Keto-Friendly Recipes for Labor Day Weekend

This Labor Day, you might be excited about getting together with some friends and family and sharing good times and good food (and, hopefully, slightly cooler weather). If you’re following a ketogenic diet and you don’t want to turn Labor Day into a cheat day, you’ll need keto-friendly snacks to keep you going through the long weekend. This article shares keto-friendly snack and appetizer ideas and recipes so you can stay low-carb, energized, and focused on having fun and making memories this holiday.

What Is Labor Day?

Labor Day is a yearly holiday that takes place on the first Monday in September. Labor Day originated in the late 19th century when labor activists advocated for a federal holiday to celebrate American workers and acknowledge how much they’ve contributed to the prosperity and strength of the country. ^[1]

Americans celebrate Labor Day with picnics, cookouts, parties, parades, athletic events, and other festivities.

Keto-Friendly Snacks and Appetizers for Labor Day Weekend

Here are some top tips, snacks, and appetizer ideas to help you stay keto this Labor Day weekend.

Chicken Nuggets

Tasty chicken nuggets remain a popular meal or snack for kids that can perk any party up. Of course, nuggets made with grain-based breading aren’t keto-approved, but these keto chicken nuggets swap the breadcrumbs and flour for pork rinds. Protein powder ramps up the protein content.

Stuffed Peppers

Peppers are sweet and appetizing, but they’re even better when they’re stuffed with something delicious like juicy meat and melty cheese. These keto Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers can level up your holiday gathering. Or if you have an Instant Pot, put it to good use with these 30-minute meaty, chilified Instant Pot stuffed peppers!

Queso and Dips

Dips like Buffalo chicken and queso are hits at any party or fun family day. When you prepare a low-carb, flavor-packed dip from home, you don’t have to worry about any hidden carbs. Get dipping this Labor Day with these dip recipes from Ketogenic.com:

Don’t forget the low-carb chips for your dip, such as cucumber or celery sticks.

Chips

Carb-loaded potato chips could be part of your cheat day, or you could stay on the keto track and enjoy a lower-carb (but still satisfying) option, like cheesy crisps or zucchini chips. Check out these chip recipes from Ketogenic.com:

These recipes are easy to make, and you’ll be surprised by how much the kids and adults love them.

Nuts

Nuts aren’t just a crunchy, healthier keto snack; they also don’t require any prep or cooking time. A simple bag of salted almonds or macadamias can satisfy your hunger and keep you going until your next keto meal.

Kick it up a notch by making a keto trail mix or this walnut keto banana bread!

Popcorn

Popcorn isn’t just for the movies or the Super Bowl; it’s also a sought-after treat on Labor Day. While many popcorns aren’t keto-friendly (because of flavorings and additions), that doesn’t mean they’re all off your Labor Day plate. Impress your guests with this simple 6-minute low-carb popcorn.

Hot Dogs and Burgers

While protein-packed hot dogs and burgers are usually suitable for a ketogenic diet, the buns and bread rolls aren’t. Bring your own keto buns made with almond flour, flaxseed meal, mozzarella cheese, eggs, cream cheese, baking powder, and seasoning.

Treat your family and friends to gourmet low-carb hot dogs and burgers with these recipes from Ketogenic.com:

Fries

While you can’t have traditional french fries made from potatoes or even sweet potatoes on keto, you can enjoy low-carb alternatives like jicama, celery root, and green bean fries! They’ll resemble the classic tasty, salty fries without all the carbs.

Wings

These keto Buffalo air fryer chicken wings won’t last long on your Labor Day table. All you need is 23 minutes and seven ingredients.

Salads

Salads are light and refreshing and pair well with grilled Labor Day meats. Enjoy a creamy keto cucumber salad or a chopped tahini salad. Go all out with a family-size keto Cobb salad with all the trimmings!

More Labor Day Recipes

Steph Green

Steph Green is a content writer specializing in and passionate about healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. Steph has worked with marketing agencies, written medical books for doctors like ‘Untangling the Web of Dysfunction,’ and her poetry book ‘Words that Might Mean Something.’ In 2016, after four years of struggling with her own health problems and painful autoimmune disease, Steph developed a life-changing and extensive knowledge of keto, nutrition, and natural medicine. She continues on her healing journey and enjoys helping others along the way.