Easy Keto Meal Plan for Beginners

Looking for an easy way to kick off your healthy diet? This 7-day keto meal plan is ideal for both keto beginners and established veterans. Easy keto diet meals to help you stay on track, plus a printable keto shopping list.

 

New year, new you! It’s January, which means many people have chosen to get a little healthier. If you decided that the keto diet was a good way to meet these goals, congratulations! I truly believe you are on the right path to better health.

Or, if you are well versed in keto but perhaps just want more easy recipe ideas, this is the right place for you too.

How to start the keto diet

I get this question from people on a nearly daily basis. A lifestyle change can be incredibly daunting, and people are often so overwhelmed with conflicting information, they don’t know where to start.

You know what I say to that? Just do it. Yep, just like the Nike ad. Just do it, and don’t look back.

Every moment that you put off starting is yet another day you put off your health. So you need to jump in and get started. Even it you don’t do it perfectly from the get-go, you’ve made the commitment and you’re one step closer.

Eventually it becomes second nature. But at the beginning, it takes time and effort, and you may have a few missteps along the way. And that’s okay – we were all there once. Just keep getting back on that horse.

A keto meal plan like this one can help guide you through those first few days of uncertainty.

Preparation is key

One of the biggest factors in a successful lifestyle change is preparation. Start by wrapping your mind around the changes you need to make and being aware of the potential pitfalls along the way.

But there is also such a thing as reading too much. With the keto diet, there are so many self-proclaimed experts out there, each of them doling out different advice and “keto rules”, it’s enough make your head spin. And it overwhelms some people so much, they don’t even know how to start.

It’s time to stop reading and start doing.

Which means clearing your home of high carb junk and finding some really good keto diet meals and keto snacks that you can rely on. Things that are easy to make and that satisfy your tastebuds so you are less tempted to give in to cravings.

The recipes in this meal plan fit the bill perfectly. They are all great for prepping ahead for the week, so you can grab them when needed. And it includes a few snacks and desserts, to help ward of temptation.

How to use this easy keto meal plan

This is a flexible mix-and-match meal plan. If you have a number of people in your household doing keto, then you may want to use all of the recipes. But if it’s just you, or you and a spouse, you may choose to focus on just a few.

And many of the recipes store well for up to 5 days, or even up to several months in the freezer, so you can get ahead on other weeks too.

You will notice I only provide breakfast, dinner, and snack recipes in this plan. Lunch should be filled in with leftovers, and/or easy salads, tuna, deli meats and cheeses. The amount of servings in the dinner recipes should be enough to provide lunches for most of the week, unless you have a large family (in which case, you can double the dinner recipes).

I have also provided the full nutritional analysis of all of my recipes, plus the nutrition of all suggested additions to round out the meal, to help you calculate your macros.

Then grab yourself a free meal-plan template like THIS ONE and fill in the meals as you see fit.

Sample Day One

Here’s what a full day of eating might look like on this easy keto meal plan:

Breakfast: Sheet Pan Pancake with 1 tablespoon butter
Lunch: Green salad with 3 ounces of tuna, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, ¼ avocado, 1 ounce shredded cheddar
Dinner: Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Snacks/dessert: 1 ounce salted macadamia nuts, 1 Keto Peppermint Patty
Calories = 1556, Total Carbs = 29.4g, Net Carbs = 15.9g

Don’t forget the keto snacks

For many people first starting the keto diet, having plenty of snacks on hand is critical. As your body switches over from burning sugars to burning fats for fuel, you can sometimes feel hungry or weak, even when you actually aren’t.

Being able to grab an easy and filling keto snack like macadamia nuts or pepperoni sticks can make the difference between staying the course or succumbing to temptation.

I’ve provided a few snack and treat recipes, but also be sure to check out this huge list of keto snacks. Load up on them, and keep them at home, work, and in your car or purse, so that you’re never caught unaware.

Ready to get started on this easy keto meal plan? Grab the Free Printable Shopping List here!

