The keto diet can help burn body fat, enabling you to reach your fitness goals. But to make it work, you need the right foods. This is where a keto meal plan comes in.
To help you get started, we’ve prepared this article. Here, we provide an explanation of the keto diet and a free keto diet plan that you can easily follow anytime, anywhere.
What Is the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. Here’s how your macronutrients are divided 1:
- 55% to 60% fat
- 30% to 35% protein
- 5% to 10% carbohydrates
Normally, people on a ketogenic diet limit their carbohydrates to 20g to 50g per day. This way of eating puts you in a state of ketosis, a normal metabolic state in which your body’s ketone levels rise to 0.5-3.0 mM 2.
You might be asking, “How do I start a keto diet?”
The easiest is to limit carbs. Doing this lowers your blood glucose levels and depletes your glycogen stores. Now, your body is forced to go through some metabolic changes in response to low glucose.
So it produces an alternative fuel called ketones. It is said that ketones are more energy efficient than glucose 3.
A keto diet can also boost your satiety, which helps with your weight loss 4.
What to Eat and Avoid in Your Keto Meal Plan?
Below, we’ve prepared a list of foods to be included in your ketogenic meal plan including those you should steer clear of.
Here’s a key tip: Always choose foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates. And stay within your daily carb limit which is 20 to 50 grams per day.
Foods to eat
- Meat & Poultry – Beef, pork, lamb, veal, chicken, duck, quail, whole eggs.
- Seafood – Fatty fish, shrimp, mussels, crab, lobster, squid, oysters, octopus, scallops.
- Dairy – Hard and soft cheeses, heavy whipping cream, butter, ghee, greek yogurt, sour cream.
- Nuts and seeds -Pecans, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds. (Check out our article on the best nuts for keto)
- Vegetables – Broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, leafy greens, bamboo shoots, tomatoes, and eggplant. (See this complete low-carb vegetable list)
- Fruits – Raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, watermelon, avocados, lemons, plums, clementines. (Read our guide on the best keto-friendly fruits)
- Beverages – Diet soda, sparkling water, seltzer, unsweetened coffee or tea, bulletproof coffee, hard liquor, unsweetened nut milks
- Sweeteners – Stevia, erythritol, xylitol, monk fruit, yacon syrup. (Learn more about these keto sweeteners in this article)
- Flours – Almond flour, coconut flour, ground flax, psyllium husk.
- Herbs and spices – Thyme, basil, cinnamon, anise star, cilantro, coriander seed, ginger, paprika, peppermint, rosemary.
- Condiments – Mayonnaise, mustard, coconut aminos, sugar-free sauces and ketchup, ranch dressing.
Foods to avoid
- Meat & Poultry – Cured meats that have high sugar content.
- Dairy – Low-fat, reduced-fat, and fat-free milk.
- Vegetables – Squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, corn, cassava, beetroot, peas, corn.
- Fruits – Apples, bananas, pears, peaches, oranges, mangos, nectarines, dried fruits (raisins, dates, mango).
- Beverages – Sugar-sweetened sodas, fruit juices, coffee or tea with added sugar, sweetened milk, beer, sweet wines.
- Sweeteners – Refined sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, maltodextrin.
- Flours – All-purpose flour, wheat flour, rice flour, corn flour.
- Condiments – Sweet sauces and ketchup, fat-free dressings.
Also, keep in mind that grains are to be avoided on keto. Yes, that covers all kinds of grains such as rice, barley, quinoa, oats, and rye.
Keto Diet Meal Plan (Week 1)
Be on the right track by following this easy keto meal plan. We’ve curated your menu for the week so you won’t have to worry about what to cook.
And you’ll love the fact that we’ve arranged your meals in such a way that keeps you within your carb limit.
Monday
- Breakfast: Keto Naan Bread (3.2g carbs)
- Lunch: Cajun Parmesan Salmon (2.7g carbs)
- Dinner: Stuffed Pork Roast (4.2g carbs)
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Keto Yogurt (5.2g carbs)
- Lunch: Curried Chicken Skillet (4.1g carbs)
- Dinner: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup (10.4g carbs)
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Keto Corned Beef And Cauliflower Hash (6.9g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Chili (3.3g carbs)
- Dinner: Keto Cucumber Salad (5.3g carbs)
Thursday
- Breakfast: Keto Banana Bread (4.4g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Taco Salad (6.6g carbs)
- Dinner: Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps (3.1g carbs)
Friday
- Breakfast: Keto Cloud Bread (0.4g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Cheeseburger Soup (3.2g carbs)
- Dinner: Keto Spicy Beef Ramen (2.8g carbs)
Saturday
- Breakfast: Keto Hot Pockets (2.3g carbs)
- Lunch: Easy Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe (1g carbs)
- Dinner: Keto Potato Salad (5g carbs)
Sunday
- Breakfast: Keto Zucchini Bread (3g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Cabbage Soup (5.3g carbs)
- Dinner: Turkey Involtini (1.7g carbs)
Keto Diet Meal Plan (Week 2)
We want you to keep your momentum going, so here’s another keto diet menu for the next 7 days.
Monday
- Breakfast: Keto Macadamia Bread (4.5g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Egg Salad (1.4g carbs)
- Dinner: Carrot Ginger Soup with Cabbage Noodles (10.8g carbs)
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches (6.1g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Mongolian Beef (2.5g carbs)
- Dinner: Keto White Chicken Chili (6.6g carbs)
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Keto Raspberry Breakfast Chia Jars (11.5g carbs)
- Lunch: Garlic Buttery Pork Chops (1.5g carbs)
- Dinner: Keto Ground Beef Casserole (4.7g carbs)
Thursday
- Breakfast: Baked Mini-Frittatas with Mushrooms (3g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Tomato Soup (7.9g carbs)
- Dinner: Deli Roast Beef and Cheese Platter (8.2g carbs)
Friday
- Breakfast: Keto Chorizo Omelette (3.8g carbs)
- Lunch: White Chicken Pizza (1.5g carbs)
- Dinner: Brussels Sprout with Bacon and Pistachios (7.5g carbs)
Saturday
- Breakfast: Keto Chocolate Smoothie (8.2g carbs)
- Lunch: Keto Salmon Patties (7.6g carbs)
- Dinner: Keto Roast Chicken (0.5g carbs)
Sunday
- Breakfast: Keto Cinnamon Rolls (2.3g carbs)
- Lunch: Pork Rolls with Provolone Cheese (5.6g carbs)
- Dinner: Stuffed Pork Roast (4.2g carbs)
We hope that our free keto meal plan provided you with lots of ideas on what to eat. If you prefer to mix up the meal options above, you can do so! Just remember to count your total carbs or net carbs. If you have a busy schedule, we recommend that you prepare your meals in batches! That way, you can simply reheat and eat them right away.
Takeaways
- A keto diet limits carbs to 20-50 grams per day, increases dietary fat, and maintains a moderate protein consumption.
- Following a keto diet menu for beginners is one of the easiest ways to stay in ketosis. This is especially helpful when you have no idea about what you’re allowed to eat.
- The easiest hack for choosing keto-friendly foods is to go for the ones that are low in carbs. These include uncured meats, leafy greens, berries, and anything that’s not sweet.
- When it comes to packed or bottled items, it’s best to always read the labels. Steer clear of those with added sugars.
I have been following the keto diet and it works. Eating the right food definitely helps to lose weight in a much healthier way. Thanks for the great keto meal plan, love it
You’re welcome!
You’re welcome and couldn’t agree more to that!
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