Starting the ketogenic diet can be pretty daunting. Very little “convenience food” follows the guidelines, and it can be hard having to cook three meals a day, every day. Enter keto meal prep.
Save time and stay on track: With a little planning, these keto meal prep recipes and tips will help keep you full and in ketosis all week long.
What is keto meal prep?
You may have heard of meal prepping, or preparing meals ahead of time to save stress and effort. This can be done via batch cooking a large amount of protein and veggies, or putting together meal components ahead of time, such as portioning out eggs and breakfast meat in storage containers to cover your breakfast for the entire week.
Meal prep for the keto diet is no different. You create a weekly meal plan, calculate what ingredients you need and then choose a day or even two days to prepare food for the week ahead.
This not only makes creating a shopping list and grocery shopping a cinch, but it also eliminates the frantic “What are we having for dinner?” question that usually results in pizza or takeout. In this way, meal prepping saves money, in addition to helping you stay within those macros.
Keto meal prep essentials
While not all of the items on this list are absolutely needed for successful keto meal prep, they can make your life much easier in the long run. Only have one or two of these items? No problem! You can still meal prep and pick recipes based on what you have.
- Quality storage containers: Glass or stainless steel are the best.
- An Instant Pot: Perfect for batch-cooking meats or soups quickly.
- A slow cooker: If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this still helps with batch cooking.
- An air fryer: A great way to reheat items fast and keep them crispy!
- A large stockpot: If you don’t want to clutter your kitchen with gadgets, this also helps with batch cooking.
- A sheet pan: Perfect for batch roasting veggies or thin cuts of meat.
Want to learn more about meal prep? Take a look at our beginner’s guide to meal prepping.
Keto meal prep recipes
From breakfast to satisfying dinners (and everything in between), keto meal prep recipes have everything you need to stay satisfied when you’re short on time.
Take a look at these easy, yummy keto recipes and change up your keto meal plans.
Keto chicken and protein meal prep ideas
Sometimes, keto meal prep is as easy as prepping a large amount of protein and throwing it onto various roasted vegetables and cauliflower rice, tossing with prepped sauces or eating it as is. (Food is fuel, right?)
These beef, seafood and chicken recipes are great bases for all kinds of meals, whether you need a lunch, dinner or snack.
Keto Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef
This keto meal prep recipe creates a versatile protein you can use with salads and wraps, or enjoy all on its own.
Plus, this dish makes your slow cooker do all the work—so you can prep the rest of your food in peace. This protein stays keto-friendly at just 1 gram of net carb per serving.
Suggested uses: Lettuce wraps, taco salads or as a topping for smashed avocado with cilantro. (If you tolerate dairy, add a dollop of sour cream for complete savory Tex-Mex goodness.)
Easy Paleo Baked Meatballs
Enjoy them with everything: This keto meal prep recipe makes the perfect protein for salads, wraps, veggie noodles and more.
Using a combination of grass-fed beef and fresh rosemary, these meatballs bake up moist and tender in just 30 minutes—leaving you more time to meal prep other foods.
Each serving is just over 3 grams of net carbs.
Suggested uses: Meatball sub bowls, served over roasted vegetables or stuffed into cooked bell peppers topped with cheddar cheese (if you eat dairy).
Instant Pot Meal Prep Chicken
Simple, flavorful and most importantly, easy, this keto chicken recipe can apply to boneless or bone-in chicken. (Adjust times as appropriate. Boneless chicken will take a few minutes less than bone-in. This recipe gives a bone-in cooking time, but you can take 1-2 minutes off for boneless or to an internal temperature of 165°F.)
You can also use different cuts of meat, like chicken breasts, legs to thighs.
Omit the honey to keep the net carbs low, and you have the base for anything from a casserole to a simple protein bowl.
Tip: Need chicken broth for a recipe and don’t have time to cook up bone broth? Adjust seasonings to taste and replace the 1/2 cup of coconut aminos with 1 cup of water. The resulting broth from cooking your chicken can now be used in your recipe.
Breakfast keto meal prep recipes
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and keto breakfasts go far beyond eggs and steak. You can still have pancakes, muffins and other classic items with a few ingredient tweaks.
Better yet, many of these items can be prepped ahead of time to make your low-carb mornings even easier.
Keto Coconut Flour Pancakes
This keto meal prep recipe makes the perfect dish to batch cook, freeze and gently reheat.
Since it uses a batter made from naturally low-carb and gluten-free ingredients like coconut oil, eggs and almond milk, you can still enjoy a satisfying breakfast with just over 2 grams of net carbs per cake.
Keto Noatmeal
Similar to slow-cooked oatmeal without the carbohydrates, this tasty keto breakfast idea takes cauliflower and transforms it into a savory bowl of keto goodness.
It’s easy to make a large batch of this recipe and then reheat on mornings you need a hearty start at only 6 grams of net carbs per bowl.
Homemade Paleo Breakfast Sausage Patties
Add a meaty upgrade to your breakfast with this simple keto meal prep recipe from Tastes Lovely.
Combine ground pork with spices, then cook a large batch before storing in the fridge to enjoy later.
Keto Chocolate Muffins
Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast? This easy low-carb breakfast is easy to grab and go, and one recipe makes enough muffins to enjoy through the week.
