When you begin the keto diet, it may seem difficult to come up with ideas for lunch. Eliminating the bread, tortillas, and lunch meats takes some staples off the table. You need to rethink lunch, and, in particular, refocus on what you can eat. The keto diet does include meat, eggs, plant-based fats, and cheese. Once you start looking at what you can eat, lunch seems a lot simpler. Take a look at the following keto lunch ideas.
The keto diet is a relatively successful diet that many people follow as well as many celebrities- mainly because it works. It restricts sugar and carbs and allows you to eat healthy fats to change the way your body processes energy.
While on the keto diet your body goes through a process known as ketosis whereby you burn fat for energy. So your body uses all that extra weight hanging on you as fuel and lowers your weight quickly. You must completely go off sugar and only eat a very limited amount of carbs. Most of your diet should consist of good fats and protein like avocados, cheese, animals proteins, and some veggies. You can read up here about keto diet tips every beginner needs to know.
Check out These 20 Keto Lunch Ideas To make Your Diet Fool Proof
Staying simple on the keto diet is the key to success. Find easy recipes and bookmark them for easy retrieval. When you find yourself hungry, grab a glass of water first and drink it then plan for your meal. Cheating on the keto diet will kick you out of ketosis and your body will stop burning fat. These easy keto lunch ideas should ensure you stay on track and keep full all day long.
1. Cheeseburger Lettuce Wraps
A patty of lean beef with cheese and tomato is a favorite. You can replace the bun with a lettuce wrap, to make it keto friendly. This is a simple way to redefine the cheeseburger and have a delicious lunch. See the full recipe here.
2. Keto Low Carb Chili
Beans are high in carbs, so to make this chili, you will substitute lean grass-fed beef for the beans. Add vegetables, spices, and tomato sauce, and cover it with sour cream and cheese. This is a wonderfully filling meal with only five net carbs. Find the recipe here.
3. Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl
Mexican food can be delicious without the tortilla. Instead, mix up chicken, enchilada sauce, and vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle cauliflower rice on top. Check out the recipe for this keto lunch idea here.
4. Cauliflower Fried Rice with Egg
Cauliflower has a mild taste and works well as a rice substitute. One cup of cauliflower contains only five grams of carbs, and it has vitamins C and K. Try this recipe for cauliflower fried rice. Recipe here.
5. Keto Cob Egg Salad
Egg salad is a lunchtime favorite, and this variation has more flavor than you can imagine. Take your traditional egg salad, and add in lettuce, tomatoes, blue cheese, ranch, and cheddar cheese, and you will have a low carb lunch that is high in taste. See the recipe here.
6. Egg Wraps
There are many reasons to include eggs in your keto diet, especially since they are loaded with protein and important vitamins and minerals. You can actually cook them to substitute for bread in your sandwich. Wrap eggs around fillings such as ham, avocado, or hummus to create the perfect keto lunch. Check out this recipe
7. Keto Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
You may be avoiding pasta on the keto diet, but there is no reason you can’t have the delicious flavor and texture of lasagna. Portobello mushrooms are low carb and the perfect fit for this recipe, which you can customize. Add the cheese on top, and this may become one of your favorite meals. Try this recipe.
8. Keto Sushi
It may be hard to imagine sushi without the rice, but you can make this keto sushi by substituting cauliflower and adding cream cheese, avocado, and cucumber. In fact, you can use any of your favorite keto-friendly fillers in the sushi. Just stay away from imitation crab meat, as it is high in carbs. Look at this amazing recipe.
9. Keto Taco Salad
This keto lunch idea gives you all the flavor of a taco without the shell. This favorite Mexican dish is a take off on the taco and is popular for its zesty taste. Leave the salad dressing off and use sour cream and salsa. You can add tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and whatever else will give it the perfect flavor for you. Here is a simple recipe to follow from Keto Babble
10. Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
People often think they will miss the pasta, but when you can create delicious substitutes, such as cauliflower mac and cheese, you won’t miss it a bit. Cauliflower has the right texture and a mild taste, and when you cover it with your favorite cheeses, you won’t even know that the pasta is missing. Check out this recipe here.
11. Deli Snack Box
You can mix and match foods in these deli snack boxes to create a perfect lunch. Include turkey, almonds, egg, tomatoes, and cheese, which makes it simple to prepare. Check out these ideas here.
12. BLT Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados
Hollow out an avocado, and stuff it with your favorite chicken salad, diced tomatoes, lettuce, and bacon. Cottage cheese is a great substitute for the mayo, and you will love this delicious lunch. Check out this recipe here.
13. Tuna Salad
You can make tuna salad with tuna and Greek yogurt and add cucumbers, apples, almonds, and egg on the side. This tasty lunch is sure to fill you up and keep you going. Here is the recipe:
14. Enchilada Style Stuffed Peppers
If you are worried about missing out on Mexican food, try this delicious keto lunch idea. Stuff bell peppers with lean beef, your favorite spices, and cheese. Cauliflower will replace the rice, and you have the perfect keto enchiladas. Try this recipe here.
15. Buffalo Chicken Celery Sticks
Make your buffalo chicken and spread it onto the celery sticks. You can chill them in the fridge so that they blend together deliciously. Here is a great recipe from Mantitlement.
16. Mini Mushroom Keto Pizza
Mushrooms are a great source of nutrition, and they mimic the shape of a bun or in this case pizza dough. Make little pizzas on these delicious mushrooms for lunch. Look at this recipe.
17. Cheesy Cauliflower Bread Sticks
Cauliflower makes a great substitute for high carb foods such as bread. In this case, chop the cauliflower and mix it with eggs, cheese, and spices to form the perfect crust. Cover it with cheese for the most delicious meal. Try this recipe here.
18. Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower
This is a tasty variation on the loaded baked potato. Cauliflower makes the keto life so much easier because it serves as the perfect substitute for high carb foods that are a part of so many meals. This meal will taste as good as loaded potato skins. Follow this recipe from low carb maven.
19. Keto Quiche
Here is another example of how so many meals can remain a part of your diet on keto. The following recipe uses an almond flour crust, and you can customize it to be whatever you like best. Check it out here.
20. Cucumber Avocado Salad
You can whip up this easy salad whenever you need something quick and easy. This is a wonderful light and refreshing dish as well- perfect for a summer BBQ or to bring for a potluck. Take a look at this recipe from Cafe Delights.
One of the greatest joys in life is just feeling good about yourself. Big or small, skinny or curvy- we are all beautiful. Dieting should be seen as a way to improve your overall health- not just look good. The keto diet can improve the lives of those struggling with diabetes and many other health related issues.
It can even just help kick the sugar habit. Sugar withdrawal for adults and kids is a serious thing! I look at this diet as more of a lifestyle change than a weight loss program. I know plenty of skinny folks who are still not happy. So love yourself and love your body. Do what feels right to you and allow yourself to feel good about your appearance, your self worth, your confidence, and your mental health.