• Cheesecake—a rich, indulgent dessert that can be made without any baking.
• No-bake cookies—a soft and decadent treat made with coconut flour, peanut butter, and keto maple syrup.
• Fat bombs—decadent, one-bite treats that are high in healthy fats and low in carbs.

Keto chocolate desserts

• Chocolate mousse—light, airy, and full of rich chocolate flavor.
• Brownies—a classic dessert that can be made keto-friendly.
• Chocolate cake—a low-carb treat that can be served with keto ice cream.
• Pudding—a sugar-free version of a childhood favorite.
• Fudge—a decadent recipe that combines sugar-free chocolate chips and peanut butter.
• Milkshakes—a keto-friendly version of this classic dessert that some prefer to the original.

Other keto-friendly treats

• Key lime pie—a buttery keto pie crust filled with a creamy key lime pie filling and topped with delicate whipped cream.
• Edible cookie dough—a comforting bowl of cookie dough that can be made keto-friendly.
• Peanut butter cups—a simple, indulgent treat made with just three basic ingredients.
• Birthday cake—a bouncy, crumbly cake made with almond flour and coconut flour.
• Coffee cake—a divine cake featuring homemade keto brown sugar.
• Lemon pound cake—a cake that can be customized to feature as much or as little lemon flavor as desired.
• Strawberry cake—a moist and fluffy cake bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, with just 3 grams of net carbs.
• Cupcakes—a base vanilla recipe that can be adapted to make chocolate, red velvet, chocolate chip, or lemon cupcakes.
• Mug cake—a single-serve cake that can be made in the microwave in just one minute.

Keto snacks

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds are classic crunchy keto snacks that are rich in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates.

Cheese

String cheese, Babybel, or assorted cheese slices are convenient and tasty keto-friendly options.

Avocado Slices

Avocado slices with a sprinkle of salt provide a quick fix of healthy fats and essential nutrients.

Deli Roll-Ups

Roll-ups made with turkey, ham, or roast beef and cheese are a protein-packed keto snack that is perfect for on-the-go.

Veggie Sticks with Guacamole

Sliced cucumber, bell peppers, or celery dipped in guacamole offer a refreshing and crunchy vegetable option.

Greek Yogurt Parfait

Mix Greek yogurt with berries, chia seeds, and a keto-friendly sweetener for a delicious and nutritious dessert-style treat.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are a convenient protein option that can be kept in the fridge for a quick snack when hunger strikes.

Keto Trail Mix

Combine unsweetened coconut flakes, nuts, and dark chocolate chunks for a keto-friendly trail mix that is both delicious and nutritious.

Caprese Skewers

Thread cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and fresh basil leaves onto toothpicks for a refreshing and savoury bite.

Nut Butter Dippers

Dip celery or cucumber sticks into almond or peanut butter for a satisfying and healthy snack.

Smoked Salmon Rolls

Roll up smoked salmon with cream cheese and chives for a classy and elegant keto snack option.

Pickles and Cheese Cubes

Combine the tangy crunch of pickles with the creamy goodness of cheese cubes for a unique and flavourful snack.

Seaweed Snacking Sheets

Seaweed snacks provide a salty, crispy, and chip-like experience that is both tasty and keto-friendly.

Celery with Cream Cheese

Spread cream cheese on celery sticks for a simple and easy keto-friendly snack option.

Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

Mix pre-cooked eggs with mayonnaise and mustard, then spoon the mixture onto lettuce leaves for a quick and easy salad wrap.

In addition to these ideas, there are also keto-friendly snacks available for purchase, such as:

• Cheese crisps
• Beef jerky
• Pork rinds
• Nut butters
• Keto bars
• Dark chocolate
• Avocados
• Deli meats

With a variety of options to choose from, keto snacking can be both delicious and nutritious. By keeping a selection of keto-friendly snacks on hand, you can easily satisfy your cravings and stay on track with your ketogenic diet.

Frequently asked questions