Top 10 Keto Lunch Ideas
A good keto lunch must be a few things: low in carbs, healthy, easy to make, and convenient to pack up if needed. It’s advantageous to plan your lunches ahead of time to avoid snacking on unnecessary carbs and calories throughout the day. The key to being successful with any nutrition plan is being prepared so it’s always best to meal plan especially during the week when schedules are packed with work, school, and family obligations.
If you’re out of ideas on what to eat during lunch on a low carb diet, check out these 10 tasty (and healthy) keto lunch ideas.
1. Keto Caesar Salad in the Nest
This recipe has only four ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes to make! Instead of cheddar cheese, we used Parmesan cheese to add a rich and savory taste to the dish. Caesar dressing pairs well but feel free to swap it for your favorite low-carb, keto friendly salad dressing or vinaigrette.
If you want more protein, you can add shredded chicken to the mix or even tuna. Hungry yet? Try out this recipe for keto caesar salad nests!
Nutrition facts (per nest): 192 calories – 13.6g fat – 12.8g protein – 1.5g net carbs
2. Keto Shrimp Skewers with Cilantro Lime Pesto
Cocktail shrimp? That’s a thing of the past. This recipe gives the shrimp a burst of flavor with a homemade cilantro lime pesto marinade. It also packs a hefty dose of protein to keep you full throughout the day. Perfectly keto, the fat content is on par as well.
An added bonus, this dish works well for meal prep. You can keep the shrimp marinated in the fridge for a few days until you’re ready to grill them up. Check out our recipe for keto shrimp skewers.
Nutrition facts (one skewer): 313 calories – 23g fat – 25g protein – 2g net carbs
3. Keto Creamy Avocado Zoodles
Zucchini noodles are one of the best inventions of mankind. No, seriously, they’re so versatile and simple to make that I don’t think keto diet would be the same without them. This recipe only takes about 20 minutes–all you need is a heated skillet and you’re set with a great keto lunch.
Since these zoodles are made with avocado, pesto, and Parmesan, they are packed with flavor. Not to mention, this recipe is perfect if you want to up your healthy fats for the day. Get all the details here with our recipe for keto avocado zoodles.
Nutrition info (per serving): 294 calories – 24.5g fat – 6.6g protein – 11.7g net carbs
4. Keto Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These are one of our favorite keto lunch ideas. Why bother with carb filled wraps when you can use lettuce? Another winner for batch cooking, you can store the chicken in the fridge for a few days, heat it up and simply spoon onto a salad.
If you’re on the ketogenic diet to lose weight, these are perfect since one single lettuce wrap is only 87 calories. They also pack a healthy dose of protein to keep you full for longer. Go ahead and check out our recipe for keto Asian chicken lettuce wraps.
Nutrition facts (per wrap): 87 calories – 3.2g fat – 12.6g protein – 1.2g net carbs
5. Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
If you assumed Philly cheesesteaks were a thing of the past, there are excellent keto alternatives for you to enjoy! These stuffed peppers pack a healthy dose of protein at 33 grams per serving, and two halves have only 9 grams of net carbs!
This recipe is also an option for batch-cooking as it keeps well in the refrigerator and can be easily reheated at work. Try out our Philly cheesesteak-stuffed peppers now!
Nutrition facts (per serving): 444 calories – 29g fat – 33g protein – 9g net carbs
6. Keto Chicken Nuggets
If you thought you had to give up chicken nuggets on keto, that’s certainly not the case! With this delicious keto alternative, you’ll be able to satisfy your cravings without sacrificing your daily carb budget. One nugget has only 1 gram of net carbs!
Check out our easy recipe for keto chicken nuggets and enjoy it with mustard, mayonnaise or any keto friendly sauce.
Nutrition facts (per nugget): 148 calories – 6.8g fat – 20.7g protein – 1g net carbs
7. Low-Carb Tuna Patties
Tuna salad is a keto lunch staple, but these patties will take your taste buds to the next level. Extremely low in carbohydrates, they also pack a protein punch and can be paired with a variety of keto-friendly dipping sauces.
You can make these in only 20 minutes with easy ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry. Get the recipe for low-carb tuna patties and get started!
Nutrition facts (per patty): 172 calories – 11.9g fat – 16.9g protein – 1g net carbs
8. Keto Chicken Meatballs
Low carb tomato sauce? Check. Cheese? Check. Delicious chicken meatballs? You got it! They’re high in fat, low in carbs and don’t use any bread fillers to fluff them up. Add a little bit of fresh basil on top and you’ll take your taste buds straight to Italy.
You can store them in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them so they are on hand at your convenience. You’ll definitely be satisfied with this recipe for keto chicken meatballs.
Nutrition facts (per serving): 276 calories – 20g fat – 13g protein – 9g net carbs
9. Keto Air Fryer Salmon Skillet with Roasted Veggies
What do you think of when you want healthy fats? Aside from avocado, salmon makes the top of our list, but seafood may seem daunting for some to prepare. Only five minutes of prep is needed before this dish goes into the air fryer.
One serving has almost 30g of protein, and the colorful variety of produce boasts an array of nutrients and antioxidants. Get the recipe for air-fryer salmon and enjoy a flavorful, low carb meal!
Nutrition facts: 260 calories – 6.1g fat – 29.6g protein – 5.9g net carbs
10. Keto Creamy Buffalo Chicken SoupÂ
Soups are a typical lunch option, but are they ketogenic? They sure can be! This creamy buffalo chicken soup is the perfect combination of healthy and tasty. You can prepare all ingredients in about 10 minutes, and the rest is simply simmering until done.
One cup contains 15 grams of fat and only five grams of net carbs so it’s perfect for your keto macros. If you’re a soup person, you’ll love this recipe for buffalo chicken soup!
Nutrition facts: 250 calories – 15g fat – 23g protein – 5g net carbs
Not only are the macronutrient compositions a critical reason to plan out your keto lunch ideas beforehand, the matter of meal timing that can affect your results. Numerous studies have shown that those with busy lifestyles who eat at erratic hours, with no firm schedule are at greater risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. [1] Planning your meals ahead of time will not only ensure you’re getting proper nutrition, but will also keep you on a regular eating schedule. Just as having a normal sleep pattern is critical to overall health, a consistent eating pattern is just as important.
References
Manoogian, E., Chaix, A., & Panda, S. (2019). When to Eat: The Importance of Eating Patterns in Health and Disease. Journal of biological rhythms, 34(6), 579–581. https://doi.org/10.1177/0748730419892105