Easy Keto Breakfast Recipes

Sheet Pan Pancakes (15 servings)
• The perfect make-ahead keto pancake recipe. It’s so much easier than flipping pancakes in a skillet and it makes 15 servings. It freezes well too, so you can stretch them out to last for several weeks!
• 221 calories, 18.7g fat, 7.5g carbs, 4.2g fiber, 7.5g protein
• Add 1 tablespoon butter to round out the meal: Adds 102 calories, 7g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g protein

Sheet Pan Frittata (8 servings)
• Another easy sheet pan breakfast that helps you prep for the week ahead. Simply cut it into servings and store in a covered container in the fridge.
• 284 calories, 20.6g fat, 3.7g carbs, 0.7g fiber, 16.5g protein
• Add ¼ avocado to round out the meal: Adds 81 calories, 7.3g fat, 4.2g carbs, 1.3g fiber, 1g protein

Cinnamon Crunch Cereal (6 servings)
• Easy to make and egg-free, this tasty keto cereal recipe makes a wonderful breakfast, but it’s also great for snacking. Make ahead and store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.
• 257 calories, 24.5g fat, 6.5g carbs, 3.4g fiber, 4.6g protein
• Add 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream to round out the meal: Adds 58 calories, 6g of fat, 1g carbs, 0g fiber, 0.8g protein

Avocado Green Tea Smoothie (2 servings)
• This unusual flavor combination really works and is packed with antioxidants. Best of all, it’s the kind of breakfast you can whip up in a matter of minutes.
• 229 calories, 16.7g fat, 4.4g carbs, 2.9g fiber, 14.1g protein
• Add two slices bacon to round out the meal: Adds 86 calories, 6.7g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 6g protein

Easy Keto Dinner Recipes

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole (6 servings)
• Creamy one-pan deliciousness! If you grab a rotisserie chicken, this delicious keto casserole is so easy to make and comes together in 25 minutes. And the leftovers re-heat really well.
• 493 calories, 34.7g fat, 6.1g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 27g protein

Asian Steak Bites (6 servings)
• Quick cooking steak bites are a great way to divvy up a nice sirloin for several servings. Marinate the steak bites before you head to work and it will take you only about 10 minutes to make this easy meal.
• 280 calories, 16.9g fat, 2.5g carbs, 0g fiber, 23.1g protein
• Add some cauliflower rice to round out the meal. If it’s sautéed in a few tablespoon of butter, it will add about 80 calories, 5.6g fat, 4g carbs, 2g fiber, and 2g protein.
• Other sides to consider: roasted broccoli, small green salad, sautéed zucchini noodles.

Mexican Cauliflower Rice (6 servings)
• One of my most popular keto dinner recipes, and it’s your whole meal in one pan. It takes 25 minutes, start to finish, and kids love it too.
• 352 calories, 21.7g fat, 7g carbs, 2g fiber, 29.1g protein
• Top with 1 tablespoon sour cream and about ⅛ of avocado: Adds 64 calories, 6.1g fat, 2.4g carbs, 0.6g fiber, 0.7g protein

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies (6 servings)
• Notice a trend here? Sheet pans are great for easy cooking and meal prep, and this delicious one-pan dinner is proof!
• 437 calories, 29.4g fat, 8.8g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 29.4g protein

Garlic Butter Salmon (4 servings)
• Yup, you guessed it, another easy sheet pan meal! Feel free to sub broccoli or green beans in for the cauliflower to shake things up a bit.
• 450 calories, 23.8g fat, 6.3g carbs, 2.4g fiber, 36.9g protein

Air Fryer Pork Chops (4 servings)
• Tender and juicy, with a delectable browned butter sage sauce. Don’t worry if you don’t have an air fryer, as I have also included stovetop instructions.
• 485 calories, 30.5g fat, 0.7g carbs, 0g fiber, 46.7g protein
• Add a small green salad and 2 tablespoon of your choice of keto salad dressing to round out the meal: Adds about 115 calories, 8g fat, 5g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 2g protein (depending on the dressing).

Snacks and Desserts

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Brown Butter (4 servings)
• Super creamy and only 5 ingredients, it’s a keto newbie’s dream recipe. So simple to make and so much flavor, it’s a great snack or light lunch.
• 198 calories, 17.7g fat, 4.6g carbs, 0.6g fiber, 4.6g protein

Keto Peppermint Patties (12 servings)
• Simple dairy-free treats that can help conquer that craving for something sweet, and keep you from giving in to the high carb junk.
• 126 calories, 13.6g fat, 2.9g carbs, 1.4g fiber, 0.4g protein

Keto Butter Pecan Cookies (10 servings)
• These extremely popular cookies are so easy to make and are a delightful keto snack. No one can ever believe that they are low carb and sugar-free.
• 240 calories, 22.3g fat, 5.3g carbs, 3.1g fiber, 5g protein

Free Printable Shopping List

I’ve done all the work for you! Don’t forget to download the Easy Keto Meal Plan Shopping List!