Cacao butter keeps these muffins moist and chocolatey, while collagen peptides add a sneaky protein boost. Each cake-like muffin tallies up to only 3 grams of net carbs.
Buddha Breakfast Bowls
Chock full of fiber-filled veggies, savory breakfast meats and buttery eggs, this breakfast recipe is easy to batch cook and then assemble when you’re ready to eat.
Satisfying and easy to make, this breakfast is only 5 grams of net carbs.
Keto Bacon and Zucchini Muffins
Savory muffins make a delicious keto breakfast idea, especially partnered with scrambled eggs. This version gets flavor from chewy chunks of bacon, green onions and fresh thyme, while pasture-raised collagen peptides add a wholesome dose of protein.
Each satisfying muffin runs you 1.5 grams of net carbs, and this recipe makes eight veg-packed muffins.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Breakfast Bowls
For a bacon breakfast with an elegant flair, try this keto recipe from Meal Prep On Fleek. Salty bacon and tender asparagus top a bed of greens, then get a sweet upgrade from fresh berries.
Just 2 grams of net carbs for the whole bowl.
Keto lunch meal prep
Lunch can be a difficult meal at any time, whether you’re on a low-carb diet or not.
Meal prep helps take the guessing out of your midday meal, and these recipes will keep you satisfied and on track so you can take on the second half of your day.
Keto Hamburger Salad
No bun needed: Make this keto recipe for a fast and easy dinner, or for meal prep throughout the week.
Add a seasoned ground beef patty to a bed of greens, then top with your favorite hamburger fixings (and plenty of avocado oil mayo on the side).
This meaty meal stays keto-friendly at 6.6 grams of net carbs.
Keto Fish Cakes With Avocado Lemon Dipping Sauce
Step aside, fish nuggets. This keto seafood recipe creates a fresh take on seafood with fresh herbs and chili flakes, plus a creamy avocado-based dipping sauce.
For better meal prep results, make your sauce the same day—either way, this dish only tallies up to 0.6 grams of net carbs.
Rainbow Mason Jar Salad
For keto meal prep that looks as good as it tastes, get this recipe in your life. Layers of arugula, radish, spiralized squash and blueberries get a creamy upgrade from an avocado-based dressing.
For best results, make your dressing the same day—you’ll get fresh flavor and keep net carbs down to 6 grams.
Want to make the dressing ahead of time? Try our tangy Keto Honey Mustard Dressing.
Creamy Keto Chicken Soup
Easy to make, this warming chicken soup doubles well and freezes even better. Nutritious ingredients like pumpkin, ginger and zucchini make it nourishing while coconut cream makes it a satisfying dish to enjoy for lunch.
At 5 grams of net carbs per bowl, this is a filling option for your midday nosh.
Keto Cobb Salad With Golden Vinaigrette
Cooked eggs, avocado, olives and a dressing infused with turmeric and ketogenic Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil are served over crisp greens for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
This easy recipe keeps you full and focused for just 3 grams of net carbs.
Keto dinner meal prep
If you’re someone that wants a delicious, tasty, keto dinner without the planning and fuss every night, meal prepping will save you time and stress.
Even if dinner is the only meal you actively plan, it can save loads of time, money and calls to take-out restaurants. It’s also a great way to cut down on food waste, as your shopping will cover the meals you plan to eat during the week.
Keto Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Make this keto meal prep recipe for dinner, then store leftovers in containers to enjoy the rest of the week. Using the power of your slow cooker, it creates perfectly tender chunks of meat and veggies while you carry on with your day (or the rest of your meal prepping).
Each satisfying bowlful runs you just under 5 grams of net carbs.
Baked Salmon With Thyme-Ghee and Cucumber Noodles
This 20-minute recipe makes keto meal prep totally quick and easy. Roast your salmon with ghee and thyme leaves on a bed of fennel, then serve with spiralized cucumber and briny olives.
For less than 9 grams of net carbs, this is one high-fat meal you won’t want to miss.
Keto Thai Red Beef Curry
Get a meatier take on curry with this warm and comforting keto meal prep recipe. Spices from turmeric and red curry paste blend with coconut cream to keep beef totally moist and tender.
Each serving of this dish only sets you back about 1 gram of net carb.
Keto dessert meal prep
Sometimes you just want a sweet treat. While not technically meal prep per se, making desserts ahead of time means you can satisfy your sweet tooth when the craving hits and don’t risk reaching for something that isn’t keto-friendly.
Dairy-Free Keto Lemon Fat Bombs
Fat bombs were made for meal prep. This keto-friendly combo of coconut butter and coconut oil gets a bright boost from lemon juice and zest—all for just 0.4 grams of net carbs per serving without the cream cheese usually in fat bombs. (Important if you don’t tolerate dairy well.)
Keto Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies
Add the perfect sweet finish to your keto meal prep with this chocolatey dessert.
With rich cocoa flavor, melty dark chocolate chunks in each bite and only 2.5 grams of net carbs per cookie, you can enjoy one (or more) every day of the week.
Easy Keto White Truffles
Not every dessert needs hours of prep time: With this keto dessert, you can have perfectly sweet truffles in only 10 minutes.
A blend of raw macadamia nuts, coconut butter and vanilla bean make a naturally sweet treat with just 1.5 grams of net carbs per serving.
