Whether you already follow theketo diet or are thinking about it, you need to understand the importance of meal prep. With keto, you need to follow a very specific ratio of macros (also known as macronutrients), ensuring that you get enough proteins and fats, and as few carbs as possible, throughout the day. With such strict guidelines, it makes sense to do some meal prep just to make sure that you stay on track and manage to keep your body in a state of ketosis.

Looking for suggestions? We’ve got your back. Keep reading!

What Is the Keto Diet?

Let’s start by defining theketo diet. For those who don’t know much about it, this diet is a good way to lose weight. According to the requirements, people following it eat a small number of carbs and focus on filling their diets with a mix of proteins and healthy fats. When people stop consuming so many carbohydrates, the body goes into a state of ketosis, where it will begin burning off fat deposits, such as those in the belly region.

Adherents of the keto diet believe that it gives you energy, as well as a clear mind, especially once you enter ketosis, as the carbs and sugar that cloud your mind and keep you hooked on them (one sugary snack begets another) are no longer a major part of your diet.

Although many believe that those on keto need to avoid eating carbs altogether, this isn’t quite true. Instead, you are allowed some carbs every day, as long as your ratios are low. You do need carbs to survive, as they are one of the main building blocks of every person’s diet. What you don’t need, however, are as many carbs as you’ve probably been eating. This is why lowering the number of carbs that you eat and keeping that ratio low sends the body into ketosis, which in turn leads to weight loss.

The main issue with the keto diet is that many people simply cut out carbs, focus on proteins, and forget that they need foods filled with vitamins and minerals as well. It’s very easy to end up mineral or vitamin deficient while on the keto diet. This is where meal prepping comes into play.

By planning out your meals ahead of time, putting together a keto-friendly menu, and then spending your weekend on meal prep, you’ll have the time it takes to ensure that you’re getting a balanced diet every single day. Otherwise, you may focus too heavily on the proteins and fats and not so much on the micronutrients that keep you healthy. Plus, by doing some meal prep, you’ll have every meal ready to go (or at least, ready to cook), ensuring that you don’t cheat on your diet and boot your body out of ketosis. This is one of the easier ways to stay on track and save time.

Keto Meal Prepping Ideas 

So, you now know more about the keto diet and have a solid understanding of why you need to track your macros and stay within the correct ratios of carbs to fats to protein. Now you just need some meal ideas. Here are some that are not only easy to prepare in advance but also include everything necessary to stay on your keto diet.

Lunch Bento Boxes 

There’s nothing quite like abento box lunch. Not only do these boxes, with their already divided containers, look cool, but they also are easy to set up ahead of time. Just get five of them and set them up for the week every Sunday. Your work lunch will be ready to go (and since the containers are divided, the ingredients will stay neatly separated). A total win-win!

What could you include in your bento box? Consider options like string cheese or cubed cheese; pre-cut lunch meat, such as pepperoni or salami; hard-boiled eggs (also easy to make ahead of time); guacamole (Want to cheat? Buy the single-serve pre-made cups); and even nuts like pistachios, almonds, and cashews.

How to set up a bento box? Simple. Make all of the ingredients ahead of time, such as hard boiling the eggs, cooking any meats (if you wanted to add bacon), and slicing the cheeses. Then, measure out your nuts to ensure that you have the right macros.

After everything is prepped, open your boxes and place them on your counter or dining room table. Fill one section of each with your cheese, another with your meat, a third with your hard-boiled egg, a fourth with your nuts, and then arrange your guacamole to the side, or have it share space with your meat. Your lunches are ready to go. Easy peasy, right?

Breakfast Bombs 

Those that are on the keto diet had better get used to hearing the word “bombs” used often. Thesequick meals are bite-sized, easy to eat, and full of everything necessary to adhere to the diet. Start by gathering your ingredients:

• 2.5 cups almond flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 5 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup shredded cheese
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 7 cooked scrambled eggs
• 7 ounces cooked bacon
• 7 ounces cooked sausage
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place everything but the scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture combines and ends up in large chunks. Combine the remaining three ingredients in a separate bowl, crumbling the bacon and sausage as you go. Mix the pulsed ingredients with the eggs, bacon, and sausage. Scoop the mixture into a greased cupcake tin. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Once they have baked and cooled, place them in the refrigerator. You’ll have breakfast ready to go all week long! Just warm them up.

Dinner: Beef Bowls with Cauliflower Rice 

Unfortunately, rice, along with other grains, are no-nos when it comes to the keto diet. They contain too many carbohydrates. With that said, turning other foods into rice is a great option.

Cauliflower is a good example of this. With it, you’re getting your fill of a healthy vegetable that helps you get all of your micronutrients in, while still staying in ketosis. Wondering how to make it? Check out this recipe:

• Cauliflower Rice
• 1 cauliflower
• 1 tbsp oil

Chop the cauliflower into large pieces, removing the green stem. Discard the stem. Place the chopped cauliflower in a food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower is in tiny pieces that resemble grains of rice. Place the cauliflower in a bowl and cover with paper towels. Press down to remove any excess moisture.

Heat the oil in a saucepan on the stove. Once it’s properly heated, place the cauliflower in it. Put a lid over the pan and allow it to cook for between five and eight minutes. After it’s fully cooked, season it as you so desire. Then store your cauliflower rice in the refrigerator or even freeze it.

Beef Bowls:

• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 pound of lean ground beef
• 1.5 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• Lime and lemon juice (to taste)
• Diced scallions
• 2 cups cooked cauliflower rice

Heat the sesame oil in a pan on the stove. Once it’s properly heated, add the ground beef. Break down (crumble) the beef as it cooks. After it’s lightly browned but not fully cooked, add in the ground ginger and minced garlic. Cook until the meat is fully browned. At this point, drain off any excess grease.

After the grease is drained, stir the soy sauce and white vinegar into the meat. Arrange the cauliflower rice in a bowl and top with the beef mixture. Add some diced scallions on top and sprinkle with lime and lemon juice (if you so desire.) Serve and enjoy!

Or, since you’re prepping this meal, break it into smaller portions and place them in your refrigerator. Now all that you need to do every night is pull out a portion and heat it up – instant dinner! Plus, this meal is not only keto-friendly, but it’s also quite tasty.

In Conclusion 

Keto can be a game-changer when it comes to losing weight and staying healthy. But when it comes to adhering to this diet, it’s important to do your meal planning and prepping ahead of time. This ensures that not only are you eating the right amount of macros every day but also that your body stays in ketosis, so you lose weight.

In addition, it saves you time. There’s nothing like spending a Sunday on meal prep to make sure that you have plenty of extra time throughout the workweek. All that it takes is some dedication and a little ingenuity, and voila! You’ll be a lean, mean keto machine in no time!

Sources:

20 Keto Diet Meals to Prep Ahead | Everyday Health

Keto Meal Prep for 1 Week of Keto Meals in 2 Hours | Kitchn

30 Keto Meal Prep Recipes - How To Meal Prep On The Keto Diet | Women's Health Mag